Better Than Riches (review)

Book Reviews Edited by Edwin B. Bronner Better Than Riches. By John Burkhart and Ralph West, co-editors. Philadelphia: William Penn Charter School, 1988. 257 pp. illus, $30.00. Celebrating 300 years of Quaker education, William Penn Charter School has published a comprehensive history in one beautifully prepared volume entitled Better Than Riches. Asmall committee from the schoolworked withtheco-editors, JohnBurkhartand RalphWest, preparing stimulatingandinformativeessaysabout all the facets of the school through the three centuries with particular emphasis on the last five decades. This literary work is to be savored bit by bit rather than from coverto cover. There is muchto learnand appreciate, supported bythemotto that William Penn ordered to be placed on the seal of the new school in the 17 1 1 Charter: "Good Instruction is Better than Riches." In 1698the Overseers who had followed Penn's directionstoopen aschoolunder his friend, GeorgeKeith, in 1689, weregranted acharter for the school. From this beginning and the operation of a variety of schools in many locations in the city of Philadelphia by the Overseers, emerged the William Penn Charter School as weknowitin 1874. William Penn had proposed to the Provincial Council in 1683 that "Carebe taken aboutthe Learning and Instruction ofYouth, to wit: a school of arts and sciences . ' ' Penn Charter is a school grounded in the Quaker philosophy and tradition. In thearrangement ofthe chapters, the first onecarriesthetitle, "Quakerismat Penn Charter. ' ' Herein the mind of the reader is set as he/she turns the pages through the history, structure, and programs ofthe School. Whether in the classroom or on the field, there is the continuing influence of Quakerism. A galaxy of people appear in all areas of the school history from the array of the principals, overseers, faculty, and alumni. To mention only some of them is difficult, but several personalities stand out. Richard Mott Jones, who directed the strong foundation for education in 1 874 and the following forty-three years, left a dynamic imprint. Education, he wrote, should include "an intangible something — a fourth dimension — bridging the chasm between the cloister and the forum. ' ' John Flagg Gummere developed the school to fit into the 20th century among the overseers, building, curriculum, athletics, and alumni. The genealogy ofthe overseers from the first appointments following the 1711 charter provides arich background to the three centuries. Alumni have attained fame and fortune in many fields: education, athletics, business, humanity interests, drama, literature, and even an army general. In his essay, Earl Ball, the current headmaster, has written, "Penn Charter's legacy is the quality of the contribution that the graduates make to society." Evaluation of the philosophy of the school led the overseers in 1980 to adopt coeducation. Girls inthe kindergarten could now aspireto a Penn Charter diploma. This decision was in keeping with themood and wisdom ofthe end ofthe20th century . We find chapters about the academic disciplines, the rethinking of elementary education, and great masters who have taught the boys. Though the final chapter in this tricentennial history is "Good Instruction is Better than Losing, the Athletics at Penn Charter, ' ' it is a statement of successes and winners in playing the game and coaching students. Throughout the writings in Better Than Riches there are many statements by alumni. I like the thoughts expressed by a student at the 1988 Commencement: ' 'Penn Charter is a great institution, not only because of its excellent faculty, but 106Quaker History also because of its students who are willing to refine stereotypes. . . .My education and experience in this Quaker institution have led me to this conclusion: that adiverseenvironmentwhichencompasses allindividuals ... istheP.C. tradition.'' Wynnewood, PennsylvaniaClayton Farraday A Friends Select SchoolHistory. Edited by Carol H. Brown. Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania : Archway Press, Inc., 1989. 270 pp. $20.00. Paper. Thoughthetitle ofthis volumesuggests acomprehensivechronology, theeditor, Carol H. Brown, in her introduction, hastens to make clear that this enterprise is more of a "patchwork," which does not pretend to be a definitive history of Friends Select School, but attempts to capture the essence or "character" of the school. The editor has assembled a collection of documents and statements culled from the school archives or produced by contemporary members of the school community. Thecarefullyselectedmaterialisthoughtfullygrouped underanumber ofgeneral themes, ranging from the historical origins ofthe...