Arts & Tech Non-Profit Plans To House “a Sort of Hogwarts Meets Skywalker Ranch” at Decatur’s Houston House
Decatur Metro | March 31, 2016 | 2:53 pm
We recently featured an ad in a brewing newsletter for Decatur’s historic Houston House and asked what you might like to see in that space.
I’m not sure anyone specifically mentioned this – though it sounds pretty darn cool.
According to the website of The Märchen Sagen Academy, Decatur’s historic Houston House will soon be restored “blending old and new stylings, warm lighting and tones and creating a sort of Hogwarts meets Skywalker Ranch right in the middle of Downtown Decatur.” The Academy plans to open to the public in the Fall 2016.
The Academy plans to offer an after-school program for third graders with a focus “on audio and video production”, according to the website. A bit more on the after-school program…
It is the intent of The Märchen Sagen Academy to provide an environment of academic, artistic and social development. The Academy’s after school program will furnish healthy snacks, play time, in class lectures, in studio exercises, field trips, hands on, collaborative and supervised use of professional cameras and equipment, as well as guest lectures by industry experts as guest speakers.
The Academy also plans to offer “free, in-class lectures at local elementary schools.”
It will be run by veteran video and music producer, Couleen LaGon. According to the website, Mr. LaGon “is a world traveller and Sony/ATV music producer with film and television placements to his credit.” The site also mentions that Mr. LaGon worked with Ceelo Green earlier in his career.
Related: want to see a photo of the Houston House circa 1982? CLICK HERE.
Photo courtesy of Next Stop…Decatur
Um…what?
Damn. I thought that cat cafe lady might get it.
That would have been INCREDIBLE. A house full of cats.
Um…April fool’s? ?
Leaving my young kids in an old house full of audio and video recording equipment and with a “world traveling” stranger…seems legit.
Can anyone tell me what the umlaut is for? The guy ever affiliated with Motley Crue?
It means “fairy tales” in German. It’s authentically pretentious, unlike names of heavy metal bands and ice cream brands that have umlauts thrown in randomly for exotic effect.
Müeslix!
Thanks my friends for the article! My wife and I intend to create a unique creative hub for the community! She has over 20 years in early childhood development and will coordinate the activities of the school. I myself am a writer with Sony /EMI music publishing and have produced music and videos for over 15 years. We look forward to serving the community and inspiring the youth!
Oh look, another exciting after-school program for CoD schools students. All the while, those just outside the city limits struggle to find after-school care.
Good morning my friend. I am thankful that I saw your comment this morning. It forced us to go back and check the language on our website. We do NOT intend to limit the participation in our aftercare program to City of Decatur students. With our own transportation or by parents dropping off their children, we will serve a variety of households. We looked over our website and edited anything that we found that may lead someone to believe otherwise. Our free, in-school lecture series will be piloted in City of Decatur Schools initially, but we will expand to serve other elementary schools in neighboring communities. We are a small, family-run nonprofit, with a LOT of growth potential, primarily because there is a GREAT need for quality, spirited, focused and inventive ways to provide aftercare. In time, we hope that The Märchen Sagen Academy will be a light for communities around the world, and we hope to create a chain of causation originating in The Houston House. We intend to expand in three years, breaking ground in another beautiful home around the area to serve more kids! I hope that you may take the time to look over the website again at http://www.marchensagen.org and let us know if you think we made this clear. Also, I encourage you to subscribe to our mailing list, we are providing updates for a potential Summer Academy, and information on registration for the Fall 2016. Have a wonderful week and thx again for your thoughts!