[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 16839-16840]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  IN RECOGNITION OF THE SPENCE SCHOOL

                                  _____
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, December 23, 2016

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize 
The Spence School of New York on the occasion of its 125th anniversary. 
The Spence School has advanced the education of young women 
tremendously since its founding.
  The Spence School was established in 1892 by Clara Spence with the 
mission of providing young girls a solid educational foundation, which 
was a revolutionary idea for that time. Since then, thousands of young 
female students have been given a rigorous education that not only 
builds knowledge, but also character and spirit, and puts young women 
on a path to a college education.

[[Page 16840]]

  Clara Spence was a social rights activist in the late 19th and early 
20th century who aimed to solve class and social problems. Her ideals 
are embodied in The Spence School's motto, which reads: ``Non scholae 
sed vitae discimus,'' or ``Not for school but for life we learn.'' 
Clara Spence preached virtue and care to her students and children 
around her to inspire them to grow up and affect change. Her care and 
careful planning still live in the actions of the school to this day. 
That is why the school's mission statement aims for a ``lifelong 
transformation of self and the world with purpose, passion and 
perspective.''
  During its 125 years, The Spence School developed a reputation for 
excellence in education. It has shown a commitment to helping all women 
by continually educating those of diverse backgrounds. The school's 
commitment to helping women of all backgrounds can be seen in both the 
5 million dollar tuition assistance it annually gives, which allows for 
20% of the student body to receive aid, as well as its many 
partnerships with non-profit organizations to recruit girls from all 
over New York City.
  Over the years, The Spence School has become an intrinsic part of the 
Upper East Side community in New York City. Many local parents, 
including me, have had their daughters educated at this top 
institution. We have seen amazing success from the students of Spence, 
including frequent admission to top universities such as the University 
of Pennsylvania, Georgetown University, Northwestern University, the 
University of Chicago and many more.
  As a former educator, I understand just how far a strong education 
can go to help young women succeed and grow. The National Center for 
Education Statistics reports that women made up 57% of college students 
in 2013. This is thanks to the work of passionate educators and schools 
such as The Spence School, which are working to give women the equal 
chance in life that Clara Spence sought after for her first class of 
girls more than a century ago.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my distinguished colleagues join me in 
recognizing the amazing contributions to academic and civil life that 
The Spence School provides to the young girls of the Greater New York 
City area on its 125th anniversary.

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