Social ecology and the summer of ‘85

This is Genno checking in and trying to get started with a new blog. I have had some bad luck with my blogging but I am going to try again.

In the summer of ‘85 I signed up for classes with the Institute for Social Ecology in Plainfield, Vermont, and connected to nearby Burlington College. I was looking for some college hours. The school is located in the Green Mountains. In registering for classes, everyone was required to take the course that was given by Murray Bookchin, founder of the school. The required course was an overview of social ecology — there were speakers who shared their expertise on social ecology in agriculture, feminism and holistic health, to name a few topics. The material was integrated to provide a coherent analysis through a series of talks by Bookchin.

There were around 50 students from various places. Some were college students while others were college graduates. It was a varied student body living in very basic housing. We all ate vegetarian. Our classes included intensive gardening, composting and growing small fruits and berries.

My course of study after the required course given by the founder included feminism and holistic health. I stayed in a women’s dorm equipped with bunk beds and only the basics. In the main building were the institute office, bookstore, library, classrooms, and kitchen and dining hall.

I have tried to give a short preview of the institute and the grounds in the Green Mountains. Next time around I’ll try to give a little more info on some of the activities that took place in this rural setting. — Genno