The Modern School was first created by anarchist Francisco Ferrer, in 1901. It was the first school there that was coeducational and not run by the church. It was democratic and had non-compulsory class attendance.

Ferrer was forced to close his school in 1906. In 1909 he was falsely accused of being part of a plot to kill the king and was shot. When he was facing the firing squad he said, "Aim well, boys. I know this is not your fault. Long live the Modern School!" There were protests all around the world, and schools were created in his name. More than 200 were started in Spain, 20 in the US, including one in New York City. Modern Schools continued until 1958 in the US, but its former students continue to have reunions EVERY YEAR!

At this reunion there were about 100 attendees. One of them, Alfred Levitt, had been a student at the Modern School when he was a boy, and studied art there. One of his teacher was Will Durant, who went on to become a famous writer on philosophy. Alfred Levitt, himself went on to become a world famous painter, who has over 20 painting as part of the permanent connection of the Metropolitan Museum. He invited Jerry Mintz to his apartment in Greenwich Village to discuss a plan: He wants to start a new Modern School in the New York area. He was one of the main speakers at the Modern School Reunion. He is 102 years old! He spoke without the mike! This was followed by a discussion about the logistics of creating the school.

Most of the attendees liked the idea of starting a new Modern School. Contact AERO if you are interested in this project

By the way, Alfred was not the oldest at the reunion. There was one woman who is 105. It seems to me that it is the commitment to these ideas which keeps them going!

For more information on the Modern School, check out a book by Queens College professor Paul Avrich called the Modern School Movement. AERO has videos of this talk and talks at past reunions by the late Nellie Dick, James Dick, Edgar Taffel, the participants at Nellie Dick's 100th birthday party, etc.