Almost exactly 125 years from the day that Clara Spence and nine teachers opened the doors of Miss Spence’s School, students, teachers and staff participated in a day of celebration—an All-School Assembly followed by a picnic—to commemorate the founding of the School.  

 

The annual fall All-School Assembly included the cherished tradition of Spence seniors and Kindergarteners, ushering in together, hand-in-hand, to mark new beginnings for “the book-ends of the School,” as Head of School Bodie Brizendine calls them.

 

Carolyn B. Maloney, U.S. representative for New York’s 12th congressional district, was the special guest at the assembly, presenting a congressional proclamation in honor of The Spence School’s 125th Anniversary.

 

Maloney, whose two daughters attended Spence, said she knew first-hand about the excellence of Spence’s teachers, the love and support the School provides to students and Spence’s dedication to character and community involvement. She praised the School’s legacy of educating leaders and linked the School’s milestone anniversary to the current, historical moment of women in leadership in the country.  

 

Each division shared their very own celebration of the anniversary, starting with Lower School who shared their thoughts and imagination on what Spence was like 125 years ago. A few students thought about the differences in technology (no computers or phones, chalkboards instead of whiteboards, carriages instead of cars), while others wondered whether boys roamed the hallways of Spence or if the salad bar existed back then. One student imagined a much stricter School, while other students had a rosier vision of life in 1892, with “lots of music with guitars.” “I think Spence was as good as new!” Kindergartner Beatrice K. said in closing the Lower School presentation.

 

The Middle School was represented by a contestant from each grade playing a trivia game about the early days of Spence. Students learned about the School’s original address, the tree planted in Central Park in memory of Miss Spence, the various awards given to early students for traits such as punctuality and posture, courses of studies offered and finally for a bonus round, one of Miss Spence’s pets, a marmoset.

 

Three students from the Upper School also shared their experience working over the summer as interns, digging into the School’s archives and preparing exhibits that will be on display throughout the year. Their research was focused the central themes of the anniversary year: teaching and learning, women in leadership, activism and service and adventure. The students discussed how they learned more about Miss Spence not just as a teacher, but also as a mother and a friend.

 

Lower and Middle School students also took the stage to sing Daisy Bell and Bicycle Built for Two, accompanied by a slideshow of 1892 photos of Spence and New York City.

 

After singing the School song, students, teachers and faculty headed back to Spence for lunch and activities at the block party on 91st Street. A balloon arch with school colors—white, gold and blue— music selected by the Student Council and the School mascot Spencer greeted the 1,000-plus crowd to the outdoor festivities that stretched from Madison to Fifth Avenue. Vintage cut outs of Miss Spence and Spence students, chalk on the sidewalk, temporary Spencer #125 tattoos, a host of games including a dunking booth featuring Spence faculty, spontaneous singing and dancing and an opportunity for the entire school to be together in one place of celebration made for a memorable Founding Day Picnic.

 

Finally, Ms. Brizendine gathered the entire School community around the entrance to the Red Doors for a cupcake finale and to sing Spence a happy 125th birthday.

Click here to see a photo gallery from the Founding Day Picnic.