North Country School

North Country School was preceded by its sister institution, so any account of its 70-plus-year history must begin with that of Camp Treetops, established in 1921 by educator Donald Slesinger. From the start, Treetops was different, enrolling boys and girls of young age and diverse backgrounds in an era when most camps were segregated by sex, race, and religion. Treetops legends Helen and Douglas Haskell were appointed co-directors in 1929 and for the next 40 years shaped Treetops in accordance with their values. To nurture children’s curiosity and creativity, campers dressed not in uniforms but in their own clothes; they helped choose their activities and plan their own days. To foster independence and self-confidence, children performed daily work jobs and slept in quarters apart (but not far) from their counselors. Helen’s sister and brother-in-law, progressive educators Leonora and Walter Clark, also worked at camp in the early years. They envisioned a school that would extend Treetops’ ideals to classroom learning. With the Haskells’ blessing, Walter and Leo opened North Country School on camp property in 1938 with six students and four adults. From the beginning, students supplemented their school lessons with real work on the farm and exploration of the Adirondack wilderness. Ever since, Camp and School have operated in tandem, sharing facilities, a guiding philosophy, and single Board of Trustees instituted with the reorganization of the two programs into one non-profit in 1957....