Tradition of annual Stilesboro Academy picnic lives on
For as long as Ann Mascia can remember, the annual picnic on the grounds of the Stilesboro Academy has been a big deal in Bartow County.
Until recently, however as crowds have dwindled as people have gotten older, died or younger people have moved away.
Mascia and the other ladies of the Stilesboro Improvement Club hope that will change and the picnic will experience a rejuvenation of sorts.
Local legend has it that the academy was saved during the Civil War because it shared a motto with a famous military academy. Whether or not that it true matters little to Mascia and others.
“Maybe we were hoodwinked,” she said about the story. But the picnic brought people together from many miles away.
“Maybe there will be a time when the picnic no longer happens,” she said. “Things change. But I was be sad. It’s meant a lot.”
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About the Author
Shelia has worked at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for more than 30 years. Previously, she worked at The Lexington Herald-Leader and The Louisville Defender. Her beat is a bit of a mixed bag that includes religion and spirituality, culture and trends, race and aging. She earned degrees from Spelman College and Northwestern University.
