Celebrating Folk Life in West Virginia

Every summer, the Augusta Heritage Center of Davis and Elkins College in Elkins, W.Va., opens its doors to American “traditionalists” eager to study their heritage in music, folklore, crafts, cooking and dance. There are Cajun weeks and Celtic weeks and sessions devoted to Appalachian, African American and Swiss cultures--the list goes on and on.

In fact, if it tastes good, looks great or sounds snappy, and has been around for a while, it’s probably on the program here.

For summer 2000, the center is offering five one-week sessions beginning July 9 and running through mid-August.

Students take part in a theme week or enroll in individual classes. Theme weeks are programmed around a different culture or art form, with intensive morning classes for the students’ main area of study, supplemented by mix-and-match afternoon class options and evening performances, lectures, films and discussions.

This year, the topics will be Cajun/Creole Week (July 9 to 14); Guitar Week (July 9 to 14); Blues Week (July 16 to 21); Irish Week (July 23 to 28); Bluegrass Week (July 30 to Aug. 4); Dance Week (July 30 to Aug. 4); French-Canadian Week (July 30 to Aug. 4); and Old-Time Week (Aug. 6 to 13).

The individual classes number in the hundreds, taught by some of the most well-regarded experts in their fields. Visit this summer and you could spend your time crafting handmade brooms, learning how to restore and repair books, studying pearl inlay and engraving techniques, rug-hooking or throwing pots.

Those more aurally inclined might study the music of the Carter Family, African American gospel, Appalachian ballads or Gaelic language and song. There are also numerous classes and tutorials in traditional instruments, from accordion to autoharp, banjo to hammered dulcimer. For those with dancing feet, there will be clogging classes and contra workshops, many swing-dance sessions, Irish step dancing and Cajun/zydeco.

And in the category of “folk life,” expect Cajun and Southern barbecue cooking classes, Appalachian history, Irish literature, storytelling, woods lore and herbs.

This being West Virginia, prices are more than reasonable, starting at just $345 for tuition ($305 for child’s tuition) per week. Room and board (19 meals) is $265 per person based on double occupancy. Children 8 to 13 sharing a room with their parents will pay $113; teenagers older than 13 pay $170. This is for campus housing, so expect double dorm rooms and cafeteria food.

This is a terrific vacation option for families with children older than 8. (Younger than that, it’s simply not doable.)

There is a separate folk arts course for kids, led by theme-week instructors, all specialists, who teach crafts, dance and music.

The campus, a three-hour drive from Pittsburgh, is near the Monongahela National Forest, so off-time from classes can be spent hiking, swimming, caving, rock climbing and canoeing.

For more information, call (304) 637-1209, visit the Internet site https://www.augustaheritage.com or e-mail augusta@augustaheritage.com.