Among the millions of students moving into college dormitories this fall, Saint John’s University students can a make claim that few if any other students can. Much of the furniture in their rooms was crafted on campus from trees sustainably harvested from that very same campus.
The tradition of Abbey Woodworking crafting dorm furniture for Saint John’s University is unique and ongoing. Just in the age of modern record-keeping (the past 12 years) we have crafted 1156 beds, 392 desks, and 826 bookcases. This summer we delivered 110 red oak desks to the sophomore dorms as replacements for ones that were original to the building in 1967. As you may have guessed, the desks being replaced were also built in the Woodshop with red oak harvested from the Abbey Arboretum. While most institutions of higher education hope to get 20-25 years of use from their dorm furniture, these desks lasted nearly 60 years. We expect our recently delivered desks to serve Johnnies until 2080.
By sourcing furniture from Abbey Woodworking, Saint John’s University contributes to its vision of and commitment to sustainability. This process of harvesting trees from our own forests, utilizing local labor, keeping the furniture at home on campus, and then reforesting for future generations creates a “closed-loop” system. The natural resource, the labor, and the finished product are all used and renewed within the same community. This intimate system ensures that we see the consequences of our actions in the health of both the forest and the community. This type of stewardship is uncommon in today’s global economy where resources and goods are often shipped across the world and disposed of a few years later.
Before a piece of dorm furniture leaves the Woodshop it is branded with the Abbey Woodworking logo. While not every Johnnie immediately understands the story behind the brand, we hope that when they see our logo, admire the warm tone of red oak, and recognize the common design features of our furniture, they will have a deeper connection to this place. They may even reflect on the fact that they are sleeping on a bed frame that comes from the forests surrounding the campus. We believe that recognizing these connections help to further the unique “sense of place” at Saint John’s, where we are stewards of a natural world that also supports the academic and monastic communities and deepens our sense of being connected to all of creation
Our woodworkers also take satisfaction in knowing that our labor and craft help support the students and the mission of Saint John’s. Some of our woodworkers are also students (read more about students in the shop), who participate in making, delivering, and then using the furniture in their student life. Every day students at Saint John’s are served by the work of our craftsmen, work that is not only utilitarian but also beautiful to behold. Through the continued stewardship of our forests and the renewal of the Abbey Woodshop, we look forward to crafting distinct, durable, and sustainable furniture for generations to come.
