Claire Morris works on the lid for her special box in her class last summer, “Boxes Inside & Out.”

My experience at Arrowmont inspired me. I came to my first class at Arrowmont with uncertain expectations of what I would encounter. What transpires in the classroom, as almost any Arrowmont student would tell you, is really fun; but what happens between the lessons is what I will truly cherish and remember. I left with a greater appreciation of our heritage and a better understanding of Arrowmont, in part from the guidance and insight of four other Pi Beta Phi women who were also taking classes that week. Each brought a unique aspect of Pi Phi and each gave me insight into my first time experience. These women passed their knowledge onto me, and I, in return, hope to do the same for all women in Pi Beta Phi.

I met Sheila McGrath, Illinois Theta, she was taking one of the coveted ceramics classes and I was peeking in on the lesson. McGrath chose to spend her sabbatical at Arrowmont after taking advantage of a Pi Beta Phi Foundation scholarship to attend what was her second class at Arrowmont. She too, was still learning about the spirit of Arrowmont. I asked her for advice on how to fully utilize my time at Arrowmont. “Life is so fast paced,” she said, “coming to Arrowmont is a good way to slow down.” She didn’t have to tell me twice; I took her advice wholeheartedly and vowed to fully appreciate my time at Arrowmont by relaxing and taking in its beauty.

I also had the good fortune of having fellow sister Marga Larson Bales, Virginia Gamma, as a classmate in “Boxes: Inside & Out,” instructed by Martha Little of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Marga has been coming to Arrowmont for the past 14 years with fellow sister and long-time friend Marge Duncan Locker, Maryland Beta, after having met in an alumnae club in the 60s. Bales first came to Arrowmont as an officer and after visiting was inspired to become an “Arrowmont Ambassador” to her alumnae club, which also inspired Locker to do the same. Bales is a believer that “first-hand experience is best; but if you can’t get that, secondhand is the next best thing.” This certainly rang true for my time so far at Arrowmont. The things I had been hearing about the Settlement School over my years as an undergraduate were wonderful, but there nothing is comparable to the genuine atmosphere of the classes at Arrowmont. I vowed to spread the word to others, but with the understanding that nothing can truly replace hands-on knowledge.

I also spent time with Mary Ann Behlen Hruska Nebraska Beta, who is past chairman and currently a member of Arrowmont’s Board of Governors. We talked about the past and future of the school. “Arrowmont is not just a place;”
she told me, “it’s not just a school for people who have time. More goes on than instruction; people do more inside this school for themselves and for the community than how it appears on the outside. ” In fact, Arrowmont offers Work Study and Studio Assistant opportunities to artists, which gives them the chance to take classes and work in an environment that is conducive to learning and creating art. In addition, the resident artists teach in Art Reach programs at nearby elementary schools, such as Pi Beta Phi Elementary. These programs, in addition to providing a well-rounded education, help to pass on the knowledge to the next generation. I discovered that Arrowmont does encompass more than the school itself, and the knowledge reaches past the front doors and past my preconceptions. This demonstrated to me that what I do with this knowledge reverberates, whether it is passed to a friend, sister, alum club, or even back to the institution itself.

Proud Pi Phis posed for a picture during their Arrowmont stay (L-R): Mary Ann Hruska, Marga Bales, Sheila McGrath, Claire Morris, and Marge Locker.

Each woman I came to know left me with a great pride in what the Fraternity has left, and for what is yet to come. Arrowmont is still doing exactly what we intended. It is still reaching people of all ages and educating students. Somehow, Arrowmont has been able to change with the times and evolve into an educational facility, this time through the teachings of art. Those who come to Arrowmont truly treasure this unique experience, because we see something the Fraternity created over 90 years ago still flourishing and still teaching people how to appreciate life, exactly as it did nearly a century ago.

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