The Woolman Way

In 1958, a small group of dedicated Quakers and like-minded families from the San Francisco Bay Area envisioned creating a Quaker/Friends residential high school on the West Coast. Within five years, through the dogged determination of dedicated volunteers, the only private, co-educational Quaker school west of the Mississippi at the time was founded in Nevada City, California.

The Woolman Way: A History of John Woolman School tells the story of 60 years of resilience and tenacity. Quaker values provided the foundation for study, work, and living during Woolman's 38 years as a boarding school community and later as a place for reimagined educational programming. A devastating wildfire swept through the campus in 2020, but ever resilient, education and activities for peace, justice, and environmental sustainability continue to thrive at Woolman through Sierra Friends Center. This is the story of that unique school and its legacy.