World Fellowship Center facts for kids
The World Fellowship Center is a special place in Albany, New Hampshire, USA. It's a non-profit organization that hosts retreats and conferences for people of all ages. It's open from June to September, with most activities happening during the summer.
The center is located near the White Mountain National Forest, close to Mount Chocorua. It covers about 455 acres. This includes a conference room, a dining hall, nature trails, a soccer field, cabins, and places to camp. You can also go boating and swimming in a large pond. The center can welcome over 150 guests and staff at one time. Since it started, it has welcomed speakers, artists, and activists from all over the world. They come to share ideas about peace and fairness.
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History of the World Fellowship Center
The name "World Fellowship" comes from an older group called the World Fellowship of Faiths, started in 1929.
Early Beginnings and the Wellers
In 1937, before World War II began, an activist named Lola Maverick Lloyd (1875–1944) had an idea. She imagined a "world government" where all countries would work together. This was like an early idea for the United Nations. Lloyd believed the League of Nations, which was created after World War I, would not succeed. She thought it was controlled by the same countries that caused the war.
Lola Lloyd's friends, Charles Frederick Weller (1870–1957) and his wife Eugenia (1872–1956), had an idea too. They wanted to create a summer place for peace and social justice. This was in the late 1930s. In 1940, the world was at war, and the Wellers' adult son died. Charles then spent 15 days meditating on Mount Whiteface. During this time, he decided to create a permanent home for the World Fellowship of Faiths.
Charles and Eugenia found a 290-acre property called the Draper Estate in Albany. They bought it for $5,000. Lola Lloyd helped them by paying $2,500, and others also contributed. Even though it was called "World Fellowship of Faiths," the center has never been linked to any specific religion. The first summer it opened was 1941, and 253 people visited. Their first motto was: "In a time of war, prepare for peace." The Wellers led the center for 12 summers, from 1941 to 1952.
The Uphaus Era and Challenges
In 1952, Willard Uphaus (1890–1983), a retired minister who believed in peace, and his wife Ola (1897–1972), a social worker, visited. They became directors in 1953. Willard Uphaus had strong beliefs about peace during World War II.
In 1953, a newspaper in New Hampshire wrote articles that unfairly called Uphaus a "Communist." This was during a time when many people in the U.S. were worried about communism, known as the Red Scare. Because of this, the state's Attorney General asked Uphaus to give a list of all guests and employees at the World Fellowship Center. They suspected the center might be linked to the Communist Party.
Uphaus refused to give the list. He believed it would go against his Christian faith and harm the rights of innocent people. This started a five-year legal fight. In 1959, the United States Supreme Court ruled that Uphaus had to give the list. Because he still refused, he was sentenced to a year in jail for not following the court's order. He served his sentence from December 1959 to December 1960. The Uphaus couple continued to be directors until 1969.
The Schmauch Years of Growth
In 1966, Katheryn "Kit" Schmauch (born 1933) and her husband Christoph Schmauch (born 1935) visited. They became co-directors in 1969 and took full charge in 1970. Kit was a teacher, and Christoph was a minister from East Germany. They had four children and led the center for over 30 years.
The Schmauchs helped the World Fellowship Center grow a lot. They bought 135 more acres of land. They built new dorms and lodging for seasonal workers. They also built a year-round house for the directors. They started paying employees a regular wage instead of just tips. They improved the kitchen, added commercial refrigerators, and drilled a well for water. They also added fun things like a basketball court, volleyball court, and soccer field. They bought more boats for the pond.
With the new land, they created nature trails for hiking and offered guided nature walks. They started a children's program. Each week of the summer had a different theme, with guest speakers talking about peace and social justice. The Schmauchs helped connect the center with many people from Europe. They were co-directors until the 2000 season.
Recent Directors and Changes
In 2000, Andrew Davis (born 1961) and Andrea Walsh (born 1962), a married couple, became directors. They worked to make the center more welcoming for people of color and transgender people. They also improved the buildings to be safer and more accessible for people with disabilities. They made the buildings more energy-efficient and worked with local farms for fresh food.
They expanded the season to include weddings in June and September. They also added more programs for visual arts and body movement, like yoga and Capoeira Angola. In 2007, they created a recreation coordinator job to organize daily bike rides and hiking trips.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the center did not open for the summer. This was the first time in 80 years that on-site activities did not happen. All programs were held online. In 2021, the center opened with limited programs and safety rules.
In 2021, Octavia Driscoll (born 1986) was hired as the new director, starting in 2022. She resigned in June 2022. In early 2023, a group of five volunteers managed the center. In April 2023, Megan Chapman (born 1981) and Andrew Maki (born 1983), human rights lawyers from Nigeria, were hired as the next co-directors. They started in August 2023 and plan to take full charge before the 2024 summer season.
