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Black
Mountain College Project |
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STUDENT EXPERIENCE IN
EXPERIMENTAL EDUCATION IN THE EARLY YEARS Section 1. The Role of the Arts |
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| Moliere's The Physician in Spite of Himself, 1941. Photo: Fred Stone. | |||
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INTRODUCTION TO THE SUNLEY PROJECT AND DOCUMENTS
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The Role of the Arts at Black Mountain College by Robert Sunley The fame of a number of artists and writers who were students or faculty in the later years (1943 on) has misled many to think that Black Mountain College was an “art school,” and so to overlook its origins and initial renown as an experimental liberal arts college. Yet the association of the arts with Black Mountain education did have a strong basis in the philosophy. From the beginning, it was intended that the arts were to be a central (but not “the” central) part of the total educative process, not relegated to the usual minor role – a course or two which students could elect to take. The arts included painting, writing, drawing, constructions and assemblages, weaving, music, drama, architecture, photography, typography, design, dance – and some combinations of two or more. Individual active experience of the artistic process – going beyond “appreciation” of art – was held to be a key to the way to understand and make use of knowledge and skills in many fields. The arts were to be brought into the core of college education and community life. The memoir excerpts demonstrate that the lofty aims were largely realized in practice. Moliere's The Physician in Spite of
Himself, 1941. Photo: Fred Stone. |
SECTION 2. TEACHERS
AND TEACHING
Methods of Teaching
Outside the Classroom
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