OptimizedImage,Optimized

From the Archives: Reflecting on Our Outdoor Spaces

In 1957, a new gym was built on part of the playing field.

 

Part of what is now the backlot once contained the library and log cabin. The backlot was then divided into parking spaces (although there never seemed to be enough) and the current play area. That changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Friends Select repurposed a significant portion of its parking lot to create additional outdoor learning spaces.     

 


As I admired the marvelous designs of what we hope will become Friends Select’s new backlot playscape, I reflected on how the school has adapted its outdoor spaces over the years to accommodate a multitude of uses and interests from our community.

 

Most older alumni probably won’t know what the “backlot” means. Similarly, younger alums might not know what is meant by the “playing field” and the “playground.” While usages changed over the years, the playing field once took up most of the northern half of the block where the Parkway Building is located. At some points, the playing field was comprised mostly of tennis courts or archery space; at other times, the field was used for soccer and other activities, such as May Day, horse shows, and Spring Fairs. Meanwhile, the playground was located by the cricket shed and the lower school building, and included traditional outdoor equipment such as swings and jungle gyms.

In 1957, a new gym was built on part of the playing field. Part of what is now the backlot once contained the library and log cabin. The backlot was then divided into parking spaces (although there never seemed to be enough) and the current play area. That changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Friends Select repurposed a significant portion of its parking lot to create additional outdoor learning spaces.     

Given the history of Friends Select’s outdoor spaces, it will be exciting to see what the next chapter holds for this vital part of our campus. With the necessary philanthropic support from our community to move forward with this project, the backlot playscape has the potential to become a truly special place for all Friends Select students, faculty, and staff to enjoy for many years to come.  

- Dick Hoffman

 

FSS

 

 

 

Sun, 10 Nov 2024

Michael Gary Speaks

With the start of another academic year, I am incredibly proud of all that we are able to accomplish at Friends Select School.

Sun, 10 Nov 2024

Incorporating Environmental Sustainability to Advance Friends Select

Friends Select School’s administration and board of trustees are augmenting the existing framework of its strategic plan, Advance Friends Select, to include initiatives that will emphasize the school’s dedication to environmental sustainability.

Thu, 29 Aug 2024

2024-25 New Employees List

Please join us in welcoming the following new employees to the Friends Select community:

Sun, 05 May 2024

Michael Gary Speaks Spring 2023

I am so proud of what we have accomplished together since we launched our strategic plan, Advance Friends Select.

Sun, 05 May 2024

Giving Back: Lon and Bonnie Greenberg GP’25, ’27

Former Friends Select grandparents and longtime supporters of the school, Lon and Bonnie Greenberg GP’25, ’27 recently made a significant contribution to create an endowment fund for SummerSessions, a facet of the Advance Friends Select: Transformation Campaign.

Tue, 30 Apr 2024

Upper School Writer Program Thrives

To enrich the educational experience of upper school students and celebrate Philadelphia’s vibrant arts and culture, Friends Select School established the upper school Visiting Writer Program in 2019 with support from the John M. Dallam ’49 Endowed Fund. Each year, a distinguished Philadelphia-based writer is invited to engage with students and share their expertise, insight, and literary talent.

Tue, 30 Apr 2024

Successfully Navigating the College Application Process as a Student-Athlete

For students interested in pursuing a collegiate athletic career, the college search and application process add layers of complexity. Balancing academic and athletic commitments requires foresight, careful planning, and a strategic approach.

Tue, 30 Apr 2024

Students Participate in the Mayor’s African American Historic Statue Advisory Committee

Two Friends Select students had the privilege to serve on former Mayor Jim Kenney’s African American Historic Statue Advisory Committee convened by the Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy (OACCE).

Tue, 30 Apr 2024

Students Lead Voter Registration Drive at Shackamaxon Powwow

Friends Select upper school students facilitated a voter registration drive last September at the Shackamaxon Powwow at Penn Treaty Park. Hosted annually by the Native American House Alliance (NAHA)—a nonprofit organization that supports family, housing, and employment services to the local Native American community—the Shackamaxon Powwow honors Lenape culture and heritage.

Tue, 30 Apr 2024

Michael Gary Speaks Spring 2024

Watching and reading the news about boards of education at various levels throughout the United States purposefully censoring books and altering curricula to fit their political ideology, I am grateful to be an educator at Friends Select School.

 

Where Next?