What is craftsmanship class?

This is a class every Friday, the last three periods of the day, where the boys work on some tangible project, whereby they gradually learn a variety of skills.  Having this large block of time allows the boys not only to sketch or paint, but also to build bird houses and place them across our beautiful grounds.  We give the boys the chance to do things they often never have the opportunity to do: cooking over a fire with a Dutch oven, orienteering through our woods, whittling wooden knives, or tapping maple trees.  The boys learn how to use tools: hammering, nailing, measuring, sanding, and sawing.  We entrust the boys with ways to help the school: tending chickens, turning compost, repairing stone walls, pruning trees, clearing brush.  In craftsmanship, we’re not just giving boys a set of practical skills – many of these boys will never be professional farmers; we’re giving boys the chance to be needed, to be more like their fathers, someone others depend upon.