The 100th anniversary celebration at Francis W. Parker School will begin with a bang when alumni ranging from authors and activists to actors and anthropologists return to the school Friday through Sunday, Oct. 5-7, to commemorate this historic milestone. The weekend will highlight a century of leadership and achievements including longstanding traditions and strong beginnings in progressive education.
Since 1901, Francis W. Parker School has led progressive education by focusing on continuous learning, character development and responsible citizenship. Located at 330 W. Webster Ave. in Near North, the school serves students in junior kindergarten through high school. A total of 5,549 students have graduated and reside throughout the world, including Australia, Thailand and Turkey. Nearly three fourths of the graduates live in Chicago.
“The celebration of our centennial is a significant confirmation of the value Parker families place on an education that is personalized,” said Don Monroe, principal. “Citizenship, character development, the partnership of families, emphasis on lifelong learning and constructive participation in society is vital to the core of Parker School, and is what will carry us into the future.”
The weekend kicks off at 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 5, with the opening of the Centennial County Fair. “County Fair is an excellent example of how Parker students learn by doing. Organized by students, County Fair is a strong tradition at Parker, dating back to 1901,” Kaufman said. “This year’s theme, ‘Turn of the Century County Fair,’ allows current Parker students to learn first-hand about the era in which the school began.”
The convocation begins at 4:30 p.m. Friday and features four alumni guest speakers, who will share how Parker School has affected their lives as adults. Robert McCormick Adams (‘43) is an anthropologist and author who most recently served as the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. Thomas J. Cottle, Ph.D. (‘55) is a sociologist and psychologist who has written or edited over 25 books.
Other alumni speaking at the convocation include Prexy Nesbitt (‘62), who is currently involved with the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and has been active in both the United States and Africa to end apartheid in South Africa. Elise Paschen (‘77), former executive director of the Poetry Society of America, has been instrumental in placing poetry in mainstream media, including on public transportation systems nationwide with the “Poetry in Motion” project.
In addition, several other alumni will speak throughout the celebration including Haskell Wexler (‘40), a renowned cinematographer who has received Academy Award nominations for his work.
Homecoming games on Saturday, Oct. 6, will feature current Parker athletes, but Parker alumni will get in on the action Sunday, Oct. 7, when they play rival alumni from the Latin School in a soccer match held at Parker School.
Parker School was named after Francis Wayland Parker, known as the “Father of Progressive Education,” upon whose philosophy and principles the school is rooted. The school focuses on mental, physical, and moral development of its students to help them become lifelong learners and active, democratic citizens.
Back in 1901, the vast majority of schools educated by having students memorize and recite material that had no connection with their interests or needs. From its first days, Parker School has embraced learning by doing instruction with an emphasis on the student, where parental involvement and passionate, well-trained teachers are a necessity.
In 1904, Parker School became the first independent school to have an official Parents’ Association. Similar organizations, such as the PTA, now exist in schools across the country. The Weekly, first published in 1911, is the oldest student-run newspaper and is still published by Parker School students today.
Pioneering the establishment of cultural diversity in schools, Parker School received a Human Rights Award from the City of Chicago for its leadership in this area. A race relations committee was established at Parker School in 1942 and the first African-American students enrolled in 1944. Jack Ellison taught the first Cultural Anthropology class offered in any U.S. high school curriculum at Parker School in the 1950s.
A dramatic increase in enrollment has occurred since Parker School first opened its doors. In 1901, 180 students were enrolled. One hundred years later, 875 students fill the classrooms. Approximately 20 percent of the students receive need-based financial aid; last year more than $1.7 million was distributed.
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