Shaker Village Work Group, Educational summer camp in New Lebanon, New York, United States
The Shaker Village Work Group was an educational summer program located on former Shaker grounds in New Lebanon, New York, where teenagers engaged in building restoration, craft production, and store operations. The initiative combined hands-on learning with skill development through various activities on the historic communal property.
The program was founded in 1946 by Jerome and Sybil Count using property acquired from the Mount Lebanon South and West Families of the Shaker community. It operated from 1947 to 1973, providing urban youth with hands-on skill development grounded in the site's heritage.
The group engaged in traditional Shaker songs and dances, performed during the annual Antiques Festival, while young participants learned woodworking and weaving from experienced craftspeople. This hands-on cultural participation connected visitors to the living practices that defined the community's way of life.
The program was designed for urban teenagers seeking hands-on work experience in a communal setting where multiple craft skills could be developed. Visiting during the annual Antiques Festival offered the best opportunity to see performances and ongoing craft demonstrations.
The initiative maintained extensive documentation including 160 photographs, essays, poetry, and reproductions of artifacts created by young participants, preserving their everyday experiences and creative work. This archive offers a rare window into how teenagers lived and worked during the program's active years.
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