Get your gear here! Outward Bound Then & Now
- Kurt Hahn, Founder
A Brief History
Outward Bound was first conceived in 1941 in Great Britain and has since become the premier adventure-based education program in the world. For a complete timeline please click here. During World War II, renowned educator Kurt Hahn developed programs to instill greater self-reliance and spiritual tenacity in young British seamen being torpedoed by German U-boats.Hahn had developed his progressive ideas, first as founder of the Salem School in Germany, and later at Gordonstoun, a boarding school in Scotland, that soon became one of Britain’s most distinguished and innovative schools. Hahn believed education must encompass both the intellect and character of a person. In creating the first Outward Bound School, he expanded the concept of experiential learning to include real and powerful experience to gain self-esteem, the discovery of innate abilities, and a sense of responsibility toward others. (For an in-depth look at the history of Outward Bound and Kurt Hahn's vision, please visit the Outward Bound International website.)
Outward Bound in the United States
In the early 1950s, Josh Miner, an American who was taught under Hahn at the Gordonstoun School, was inspired by Hahn’s philosophy and teaching model. Over the ensuing decade, and with the support of other inspired individuals, Miner founded the Outward Bound movement in the United States, based upon the principles of hands-on learning through outdoor adventure. From the establishment of the Colorado Outward Bound School in 1961, Outward Bound gave rise to an entire outdoor education industry in the U.S. With its nationwide system of wilderness courses, Expeditionary Learning schools, Professional programs, Urban Centers, and Discovery programs, Outward Bound is dedicated to helping people build internal fortitude and confidence through personal achievement.Outward Bound USA Today
Although Outward Bound programs have increased in number and evolved from those conceived by Kurt Hahn over 60 years ago, our Core Values are still central to each and every program. Outward Bound continues to excel in its long-standing tradition of using the wilderness as a "classroom" for self-discovery.Our programs touch the lives of more people than ever before, today reaching more than 60,000 people each year.
In 2005 Outward Bound merged seven of our ten independent 501 (c) 3’s including Outward Bound West (Golden, CO), Voyageur Outward Bound (Ely, MN), Hurricane Island Outward Bound (Rockland, ME), Expeditionary Learning Schools Outward Bound (Garrison, NY), Outward Bound National, and the Outward Bound Baltimore and Philadelphia Urban Centers into a unified Outward Bound. The consolidated Outward Bound is therefore comprised of Outward Bound National, Outward Bound Wilderness, Expeditionary Learning Schools Outward Bound or ELS, Outward Bound Professional, Outward Bound Discovery and the Baltimore and Philadelphia Urban Centers .
Through each of the Outward Bound programs students develop self-reliance, responsibility, teamwork, confidence, compassion, and environmental and community stewardship.