Founding the Adamant Music School In 1942, the world was at war. While Hitler was invading Europe, anti-Semitism was becoming increasingly evident in the United States. Alice Mary, Harry, and Edwine saw this firsthand in New York City when some of Edwine's Jewish students were attacked by local Nazis. They were all horrified at the discrimination and hatred being meted out to the Jews, at home and abroad.

Dining in the 40's

Edwine, Alice Mary and Harry had often talked about starting a summer music school. Edwine had been considering the idea for years - and now here was a need staring her in the face. Edwine wanted to launch a cooperative learning and living center, based on music and peace. She also wanted to provide a safe haven for those musical èmigrès who wished to escape the violence. About that time Alice Mary's sister, Florence Weed, who lived in East Montpelier, Vermont, wrote her a letter about an abandoned building in Adamant. Its most recent use had been as a parsonage for the nearby Adamant United Methodist Church. The building was in terrible condition; a chimney on the east side of the house had collapsed and weather had done a lot of damage to floors in that part of the building. The foundation had slipped here and there and it had no electricity and no running water. Nonetheless, Florence suggested that it might be repairable and inexpensive and that Edwine, Alice Mary and Harry should at least look at it. They traveled to Vermont to look at the old parsonage, and from this brief encounter the Adamant Summer Music School was born. Being prudent people, the three of them had the building appraised by engineers and architects and friends. All of these experts opposed the purchase, save for one Vermonter who could neither read nor write (except for his name on a check) who said it could be repaired. So against the advice of professionals and friends, Alice Mary, Edwine and Harry decided to give it a try. For the first three seasons of the School, they rented the building with an option to purchase. First things first. The floor to what would become the Main Studio in the parsonage - now Barney Hall - had to be rebuilt before the building could be used. The fireplace had collapsed and the weather had ruined the floor. These things had to be remedied before the first class arrived in July, 1942. For more about the history of the Adamant Music School, please consider purchasing a copy of the School's 60th Anniversary book. The history of the School's founders is also traced year-by-year in our newsletter.