Lucky to be playing host

It wasn't the event itself which was remarkable.

It was where it was held.

In Jay County.

The National Center for Great Lakes Native American Culture held its second annual academic conference on Saturday at John Jay Center for Learning.

That's a simple sentence, but when was the last time you heard of an academic conference being held at someplace other than a major university?

It's even relatively rare for a small college to play host to such an event.

Yet there it was on Saturday morning, drawing scholars from throughout the central Midwest to hear papers and presentations from a distinguished array of academics. Northwestern University, The Ohio State University, Earlham College, Indiana University, and the cultural resources section of the Indiana Department of Transportation were among those represented.

The National Center for Great Lakes Native American Culture has found that hosting the conference helps build the organization's credibility and standing on a regional basis. John Jay Center for Learning has found that it's a perfect venue for such an event.

And a little county seat in rural Indiana has chalked up another distinction that sets it apart from the ordinary.

Now that's something special. - J.R.[[In-content Ad]]