From the Archives: Reflecting on Our Outdoor Spaces

As I admired the marvelous designs of what we hope will become Friends Select’s new backlot playscape, I reflected on how the school has adapted its outdoor spaces over the years to accommodate a multitude of uses and interests from our community.

Most older alumni probably won’t know what the “backlot” means. Similarly, younger alums might not know what is meant by the “playing field” and the “playground.” While usages changed over the years, the playing field once took up most of the northern half of the block where the Parkway Building is located. At some points, the playing field was comprised mostly of tennis courts or archery space; at other times, the field was used for soccer and other activities, such as May Day, horse shows, and Spring Fairs. Meanwhile, the playground was located by the cricket shed and the lower school building, and included traditional outdoor equipment such as swings and jungle gyms.

In 1957, a new gym was built on part of the playing field. Part of what is now the backlot once contained the library and log cabin. The backlot was then divided into parking spaces (although there never seemed to be enough) and the current play area. That changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Friends Select repurposed a significant portion of its parking lot to create additional outdoor learning spaces.     

Given the history of Friends Select’s outdoor spaces, it will be exciting to see what the next chapter holds for this vital part of our campus. With the necessary philanthropic support from our community to move forward with this project, the backlot playscape has the potential to become a truly special place for all Friends Select students, faculty, and staff to enjoy for many years to come.  

- Dick Hoffman