A weekend with the Mabel Powell English Club

     The Mabel Powell English Club of Campbell University ventured outside of Buies Creek recently for a busy weekend of fun and cultural activities. On Friday night, students attended the production of Shakespeare’s comedic play, “The Taming of the Shrew,” at the Burning Coal Theatre in Raleigh. The agenda for Saturday included a trip to Old Salem to tour the 18th century Moravian village in Winston- Salem.
     At “The Taming of the Shrew,” students were able to experience Shakespeare in a tangible way as the literature was brought to life on stage. Likewise, the trip to Old Salem provided an excellent educational opportunity to experience the culture of the Moravian society outside of a textbook. It is common knowledge American Literature, one can learn a lot about the various religious groups who came to America seeking to establish their identity. The Moravian community is one such group, located here in North Carolina. The trip successfully allowed students to see and to learn about the physical and social realities of 18th century America in a ‘hands on’ environment.
     “It’s incredibly enriching to the academic experience to see concrete examples from the lives of the past such as Old Salem can provide,” says Dr. Donna Waldron, professor of English at Campbell University. “I’ve learned things that I’ve incorporated into my classroom.”
     Hosted by the Mabel Powell English Club and the department of English, the trips attracted a wide variety of students of diverse majors and backgrounds. The trips were also sponsored in conjunction with Waldron’s American literature class and Dr. Frank Vaughan’s Shakespeare class.