By CAMMIE BAGLEY
Athens/ Living Editor
The Navigator editorial staff recently went on an overnight retreat to the Lillian E. Smith Center in Rabun County. The property, owned by Piedmont College, is located at the base of Screamer Mountain where you can find a cottage, two cabins that provide bunks and bathrooms and a common area that includes a kitchen and living room.
Originally, Lillian E. Smith and her family owned this property. There, the family ran the Laurel Falls summer camp for girls. Smith served as the director of the camp and was a major advocate for civil rights in the 1940s as well as being a successful fictional author. She attended Piedmont College, and when her family could no longer afford to keep the property, the college took ownership.
Many Piedmont students aren’t aware that this property exists, let alone that Piedmont owns it. It is a treasure that should be brought to light. The quaint area is very secluded and quiet. It serves as an educational center and artist retreat that can be used for recreational activities as well as instructional and social events.
The Navigator staff spent the night there as a way to bond, get to know one another and to prepare for the upcoming year. We spent most of our time in the common area where we did all of our planning and bonding. There, we played games, shared our meals and worked together to become a team. The kitchen provides everything except food, so we took full advantage of that to make meals as a group. And we were also able to hike some trails around the property, which is full of history and beautiful scenery.
Our staff thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent there. Though it is in the mountains in the middle of nowhere, it’s the perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle of campus life in order to clear your mind. This peaceful mountain property is perfect for any form of creative or academic development and should be utilized as such more often.