Wednesday, May 2, 2001
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Wednesday, May 2, 2001 |
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Plans underway for this summer's Victorian Adventures camp Bonnet-making, stitching a sampler, dancing a reel, taking tea ... these are not typical activities for a young lady of the 21st century. But girls this summer have the opportunity to participate in these charming pastimes of yesteryear, at a day camp in downtown Fayetteville. Called Victorian Adventures 1800s Day Camp, the camp will be offered for the fifth year this summer. Campers experience a glimpse of what it was like to be a lady in the 1800s. They begin each day by donning a hoop skirt and bonnet, and spend the week learning history, fashions, crafts and customs of the 1800s. One of the highlights of each camp day is to participate in old-fashioned dancing. The campers learn about important women of the Civil War era, and on the Friday evening of each camp week present a program to their families about these famous and not-so-famous women. At this program, the campers also display several dances that they've mastered during the week, and have a "tea" for their families. Campers should be 8 to 12 years old. There will be one week set aside as a teen week, for the more mature girl. Teen campers dress in adult-sized hoops and participate in activities that are more in-depth and intricate than those in which the younger girls participate. The teen week was offered for the first time last summer and proved to be very popular. Victorian Adventures 1800s Day Camp is this summer at the American Legion Log Cabin in downtown Fayetteville. "I'm very excited to be holding the camp in the Log Cabin," said camp director Michele Cox. "Everybody knows where it is, it's within walking distance of many historic sites downtown, and the hardwood floor will be fabulous for our dancing." Victorian Adventures Camp is conducted in one-week sessions in June and July. The cost for each camp week is $125. It is recommended that parents register their campers on one of several registration days in May. These days are Saturday, May 5, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, May 6, 1-4 p.m., and Saturday, May 19, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Registration will be at the Fayette County Historical Society building, 195 Lee St., Fayetteville. The Historical Society is a sponsoring organization for the camp this year, providing support and volunteers for day-to-day camp activities. In past years, this camp has been known as A Girl's Life in the 1800s, and was begun as a fund-raiser for the historic Holliday-Dorsey-Fife house. But as demand for the camp grew (as well as demand for similar activities for boys) camp creator and director Michele Cox formed her own business, Victorian Adventures. Her programs include not only the summer day camp, but also a two-hour historic education program for elementary through middle school students in which boys and girls dress in 1800s costumes and experience the history and customs of Victorian days. Her program is an enhancement to the study of the Civil War for fourth and fifth grade social studies classes. Cox also has announced that she and husband Tom Cox have recently purchased a house on North Jeff Davis Drive, circa 1911, that they are in process of renovating. "I'm so thrilled to finally have an historic house of my own," she said. "I will not only be able to conduct my summer camp there, but it will be a wonderful facility for my school field trip programs, ladies' Victorian teas, children's birthday tea parties, etiquette classes and Girl Scout programs. And I'm really excited to announce that it will also be a wonderful facility for outdoor weddings and receptions." For camp information, phone Cox at 770-487-6796 or e-mail her at: Victorianlady@mindspring.com. Camp information can be found at www.VictorianAdventures.com.
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