How World Fellowship is Run
The World Fellowship Center is managed by a board of trustees. This board has nine to twelve members, and each person serves for three years. The board meets with the co-directors throughout the year to guide the non-profit organization. Decisions are made by majority rule, meaning most people have to agree.
Working at World Fellowship
The staff who work at World Fellowship are hired each spring by the directors. How long they stay depends on their availability. A few people work year-round with the directors. In the past, workers were paid less but didn't have to pay for their room and food. Now, they are paid more than the federal minimum wage.
Most workers live in dorms on-site. They help with housekeeping, dining, and washing dishes. Some staff have specific jobs, like working on the farm or doing maintenance. There are also managers for different teams, such as the lodge manager or dining hall manager. A staff coordinator helps the directors oversee the team.
World Fellowship doesn't spend much on advertising for staff. Most employees find out about jobs through word-of-mouth. Many staff members have family or friends who have been long-time guests. Some international employees also come with work permits.
Buildings and Nature at the Center
The main part of the World Fellowship Center has several important buildings and features.
Key Buildings and Features
- Lloyd Lodge: This is the main place for guests to stay. It has a large kitchen, a dining hall, guest rooms, bathrooms, screened porches, and a parlor. It also has an "old conference room" with a library and fireplace.
- Schmauch House: Built in the late 1990s, this is the main room for conferences and discussions. You reach it by walking on a brick path made from guest donations. It has a nearby composting toilet and a memorial wall.
- Outdoor Areas: There's a gazebo, picnic tables, a firepit, and an outdoor grill. You can play basketball and volleyball. There's also a playground, two dorms, a rope swing, and a private cabin.
- Davis-Walsh House: This house was built around 2000 and was renamed in 2023. It has five guest rooms and two bathrooms. It can be rented by groups or travelers year-round starting in late 2023.
- Peace Rock: A large granite boulder, often called "peace rock," is a popular spot. It's surrounded by a flower garden and has a peace pole. It offers a great view of Mount Chocorua.
Other Areas of the Property
- Uphaus Lodge: Located a quarter-mile away, Uphaus Lodge has modern rooms, a library, and laundry facilities. There are also vegetable gardens nearby.
- Weller House: Nearly a mile further, you'll find Weller House, a colonial-style house built around 1820. It's the oldest building on the property.
- Campsites: The main parking lot is surrounded by campsites, which are the most affordable places to stay.
- Nature Trails: Beyond the campsites, there are nature trails. One is a 1.25-mile loop with 20 stopping points. The other is about 0.6 miles long and leads directly to Whitton Pond.
- Whitton Pond: This large pond covers about 164 acres and is up to 57 feet deep. It's a peaceful place with no motorboats, perfect for swimming, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and bird-watching. Many local people also use the trails and swimming area.
Past Buildings and Changes
For many years, there was a large 18th-century farmhouse on the property. It had many rooms for guests and a dining area. It was called "the farmhouse." Next to it was Whitman Hall, used for performances. In 2008, the farmhouse was damaged and became too expensive to repair. It was taken down in 2010. Because of this, the center started renting cabins off-site. Later, two new cabins were built near the main parking lot between 2016 and 2018.
Drake Hill Road and Community Relations
All World Fellowship buildings are on Drake Hill Road. This road connects to Route 16. The welcoming sign at the southern entrance has sometimes been damaged. This shows that the center has not always had an easy relationship with nearby towns.
During Willard Uphaus's time as director, the sign said, "All Races Welcome." This attracted people of color to an area that was mostly white. In the 1960s and 1970s, World Fellowship was seen as a safe place for people with progressive ideas. This was different from the rest of Carroll County, which was very conservative. In recent years, relations between the center and the local towns have become much friendlier.
Nature and Wildlife at World Fellowship
The World Fellowship Center is about 900 feet above sea level. The forest here is typical of northern New England.
Trees and Plants
You'll find evergreen trees like eastern white pine and eastern hemlock. There are also many hardwood trees such as American beech, birch (paper and yellow), maple (sugar, red, and striped), oak (northern red), and ash (white). Less common trees include quaking aspen and cherry trees. Other evergreens like balsam fir and spruce are also present.
The smaller plants on the forest floor include wintergreen, haw, and Virginia creeper. You'll also see several types of blueberry bushes and aster flowers. Other unique forest plants are Indian pipe and lady slipper. In the wet areas and around the pond, you can find water lilies, loosestrife, purple pitcher plants, and pickerelweed.
