by Michael Skubal - Daily News Staff - mskubal@rhinelanderdailynews.com

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There are no big Mercury engines attached to this event, no car shows, or brat stands. This is the week of the School of the Arts at Rhinelander, now in its 44th year.

Robert Gard, founder of the School of the Arts (SOA), is quoted in the catalog, “The school has been a place for students of all ages and backgrounds to exchange ideas, dream dreams, learn new ways to express themselves, and further the whole idea that art (written, painted and otherwise) is, indeed, a necessity in a happy, everyday life.”

It was the summer of 1964 when about fifty students joined with six writing instructors for the first School of the Arts in Rhinelander. The 2007 version will host more than 300 students and staff participants and more than 60 workshops during the one-week program.

The City of Rhinelander, The Rhinelander School District and the Northern Arts Council have supported SOA for decades.

Over the years, SOA has expanded to include other art forms.

Prominent guest instructors have included Robert Bly, Studs Terkel, Jesse Stuart, Dale Wasserman, A.B.Guthrie, Archibald MacLeish and Robert Bly himself.

Harv Thompson was the Director of SOA for twenty years, adding more workshops, connecting community partners and expanding the financial assistance program. Miranda McClenaghan took over as Director in 2003. She is based in Madison where she is Director of Theater Education and the School of the Arts.

“There are some different things this year,” said McClenaghan. “We started a day earlier, on Sunday. We found that the main reason for people coming to the SOA was they made friends. Students make lifelong friends here. So, in order to start the week off we had a social reception on Sunday with food and music, a local band called Petey B. and Friends. We were expecting 50 to 70 people and ended up with over 200.”

Kent Krueger, mystery writer, was at the Rhinelander Public Library Monday, sponsored by the School of the Arts. Wednesday's midday forum will feature Old Time Radio with Marshall Cook. Cook is a professor at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

“We also have an expanded sunrise series,” said McClenaghan. “These are free sessions from 7-8 a.m. Monday through Friday.” No registration is required for these classes and community members are welcome. You can stretch in the morning with Sunrise Yoga, taught by Patrice Naparstek, or reconnect with your creative energy in Morning Pages taught by Leslie Esser-Reitano.

Another new event is the Thursday evening open house, from 7-9 p.m. on July 26. You can browse the faculty art display and classroom exhibits, peruse the new and used bookstore, listen to poetry readings by Ellen Kort, Wisconsin's first poet laureate, and enjoy plenty of ice cream provided by Culver's Restaurant and the American Association of University Women (AAUW).

Faculty members have books for sale from 11a.m. to 5 p.m. through Thursday. And check out the mini-classes Wednesday evenings from 7-7:45 and 8-8:45 p.m. No registration is required. There are classes in blacksmithing, drawing, sand carving, woodcarving and many more. You can learn more by calling Jonna Jewell, program associate at 715-365-2750.

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