Folk School Day 1 - Arrival

Turning Onto Brasstown Road

It has been a long, long wait, but I was finally at the John C. Campbell Folk School.  It took two days of traveling, three planes, and an overnight in Atlanta, but I had arrived.

The folk school itself is blissfully 'off from just about everywhere.  Atlanta is more than two hours away, as are Asheville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga.  The result is a small society isolated from the petty annoyances of freeways and shopping malls.  Nearby Murphy is large enough to offer what is needed without overpowering the simple serenity of the school.

The shuttle driver, Bobby, is an interesting conversational companion with a gaggle of hilarious kids in tow as often as not.  He has been around long enough to tell a few good stories about the school and the area while driving - making the two and a half hour drive much more bearable.  Even better, he showed true care for my banjo - giving it the shotgun position to avoid any damage from the various baggage in the back.  Given the good conversation and the fact that I had not been to this part of the country before, the drive was quick and effortless and we were soon pulling across the bridge at Clay's Corner, revealing the schools various houses and buildings across the hay field (see the photo).

Keith House

Bobby was more than prepared, even knowing where my room was before I did.  He helped me unload into my room - a sparse but truly adequate room all to myself in Bidstrup House - before taking me up to the Keith House (the school's headquarters) for registration.  Registration was itself a calm thing, as there were several hours in which to do it and people were trickling in all day.

Once registered and paid I took the time to explore a bit, wandering through the gardens and the grounds, not yet knowing what I was looking at but enjoying it all the same.  Everywhere was something a student or staff member had made.  Metalwork abounded, paintings were on each wall, and live music floated through Keith House from the dance hall.  There were little surprises everywhere, including some small mushrooms turned from wood and hiding among the gardens near the History Center.

The welcome orientation was interesting, full of good information interspersed with the first few stories of the school - a theme that would be slowly built upon as the week progressed.  We were given the somewhat peculiar order of business for meals - developed and mandated by Dame Olive Campbell herself upon the founding of the school (more on this in another post) - and told of the various opportunities outside our chosen classes available during the week.  Demonstrations of other disciplines would occur often, and each night a free concert or dance would be held.  The orientation was perfectly timed as the dinner bell rang only moments after we were let out.  Dinner was simple but good, complete with dessert and real honest to goodness sweet tea (right down to the pitcher of sugar syrup instead of sweeteners or granulated sugar).

Bidstrup House

After dinner we went to our prospective studios to meet our fellow students and our teachers.  David Brose, our teacher for the week, brought us to his office in the History Center instead, giving us a chance to not only peruse his interesting collection of archival information, old instruments which the banjo could call its ancestors, and the various collected items showcasing the long history of the Folk School and its founders.  He showed us his N'Gonai, an ancient African instrument from which it is believed that the modern banjo eventually sprang up.  It is an imposing instrument with a snakeskin over the resonating gourd and a large ivory spike serving as the neck.  Sadly, the snakeskin has given out and it's currently unplayable.  David hopes to remedy that situation soon, and I hope to hear a recording of it when he does.

In the History Center one can see Olive Campbell's desk, including photographs of her using it in what is now called the Farm House, one of the old looms from when she was around, and even a banjo from the civil war era.  Not only did we get to see this early example of our chosen instrument, but David tuned it up and played it for us!  Scattered around the school are several of the original chairs built for or donated to the school, with the names of original students and teachers carved into some.  It was a little unnerving to sit in a chair that old and with such a history, but we soon got used to it.

After our brief meeting and introduction we were off on our own - some of us already tuning up our instruments and playing some few songs, others heading off to their rooms to settle in.  Tomorrow, and the whole week as well, was set to be quite interesting.  Needless to say, I was too excited to sleep much that first night.

I have to express my gratitude yet again to Jenna Woginrich of Cold Antler Farm.  Without her, this awesome opportunity would never have been possible for this farming nerd from Washington state.  Jenna, you rock.