Remembering Former Headmaster Alan Craig

Head of School Julia de la Torre shared this message with the MFS community on March 16, 2021:

Dear MFS Community,

I am very sad to report that Alan Craig, Headmaster at MFS from 1990-2001, passed away yesterday. Alan had recently moved back to the area with his wife Mary (a former MFS fifth grade teacher) and was living at the Evergreens in Moorestown. I was fortunate enough to meet and spend time with both Alan and Mary when I first arrived almost three years ago. I am thankful to have had Alan’s first-person perspective on a Moorestown Friends School era that saw tremendous positive growth and change. Not lost on me during our conversations was the joy and love he experienced interacting with students, young and old, which he clearly missed. That love was evident in a farewell message he shared with the community upon his retirement in 2001. Alan wrote: “…I will miss much of what filled the days: the hard work that led to a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, the human interaction that made the work less burdensome, and mostly, the pleasure of seeing a project come to fruition, especially when that ‘project’ was a confident, articulate, and accomplished student crossing the Oval at Commencement.”

When Alan took over, he was the fourth Head in six years. He provided stability for the school at a time it was desperately needed. Fred Moriuchi ’65 was Clerk of the School Committee when Alan was appointed after spending 18 years in various roles, concluding with Associate Headmaster at Friends Academy in Locust Valley, NY. Fred reflected: “This is an emotional time for my wife Caroline (Brunt Moriuchi ’66) and me. We have known Mary and Alan Craig for 31 years since MFS was lucky to attract them to our struggling institution. I can easily say, without their total effort, the MFS as we all are proud of now would not be here. Alan Craig’s educational philosophy and leadership focused the MFS School Committee, faculty and staff on the needs of the students to reach their full potential. Alan’s enthusiastic personality, and educational and administrative expertise, led a floundering school to establish a strong base to move forward. He was able to enjoy those changes before he retired and then watched with pride as MFS has advanced. He will be greatly missed.”

Enrollment grew from a low of 482 in 1991 to 652 when Alan departed, with the Preschool program added in 1993. He prioritized a physical beautification and transformation of the campus that was headlined by the opening of the Dining Hall Commons in 1997, renovation of computer labs, and fundraising for the Field House and Arts Center which eventually opened in 2002. Alan led the establishment of the Endowment for Faculty Support, and expanded the Chester Reagan Chair to include not only a coordinator for Upper School but an additional coordinator for Lower and Middle School to be more intentional about making Quaker values an even more integral part of student life.

Then-School Committee Clerk Tom Zemaitis summarized Alan’s tenure quite well in 2001 with these words: “Those of us associated with the school before Alan’s arrival know that much positive change has taken place, but we’ve seen that change occur gradually. To alumni and others who return for a campus visit after years of absence, however, the dramatic impact of Alan’s leadership is quite evident. Whatever your perspective, I’m sure you will agree that Alan has set us on a positive, progressive course and leaves MFS a much stronger institution than when he arrived.”

Larry Van Meter ’68 succeeded Alan as Head of School in 2001 and cites the steadying force Alan provided as the school entered a new millennium, while also being very appreciative of how well-positioned the school was as he assumed leadership: “Alan came to MFS when there had been a lot of leadership turnover and the school was in many ways adrift. I was on the School Committee early in his tenure, and I was impressed by his clear-eyed view of the school’s challenges and his confidence in tackling those challenges. MFS grew and prospered under his leadership, and his affection for the school only grew during his long and successful tenure as Head. He left me a proud, strong, and stable school.”

Current School Committee Clerk Barbara Rose Caldwell served in multiple roles under Alan and reflected on his lasting legacy at the school from her perspective as board chair: “Alan Craig arrived at Moorestown Friends School 30 years ago at a critical moment in the school’s life. After several years of leadership changes, MFS needed a combination of stability, vision, and boldness that is hard to find. Alan was the right person at the right time. He provided leadership that moved the school forward and at the same time preserved its traditions. He oversaw the beautification and upgrade of the campus and its buildings and the construction of the Dining Hall Commons, a transformational space that remains a central part of school life. He hired with an instinctive sense of who was right for MFS and brought key administrators, teachers, and staff to the school – including some who still work here. Often looking beyond the obvious choice, he had an eye for talent. He was also a lot of fun – his Christmas parties are legendary – and a good friend. His love for his wife Mary was always on view and she became an integral part of the community, too. Alan’s successors Larry Van Meter and now Julia de la Torre have built and are building on Alan’s legacy.”

While it is a sad time in our community, I invite you to celebrate the impact that Alan Craig had on hundreds of young people who are now leaders, professionals, volunteers, parents, and much more – near and far. His legacy is forever etched in Moorestown Friends School history. Please enjoy viewing this photo gallery from Alan’s time at MFS.

School leaders recognize that they are merely temporary stewards of an institution at a moment in time, and that their impact may not be felt for years to come. There is no doubt that Alan Craig was the right person at the right time for Moorestown Friends School. Alan embraced the challenges facing the school and took great pride in MFS, seeing clear possibilities for its future. As I walk the grounds of our beautiful campus, I am grateful for the choices Alan made during his time here. His belief in MFS has had a direct impact on the thousands of students and families who continue to benefit from the school he loved. He will be missed by many, but his legacy continues to live on at our school today.

I know you will join me in holding Alan’s wife, Mary, and his children, Ian and David, in the Light. We will share any information about services in celebration of Alan’s life as they become available.

Sincerely,

Julia de la Torre
Head of School