Compassion, a BFS and Quaker tradition
The program of our first commencement, from 1910 BFS has always strived to be compassionate for its community, particularly for its students, both while enrolled at our school and forever […]
Tag: quakers
Our Buildings, Our History, Part IV: 1902’s Modern Brooklyn Friends School
1902 saw one of the biggest moments in Brooklyn Friends School history, our third expansion which created the school building still standing today at 112-114 Schermerhorn, now rented by New […]
50 years ago, we wore what at BFS Commencement?
BFS and the Class of 2014 may be gearing up for Commencement right now, but at this time 50 years ago, it was the Class of ’64’s big moment to […]
Remembering Benjamin R. Burdsall, 1903-1968
Got to thinking about Benjamin R. Burdsall this week as our Upper School faculty has been doing its own thinking about recipients of our annual awards for the Upper School […]
BFS “head” count. Heads of school, that is…
Stuart Smith, 1968 to 1978 Since 1867, BFS has had 19 heads of school, not including interim heads. Over the years, the title of our school’s highest administrative role has […]
A rare find, 19th Century student remembers his BFS days
Found tucked away in the archives several years ago is this item written by Henry Morris Haviland, recalling his student days at BFS from 1872 to 1876. Such items are quite a […]
Bayard Rustin Honored & New York Quakers Apologize to Afro-Descendants
Bayard Rustin Following up to my Gatekeeper No More post of November 7. That post shared the known history of our school’s winding path to integration which helped Brooklyn Friends […]
Gatekeeper No More
1940, BFS Principal Douglas Grafflin’s Address to the Trustees of the Schools of New York Monthly Meeting proposing the enrollment of African American students at BFS. Please click to read Grafflin’s entire […]
A BFS Tradition, Learning through Service
1995 – Service at the “Park” (now known as the Marriott) Certainly, there are myriad ways in which we all contribute to the greater good of our world, but BFS […]
Answers from Our Ancestors: The Jacksons on BFS, Friends Education and Quakerism
Will Walter Jackson Unlike computers or labs or books, defining the heart of Brooklyn Friends School is difficult. That heart is rooted in Quakerism and we do try to explain […]
Our First Meeting for Worship, 1941
Meeting for Worship is such an important element of the Brooklyn Friends School experience that it is difficult to imagine that it did not exist in its present form at Brooklyn […]