The school that broke all the rules

The school that broke all the rules

From The Broadside by WUNC News

May 28, 2026 · 27 min

About this episode

The episode explores the history and impact of Black Mountain College, a radical educational experiment in North Carolina.

Nearly 100 years ago, a radical school called Black Mountain College opened its doors. It featured no grades, very few tests and lots of avante garde art. And although it was a short-lived experiment, this quirky liberal arts college located in the mountains of western North Carolina would become one of the most influential institutions of higher learning in the world. Featuring: Alice Sebrell, Director of Preservation at the Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center Links: The Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center Cover image: Renowned architect and inventor Buckminster Fuller in his studio at Black Mountain College. Fuller taught at the school from 1948-1949, where he developed the geodesic dome. His architectural designs from that era would later feature in buildings around the world. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

People in this episode

Guest: Alice Sebrell

Topics covered

  • education
  • Black Mountain College
  • art
  • higher learning
  • radical schools

Keywords

  • Black Mountain College
  • Alice Sebrell
  • Buckminster Fuller
  • liberal arts
  • education history

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center

Places: western North Carolina

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