Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to James Lough. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
James , appreciate you joining us today. Is there a historical figure you look up to? Who are they and what lessons or values have you learned from them?
Our new stage in our business is to celebrate the legacy of Friedrich Froebel. He founded the Kindergarten movement in Germany in the 1830s. Kindergarten wasn’t always part of public schools. It was a separate movement he started to educate young children — prior to Froebel, children didn’t start education until age 8.
Not only did he start educating very young children, he devised a sophisticated system of educating them. It was based on close observation of nature, creating things with what he called the “gifts,” a series of toys he gave to children as they developed vision and skills.
The German government banned Kindergarten because he insisted on educating children of the poor. The government didn’t like that, and Froebel died disappointed. But the Kindergarten Movement spread throughout Europe, then hopped the Atlantic to the U.S., where it was readily accepted.
The long and short of it: Kindergarten provided the first professional oppportunities for women in Europe, so it launched feminism there. Some of our greatest artists and architects–Frank Lloyd Wright, Vasily Kandinsky and many others–credit their revolutionary vision to their early kindergarten training. Even the Girl Scouts of America got their start here in Savannah via the Kindgergarten Movement!
So we are happy to share this amazing unknown story!
James , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Clearing House Savannah is a beautiful educational space in Savannah’s Historic District that offers classes in movement, like yoga, qigong, Somatics, dance, and drum circles. We also have classes in the creative arts–creative writing, the visual arts, and voice.
We also rent out our lovely space for meetings, corporate retreats, parties, and receptions.
And because our building was originally a Kindergarten, we’re now about to begin our Historic Kindergarten Tours, sharing the unique, unknown story of the Kindergarten Movement and how it changed the world.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I taught writing at the university level for 29 years. When I retired, I decided to fulfill a dream I’d always had — to start a space where people could explore their creativity and their spirituality via classes in yoga, meditation, breathwork, and art. This is our mission at Clearing House Savannah. I’m still an educator, but with a slightly different focus now.
How’d you meet your business partner?
My co-founder at Clearing House is my wife Jennefer Morris-Lough. I met her almost 30 years ago in Denver, Colorado. When she visited my apartment, I opened the door and thought “Oh! Here she is!” And she felt the same way. It was like a mutual recognition.
Naturally, we instantly hit it off. While she continues to teach college level voice and voiceover for actors, she is also active in running Clearing House Savannah. I couldn’t have a better life partner or business partner.
Contact Info:
- Website: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clearinghousesavannah
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clearinghousesavannah/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-lough-1625872/
Image Credits
Photos by Donna VonBreuning