I joined the FW "tribe" yesterday, and now I'm exploring to see how it's supposed to work (posted a 'request,' just now, for anyone who might be in Philadelphia or passing through).

When I joined Friends World in 1976, it felt like there was already a lot of ancient history, so I can just imagine how you folks feel. Any other old timers here? (I saw a post from Jonathan Danforth, who was at FWC about the time I was phasing out, '91-92.)

My senior thesis was on the history of FWC, 1965-82 or so, and in it I argued there is something inherent in "experiential" education (when it's the real thing, anyway) that gives us all something in common that is not very typical. That was my hypothesis, anyway, so I'd be interested on other opinions.

The idea is that "experiential education" is basically a forced march through stages of illusion and disillusionment, to a 'realization' stage where all of that can be accepted and understood as part of a learning process. That's it in a nutshell. "School of hard knocks," by default.

I suggested this was a process that Friends World, as an educational institution, barely understood, and that it couldn't really be controlled or directed by advisors and administrators. The school itself was useful mostly as a launch pad, providing logistical support (and academic credits/degree for those who meet the technical requirements). Within that framework, individuals have to do most of the hard work of learning, hopefully supported by the human connections among students and involving faculty who are all working together to make sense of the experiences.

I got the sense that Friends World, as incorporated into LIU, was going to try to prove me wrong. They were going to take out the hard knocks (so to speak) and give everyone a smoother, more enjoyable learning experience. So I'm curious to know, since most of you folks are from Friends World in the last few years, does it really work like that?