Dexter K. Strong (1907-1985) was the headmaster of Seattle’s Lakeside School for 18 years (1951-1969). Now a co-educational private secondary school, during Strong’s tenure Lakeside was still a boys-only boarding school. Strong diversified the boarders’ school experience by organizing skiing and hiking trips and other weekend activities, and inviting students and faculty into his home for get-togethers. During his tenure, the summer LEEP (Lakeside Educational Enrichment Program) was inaugurated in conjunction with Seattle Public School, sending 60 boys from public schools to an expenses-paid summer educational program at Lakeside. The program continues as of 2019.

A nationally recognized expert on private secondary schools, Strong worked as a consultant for private schools after his retirement from Lakeside. From 1974 to 1979, Strong served as chairman of the Commission on Educational Issues, headquartered in Boston. Strong was active in the Washington Association for Retarded Children and the Seattle Repertory Theater. He was a trustee of Lakeside and the Bush School.

The interview includes two segments recorded at the Lakeside School 1986 graduation, in which several of his associates reminiscence about Dexter Strong.

Interview conducted by Barbara Stenson and Bill Golding on May 30 and an unspeicfied date. Interviews at Lakeside graduation conducted on June 6, 1985. This interview is part of the Donald Schmechel Oral History Collection. Don Schmechel, who was a member of the Seattle Public Library Foundation board, began this project with Seattle Public Library in 1984, with the Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) brought on board as a partner in early 1985. Schmechel himself worked to raise the funding for the project, and volunteered his time to manage the project, and to conduct interviews along with a crew of volunteers. Originally titled the Videotaping Historic Figures (VHF) Program, the project interviewed 91 people, and MOHAI holds the interviews for 32 of these individuals.