Jacksonville College Invites Community to Travel Study


By Samantha Swindler - Progress City Editor
January 28, 2005


The River Thames, Warwick Castle and the home of poet William Wordsworth are just some of the stops in Jacksonville College's spring travel study to Great Britain.

"It's open to anyone who wants to go; anyone who wants a guided tour," said Mary Lewis, department chair of social sciences at Jacksonville College. "The guides are very knowledgeable. Even if you don't go for credit, it's very informative."

The 12-day trip, scheduled for May 12-23, includes stops in London, Stratford, Edinburgh, Yorkshire and North Wales. It is the college's second school-sponsored English tour.

"We had 24 who went with us last year," Lewis said. "We went for eight days and stayed the whole time in London, and this time we're also going to go to Scotland, North Wales and the lake district, so we're going to get out in the country side."

Jacksonville College students can get more from the trip than a tour of the English countryside.

"They can get a total of six hours (of college credit) - three hours in theater and three hours of sophomore English - but you don't have to take classes to go," Lewis said. "Last year, about a third were faculty, staff and parents that went."

This year, the group will see three performances, which allows the college to offer theater credits to students. The tour will also include a walking tour tracing the literary history of author Charles Dickens, a tour of Shakespeare's hometown, Stratford-upon-Avon, and a visit to 19th-century author Sir Walter Scott's home.

So far, seven people have signed up for this year's trip. Cost is approximately $2,000 for those under 25 years of age, who share rooms with about four other travelers. For those over 25, who sleep two people to a room, cost is approximately $2,500.

Deadline to sign up is Wednesday. For more information on the trip, contact Lewis or Rhonda Smith at 903-586-2518, or via e-mail at rsmith@jacksonville-college.edu or mlewis@jacksonville-college.edu. The trip itinerary is available on the Jacksonville College Web site at www.jacksonville-college.edu.


"I encourage everybody to go to England at least once," Lewis said. "It's an educational experience that cannot be equaled in the classroom. The experience of being there is an education in itself."


Samantha Swindler can be reached by phone at 903-586-2236 or via e-mail at news@jacksonvilleprogress.com