A new woodworking school in rural New Hampshire lets students learn in part by watching professional furniture makers at work.

The McLaughlin Woods woodworking school, which opened this spring in Canterbury, N.H., shares a roof with owner Tom McLaughlin's custom furniture shop. After class or on breaks, students can watch craftsmen at work and ask questions. That atmosphere takes the school "beyond just a basic academic enterprise," McLaughlin said. "I want this place to feel alive with activity, with real present-day craftsmanship."

McLaughlin, a furniture maker, has taught for about seven years at the nearby Canterbury Shaker Village. The teaching area in his new facility comprises about 3,600 sq. ft. Each student has his or her own bench and access to separate machine and finishing rooms.

The first season's faculty features furniture-making heavyweights such as Jere Osgood, Garrett Hack, and Terry Moore.

Courses at the school continue through mid-November. For more information or to register, visit www.mclaughlinwoods.com.