Library activities echo, enhance Appalachian reading display
An exhibit that showcases children’s literature from Appalachian Mountains is currently on display at the Calhoun-Gordon County Library through Oct. 23. The display, named “Reading Appalachia: Voices From Children’s Literature,” allows children to interact with life-size characters and stories. Adults have specific portions of the display targeted to them.
Throughout the run of the display, the library is hosting a number of activities that support the Appalachian theme. An Appalachian Writing Contest open to students in grades four and five, middle school and high school students, and adults. Deadline for submissions is Monday, Oct. 17 by 6 p.m. at the library. Both fiction and non-fiction entries will be accepted, but each submission must be written around an Appalachian- related theme. Check out the library’s Facebook account for complete submission details.
On Saturday, Oct. 1, local author John Shivers will teach a workshop at the library geared to writing about the Appalachian region and its distinct customs and mores. The workshop will run from 10:30 a.m. until 2 p. m. Participants are encouraged to bring their lunch, and participate in a “lunch and learn” session. Pre- registration is encouraged. This workshop will be invaluable for those planning to enter the writing contest.
On Thursday, Oct. 6, at 10:30 a.m., Toni Molleson, Executive Director of Harris Arts Center, will lead a workshop where preschool children will make their own banjos.
On Saturday, Oct. 8, at 1 p.m., Karli Land will lead a teen and adult workshop on paper making with an Appalachian twist. Class is limited, so preregistration is a must.
On Tuesday, Oct. 11, at 3:30 p.m., Kathy Sproull, Janice Smith, and Jim and Sherry Patterson will provide a musical performance featuring the dulcimer and mandolin.
Tisa Barton will give an adult basketmaking workshop on Wednesday, October 12 at 1 p.m. Teacher’s fee and cost of materials will be provided by the Harris Arts Center and Shaw Industries. The course will take about 5 hours to produce a simple breadbasket. Pre- registration is required due to limited class size.
Joseph Evans and Russell Cook will present another session of “Singing Appalachia for the Family” on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 1 p.m. Singing Appalachia” is sponsored by the Georgia String Band Festival and Gordon County Fiddlers’ Convention, which for more than 10 years has drawn crowds to the Harris Arts Center in late April.
Interested in learning about Appalachian Clogging? Come and join Patricia Bohlen as she discusses the history of clogging, the different clogging styles, and the health benefits associated with it. She will demonstrate the clogging steps and will allow attendees to try some as well if desired. The program will be held on Monday, Oct. 17 at 5 p.m.
Storyteller and Educator Jane Owen Cunningham is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face and a memory to your heart! Her enduring sense of humor and irresistible Southern charm make her “Miss Jane Stories” an enchanting experience for all audiences. Come hear “Miss Jane” spin a story with an Appalachian theme, Thursday, Oct. 20, 4 - 5:30 p.m. These programs are sponsored by the Calhoun- Gordon Council for a Literate Community.
It’ll be music for all ages on Saturday, Oct. 22, 1:00 p.m., when Judy Mincey and the Sacred Harp Singers present a shape- note singing farewell to the display.
Additional events will be posted on the library Facebook page and on the library website www. ngrl. org/ calhoun/. All activities are admission FREE, with costs being underwritten by various community sponsors. Additional information is available by calling 706-624-1456.
The exhibit, constructed and targeted toward children’s literature indigenous to the Appalachian Mountains since 1880, is a first for scope and scale. The exhibit, which is spread throughout the entire library facility, creates the sensation of walking through the pages of a storybook. There are hands- on activities for the kids that bring the stories to life in a way that can’t be rivaled. There are original films and the voice of Ray Hicks, an old-time storyteller that help to create the threedimensional experience for both children and adults.
This display is the end result of a creative partnership between the Knox County Tennessee Public Library and the East Tennessee Historical Society in Knoxville. Content is based on research by Jamie Osborn, manager of the Hall’s Branch, Knox County Public Library, and was made possible through the generous support of Clayton Homes, the Jane L. Pettway Foundation, Friends of the Knox County Public Library, and the University of Tennessee’s Center for Children and Young Adult Literature. It aims to showcase the story of early childhood in Appalachia set against the region’s literary heritage. The library would like to give a special thank you to Calhoun-Gordon Friends of the Library and the CalhounGordon Council for a Literate Community for sponsoring this exhibit.
Calhoun- Gordon County Library at 100 North Park Avenue in Calhoun is the first public library in Georgia to present this display.