Back when the U.S. was an agrarian society, schools closed in the summer so students (and teachers) could help with the harvests.
Ironically, this long outdated calendar is what now gives many of us time off in the summer to attend (or teach) workshops.
My friend Mike Schway just posted a video of Cajun grand master Milton Vanicor performing (and teaching) at Fiddle Tunes at Fort Warden. Many of us have been posting pictures of Neil Gaiman reading (and teaching) at the Clarion West Writers Workshop in Seattle. Mike, who players fiddle and accordion, wouldn’t dream of missing Fiddle Tunes. Just as I wouldn’t dream of missing the Clarion West Write-a-thon.