"Wit is educated insolence." – Aristotle

Classroom etiquette and expectations

Education is such a wonderful gift, both given and received, and should be treated with respect, reverence even, at all times. Hopefully wit and wisdom will also be coming along for the ride.

Seriously, your "subfusc" (school uniform) will be a button-down shirt, school tie (tied), chinos, blazer, and shoes. No hip-hop hoodies or flip-flops. In shop class you’ll wear your boiler suit instead of a blazer. You need to be serious about learning and should expect to spend at least one hour for each subject outside of class – set aside the time, and devote yourself to focusing on the task at hand. No cell phones or computers are permitted in the classroom. All notes, class assignments, and homework will be written out long-hand, in a notebook. We provide you with a fountain pen to give you the tactile feel of forming words, shooting from the shoulder as it were. Learning should involve every sense intensely. All-in, all-out.

Homework reading assignments need your undivided attention, in a quiet place, in at least half hour sessions at a minimum, one hour the recommended maximum. Longer than that and you can’t concentrate; shorter and you don’t have enough time to settle in. You should also try to read aloud, to yourself or to a friend, on a regular basis, which we will do in class every day. We recommend twenty minute sessions – hearing your own voice and the rhythm of the words will give you a better feeling for the material and become a transformative experience. You'll find excellence is wicked hard but well worth it.

The Honor Code

You will not lie, cheat, or steal (except when playing One Up!) nor tolerate those who do.

Tuition

All programs are tuition free, thanks to our generous sponsors and patrons.

Course textbooks and supplies

The course book list includes: The Aeneid, Trojan Women, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, A Tale of Two Cities, Lolita, Heart of Darkness, Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, The Great Gatsby, All Quiet on the Western Front, Lord of the Flies, West with the Night, Empire of the Sun, Arabian Sands, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, Liar’s Poker, The Prince, Cosmos, The Worst Journey in the World, Walden Pond, Frankenstein, Brave New World, 12 Rules for Life, The Iliad, Plutarch’s Roman Lives, Montaigne’s Essays, Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution, The Road to Serfdom, The Gulag Archipelago, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, and Ivanhoe.

Leather-bound notebook, fountain pen, and school supplies, i.e. ruler, #2 pencils, sharpener, eraser, etc. Each student will also receive one school uniform: black blazer, pleated chinos, oxford-cloth button down, Old’s Cool polo and an Old’s Cool Academy tie. 

 

A day in the life of a Wiseacre*

At 7:00 am the American flag is raised every morning to start the day.

From 8:00 am to 11:00 am there are three morning classes, 45 minutes each. First period always starts with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Every Monday morning from 8:00 am to 8:45 am there is a mandatory school-wide assembly to reflect on the previous week and plan the upcoming one. 

From 11 am to 12:30 pm students plan, prepare, cook, eat and cleanup the midday meal together. We will also “play games” right after lunch, if there’s time.

At 12:30 pm afternoon shop class begins and ends at 3:30. These traditional skills classes can be anything from car restoration to boat building to beekeeping to brewing beer.

From 3:30 pm to 5 pm is optional: the time for sports or extra-curriculars, where students participate in activities of their own choosing, ranging from sailing to sewing to trap shooting.

At 5:30 pm Retreat will be played and the flag will be lowered to end the day.

*Our nickname. Our mascot is “Smart Aleck."

Curriculum

Program starts July 1 and January 1. There are six subjects at the Academy: English, History, Science, Life 101, Traditional Skills, and Business Basics. We will have a “master” lecturer once a week, every Friday morning at 11 am, for a total of 25, on a broad range of topics in their individual areas of expertise, from viticulture to civil engineering to canning tuna in Alaska.

In the six-month academic program there will be a total of 325 class periods. 

These will be divided as follows: 

English – 3 x week = 75 classes

History, Science, Life 101, and Arts – 2 x week = 50 classes each for a total of 200 classes

Traditional Skills and Business Basics – 1 x week = 25 classes each for a total of 50 classes

Students will read a total of 33 books during the academic year, broken down by subject: English – 14; History – 6; Science – 4; Business – 3; Traditional – 2; Apprenticeship – 4.

Shop class

All students will either build a boat or restore a vintage automobile/motorcycle as a requirement for graduation.

The choice of boats is up to the student, but our three recommendations are:

Lutra cedar strip canoe from Otter Creek

Petral Play Kayak from Guillemot Kayaks

Jimmy Skiff II, sailing pram from Chesapeake Light Craft

Vintage car restoration is wide open, but we’ve already done a 1961 gray fin-tail Mercedes nicknamed “The Bismarck,” and a 1969 Beetle Convertible.

As for motorcycles, our two favorites are a 1977 Honda CB 175 in Hawaiian Orange, and a 1966 Honda Super Cub. Original patina is only original once.

Tool kit and shop materials

Old's Cool Tool Kit includes Old’s Cool coveralls, gloves, safety glasses, ear plugs and tool bag, which the students will make themselves. It'll be filled with numerous essentials starting with our old's cool pal Tim Leatherman's Sidekick or Wingman. Shop materials include boat building/ car restoration supplies, parts, and paint. 

Extra-curriculars are optional

Students can choose: boxing, trap or pistol shooting, sailing, rowing, horseback riding, tennis, etc.

Citizenship and community

Respect and personal responsibility are the cornerstone of any successful society, and they must be taken seriously. Our Quaker grandmother taught us “Doing well by doing good,” i.e. genuine kindness, given with sincerity and generosity, was one of the keys to a meaningful and happy life.

This spirit of service, noblesse oblige, will be a large part of our mission, and will extend beyond our family to our neighborhood and city  where there will be regular and mandatory community service. And to our great nation too. 

Students will study The Declaration of Independence, and The U.S. Constitution, the two most important documents in the history of the universe, bar none, and come to know and love the wisdom and impact of these astounding philosophical and cultural achievements. A great education should also promote great citizenship, cui servire regnare, and to us this is summed up in our alma mater's motto: Duty. Honor. Country.

Testimonial

"I learned more important things at Old's Cool than I did at the Naval Academy." – Ensign Michael Calais, Class of 2022