Mills River Presbyterian Church hosts three “Wednesday Evening Dialogues” on language in June

Press release:

“Wednesday Evening Dialogues” at Mills River Presbyterian Church

MILLS RIVER, N.C. – Mills River Presbyterian Church will host a series of three one-hour informative discussions focusing on the important invention of the English language on three consecutive Wednesdays — June 8, 15 and 22.

“Wednesday Evening Dialogues” are free to attend and all adults in the Asheville and Hendersonville areas are invited to participate. Each class starts at 5:30 p.m. and lasts until 6:30 p.m.

Dr. Gene Scruggs, a retired professor with a PhD in 17^th-century French literature, will lead each of the sessions at the church. Dr. Scruggs has taught at Appalachian State University and East Kentucky University. He previously served as the Director of the Overseas and Exchange program along with the Study Abroad program at the University of South Florida. In 2002 he was awarded the Palme d’Academie by the French Government for his work at spreading French culture.

The schedule for the series includes:

• June 8 – Major Inventions from Speech to the Development of Printing and How Language Reflects Our Environment
• June 15 – Why Can’t Other Primates Talk? A look at the physiological features of speech.
• June 22 – The Genealogy of English. Tracking down the DNA parts of English and the ancestral languages of English.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to learn from a true scholar about each of these topics in detail,” says Randall Boggs, pastor at Mills River Presbyterian Church. “Whether you’re interested in one or all of the sessions, everyone is welcome to join us. There’s no registration in advance, the program is free and the setting is very casual.”

The one-hour classes begin at 5:30 p.m. on each date in the Fellowship Hall of Mills River Presbyterian Church, located at 10 Presbyterian Church Road in Mills River (off of School House Road). For more information call the church office at 828-891-7101.