Celebrating the 250^th birthday of the renowned Scottish bard, the 11^th Annual Robert Burns Weekend is set for January 23-25 at the 1886 Crescent Hotel.

Semiquincentennial events include a Ceilidh (pronounced Kay-lee) Jan. 23, four seminars, a Scotch whiskey tasting, and the traditional Burns supper Jan. 24, and the Burns Sunday brunch Jan. 25.

Attendees will have the opportunity to appreciate Burns not only as the bard and collector of Scottish poetry and music, but also as a “the true man of the people that he was,” according to event organizer Caven Clark. “We’re going to de-mystify him and take him off the pedestal,” Clark added. “Robert Burns wrote anti-slavery songs and songs critical of established religion at a time when that was unheard of,” he explained. “Burns was a lot more human than his myth implies. He would have been much more comfortable sitting here having a whiskey with you than being deified.” This is Clark’s first year as event organizer.

The Burns festival kicks off with the Ceilidh (Scottish term for ‘social’) on Friday, Jan. 23, at 7 p.m. at the Crescent Hotel. Music and dance from Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Asturias (an autonomous community in Spain) will be presented in an informal setting.

Music for the Ceilidh will be provided by the Crooked Creek Ceilidh Band of Harrison, Arkansas. The group features Clark on at least six different types of bagpipes—both mouth-blown and bellows-blown. Also in the group are Reg Edwards on keyboard and fiddle, Brent Crow on fiddle, and Sarah White on the bodhran (Irish drum.) Clark’s wife, Eileen, will “call” the dances, demonstrate them, and teach the more adventurous attendees how to perform them. “Some people like to participate while others are more comfortable just watching,” Clark explained.

Four seminars will be presented on Jan. 24 between 10 a.m. and noon. Reg Edwards will speak on the Scottish fiddle tradition, Terry Edwards on the Scottish kitchen, Brent Crow on Ozark Music’s relationship to the Scottish/Irish tradition, and Clark on Burn’s contemporaries. The Scotch whiskey tasting follows at 3 p.m.

A full program is planned for the Burns Supper at 6 p.m. that evening. Highlights include music, toasts, and the Presentation of the Haggis, a traditional Scottish dish. The weekend concludes with the Burns Sunday Brunch Jan. 25 from 9:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. 

Individual event tickets are available as well as Burns Weekend packages which include lodging. For more information about the Robert Burns Weekend and to make reservations, contact the Crescent Hotel at 1-800-342-9766. (Prices included below.)

The Green Forest School District

The Green Forest School District Board of Director’s met Monday, January 19, 2009, at 6:00 p.m. in the Green Forest High School Library.

The following items were acted on:

1. A transfer of sick leave days was approved by a vote of 7-0.

1. Board Policy 3.1 was amended to reinstate the following statement “Employees will work the number of days assigned by their contract.  The starting and ending times will be designated by their supervisor.  Exceptions to this contracted working period must be approved by the Superintendent of Schools.” This action passed 7-0.

1. The Board approved a fundraiser for the Intermediate Student Council to sell lollipops at their sweetheart king and queen dance.  The vote was 7-0.

1. The Board approved a 2-year extension to our existing copier lease by a vote of

7-0.

1. The Board approved changing the date of the February regular Board Meeting to Monday, February 23, 2009, beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the High School Library.

1. The Board discussed research on 4 x 4 Block Scheduling, A/B Block Scheduling, 8-period modified Block Scheduling and traditional 7 and 8 period per day scheduling in the High School.

1. The Board approved hiring Kristina Crowl to teach second grade for the spring semester of 2009 by a 7-0 vote.

1. The Board approved the extension of the contract for Superintendent Jeff Williams through June 30, 2011.  The vote was 7-0.

The next regular meeting for the Green Forest School District Board of Directors will be Monday, February 23, 3009, beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the High School Library.