Sam Smith – The other day I posed to myself an odd question: if you could only choose the college or the high school you went to which would it be? The alternatives were Harvard College and Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia and within minutes I picked the latter. Why did it come so assuredly and so fast? The answer followed quickly: Harvard provided me with an education, Germantown Friends with a philosophy, moral guidance and skills to enjoy and work with others. I am who I am far more because I went to GFS than having gone to Harvard.
This may seem a little strange for a Seventh Day Agnostic to admit, but if I were forced to join a church it would be a Friends meeting, in no small part because Quakers are, like me, existentialists. You define yourself not by words of faith but by deeds of action. For example, I am struck these days by how much is written about racism and how to get rid of it and how little about how to create communities and schools where individuals are clearly valued over ethnicity, class or religion, and where individuals learn to live wisely and happily with each other. We are living in a time obsessed with the evil around us yet not all that interested in, or capable of, creating alternatives.
Here is a good article on Quaker education
Lynette Assarsson, Westtown School -While each Friends school has its own unique style and personality, they all have a common purpose: not only to provide a rich and challenging education but also to foster the ideals of community, spirituality, responsibility, and stewardship.
A hallmark of the Quaker school experience is the basic belief that we are all teachers and learners and that each child has unique gifts and talents. Students are called upon to discover their own voices and interests within the framework of rigorous, college-preparatory academics. The foundation of the educational experience is built upon the idea that students’ quality of character – what kind of people they are becoming – is as important to their lives and to the world as their intellectual growth and exploration.
Because Quaker education endeavors to be a socially responsible one, Friends schools’ curricula emphasize service, social action, and experiential learning. Can education be socially responsible and academically rigorous at the same time? Educators in Friends schools believe that one is not developed at the expense of the other; instead, they work in tandem to prepare students for college and for life....
Students are led by example not only to respect the perspectives and talents of others in the community but so to learn from them. Friends school campuses are culturally, religiously, racially, and socio-economically diverse and are deeply enriched by this diversity. A Friends school education is not limited to campus life but is enhanced by getting out into the local community for service projects or traveling to far-off places like China or Peru to learn a language or build a school. This focus on preparing students to be citizens of the world is a unique feature of all Friends schools and reflects the heart of Quaker principles. Friends schools have a deep commitment to environmental sustainability and you will find eco-friendly policies being put into practice, not just talked about...
What are Quaker testimonies? Simplicity. Peace. Integrity. Community. Equality.
As a result of acting on these basic principles and testimonies, Quakers became known as champions of progressive social movements: pacifism, abolitionism, the equality of men and women, humane treatment for prisoners, and the mentally ill, the eradication of poverty—and, education...
Quaker schools do not seek to convert others to the Friends religion. Quakers do no proselytize. In fact, they deeply value a religiously diverse atmosphere: at most Friends schools Quakers make up only a small portion of the student body. Students gather for Meeting for Worship (what you might call ‘chapel’ elsewhere) and sit in silence. All those present are welcomed to stand and speak if they feel so moved or inspired. There is no minister or sermon. It is through this quiet reflection and communal sharing that people of all faith traditions can worship together.
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