ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – It was Dolly Parton’s 75th birthday, so naturally, cards were the first assignment. Grace Lager split her students into groups and asked them to make video greetings.
The Eckerd College class spread out in a grassy plot on campus and dove into laptops. It’s like this two hours a day in the warp-speed winter intensive, all about Dolly.
Can we call her Dolly? She’d be okay with it. The Smoky Mountain not-so Dumb Blonde has risen to saint-like status, recently helping fund Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine.
Her story, filled with Appalachian history, charity and business acumen, is certainly enough to fill a few weeks. But it’s the kind of class that tricks you into learning more.