Jane's Pocket Change: Happy birthday, John Dewey! Happy birthday, CSW!

I want to thank Michael Pappone P'02, former board chair and parent of Drew Pappone '02, for calling my attention to the fact that last Thursday, October 20, was John Dewey’s birthday. (Michael, I’m marking my calendar now so that I always remember this date!)  Regarded by many as the father of progressive education, John Dewey’s influence on the founding and subsequent history of CSW and, indeed, the CSW of today cannot be overstated. Dewey thought that schools were useless unless they taught students how to live as members of a community and that schools wouldn’t succeed in teaching children anything unless they were receptive to what children were ready to learn.*

By the time John French was hired as head of school (1930) and moved the school from Cambridge to Weston (1931), the progressive education movement was in full swing and had taken firm root in this country. The freshly (re)assembled faculty and students of The Cambridge School of Weston of 1931 embraced the tenents of progressive education with great eagerness and optimism, committed to the key concepts of being open-minded and self-critical.

Fast forward to 2016--a notable year as CSW is celebrating our 130th birthday all year long--when delivering a progressive education is still a CSW hallmark and a huge source of school pride. As we opened our doors for the 2016-17 school year, we also opened the doors of our new health & fitness center and, in doing so, we've rededicated ourselves to the support of, and belief in, our students and our community. The official dedication of "The Fit" takes place tomorrow (Friday, October 28) during our annual Family Visit Days. The ceremony promises to be a fitting tribute to "The Fit."

I see this building is a testament to all we can do together as a community--a community that is inclusive and values the contributions of all--a community where all have a voice and are heard, a community where all students and their interests are supported and celebrated. I cannot think of a better birthday present to our community than this exceptional addition to our campus because it's a place that celebrates the health and vitality of this extraordinary community. A great deal of open-minded, critical thinking (by many members of the community who believed in each other and worked together in a very collaborative process) went into the making of this birthday gift. I am brimming with pride as we now move forward to share this gift with the entire CSW community for many, many years to come.**

*source: Minnesota Public Radio The Writer's Almanac for October 20, 2016

**Additional thanks to Sherrill Bounnell whose crafty pen played more that a small role in creating this week's "Pocket Change."

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Pocket Change is a web diary written by Jane Moulding, head of school.