Montreat
Black Mountain, North Carolina

May 15-20, l994. Elderhostel No. 13.

High on a bluff, with steep steps, the Southern Presbyterian Church maintains this mountain resort. Its proximity to Asheville and the Biltmore estate of George W. Vanderbilt was the main attraction for me, despite the fact that the group was very large, about fifty or sixty people, and the classrooms were crowded.

The most rewarding study was about Biltmore, taught by a local high school history teacher who volunteers at the mansion. Biltmore was his hobby as well as his vocation. He was most enlightening, and we spent a day there under his tutelage. I had heard about this unusual place for a long time. I had seen other Vanderbilt homes in Newport, R. I. and Hyde Park, N. Y., and I was curious and interested in this marvel. To tour Biltmore with an expert is a memory to be cherished for a lifetime.

The other courses were less instructive.

A very pleasant mountain minister led one class. His skill in carving wood figures and stories out of his version of the Bible was stimulating. I found him to be a delightful lunch companion, as he had studied under Reinhold Niebuhr at the Union Theological Seminary in New York City. Too bad his classroom was long, narrow, and overcrowded. He was given no facilities such as a slide projector or films to display his ideas about Art and the Bible, which was the title of the course. Various texts had to be passed around in lieu of adequate audio-visual aids.

The third study was about Big Band Music. Fortunately, there were some interesting videos presented, for the instructor's idea about the famous swing bands of the 30's and 40's was limited to such vocal groups as The Four Aces, who came along after World War II. They would hardly qualify as "Big Bands." At least he knew how to operate a VCR, and many of the Elderhostel people informed the teacher what he should have been teaching us.

The accommodations were quite comfortable, although we were dispersed with many other groups who were vacationing at Montreat. The food was adequate. The cafeteria was somewhat disorganized, resulting in long lines and hasty meals.

One of the best features of this trip was my meeting Anita and Ralph Rustigan who live and love in the San Francisco Bay area. We became good friends in a short time. I receive reports from them every year, and some day, we are going to visit with one another. This is a goal which I look forward to fulfilling, as they are such splendid people. They added to my personal understanding of life and its pleasures. Thank you, Anita and Ralph!!