Afternoon and evening
sessions on Tuesday, June 29, will take place on Thompson Island. In a
recent interview with Peter Senge, Ken Wilber stated that in order to develop collective
awareness and surface our hidden connections, our culture needs some distancing from the
action models we have been using. Experiencing nature as a classroom will help us in that
endeavor, as we leave our concerns and usual environments behind and relax fully into the
wisdom of SoL's unique, supportive learning community.
In 1626 (four years
before the Puritans arrived in Boston) David Thompson established a
trading post to trade with the Neponset Indians on the island that now bears his name.
Thompson was a Scot who had been superintending Sir Ferdinando Gorge's settlement in
Portsmouth, New Hampshire. For the next two centuries, Thompson Island was also leased to
several different families for farming.
The island became
an educational institution in 1833, when a school for orphaned boys was
built on the island. Featuring a farm, a woodshop and a print shop, it was the first vocational
school in America, and also had the first school band!
After dinner on
the island, we'll invite you to participate in learning conversations and
community building during campfires on the beach. We've been using campfires in other SoL
events such as the Executive Champions Workshop, and conversations that have taken place in
that kind of space have always been profound and magical.
what's there
Now the island
is home to Thompson Island Outward Bound, a non-profit educational
organization that puts people in fun but challenging situations in order to help them develop
teamwork, compassion and self- confidence. Activities include sailing, climbing, leadership
training and environmental exploration.
The island’s
services include: an independent middle school for students in 6-8th grades;
summertime expeditions for kids ages 12-17; teambuilding programs for youth and adults; and
special events service offering catered clambakes, company outings, parties and weddings.
Thompson Island
is open to the public on Saturdays from June to September. The island’s
natural features include a drumlin and a moraine; oak, tamarack, maple, and birch trees; open
fields, wildflowers, and berry bushes; a pond; and 50 acres of salt marsh. It is home to many
animals, including killdeer, herons, and hermit crabs.
1. Schedule
