A year ago, I wrote a nice Corner (to which I'll provide a link here) entitled David's Dream that offered historical context for our manner of orienting new students to Proctor. Today, we'll look at some outcomes. Placing teenagers into novel, challenging settings provides opportunities to drop one's relatively outdated persona in favor of a new presentation of self...one better oriented toward realities. Below, on right, Page--a returning student--helps newcomers know the meaning of student leadership.
Keith Barrett (right) and I went on our first Orientations at the same time, twenty-seven years ago, when he was entering the ninth grade.
Speaking of realities, it poured last night in the White Mountains. Plastic tarps helped most sleeping bags from getting soaked, but all eighteen groups had to get up and get started in rain this morning. No one wanted this, but it happened. No channel changer could bring an alternative. Lots of people are hiking today wet.
A perfect metaphor for community life and the role of personal responsibility, wilderness orientation is made better or worse by each individual.
The forecast is for dry, sunny days through the rest of the trip!
