Berry College - Mim memory du jour

Mim was challenged to find a college that was a good fit.  In her mid-20s, she gave Berry College, in the northwestern corner of Georgia, a try. 

It took just a few weeks - days? -  for Mim to realize that Berry was NOT her destiny & she headed home.  But not before becoming fast friends with Pat Stanfield.  She not only invited Pat to join us up north for Thanksgiving in Bryn Athyn, she & Mom drove down to Mt. Berry to pick her up!

On their way north, the trio stopped at a Howard Johnson’s in southwest Pennsylvania.  Pat was fascinated at the diners gabbing away, especially by their waitress, who had a flat, nasal voice.  As Mim recounted it, just as Pat drew in a breath to say something, the entire restaurant seemed to go quiet, so her loud, clear, strong Georgia twang rang out across the dining room – “Booooy, wood ya luhsun to thaaaaaat ack-cent!” 

Arriving in Bryn Athyn, Pat never settled in.  Thanksgiving dinner – multiple Lockharts & Pat as our guest of honor – was intended as a grand celebration, but poor Pat seemed mystified.  Looking around the table at all of us, she shook her head & marveled, “Y’all talk at the same tahme & y’all herah what the othur's sayin’.” 

The next day, Pat was on a bus, headed back to the reassuring soft rolling mountains of Berry College.  She could no more handle Bryn Athyn’s break neck speed than Mim could adjust to Berry’s slows.  But she & Mim stayed in contact for many years, two friends from different universes within the same country.

As our students and alumni well know, Berry is consistently found among the rankings of the country’s most beautiful colleges by Travel+Leisure, Buzzfeed, Thrillist and Southern Living. Filmmakers use our stunning vistas as well. Movies shot at Berry include “Remember the Titans” “Sweet Home Alabama” and network TV series such as “The Following” and “Constantine.” - See more at: http://www.berry.edu/quickfacts/#sthash.tOYAnMVt.dpuf

 
Berry was founded in 1902 by Martha Berry.  

The daughter of a wealthy planter, Martha Berry founded the Berry Schools to help give the children of Georgia's poor landowners & tenant farmers have access to quality education.  She never married, instead devoting her love & energies to developing what would become Berry College.

 

With 27,000 acres, Berry College claims to have the largest contiguous campus in the world. College leaders from across the country chose Berry College as the nation's number one "Up-And-Coming" liberal arts college, according to the 2014 U.S. News Best Colleges rankings released September 10, 2013.

 

Berry College is consistently found among the rankings of the country’s most beautiful colleges by Travel+Leisure, Buzzfeed, Thrillist and Southern Living. Filmmakers use the college's stunning vistas;  movies shot at Berry include “Remember the Titans”  & “Sweet Home Alabama.”