Animals and Birds
You might see small animals like eastern gray squirrels and eastern chipmunks. Amphibians like toads, spring peepers, and bullfrogs live here, along with a few types of snakes. Many songbirds are common, such as titmice, purple finches, chickadees, jays, wrens, kinglets, warblers, doves, woodpeckers, and thrushes. Birds of prey like owls (especially the barred owl) and hawks are also seen. You can often hear the call of the common loon on the pond, especially in the early morning or evening.
Less often, but sometimes reported, are sightings of black bears, porcupines, white-tailed deer, raccoons, fishers, and moose.
Fungi and Conservation
Many types of fungi grow here, including various kinds of mushrooms. Some of these are edible, like chicken-of-the-woods. Sometimes, a "fungal foray" is held to identify different mushrooms.
In 2019, 400 of the center's 455 acres were protected. This means they will remain undeveloped forever. This was done through a local land trust, thanks to Kit Schmauch's original idea.
Room Names and Honors
To honor activists, most guest rooms at World Fellowship (except in Uphaus Lodge) are named after people who worked for social justice and peace.
Some rooms are named after actual guests, like economist Scott Nearing and architect Florence Luscomb. Other rooms honor figures like Lola Maverick Lloyd, Henry David Thoreau (who has two rooms named after him), Frederick Douglass (a famous African-American anti-slavery activist), and Louise Pettibone Smith (an activist and theologian).
The Schmauchs have a guest room and a conference room named after them. The Weller and Uphaus couples have entire houses named in their honor. The Larry Katz and Jacobs family cabins, built in 2018, are named after long-time guests who gave generous donations. Other rooms are named by numbers or directions, like "east single" or "north porch." Even some bathrooms in Lloyd Lodge are named after local places or famous landmarks in Boston and New York City.
Programs and Activities
The weekly program at World Fellowship offers many activities.
Weekly Schedule
- Mornings and Evenings: Guest speakers give talks on weekdays.
- Thursday Evening: A fun cookout is held.
- Friday Night: There's a talent show where guests and staff can perform.
- Saturday Night: Enjoy musical performances or dance events.
- Sunday Afternoon: A special luncheon with a Thanksgiving-style turkey dinner.
- Sunday Night: A "smorgasbord" with leftover food.
Food and Meals
The center offers vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free meals if you ask. Most salad greens come from the gardens on-site. Bread and other baked goods are made fresh daily in the kitchen. While most food comes from distributors, the center tries to buy more food locally. No alcohol is sold, but guests and staff of legal age can bring their own. Snacks are sold on weeknights, and ice cream on weekend nights. Quiet hours are from 11 PM to 7 AM in guest buildings.
Daily Announcements and Themes
Each morning at breakfast, the director shares the weather forecast and the day's program. Most weekly themes focus on important topics like political issues, identity, environmentalism, and race relations. Some weeks are dedicated to music, soccer, Capoeira Angola, or other non-political activities. In the past, nature walks, cycling, and hiking trips were also offered.
Notable Visitors
Many interesting people have visited the World Fellowship Center over the years. These include thinkers, activists, artists, writers, musicians, and politicians.
Some famous visitors include:
- Noam Chomsky and his daughter Aviva Chomsky.
- Robert Meeropol, son of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.
- Scott and Helen Nearing.
- David Dellinger.
- Congressman John Lewis, when he was a young civil rights activist.
- Bernie Sanders, when he was mayor of Burlington, Vermont.
- Activists like Medea Benjamin and Kathy Kelly.
- Artists like Robert Shetterly, who displays his portraits at Lloyd Lodge each year.
Many musicians and performers have also entertained guests, such as David Rovics, Charlie King, and the Brooklyn Women's Chorus.
Traditions and Mission
The World Fellowship Center has several long-standing traditions and a clear mission.
Fun Traditions
- Blueberry Island: In the past, staff and guests would visit an island in Whitton Pond, known for its blueberries, for outdoor parties. This tradition has stopped because the center does not own the island.
- Soccer Week: Since 1995, at least one week each summer is dedicated to daily soccer games.
- Early Music Week: The first week of summer, since 1996, features musicians playing instruments from the Renaissance and Baroque periods.
- Ukulele Week: Since 2015, one week in July is for ukulele players.
- Regular Events: The cookout, talent show, and Thanksgiving luncheon have been happening every Thursday, Friday, and Sunday for almost the entire summer season.
Mission Statement
The center's motto has changed over time. During World War II, it was "in a time of war, prepare for peace." Later, it became "rustic, but adequate." The current mission statement is: "to promote peace and social justice through education and dialogue inspired by nature." This is often shortened to: "where peace and social justice meets nature."
Images for kids
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Whitton Pond
