Lausanne Collegiate School

Originally a single-sex school, the Lausanne School for Girls first opened its doors in 1926. At its outset, the school was jointly managed by Emma DeSaussure Jett, Sophia Alexander Gardner, Bessie Statler, and Florence Goyer Taylor. The school was first located at 1649 Central Avenue, in a home previously called the "Cary House"; The Commercial Appeal called the building especially suited to schooling with the possibility of expanding it in the future. Lausanne began accepting both sexes of students for the 1966–67 academic year.

Boarding

Lausanne credited a Mrs. L. K. Thompson for the school's history of boarding students. Thompson, a "benefactress whose name was almost synonymous with the school", had friends in Little Rock, Arkansas, who wanted their children enrolled at Lausanne. After putting up the girls in her attic, similar demand led the school to construct a dormitory.

Lausanne's co-educational transition was also the heyday of its boarding program, whose numbers hovered around 100. The 1970s saw a decline in demand for boarding schools, and when Lausanne's number dropped, some dormitories were transformed into classrooms. By the 1990–91 academic year, Lausanne had 285 students and only 18 boarders—four of whom were from East Asia; in early 1992, it was the only girls' boarding program in Shelby County, Tennessee. Six months later, with only eight boarders, Lausanne ended its history of boarding; four seniors were diverted to private homes for their last year of school. Though it was estimated that 18 boarders would be financially sufficient to re-board students, Headmaster Elder was doubtful of the program's odds for resurrection.

Leadership

In July 1991, Lausanne headmaster Logan Malone resigned his position to join the Mid-South Foundation for Medical Care. For the 1991–92 academic year, board member Toni Watson served in Malone's stead while a full-time headmaster was headhunted. On July 1, 1992, New Orleans native George B. Elder (born 1946/1947) took the job. The Lausanne board of directors expressed excitement about Elder's experience (headmastering four previous schools), "his fund-raising ability, which is always a consideration for a private school; his attitude; his interest in athletics and the theater." Elder's first year at Lausanne saw 64% increased enrollment.

Stuart McCathie is the tenth headmaster of Lausanne, having taken the position in July 2005. An English native, McCathie has a bachelor's degree in education from Lancaster University and a master's degree in school administration from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. As of April 2016, McCathie was the fifth-highest-paid private school administrator in Memphis, Tennessee with a salary of $326,606 (equivalent to $438,147 in 2025), according to the Memphis Business Journal.