FACes & PlaceS
LOCAL COLOR 2004

John Brown
by Marilyn Bullock

Like the Quaker farm on which the Solebury School was built 75 years ago, John Brown, Solebury School Headmaster, is modest in demeanor, philosophy, and spirit. John, who has been associated with the Solebury School in one form or another for over 40 years, is forever enmeshed in the New Hope community.

John grew up in Freehold, NJ and received a full 4-year scholarship to Solebury School. After excelling at Solebury School, John attended Lafayette College in Easton, PA and then graduated from Beloit College in Wisconsin with a degree in history. While still in college, John married Linda, who is now the Director of Development at Solebury School. They have two sons, Colin and Jordan, who both attended Solebury School.

Upon graduation, John’s intention was to teach and to coach. He got to do both when he accepted a position at Solebury School in the fall of 1971. He remained there through the 70s and left for most of the 80s to work at Oakwood School and then to run the Mullica Hill Friends School. In 1987 John was asked once again to return to Solebury School - this time to join the Board of Trustees and then in 1989 to become its new headmaster.

This was a big decision for John. At the time, Solebury School only had 90 students and was $1 M in debt. The Board had actually considered closing the school. Needless to say, John accepted the position and, over the last 16 years, has successfully turned the school around. Today, the school boasts 220 students strong, 60 of them boarders. All of the older buildings have been renovated and the new $3 M Abbe Science Building has won awards for architecture and construction.

John and the Board of Trustees have expansion goals to meet within the next 5 years. The first project is a new gymnasium to replace the current 50 year-old structure. Ground breaking is planned for June 2005. The new Performing Arts Theater is still in the planning stages. Although there has been discussion of making the new theater available to the New Hope community at large and of asking locals to help with donations, John predicts that, like past Solebury School projects, funding will come primarily from the generosity of alumni, trustee members, and parents.

John is proud of Solebury School’s philosophy and mission which is to provide a challenging college preparatory curriculum in a small and informal setting. Solebury welcomes creative and independent thinking and creates opportunities for young people to “strive after their passions,” as John puts it. “They can become clear on what they want to do later in life. They are fully prepared to take responsibility for their education.” In 1925, the four founders of Solebury School wanted to start a small school with informal atmosphere, where the needs of each student would be attended to, where the friendship between teachers and pupils would be encouraged, and where a student would be prepared not only for college but for life.

Solebury School is small enough and flexible enough to nurture the innate talents and abilities of each student. Though considered an informal and liberal school, Solebury School is very progressive. Its academics are strong and graduating seniors are regularly accepted into Ivy League schools and highly competitive colleges and universities. Solebury School also has a strong sports program and many of the sports minded students have been recruited by Division 1 schools.

As Headmaster, John Brown sees his role as a combination principal and superintendent. There are five management components to his job: the budget, the academics, the social environment, the fund raising, and the buildings – both old and new.

There is no “typical day” in John’s hectic schedule. From planting bulbs in a memorial garden, to writing recommendations for graduating seniors, to discussing future building and construction, John Brown is at ease and exceedingly competent in his role at Solebury School and within the community.

Many thanks to John for his many years of dedication and commitment to maintaining, improving, and expanding the New Hope institution that is Solebury School.