First, Berea College: founded in 1855 as an integrated and co-educational institution (a distinction which took the college to the Supreme Court in the early twentieth century, to defend its right not to be segregated), Berea only admits students of very limited means - mostly from the local (Appalachian) region - and then doesn't charge them tuition.
Instead, the students earn their way through campus jobs, many by learning skilled crafts - pottery, wood working, weaving, blacksmithing, even broom making - the products of which are then sold to raise money for the college. (I really love this stuff: www.bereacollegecrafts.com)
And because Berea's mission is to educate those without means, and because it fulfills that mission so well, there are no legacy students here. Coming from Harvard, I find that highly intriguing.
Plus the college is dedicated to the next wave of social righteousness, and is experimenting with ecologically sustainable living communities for its students: like this "aquaponics" greenhouse the students built, mixing hydroponics (to grow vegetables for the students) with farming catfish (which are sold locally to raise money), all based on collected rain water.
I mean, how many colleges are there where entire brick classroom buildings were built by the students themselves?
Second, Berea has a lovely local hotel (run by the students, of course), cute little cafes and coffee shops, a high number of local Appalachian artisans, and more bookstores per capita than I've seen this side of Portland. All the makings for a lovely afternoon of porch sitting.
Third, Berea is conveniently located where the bluegrass meets the Appalachian foothills: within driving distance of the over-commercialized bourbon trail, but also driving distance to beautiful parks, and surrounded by real country side of rolling farmland and horses.
So that's my new love affair with Berea. Many thanks to our super-cool friends for choosing to get married there, and introducing Berea to the rest of us.
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