Vance-Granville Community College recently celebrated the graduation of students from a class called “Tea and Etiquette.”

The class held its final meeting and graduation ceremony on April 4 with an afternoon tea party planned and carried out by the students at the First Presbyterian Church of Henderson. Several different types of tea, as well as savories, scones and sweets were on the menu. Graduates included Barbara Paro of Butner; Sue Eckard of Creedmoor; Kishia Jones and Pat Miller, both of Henderson; Susan Cox, Dawn Lemons and Lynn Patiky, all of Oxford; and Kaydee Karns of Stem. The instructor was Dr. B.K. McCloud of Oxford. This was the seventeenth time that VGCC has offered the class, since it was founded by the late Constance Lue in 2006.

McCloud reported at the party that three of the eight graduates enrolled in the class after reading about it in a letter to the editor of the national “TeaTime” magazine.

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.

For information about future tea classes, contact Gail Clark at (252) 738-3385 or ped@vgcc.edu.

–VGCC–