John T. Morris has one purpose in mind when he buys a farm across the road from his Chestnut Hill estate in 1914: turn it into a state-of-the-art school.

October 17, 2018, 4:30 PM

Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania
100 East Northwestern Ave, Philadelphia
30
RSVP info: https://online.morrisarboretum.org/page.aspx?pid=355

We know a good bit about John Thompson Morris, the descendant of a prominent Colonial family of Philadelphia, who rose to the presidency of his father’s firm–the I.P. Morris Iron Works. We know he amassed an extraordinary collection of antiquities from around the world and turned the hilly terrain of Compton into world-class gardens. But we know less about the institution he wanted to establish on his own property. Fortunately, John was a detail-oriented person and from his correspondence and other documents, we learn exactly what he had in mind for his “institution with a three-fold object.” Join us for an in-depth exploration of The Morris Botanical Garden, School and Museum. And in keeping with John’s concern for student health, we’ll enjoy an afternoon snack while we study.