Midwest Folkloristsí Regional Planning Meeting
St Francis Friary & Retreat Center, Burlington, Wisconsin

February 4-6, 2000

Dear Midwestern Folklorist,

You are invited to participate in the Midwest Folkloristí Planning Meeting to take place at the St. Francis Friary and Retreat Center in Burlington, Wisconsin, Friday, February 4 to Sunday, February 6, 2000.

The idea for this meeting

Since 1997 the Midwestern state folk arts coordinators from the nine states in the Arts Midwest region have been developing a multi-state collaborative project to enhance folk performing arts touring. In the course of this project, it has been suggested that we organize a retreat to bring together Midwestern folklorists similar to the retreats held in other US regions. A goal of this meeting is to conceptualize and begin planning such a retreat.

Another goal of the meeting is to discuss another potential regional collaborative project to take place after the completion of the current touring project in 2001.

Following from NEH Chairman William Ferrisí call for the development of centers for the study of regional culture, Michigan State University has undertaken to establish the Center for Great Lakes Culture. A major topic of discussion at this planning meeting will be issues of concern to folklorists related to the Center. The fledgling Center has agreed to underwrite the food and lodging costs for participants in the meeting making the cost truly economical. Our thanks!

The state coordinators, some additional public folklorists and leaders of the major academic folklore programs in the Midwest are being invited to participate. Unfortunately there is only lodging for 33-39 participants at the retreat center (depending upon how efficiently we can utilize the rooms with double beds). If you are unable to attend, please let me know ASAP so the invitation might be extended to another folklorist.

The location

The St. Francis Friary and Retreat Center in Burlington was founded in 1929 as a seminary by Polish Franciscans from Pulaski, WI, on a 170 acre farm bordered on two sides by the Fox River. Shrines on the site to Our Lady of Chestochowa and Our Lady of Ostrobama became a major pilgrimage destination especially for Polish-Americans from Chicago and Milwaukee.

The monastery became known for a tradition of high culinary quality. The first cook, Bro. Anselm Baran, joined forces with farmer Bro. Romuald Wantoch to produce excellent locally-grown food for the pilgrims. Bro. Romualdís special buttermilk, maslanka was especially sought after. Unfortunately it is no longer available.

Travel to St Francis

The Center is at 503 S. Browns Lake Drive, just off State Highway 36, three miles east of Burlington (about 10 miles NE of the famous Lake Geneva resort area). (See Map) Their telephone is 262-763-3600.

St Francis is about 50 miles from OíHare Airport. For people who would fly to OíHare, I can bring a 15-passenger state van to pick up participants who arrive by noon on Friday. The cost for two nightsí lodging (dormitory style) and six meals (supper on Friday through lunch on Sunday) is $87.75. MSU will underwrite $50/participant reducing your food and lodging cost to $37.75. Thanks again MSU!

If you are able to attend, please complete and return the attached form with a check to Wisconsin Arts Board for $37.75/person (plus $10.00 more, if you need a van ride to and from OíHare). Please respond by November 15, 1999.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Name____________________________________________

Address_________________________________________

________________________________________________

Phone_________________FAX_______________________

EMAIL____________________

Name of room mate (if necessary)_________________________________

Check as many as apply:

I would like to have a van ride to/from OíHare. I will arrive by noon on Friday. My return flight is 3:00PM or later on Sunday. ($10.00 fare round trip)_____

I would like to have a car pool ride from Milwaukeeís Mitchell Field._____

I will be bringing my own car_____from________________________

I require vegetarian food._____

I would like to rent cross country skis_____

I am bringing a small child._____ Please look into possible babysitting._____

The Agenda:

Friday, February 4, 2000

1:00PM to 2:30PM Arrival and check-in

2:30PM to 4:00PM Tour of the St. Francis grounds guided by Fr. Colman, a Franciscan who will explain the cultural and religious significance of the shrines.

4:15PM to 5:15PM Get acquainted session, introductions. Greccio Lounge

5:30PM to 6:30PM Supper Dining Room

7:00PM to 8:15PM The current situation of public/academic folklore in the Midwest

Greccio Library

8:30PM to 10:00PM Social time Greccio Lounge

Saturday, February 5, 2000

8:00AM to 8:45AM Breakfast Dining Room

9:00AM to 10:15AM Academic and public folklore programs in the Midwest: resources and potential collaborations.

10:30AM to 11:45AM Potential specific collaborations such as Encyclopedia of Midwestern Folklore, Traveling Field School, National Folk Festival, etc.

