History and Timeline
Since 1845, our school has thrived in Germantown under the care of the Germantown Monthly Meeting. We have deep roots in this neighborhood.
Our decision to stay in this urban, multicultural community affirms our belief that the lessons of racial and cultural diversity are a central manifestation of our commitment to Friends’ teachings.
At GFS, our view of the present—and of the future—is informed by our long history. This timeline provides both a microscope and a wide-angle lens to examine the school’s history, personalities, and campus changes.
How to Navigate the Timeline
Use the arrows at right and left to move through the timeline. You can also click on the flags in the bottom section to jump directly to a date, or click and drag to move the date range. On smartphones, tablets, and touchscreens you can tap to select and swipe right or left.
Click on any photo to enlarge it.
About the Archives
The Germantown Friends School has always collected and preserved its history, but recognizing that knowledge of the past is a key to the future, created a dedicated space in the early 1970s to safely store and organize the growing collection.
Today, there is a temperature controlled room and an archivist who preserves the materials, collects contemporary material, and makes the collection available the school and wider community. If you have GFS history material to donate, contact archives@germantownfriends.org.
Special thanks to Maurice A. Webster, Jr. '35 and the SNAVE Foundation for their support of the timeline project and of the Germantown Friends School archives.