The last few mornings in the History Center, I have been downstairs putting together our latest exhibit.  While I was absorbed in my thoughts of arranging textiles in glass display cases, I finally glanced up to notice Danny Wilson outside the window, on his hands and knees, busily working away.   It turns out, Danny was in the process of uncovering a long forgotten sidewalk, steps, iron rail, and front door in front of the History Center building!  Danny, of course, had known what lay beneath the layers of compressed soil, rusted farm implements, poison ivy vines, and lilies of the valley.

A native of Brasstown, Danny’s been coming to the Folk School ever since he can remember, for dancing, socializing, and working.  As a part time employee of the Folk School’s Buildings and Grounds Department, Danny took on the project as part of a campus wide clearing effort.

The History Center building, built in 1946, has had a few different lives.  It originally was used for weaving, with the laundry downstairs, then it was the Craft Shop, and has served as the History Center for nearly 20 years.  Just like the treasures that are stored within the Archive, it is exciting to uncover this long forgotten piece of Folk School history.  When you see Danny, be sure to thank him for all his hard work!

There are treasures in the Folk School archives that help us get perspective for understanding the days we live in. Anna Shearouse, who works in our archives, found this item. It is one of the “Monday Morning Messages” of William H. Danforth, who founded the Purina company.  He wrote these to his employees for forty years. This one is dated May 23, 1932:

“Last week I visited the John C. Campbell Folk School at Brasstown, North Carolina.  There the community is taught singing games to bring more joy into the work of each day. It seemed to me that the birds were bursting their little throats, that the cows were more contented, that the roosters crowed louder, that the people were happier than in any other neighborhood that I had been in for a long time.  Why not, when they are living out their slogan: I SING BEHIND THE PLOUGH. An economist writes that we are in the thirty-seventh month of the depression and that if we haven’t already turned upward, we soon will.  Depressions take songs out of our hearts.  While we are all doing our level best to make things better, don’t you think it will help a lot if we can get a bit of song back into our lives?  We can’t sing good times back, but a song of courage on our lips will make our days more fruitful and help brighten the lives of those around us.  I’m not much for Pollyanna stuff, but I’m going to begin each day with a song; and I’m going to try to continue that song all the day long.  I’m going to sing behind my plough. How many of you will join me?”

Murray Martin with Brasstown Carvers. Photo taken ca. 1954. From Berea Collection.

Carving, or “whittling” is one of the first crafts that comes to mind when one thinks of mountain crafts.  This might be because it doesn’t take a lot to get started.   The historic Brasstown Carvers used their pocket knives as tools.  They used wood that was available to them, such as walnut and buckeye, and they carved what they knew.  Since most of them were farmers, there were many renderings of geese, dogs, horses, and pigs.  Under the direction of Murray Martin, one of the first craft instructors at the Folk School, the work of the Brasstown Carvers was marketed successfully across the country.  Brasstown Carvings were shipped internationally as well; Queen Elizabeth purchased two of Avery Beavers’ colts and directed her lady-in-waiting to write a thank-you note.

Tennessee Mule by Jack Hall. Photo by John Bailey.

An early version of the Folk School's logo

Here at the Folk School, we aim to find joy in every aspect of life.  We take pleasure in carving a life-like squirrel, playing a banjo, and knitting a sweater from homespun wool.  A week’s worth of hard work results in something we are proud to claim as a product of our own hands.  While the school’s motto expresses our blend of work and play, it was a literal statement when the school began in 1925.  One of the main reasons Brasstown was considered as a location for the Folk School was due to the strong presence of agriculture and the potential to build up rural life.  The phrase comes from a mid-1800s Danish poem by Mads Hansen, farmer and poet.  Olive Campbell adopted the phrase for the Folk School and her niece, June Coolidge Cary, probably designed the recognizable man and two horses.

I am just a simple farmer, downright and plain,
and yet I love my modest callings,
for around my little home grow blossoms fair with color and perfume.
Mine is the clear spring, mine is the fresh breeze.
I grew up to the song of the birds, learned a little of them, too.
I sing when the impulse comes to fly light and free.
I sing behind the plough and to the sound of the mowing.
Hills and woods give back my song.
And when I am weary with toil and day is done,
my spirit is fresh,my mind at ease, I am happy and free.
I would not change places with any man on earth,
nor will I leave this spot in the North.

-Mads Hansen