THERE IS STILL PLENTY OF SPACE IN STONEWORK SYMPOSIUM 2008

But there is no time left to register in advance. Just come on Wednesday September the 10th to the ROCKNOCKERS RENDEZVOUS in the Stonecutters Brew House on Main Street in Barre to register and socialize with the Stone Foundation community.

If you enter through the Main Street door, walk through the pub to the rear entrance just inside which registration will be taking place. There is a parking lot behind the pub convenient to the rear entrance. (if you're driving southwest on Main Street, turn right on Prospect Street in front of the Post Office and right again into the parking lot.) Someone will be there from noon on to register and give directions.

REGISTERING ON WEDNESDAY WILL ENABLE US TO COMMENCE THE PROGRAM PROMPTLY THURSDAY MORNING AT 9:00.

Regarding WORKSHOPS:
The Stone Letter Carving Workshops is full, but there are still a few places available in the Dry Stone Walling Workshop and the Traditional Lime Mortar Workshop. If you are interested in participating in either of these indicate, indicate that in an email to tomas@stonefoundation.org.

Regarding TRAVEL:

If you are driving to Barre, no problem, but public transportation from the Burlington International Airport to the town of Barre, although it's only 50 miles distant, is virtually nonexistent.

SO:
1) If you're flying to Burlington on the 10th, will you be renting a car, or will you need a ride?

2) If you intend to rent a car, will you be willing to carry a few passengers to Barre? If so, let me know that, send your flight # and arrival time to tomas@stonefoundation.org.

3) If you need a ride let me know that, as well as your flight # and arrival time. We may, if necessary, rent a van and shuttle it between the airport and Barre.

4) Do you plan to travel on Amtrak Vermonter train which arrives in Montpelier about 8:30 PM?

5) If so, do you plan to rent a car or will you need a ride to Barre (about seven miles away)?

6) If you plan to rent a car are you willing to carry others to Barre? If you need a ride do you wish to share a taxi if no rides are available?

Regarding LODGING:

7) Have you arranged for your lodging yet?

8) Are you amenable to sharing a room and the cost of that room with someone else? If so, let me know and I'll match you up with someone.

9) For those on a tight budget a camp site will be set up on the grounds of the Barre Granite Museum (the Symposium venue) which is just out of town and by the river. Campers will be charged only enough to cover the cost of toilet and bathing facilities. If your intention is to camp, will you bring your own tent?

Or, 10) Do you wish to share a tent, and the cost of that tent (about $100) with 4 or 5 other people?

Regarding the LITHOLYMPIC GAMES:

These events will take place on the grounds of the Barre Granite Museum during the Barre Granite Festival. If you are interested in participating in one or more of the games make that known when you register.

____ DRY STONE WALLING COMPETITION
Eight or possibly ten dry stone wallers will each build an 8 foot arc of a circular freestanding wall three feet tall two feet wide at base, a foot and a half wide at top. Contestants will be judged on competence, style and adherence to the principles of dry stone walling. There will be a cash prize in this event,

____ STONE CUTTING COMPETITION
Carving spheres has long been a traditional spare time activity for stone cutters and masons. The task will be to carve a sphere from a cube using hand tools only. The criteria on which the carvers will be judged will be: Technique, Speed, Precision. There will be a cash prize in this event also.

____ STONE THROWING
The Greeks had a game, SPHERISTICS, which used stone balls; the objective was to throw them as far as possible. Presumably this was the origin of the contemporary "shot put.' There will be two Stone Throwing events, one for distance, one for accuracy

____ STONE BOWLING or LITHOBOLOS
LITHOBOLOS is a Greek word meaning "stone thrower." These were catapaults, a type of artillery and the smallest of the (stone) artillery balls used is said to have weighed about 10 pounds. It is believed these were used in bowling games. The Romans, history reports, introduced the concept of the 'pilot' or target ball with the objective of trying to get as close as possible to it. At some point the stone balls were replaced by wooden ones. The Gauls, who had learned the game from the Roman soldiers and sailors, weighted -and armored- the balls by hammering nails into them, this studded version evolved into the steel petanque ball played by the French and Spanish today.

The LITHIBOLOS balls (lithoboli?) that will be used in our adaptation of the ancient game are granite spheres about five and a half inches in diameter and weigh about 10 pounds. The court is about 100 feet (30 meters long) longer than either a petanque or a bocce court (but the entire length need not be used.) The rules are similar to bocce and will be explained to the players before play begins.

____ STONE BALANCING
Criteria for judgment will be degree of difficulty and artistry.

____ LEVERAGE or STONE MANEUVERING
A "doubles" event. A team of two contestants, using pry bars will attempt to move a large stone a certain distance in the shortest time.

____WHEELBARROW STEEPLECHASE
This is a race and the winner will be the one who completes the course in the shortest time.