Pennsylvania German Culture Credit/Non-Credit

July 13-19, 2008

Enrollment Deadline: June 27, 2008

View printable brochure and registration form

A one-week study tour featuring visits to museums and private homes, including:

• Conrad Weiser Homestead
• Daniel Boone Homestead
• Hans Herr House
• Lancaster Quilt and Textile Museum
• Landis Valley Museum
• Love Feast at Ephrata Cloister
• Moravian Bethlehem

Explore one of America’s most distinctive regions. Learn about the Pennsylvania German church people and sectarians through lectures and visits to museums and private homes. Under the guidance of distinguished faculty, participants will experience a unique blend of scholarship, food, and fellowship.

Sunday, July 13

5:00-6:00 p.m. Check in at the Continuing Education Office, Educational Activities Building

6:00 p.m. Orientation and Welcome, Dr. Irwin Richman

7:00 p.m. Reception at “The Cottage” home of Dr. and Mrs. Richman and Mrs. E. O. Steigerwalt. The house was built in four sections, starting in 1830 as a simple tworoom German home. A light supper featuring regional foods will be served.

Monday July 14

9:00 a.m. Lecture: “Pennsylvania German Material Culture,” Dr. Irwin Richman, Educational Activities Building Noon Board the bus for a Love Feast at the Ephrata Cloister, a unique Protestant monastic community of the 18th century, famous for its calligraphy, music, and industry. The buildings, which we will tour, are interesting examples of medieval German design.

7:00 p.m. Film: The Amish – A People of Preservation, Educational Activities Building

Tuesday, July 15

9:15 a.m. Board the bus for a visit to Landis Valley Museum, a unique collection of Pennsylvania German buildings and artifacts. Following lunch at the historic Landis Valley Hotel, we will tour the “Plain People’s” countryside, including the Hans Herr House, and visit Root’s Country Market and Auction. After supper (on your own) we will visit the Lancaster Quilt and Textile Museum.

Wednesday, July 16

8:00 a.m. Board the bus for an all-day visit to Moravian Bethlehem where we will visit the Gemeinhaus (1741), the Old Chapel (1751), and many other sites. After lunch at Historic Hotel Bethlehem, we will tour the 18th century Burnside Plantation, a Moravian farmstead with very interesting gardens. Next we will visit the 18th century Moravian industrial area, including the 1761 tannery.

8:00 p.m. Film: Witness – an exploration of Amish – English interaction, Educational Activities Building

Thursday, July 17

8:15 a.m. Board the bus to visit Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center. After a picnic lunch (provided) we will tour the Peter Wentz House (1758), where George Washington really slept. This house is famous for its unique Germanic interiors. We complete our tour by visiting Pennypacker Mills, the country estate developed by Governor Samuel W. Pennypacker.

7:30 p.m. Film: Expressions of Common Hands: Folk Art of the Pennsylvania German, Educational Activities Building

Friday, July 18

8:15 a.m. Board the bus for an all-day visit to the Conrad Weiser Homestead, the Daniel Boone Homestead, and a tour through the Oley Valley, the greatest area of traditional German landscape in Pennsylvania. James Lewars, Director of the Daniel Boone Homestead, serves as our guide. A box lunch is provided.

5:00 p.m. Pennsylvania Dutch Dinner at Haag’s Hotel in Shartlesville, the village where Pennsylvania German gastronomic tourism began.

Saturday, July 19

10:00 a.m. Final Examination, Educational Activities Building Noon Farewell luncheon, door prizes, course evaluations

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Participants enrolled for academic credit are required to:
Attend all course sessions
Read the required readings prior to the start of the course
Write and submit a research paper by 5:00 p.m. Friday, August 22, 2008. Information about the paper will be provided during the orientation session on Sunday, July 13.

RERQUIRED READINGS

The following books are to be read before the course begins:
Farming Always Farming, H. Wilson Fegley
The Pennsylvania Dutch Country, Irwin Richman
Pennsylvania German Farms, Gardens, and Seeds, Irwin Richman
Pennsylvania German Arts: More than Hearts, Parrots, and Tulips, Irwin Richman

FACULTY

Irwin Richman, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of American Studies and History, Penn State Harrisburg