50th Timeline: 1973 – Joining the Friends Council on Education

As discussed in the previous post, the State of New Jersey recognized Friends School for its proper curriculum in time for the 1973 graduation, but Friends School Mullica also included a focus on Quakerism from the very beginning.  According to Stanton Langworthy’s history of the school’s early years, the Lower School focused on “self-discipline, understanding-forgiveness, thoughtfulness-kindness, love, truthfulness-honest, thankfulness, courtesy, respect, and prayer” while seventh graders and above focused on “the origin of Quakerism, Quaker settlement in America, the courage and self-discipline of early Quakers, Friends’ concern for education, Friends’ concern for others, Quaker principles, and the responsibility of present-day Quakers.”    The Friends Council on Education (FCE) first welcomed Friends School Mullica Hill in 1973 and that membership has been renewed many times over the years. No one could have guessed then that a future teacher at FSMH named Drew Smith would one day go on to become the Executive Director of FCE.