Enfield, NH Shakers – OSHER Course

A Peculiar People:

The Enfield, N.H. Shakers

Mondays, April 3 through May 8, 2023

12:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Spring Term HyFlex (In-Person and by Zoom) OSHER Course with field trip

The Enfield, NH Shakers considered themselves “A Peculiar People,” whose faith required that they lived in a close-knit, highly structured community of Believers. The tenets of their faith–the dual nature of God, gender and racial equality, community of property, pacifism, stewardship–challenged many in the 19th century, and offer opportunities for reflection now.

Although the Shakers have left their mark on contemporary art and design, in this course we will make greatest use of their contributions to American sacred music. Their songs will provide us access to theological principles that undergird and sustain Believers. Additionally, we will explore the elements of their faith that brought them into conflict with their neighbors, and limited their ability to attract new converts to their way of life.

The Enfield, NH Shakers – OSHER course will move quickly from a general overview of Shaker history to a detailed exploration of the Enfield and Canterbury communities’ contributions to New Hampshire’s religious and social history.

This OSHER Lifelong Learning at Dartmouth course is offered in conjunction with Enfield Shaker Museum and includes a site visit.

Course Instructor: Mary Ann Haagen

Shaker scholar, musician, and retired music teacher, Mary Ann’s research focuses on the NH Shaker communities.  She lectures widely on Shaker history, music, and dance; has recorded three CDs of Shaker music with a vocal ensemble she directed. The group’s DVD, We Find No Harm in Dancing, documents their work with Shaker dance. Her articles on Shaker history appear regularly in historical publications.  The Collected Writings of Elder Henry Cumings, edited by her is suggested reading and is  available in the Museum Gift Shop.

Course Fee: $65/person. To register call 603.646.0154 or http://reg130.imperisoft.com

Want to know more about OSHER Life Long Learning at Dartmouth visit their website https://osher.dartmouth.edu