Black Mountain College Summer Program 1943

Mimeograph on paper with BMC letterhead. Description of the Summer Session. Information on fees, getting to campus (train times), climate (recommendation to bring a raincoat) and community life. Single sheet, printed on both sides

BLACK MOUNTAIN COLLEGE BLACK MOUNTAIN, NC
SUMMER PROGRAM 1943
The College program includes: A Summer School (July 5- Sept 18) which is the regular summer quarter of the accelerated three-year undergraduate program of study; A Work Camp (June 14- Sept 18) for those interested in gaining experience in farming and building while participating in the war effort by constructing manpower; A Seminar on America for Foreign Scholars interested in improving their command of the American language and in getting contact with a small American community.
Work Campers may attend the entire period or apply for any specific consecutive period of three weeks or longer.
Fees: Summer School: $150-$400 for the eleven weeks, including board, room and tuition. Fee is based upon ability to pay, (See catalog)
Work Camp: $12.50 per week. Fee covers cost of room, board, instruction and supervision, use of tools and College facilities. Though some workers are able to produce more results than others, the fee has been based on a good average. An extra tuition charge is made if the camper takes academic work or wishes tutoring in some subject.
Courses: The curriculum of the Summer School will include courses in American culture and history, psychology, botany, languages (Russian, French, Spanish, and German), chemistry and physics, dramatic literature and production, music (both courses in theory and individual tuition in piano and stringed instruments), fundamentals of design in art and textiles, weaving, eukinetics, and the dance. Practically the entire winter staff of the College will teach during the summer session.
Work: Summer School students will participate in the College work-experience program by working several afternoons each week. Work Campers work five hours per day in the cool of the morning or in the late afternoon, leaving much of the afternoon and all of the evening free for relaxation or other activities.
The Work Camp will be devoted mainly to work on the College farm and to construction and maintenance of the College buildings and grounds.
The farm work will consist of vegetable gardening, from soil preparation to food storage; care and harvesting of food crops, such as silage corn, field corn, potatoes, soy beans, barley and hay; and the utilization of forest land by clearing for use as a pasture. The timber cut will be brought to the sawmill for conversion or cut into firewood for fuel conservation. This work will be carried out under the direction of faculty sawyers and wood choppers.
Farm construction will consist of building fences, hog shelters, a bull pen, root collars and chicken house.
Community Life: The College lives as a community, where everyone eats together in a common dining hall, serving themselves. The dining room, with screened porch overlooking Lake Eden, will be managed by the College chef, and the kitchen work will be done by a hired staff. In these days of rationing the raising of our own beef and hogs, milk from our Guernsey herd and fresh vegetables from our victory gardens all make steady and welcome contributions to our table.
All contribute to the upkeep of the grounds according to their ability and interests. All share in the social and recreational activities such as concerts, lectures, dances and plays. Those with dramatic or musical talent are invited to take part in these activities. Anyone who plays a musical instrument and desires to take part in informal ensemble playing should bring his instrument. The College library and the music library (including music scores and records) are available to all members of the community.
There are facilities for swimming, tennis, badminton, ping pong and hiking. There are also miles of roads and trails on or adjacent to the campus. Riding horses are available nearby at a moderate fee.
Climate: An elevation of 2400 feet assures warm but not unduly hot days and cool, refreshing nights. Summer and sport clothing including raincoats should be brought. In general people dress quite simply. Usual daytime wear consists of overall denim trousers or blue jeans, comfortable work shoes and shirts, shorts or slacks, with a sweater or jacket if it is cool. A light top coat for especially cool evenings may be desired. There are occasional semi-formal events at which long dresses are customary. Men never wear formal evening attire.
Accommodations: Students and campers will live in dormitories which are summer resort lodges converted to College use. These are large rustic frame buildings each with its central lobby and massive stone fireplaces. There are available a limited number of rooms with adjoining baths and several large dormitory attics with baths and sun decks adjoining. Those standing will thus have room mates and are expected to care for their rooms. The College provides simple furnishings – beds and towels but not blankets or sheets and pillow cases. Blankets may however be rented for a small charge which covers necessary dry cleaning and normal wear. Bed linen and towels are laundered by the College without charge. A laundry room with washing machine is provided for those who wish to wash their own clothing, or soiled clothes may be sent to the local laundry.
Train and bus connections: Black Mountain is situated directly on one of the main scenic routes of the Southern Railroad. Round trip fare from New York: Coach- $29.l92; Pullman- $44.00 plus berth. Individuals will be met at the train by special car at a charge of 50c. The best train leaves the Pennsylvania Station New York City at 4:35 PM with streamlined coaches and reserved seats which are free but must be reserved some time in advance. There is one change at Salisbury, NC. The train arrives at Black Mountain at 8:35 AM. Another train, leaving New York City at 2:05 PM, arrives at Black Mountain also at 8:35 AM the next day.
The College is located on North Fork road one and one half miles north of State road number 70. State road number 70 runs east from Asheville to the town of Black Mountain and at the point where North Fork road intersects it the Army’s new Moore General Hospital is located. Members coming by bus should get off at North Fork road. They will be met if advance notification is given to the College.
Asheville (15 miles) and Black Mountain (6 miles) have good stores, medical facilities and movies. There are many nearby places of interest: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Mount Mitchell, Norris Dam and the TVA and Blowing Rock.