Berry College's founder Martha Berry started this school with work-ethic in mind. She agreed to teach the townfolk even though they could not afford the fees. In turn they gave her cattle and agreed to work off their debt by farming. Today this tradition continues and they have most all positions at the school filled by students. There is a dairy, theatre troupe, Band, etc. Henry Ford himself visited and traded every ox that Martha Berry had in the entire school for a brand new Ford tractor, something that Ms. Berry could never have afforded back in those days. With these new tractors they could expand the fields and bring in more income to expand the school.
Today, the school has every imaginable degree to seek, a wonderful campus full of animal life and botanticals, instills a great work ethic in people that attend, and is hard pressed to be the most intellectual school in the south.I myself had a part time job while on campus in the financial aid center so that my tuition would be lessened. I was given a grant from the state plus a paycheck for that. They really seem to try to make you see that to get somewhere in life you need to work for it.
Every year during the seasons, there are various festivals and events to take part in. Oak Hill, Martha Berry's home, is all decorated for these and you are allowed entrance to view the antiques and the early school facilities.
It is a beautiful school, one of the largest in the US. In fact, Rome Georgia where it is located has even assigned it its own zip code and town name: Mt Berry, Ga.The size of the school is really breathtaking. You can hike, mountain bike, and roam around for hours upon hours and never see the same sites twice. I was entralled with the deer that walked up to me as I strolled to classes.
I remember going here with intense fondness, and I highly recommend it for any theatre, medical, or philosophy student. It is pricey for the area, but well worth it.
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