The Park School
Encyclopedia
The Park School is an independent school
in Brookline, Massachusetts, for boys and girls in pre-kindergarten through ninth grade. It was founded in 1888 as Miss Pierce’s School. Jerrold I. Katz has been the head of school since 1993.
In 2008, the school completed a major expansion and renovation of all of the pre-kindergarten – grade 5 classrooms. A new wing houses Grade 4 & 5 classrooms, after-school program space, a conference room, and adjoins the newly renovated 5,400-square foot library.
Across the campus is Faulkner House, which provides office space, the After-School Program’s main facility with five classrooms and an outdoor playground, and a 25-meter swimming pool and tennis court for Park’s summer programs.
& Associates under the direction of then Headmaster Robert S. Hurlbut, Jr. Built of reinforced precast concrete as a stack of modular classroom and office spaces with wall-length windows for more natural illumination of rooms, it exemplifies the brutalist concrete construction style pioneered by Swiss architect Le Corbusier
. But its brick wall accents and its preserved oaks and Roxbury puddingstone outcroppings pay homage to historical New England building traditions and topography. The building features an inner courtyard with a "Space Churn" stainless steel mobile sculpture by George Rickey
, donated by a Park parent in 1971.
The Park School finished building an addition to better accommodate the 4th and 5th grades in September 2008 to increase classroom size and to satisfy recommendations made by the Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE).
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
in Brookline, Massachusetts, for boys and girls in pre-kindergarten through ninth grade. It was founded in 1888 as Miss Pierce’s School. Jerrold I. Katz has been the head of school since 1993.
Campus
Park’s facilities span a 26-acre campus. The School is centered in a modern building that contains 45 classrooms, five science labs, four music rooms, three art studios, and a fully equipped theater.In 2008, the school completed a major expansion and renovation of all of the pre-kindergarten – grade 5 classrooms. A new wing houses Grade 4 & 5 classrooms, after-school program space, a conference room, and adjoins the newly renovated 5,400-square foot library.
Across the campus is Faulkner House, which provides office space, the After-School Program’s main facility with five classrooms and an outdoor playground, and a 25-meter swimming pool and tennis court for Park’s summer programs.
Construction
The school's main building was constructed in 1971 from a modern architectural design by Earl FlansburghEarl Flansburgh
Earl R. Flansburgh was an architect known for his extensive work in the Boston area.Flansburgh graduated from the Cornell Architecture School in 1953, where he was also a member of the Quill and Dagger society...
& Associates under the direction of then Headmaster Robert S. Hurlbut, Jr. Built of reinforced precast concrete as a stack of modular classroom and office spaces with wall-length windows for more natural illumination of rooms, it exemplifies the brutalist concrete construction style pioneered by Swiss architect Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
. But its brick wall accents and its preserved oaks and Roxbury puddingstone outcroppings pay homage to historical New England building traditions and topography. The building features an inner courtyard with a "Space Churn" stainless steel mobile sculpture by George Rickey
George Rickey
George Rickey was an American kinetic sculptor.Rickey was born on June 6, 1907 in South Bend, Indiana.-Life and work:...
, donated by a Park parent in 1971.
The Park School finished building an addition to better accommodate the 4th and 5th grades in September 2008 to increase classroom size and to satisfy recommendations made by the Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE).
Notable alumni
Distinguished graduates of The Park School include:- U.S. Attorney General Elliot RichardsonElliot RichardsonElliot Lee Richardson was an American lawyer and politician who was a member of the cabinet of Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. As U.S...
, famous for the Saturday Night MassacreSaturday night massacreThe "Saturday Night Massacre" was the term given by political commentators to U.S. President Richard Nixon's executive dismissal of independent special prosecutor Archibald Cox, and the resignations of Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus on October 20,...
during the Watergate affair - George SchullerGeorge SchullerGeorge Schuller is an American jazz drummer. He is the son of composer Gunther Schuller.He was born in New York City and raised in Boston, graduating from the New England Conservatory of Music with a BA in jazz performance in 1982. He then played locally with Herb Pomeroy, Ran Blake, George...
, jazz drummer, son of composer/conductor Gunther SchullerGunther SchullerGunther Schuller is an American composer, conductor, horn player, author, historian, and jazz musician.- Biography and works :...