Friends Academy (Massachusetts)
Friends Academy is an independent day school in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts founded in 1810. Its academic programs run from Preschool to Eighth Grade. History Friends Academy was founded in 1810 by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) from New Bedford, Dartmouth, and the surrounding area. It incorporated in 1812. The campus was first located on County Street in New Bedford. It later moved to a building on Morgan Street. The school moved to its current Dartmouth campus in 1949. Formerly the site of the Tucker farm and later the Herring family estate, the property was donated to the school by the heirs of the Herrings. Friends Academy's early childhood education program is housed in the Tucker farmhouse, built circa 1813. The school also occupies the former Herring mansion (grades K-5) and the Stites building (grades 6–8). End of Quaker affiliation The school's board of trustees was originally required to maintain a Quaker majority. This practice remains common at other Friends Schools (e.g. Moses Brown School). Board members tended to be wealthy and influential members of the Society of Friends, and were expected to give a set percentage of their income to the school. At some point, a wealthy