Book Review: My Journey to Appalachia
January 8th, 2010
I was originally born in North Carolina, and although my family and I lived on the East Coast, the state as a whole has always held as a special place for me. It's a place that is home to many beautiful landscapes and cultures. From the beaches and Outerbanks of the coast to the Smokies of the West, the state of North Carolina can be a magical place. And this would be the be the setting of my latest book finished, My Journey to Appalachia: A Year at the Folk School by Eleanor Lambert Wilson.
The story follows Eleanor through her real-life journey to the very West tip of the State to a little place known as Brasstown. If you run into anyone whom has actually heard of the town, they will tell you what makes Brasstown special, The John C. Campbell Folk School.
The school was founded by Olive Campbell and Marguerite Butler and named it after Olive's late husband. Olive and Marguerite travelled to Denmark to study the Danish practices of the local folk schools and came back to the States to help pass on these teachings to the local country people of the Appalachian communities. The school started in 1925 and taught students woodworking, blacksmithing, farming, weaving and other skills and how to use those skills to help make an income for their families.
Coming from her New England life and schooling, Eleanor arrived at the school in the early 40's and was a bit culture shocked from the life she was used to up North. But she quickly became a part of the family and took wonder in the sense of community and kindness of her new friends. She worked at the school helping mail off crafts that the school's students made to help fund the school's operations. While she was living on the grounds she met and became close with all of the members of the community, danced at their Friday Night Games, and enjoyed a simple but festive Christmas celebration.
Reading the book itself was a pleasure, her words off the page made me feel like I did when listening to stories that my Grandmother used to tell me. Hearing about simpler times and genuine people who were honest and didn't feel the need to give you a false idea of themselves. They were just comfortable with who they were, there were no pressures from a media-saturated world to tell them how to dress and behave, they were just who they were.
During Eleanor's time at the school the second World War was beginning and the US was becoming involved. I got to see through her eyes as she watched the long arm of the outside world reach in and affect the lives of this small community as young men who worked and lived at the school began to slowly leave one by one to fight in a war overseas far away from the only place that they ever knew.
While being a short book and a fast read, it gave me a chance to look through a window to a time that I've never seen, to look at a certain kind of people that one would be hard-pressed to to find another made in the same mold in todays world. I would recommend this one to anyone whom has an interest in the area of Western North Carolina or of the time the book took place.
Today, the Folk School is still going strong. My interest in the school is what gave me the interest in the book which my Mother picked up while thinking of me in
Asheville's small airport. The school has expanded, but still mainly operates out of the same buildings from when the school was founded almost a hundred years ago. I originally found the school while searching for a place to learn blacksmithing. Ever since I can remember, I've always had an interest in the dying art. The idea of creating something with your hands through heat and force without the aid of modern machinery has always been something that I would want to learn for myself. And the school now has expanded it's curriculum to offer a seemingly never-ending list of crafts, including painting, pottery, photography, glassblowing, leather work, and many more. While attending classes you can also stay there in one of their dorms or in your tent or RV! One day I hope that my path and the schools will cross so I can take advantage of all they have to offer. Here's to hoping!
If you'd like to read it, check out our store, we've got this book and others, plus a bunch of RV products that make our mobile-lifestyle a little bit easier!
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