VGCC to offer Tea & Etiquette class

Vance-Granville Community College will offer a “Tea and Etiquette” course on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-4 p.m., Sept. 26 through Oct. 10, at the First Presbyterian Church in Henderson (222 Young Street).

In the course, students learn about the history of tea; the difference between an afternoon tea party, a royal tea party and “High Tea”; and the proper way to make the best pot of tea. They have tastings of a wide variety of teas (black, white, green, Oolongs and herbal) at each class meeting. Beyond the specifics of teas, students study grace, civility and etiquette. Participants might use what they learn to hold their own tea parties for children as well as their adult friends. An afternoon tea also can be a way to raise funds for churches and clubs.

The instructor will be Dr. B.K. McCloud of Oxford (pictured above), a 2012 graduate of the course and historian for the Old North State Tea Society (ONSTS). McCloud has a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and retired as a full professor of education at North Carolina Central University. She is also a member of the Granville County Historical Society and a docent at the Granville County Museum.

After completing the tea class at VGCC under the instruction of the late Constance Lue of Oxford, McCloud has continued her education in the world of tea by attending meetings of the ONSTS, frequenting tea rooms, reading, building her personal tea library, and attending classes and expositions.

The cost of the course is $60.

The deadline to register is Sept. 21. Registration can be completed online at www.vgcc.edu/schedules/personal-enrichment or at any VGCC campus. For more information, contact Gail Clark at (252) 738-3385 or ped@vgcc.edu.