World Fellowship Center facts for kids

The World Fellowship Center is a special non-profit retreat and meeting place in Albany, New Hampshire. It is open in the summer, usually from late June to early September. People of all ages can visit to learn, relax, and meet others who care about making the world a better place.

The center is located near the beautiful White Mountain National Forest. It covers about 455 acres (184 ha) of land. This includes a large building for meetings and meals, nature trails for hiking, a soccer field, and several cabins and campsites for guests. There is also a large pond where visitors can go swimming and boating. The center can host over 150 guests and staff at one time. Since it started, it has welcomed speakers, artists, and activists from all over the world.

History

A Place for Peace (1929–1952)

The idea for the center came from a group called the World Fellowship of Faiths, which started in 1929. A woman named Lola Maverick Lloyd, who fought for women's right to vote, had a big idea. Before World War II, she imagined a world government, similar to the United Nations, where all countries would work together peacefully.

It was her friends, Charles and Eugenia Weller, who thought of creating a summer retreat focused on peace. In 1940, while war was happening in many parts of the world, the Wellers decided to create a permanent home for their peace group. They found a 290 acres (120 ha) piece of land for sale and bought it with help from Lola Maverick Lloyd and many other small donations.

The World Fellowship Center officially opened in the summer of 1941. Its first theme was "In a time of war, prepare for peace." The Wellers were the directors for the first twelve summers.

Standing for Beliefs (1953–1969)

In 1953, a new director named Willard Uphaus took over with his wife, Ola. Uphaus was a pacifist, which means he believed in solving problems without violence.

This was during a time in American history called the Red Scare, when many people were afraid of certain political ideas. The government of New Hampshire, led by Attorney General Louis Wyman, worried that the center might be connected to groups they didn't trust. Wyman demanded that Uphaus give him a list of every guest and worker who had ever been to the center.

Uphaus refused. He believed that giving up the names would violate the privacy and rights of innocent people. He felt it was the wrong thing to do. This led to a five-year legal battle. The case went all the way to the United States Supreme Court, which did not rule in his favor. Because he would not give up the list, Uphaus was punished. He wrote about his experience in a book called "Commitment." The Uphaus couple continued to run the center until 1969.

Growing the Center (1970–2000)

In 1970, Katheryn "Kit" and Christoph Schmauch became the new directors. They ran the center for over 30 years and made many improvements. They turned it from a small retreat into a well-known place for people who wanted to change the world.

Some of the changes they made included:

• Buying 135 acres (55 ha) more land.
• Building new dorms for staff and a house for the directors.
• Upgrading the kitchen and adding large refrigerators.
• Building a basketball court, volleyball court, and a soccer field.
• Adding more boats for the pond.
• Creating new nature trails for hiking.
• Starting a special program for children.

The Schmauchs also invited many people from Europe to visit, helping the center become known around the world.

A More Inclusive Place (2001–2019)

In 2000, Andrew Davis and Andrea Walsh became the new directors. They worked hard to make the center a welcoming place for everyone, especially for people of color and people with disabilities.

They updated the buildings to make them safer and more accessible. They also made the buildings more energy-efficient and started getting fresh food from nearby farms. They expanded the program to include more arts and movement workshops, like yoga and Capoeira Angola. In 2007, they created a job for a recreation coordinator, who led daily bike rides and mountain hikes.

New Challenges and Leaders (2021–Present)

In 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the center did not open for the first time in its 80-year history. Instead, all of its programs were held online.

The center reopened in 2021 with new safety rules. Since then, it has had new leaders. In 2023, Megan Chapman and Andrew Maki, a married couple who worked as human rights lawyers, were hired as co-directors. In their first summer, they started a social justice institute to help train young activists.

How the Center is Run

The World Fellowship Center is guided by a board of trustees. The board has nine to twelve members who help make important decisions. The staff who work at the center are hired each spring. Many are young people who work in the kitchen, clean the rooms, or help with maintenance. In return, they get to live at the center for the summer.

Buildings and Landscape

The center has several buildings and beautiful outdoor spaces.

• Lloyd Lodge is the main building. It has a large dining hall, a kitchen, guest rooms, and a conference room with a library and fireplace.
• Uphaus Lodge is a more modern building with guest rooms and a library.
• Weller House is the oldest building on the property, built around 1820.
• Schmauch House is a separate building used for meetings and discussions.

Outside, there is a large granite rock called "peace rock," a peace pole, a playground, sports courts, and a firepit. There are also many campsites for guests who want a more rustic stay.

A short walk from the main area is Whitton Pond. The pond is a perfect spot for swimming, canoeing, and fishing because no motorboats are allowed. The center also has miles of nature trails that wind through the forest.

Nature and Wildlife

The center is located in a forest with many types of trees, like pine, hemlock, maple, and oak. The forest is home to a variety of animals.

• Animals: You might see squirrels and chipmunks. If you're lucky, you could spot a black bear, a moose, or a white-tailed deer.
• Birds: Many birds live here, including chickadees, woodpeckers, and owls. On the pond, you can often hear the unique call of the common loon.
• Plants: The forest floor is covered with plants like wintergreen and blueberries. In the wet areas near the pond, you can find water lilies and purple pitcher plants.

In 2019, most of the center's land was placed in a conservation easement. This means the land will be protected from development forever.

Programs and Traditions

Each week in the summer has a different theme, often related to social justice, human rights, or the environment. Guest speakers give talks in the mornings and evenings.

The center has many fun traditions:

• Cookouts on Thursday evenings.
• Talent shows on Friday nights, where guests and staff can perform.
• Musical performances on Saturday nights.
• A big Thanksgiving-style lunch every Sunday.

The kitchen serves delicious meals, with many vegetarian and vegan options. Much of the salad greens come directly from the center's own gardens.

Notable Guests

Over the years, many famous activists, artists, and thinkers have visited the World Fellowship Center. These include:

• Noam Chomsky, a famous linguist and writer.
• Congressman John Lewis, a leader of the Civil Rights Movement.
• Bernie Sanders, who visited when he was the mayor of Burlington.
• Scott and Helen Nearing, who were known for living simple, self-sufficient lives.
• Robert Shetterly, an artist whose portraits of "Americans Who Tell the Truth" are displayed in Lloyd Lodge each year.

Many musicians and performers, like David Rovics and the group Sol y Canto, have also shared their talents at the center.