John Woolman School
Encyclopedia
John Woolman School was a private boarding Quaker high school located in Nevada City, California
. First opening its doors to student in September 1963>, the school continued to educate high school students until its closing in 2001 when it was no longer financially viable. The past and present implementations of John Woolman School share a common base in educational theory.
Quaker education is based on two foundational Quaker beliefs: That every human being has the capacity to personally experience truth, and that discovering truth is a process of continuing revelation fostered by silent reflection. In the classroom and school setting these two tenets have a direct implication for education. The John Woolman School and Woolman Semester's philosophy is that everyone has a unique and valuable perspective that must be heard in order to cultivate greater comprehension. As such, the Woolman Semester community use the following pedagogical practices:
One of the main focuses of Woolman in the present and the past has been to teach responsibility. While all workjobs have adult supervision, students are responsible for cooking meals, cleaning classrooms and public areas on a scheduled basis. Students also work in the campus' organic garden and orchard.
The John Woolman Mascot has been the Wombat for a number of years because of the creature's peaceful existence. John Woolman Students, Faculty, and alumni refer to themselves as Woolmanites.
There are five main classrooms not including the pottery and art building.
A large barn shaped library which is now the meeting house for the local Quaker meeting.
The dining hall which has been referred to as 'The DH' for many years. As the campus is 230 acre (0.9307778 km²), there is a half pressurized gas tank which is used as a bell at each meal to let students and faculty know that a meal is ready.
Behind the Library/Meeting house there is a multi-chambered Step Kiln.
Spotted around campus are numerous houses and apartments used as faculty residences.
Natural aspects of the campus include the meadows and Mel's Pond. So named after the man who dug it out and left his trailer to sink in the pond. As far as the writer knows, the trailer is still sunk in the pond to this day. There are also many acres of forest and trails leading through the local area.
There is also what is known as the Crystal tree. This is a tree which for the last few decades, students have been hanging crystals from the tree by strings.
Until the winter of 1977-78, there was a large oak tree with a rope swing in a pasture near the center of campus. Songwriter Kate Wolf visited the school in 1977, and wrote a song called "Fly Away" about the rope swing tree, which appears on her album "The Wind Blows Wild" and on a DVD of one of her concerts.
Nevada City, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Nevada City had a population of 3,068. The population density was 1,399.7 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Nevada City was 2,837 White, 26 African American, 28 Native American, 46 Asian, 0 Pacific Islander, 40 from other races,...
. First opening its doors to student in September 1963>, the school continued to educate high school students until its closing in 2001 when it was no longer financially viable. The past and present implementations of John Woolman School share a common base in educational theory.
Quaker education is based on two foundational Quaker beliefs: That every human being has the capacity to personally experience truth, and that discovering truth is a process of continuing revelation fostered by silent reflection. In the classroom and school setting these two tenets have a direct implication for education. The John Woolman School and Woolman Semester's philosophy is that everyone has a unique and valuable perspective that must be heard in order to cultivate greater comprehension. As such, the Woolman Semester community use the following pedagogical practices:
- Inquiry: Learning occurs primarily through queries, which are open ended questions that stimulate individual reflection and group dialogue.
- Reflection: Learning occurs through a process of examining and understanding one’s own beliefs, thoughts and experiences—a sense of meta-knowing of oneself.
- Collaboration: Classes are structured primarily in a discussion format to foster cooperative learning with classmates and teachers. Teachers are learning partners who act as guides and facilitators of the process. Small groups are often formed to foster deeper listening and consideration of each student’s views.
- Experience: Learning occurs through direct experience—taking what has been gleaned through inquiry, reflection and collaboration with the group and applying it in one’s life, so that the learning becomes one’s own.
One of the main focuses of Woolman in the present and the past has been to teach responsibility. While all workjobs have adult supervision, students are responsible for cooking meals, cleaning classrooms and public areas on a scheduled basis. Students also work in the campus' organic garden and orchard.
The John Woolman Mascot has been the Wombat for a number of years because of the creature's peaceful existence. John Woolman Students, Faculty, and alumni refer to themselves as Woolmanites.
Curriculum
In the days of John Woolman School, a full complement of classes were offered from biology to creative writing and even AP calculus. Since its rebirth in 2003, the Woolman Semester has narrowed its focus to World Issues, Peace Studies, Environmental Science, and Nonviolent communication while still providing artistic outlets such as ceramics and drawing classes.Campus
The campus includes 8 cabins on the west side of campus, each able to house 5 students and 12 A-frames on the east side of campus each capable of housing 2 students. All cabins are heated with Wood burning stoves in the winter. In each residential area, there is one bath-house each with four sinks, four toilets, and two showers.There are five main classrooms not including the pottery and art building.
A large barn shaped library which is now the meeting house for the local Quaker meeting.
The dining hall which has been referred to as 'The DH' for many years. As the campus is 230 acre (0.9307778 km²), there is a half pressurized gas tank which is used as a bell at each meal to let students and faculty know that a meal is ready.
Behind the Library/Meeting house there is a multi-chambered Step Kiln.
Spotted around campus are numerous houses and apartments used as faculty residences.
Natural aspects of the campus include the meadows and Mel's Pond. So named after the man who dug it out and left his trailer to sink in the pond. As far as the writer knows, the trailer is still sunk in the pond to this day. There are also many acres of forest and trails leading through the local area.
There is also what is known as the Crystal tree. This is a tree which for the last few decades, students have been hanging crystals from the tree by strings.
Until the winter of 1977-78, there was a large oak tree with a rope swing in a pasture near the center of campus. Songwriter Kate Wolf visited the school in 1977, and wrote a song called "Fly Away" about the rope swing tree, which appears on her album "The Wind Blows Wild" and on a DVD of one of her concerts.
Current status
In 2003, the campus was reopened to students as a limited semester program called The Woolman Semester that provides an experiential education in the principles of peace, social justice and sustainability for high school juniors, seniors and post-graduates (gap year).Notable Woolmanites
- Carré OtisCarré OtisCarré Otis is an American model and actress.-Early life:Carré Otis was born in San Francisco, and raised in Marin County, California along with her older sister Chrisse and her younger brother Jordan...
- Robert Park (activist)Robert Park (activist)Robert Park is a Korean-American missionary and human rights activist who went to North Korea on December 25, 2009 in protest of North Korea's human rights atrocities....
- Student in the 1997-1998 school year. - Ted Menmuir - Has been on the Woolman faculty since 1969 and has held numerous positions from Principal to Ceramics Teacher.