A Message from
Principal Bo Lauder
W
elcome to the first issue of Meetinghouse, a
I am grateful for students and young alumni, particularly
rebirth of News from Friends.
from the Classes of 2020 and 2021, who continue to look forward with hope and motivation, despite the
The timing of this relaunch of our community magazine
many sacrifices and disappointments that so many
is apt as we transition back to some semblance of pre-
in our community and beyond have experienced over
pandemic normalcy; new beginnings are afoot. The title
the past year and a half. Our students made their own
of this publication is also of obvious significance.
opportunities, and their resilience is humbling.
As change endlessly swirls in the city surrounding
I am grateful for dedicated faculty members like Linda
the Fifteenth Street Meetinghouse, the Greek Revival
Chu who is retiring after 51 years of service, bringing an
building stands firm—inside and out—just as it did when
end to the longest tenure of any teacher in the School’s
it was built in 1860. It’s as if this historic room exists in an
history. Her commitment to her students is awe-inspiring.
alternate dimension of time and space. The straight lines and unadorned lintels and sills accentuate the simplicity
I am grateful for alumni like Ed Carroll ’56, who attended
of this sanctuary. Here, I find respite and comfort from the
Friends two years before the U.S. Supreme Court’s
kinetic pace of life. Here, I often count my blessings.
landmark ruling of Brown v. Board of Education. True leaders step up with little fanfare, but always for the good
I am proud to share that echoes of a Quaker meeting—in
of others.
spiritual and reflective form—reverberate through the pages of this magazine that you are holding. In many
I am grateful for you, for being a part of Friends. Our
ways, I hope it can serve as an extension of a Meeting for
community has drawn from deep wells of creativity,
Worship. Imagine me, if you will, standing among the
empathy, and action amid a dual pandemic of COVID-19
wooden benches, reading this letter aloud.
and systemic racial inequities. Our collective efforts have brought light to even the darkest moments.
As for my aformentioned blessings, I am grateful for the people you will get to know in the following pages. I hope
Let your life speak,
they remind you of what we are capable of in trying times. Here’s a preview of just a few of those I’m grateful for:
Meetinghouse | Summer 2021 7
