Proctor's relationship with Outward Bound, and with Hurricane Island, in particular, is manifested today by a variety of small-group, intense, social-learning environments: a student's Wilderness Orientation group, the advisee group, the dorm, the class, the team, the community service, Project Period. Initiated in the early '70s, this week breaks the student population into small groups for a week of intense pursuit. This is a bus window with two groups--one heading to Montreal, the other to Ottawa.
Project Period throws people into completely new experiences with new people. Educationally, it's about as good as it gets. Assuming people rise to the opportunity. Steph looks like an experienced pro at the table saw, fashioning a blanket chest.
Across the woodshop, brothers Matt and Al practice great patience watching glue dry.
At the northwest corner of campus, boat maintenance commandoes anticipate the afternoon's tasks aboard the classic catboat Red Lion.
The make up of Sue's and Sarah's quilting project is cause for some speculation..... Is it possible that some of them have a sudden interest in sewing machines and needlework because of their access to the NCAA sweet sixteen on Thursday night? I'm not one to speculate.
Below, Carlos, recently known for his basketball prowess, coaches Neil, recently known for his hockey prowess, on the intracacies of proper ironing.
The gold standard for all projects is maple sugaring, because it has to happen, whether students are here or not. It is reality: to serve our mission of multiple, sustainable use of our woodlands, we practice and teach the most ethically/economically viable use of our assets, including maple sugar production, (for which we have a growing capacity.) These kids are tapping one of nineteen bucket trees at the base of our young, 300-tap sugarbush on the northeast side of Blackwater Hill.
That means the other 281 taps are line-feeds to barrels at the bottom of the hill. Dozens of other, traditional buckets are hanging on the venerable North Street maples that were transplanted here by Ro Burbank's student "Improvement Squads" which mangaged the grounds throughout the mid-Forties.
