The unspoken agenda at Proctor is a set of structures governing student behavior that is limited to what--even students--see as common sense. This "freedom within a fence" is witnessed everywhere. If you're late to a class or to study hall, there's a response ("points" that add up to early in-dorm "restriction") and if homework's not done to standards all kinds of alarms sound. What's missing here are rules that support seniority systems and nonsensical traditions (e.g.: only seniors can walk on the grass, or no one can walk on the grass).

The dividend we seek is a climate of non-adversarial relationships. A few recent phone calls proved that one neighboring school bans bicycles after sundown; another "frowns on skateboarding." Here, we're taking the risk that we'll get more productivity out of kids who are happy with the deal.

Meanwhile, the campus is networked by paved pathways to the specifications of skateboarders, cyclists and in-line skaters. The photo below captures an accident prompted by Alex (on the bike), who has lost brakes and whose screams surprise Drew who backs into Dan's on-coming bike.

We worry about students on the highway, and the lure of Pizza Chef prompts us to fund the construction of a sidewalk between Jake's Market...past the skateboarding park across the street from Gannett...to the restaurant.

It makes sense. Common sense.