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The Meeting gathered at the appointed hour and settled into an extended period of worship. Presiding Clerk Arlene Kelly, Alternate Clerk Richard Bernard, Recording Clerk Suzanne Day.
- Minute 15: Welcome to Visitors
The clerk welcomed visitors and invited remarks from Elizabeth Duke, General Secretary of Friends World Committee for Consultation. London has been her home for the past five years as she collaborates with the four regional offices of Friends World Committee for Consultation around the globe. Her own Yearly Meeting of Aotearoa/New Zealand will host the next Triennial in two years. Elizabeth made clear it is Friends in their local capacities around the world which make a difference toward peace.
- Minute 16: Epistle
Janny Sterrett read the Epistle from North Carolina Yearly Meeting (FUM), which had as its theme Sharing the Light. And in addition, she read the epistles from two age groups of children of North Pacific Yearly Meeting who had fun while learning about Elijah, angels, and how to play together.
- Minute 17: Reports from George School and Westtown School
George School and Westtown School heads, many members of their governing committees, and members of the Yearly Meeting’s Standing Committee on Education introduced themselves.
Tom Farquhar, head of Westtown School, gave a few examples from recent experience of the ways students find voice. Within Meeting for Worship even a pre-kindergarten child may share vocal ministry. Ramallah Friends Schools students who come to Westtown educate the school community about the pain of Palestinians. The Class of 1991 shared on the Internet their immediate responses to the disaster of September 11, 2001, and reminded one another and reinforced the courage to be different, to build toward peace.
Nancy Starmer, head of George School, followed with appreciation for the ways our schools provide opportunities for faculty and students to struggle to identify feelings and move forward to search for meaning among the ambiguities life presents.
- Minute 18: Request of Westtown and George School to Incorporate
Bruce S. Haines, clerk of the Committee in Charge of Westtown School, introduced the subject of incorporation by inviting all present to move through a two-sided page. He addressed the section envisioning why incorporation would be appropriate and beneficial. John F. Hunt, until recently clerk of the George School Committee, explained the nine points of the memorandum outlining governance procedures as they would be exercised under separate incorporation. The vision is that continuing association with Philadelphia Yearly Meeting would be maintained through the nominations and reporting processes as close to the current arrangements as possible.
Questions drew explanations on several matters.
- Auditors reporting on Yearly Meeting have not been including the schools’ assets and liabilities and vice versa; incorporating separately would clarify the distinct entities.
- Friends wondered about continuation of the spiritual guidance, financial donations, and the governance intentions of Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation to maintain the umbrella of attention to schools by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting members.
- Both the Standing Committee on Education and the Yearly Meeting Nominating Committee would be expected to continue their role in selecting members of the governing committees of both schools.
- Tom Hoopes, staff of PYM for Education, spoke of the collaboration between The Friends Council on Education and the Friends Schools Working Group of PYM in bringing up to date the Handbook for governing boards of Friends schools. It needs to become much more explicit about what Friends mean when we say an institution is “under the care of” a Meeting. Many drew attention to that matter as one begun a year or more ago within our Yearly Meeting, and clearly it needs continuing attention. Those who have been working on the separate incorporation of these schools have been clear that both schools wish to continue to be “under the care of” Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.
In an effort to clarify how such a relationship could be set forth in legal documents, Arthur Larrabee explained that the Articles of Incorporation, the publicly filed fundamental documents, would set forth the guidance outlined in the nine points of the memorandum in our hands this evening, concluding with the provision that changes in them would be with the approval of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.
Turning from factual questions to our intentions and hopes. Friends noted with appreciation the thoughtful, careful, and well-intentioned work that has gone into preparing the question of incorporation before us. The reality of a spiritual connection cannot be enforced nor ruptured by legal papers. If we Friends continue to wrestle with our intentions when we hold a school “under our care,” then there will continue to be meaningful spiritual relationship.
Our clerk summarized the trust we all seem to have felt in those matters brought forward and noted above. The body of the Meeting expressed unity in supporting George School and Westtown as they move to develop their Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. These may be brought forward for approval to Interim Meeting assuming they will be ready before our next Annual Session and that Interim Meeting finds they meet the expectations described in these minutes.
With attention to planning the agenda for future Annual Sessions, the Meeting approved inviting Westtown and George School to participate toward making meaningful connections with this body. Beyond these responses to the question brought this evening by our two schools, the Meeting asked for continuing attention to the meaning of “under the care of” pertaining to all the Friends schools.
Finally, Tom Farquhar was appreciated for his many gifts to the community, to Friends Education, and to Westtown School and Meeting; and Mary Grady was recognized for her part in that ministry. [They are returning to Baltimore Yearly Meeting.]
These minutes were then read, amended and approved. Announcement was given by the assistant clerk of the Jonathan E. Rhoads Endowment Fund for Friends Children in Friends Schools. We settled into grateful closing worship.
Suzanne Rie Day, recording clerk
Last modified: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:19 AM