Noon to 12:45 Lunch Dining Room

1:00PM to 2:00PM Free time to explore the grounds, ski, hike, visit, caucus, etc.

2:00PM to 3:45PM The Center for Great Lakes Culture: How will it function? What resources can it provide/utilize? Who will/can be involved? What states are included/excluded? Is another center needed for the riverine states? The Upper Room

4:00PM to 5:15PM Planning a Midwestern Folkloristsí Retreat. Where, When, How?

The Upper Room

5:30PM to 6:30PM Supper Dining Room

7:30 PM Rides depart for outing into Burlington (There will be an early and a later return ride available.)

Sunday, February 6, 2000

8:00AM to 8:45AM Breakfast Dining Room

9:30AM to 10:15AM Opportunity to attend religious services, pack up, ski or explore the grounds.

10:30AM to 11:15AM Break out sessions for committees working on:

The Center for Great Lakes Culture

Education efforts

The Midwest Folkloristsí Retreat

The progress of regional touring project/What comes next?

Other breakout(s) as needed.

11:30AM to Noon Plenary summation session The Upper Room

Noon to 12:45PM Lunch

Van departs for OíHare at 12:30

Additional information about St Francis Friary and Retreat Center

The St. Francis Friary is a very nice place. The older part of the building that was built in the 1930s features a lot of pretty woodwork, arch-topped doors to the chambers, little alcoves with religious sculptures. The newer wing was built in the 1950s in the pragmatic style of that era.

We have an assortment of meeting rooms available to us: 1) The Greccio Library, a lounge-like room which would be ideal for 20 but for 30 people it would require some folding chairs and might be a little crowded. We could try it and decide to move to another space if need be. 2) The Greccio Lounge and Dining Room, which includes couches, but also a complete kitchen and a kitchen table. 3) The Upper Room which is very spacious-probably could seat 100--high ceiling, small stained glass windows up high. Itís sometimes used as a chapel but the altar can be moved aside. 4) The Back Chapel which is not as adaptable a space but could provide a sanctuary for reflection and 5) Assorted little spaces with a couple of chairs and pillows on the floor for break-out groups.

We have the upper floor of the retreat center. On the lower floor there will be an all-male group from Arlington Heights, IL that comes to St. Francis every year. We wouldnít cross paths with them very muchóin the dining room at meals, in the menís restroom downstairs or out on the hiking paths, maybe.

The sleeping rooms come in a variety of types. All rooms have a sink. There are 12 rooms with one single bed. 6 rooms have two single beds but there is a wall separating the beds. So you need a half-way sort of roommate. You share the sink and come in the same door but thereís more privacy once inside than in a hotel room. There is one room with 3 single beds and 6 rooms with double beds (which can be for couples or occupied solo). There are 3 rest rooms with toilets and showers on our floor. I expect females will be the majority of our group so Iíll designate two of them for females and one for males. Soap, towels and linens are provided. Of course you need to bring your own shampoo, toothpaste and other hygiene items.

It will be possible for small children to stay with their parent(s). With advance notice, the staff will try to recruit local teens as baby-sitters. On the whole, the facility is not too oriented to little children. They would need to bring their own toys, etc.

I requested 6 meals for our group from Friday supper through Sunday lunch. They set up a buffet table in the middle of a very inviting dining room. We can have some input regarding the menu choices. I mentioned to them that some of our group may require vegetarian food. Let me know of any food-related issues.

On the 160-acre friary grounds there are a number of shrines-to Mary Queen of Peace, the Virgin of Guadalupe, Our Lady of Czestochowa, commemorating the Fatima and Lourdes Apparitions, a crucifixion scene, a replica of the Portiuncula (the church where St Francis began the Franciscan Order), etc. With advance notice, Father Colman would be available to conduct a guided tour if we want it. I explained that we are not pilgrims, but a group with varied religious backgrounds and views. They understand and have no problem with that.

In early February we normally have good snow cover in Wisconsin (although with global warming all bets are off). I am told that retreat participants often go cross-country skiing there. The trails are not groomed but the hiking/skiing trails are clear of branches or other obstacles. If you like to ski, and are flying in, I can see about where to rent skis nearby.

Regarding the schedule, we will have a suitable balance between meetings and unstructured time for skiing, hiking, visiting shrines, etc. On Saturday evening we will offer an outing to an interesting local tavern or dance hall.

People flying into OíHare should get there by mid-day on Friday so that the van can leave between noon and 1:00PM. The traffic becomes very congested out of Chicago later on. Chicago OíHare and Milwaukee Mitchell Field are the nearest major airports. We may be able to arrange pick-ups at Mitchell Field as well.