Mission

The SHUMLA School — Education through Studying Human Use of Materials, Land, and Art.

Our programs offer an opportunity to shed cultural preconceptions and look beyond the taken-for-granted world. Participants gain awareness that all people share the same basic needs, emotions, and ways of communicating. Individuals become empowered to take responsibility for their social and natural environment and begin to bridge the cultural, social, and economic gaps that mark our society today. We are truly more alike than we are different, and by celebrating our similarities, we can learn to better appreciate and respect our differences.

History

The Shumla School, originally named the School of Expressive Culture, was founded in February 1998 and was recognized as a 501(c)(3) publicly supported organization in June of that same year. A seed money grant of $250,000 from noted anthropologist Dr. Lorna Marshall provided the initial funds for the school. Word of the school spread rapidly across the United States and abroad, leading to the formation of a diverse and distinguished Board of Directors and Advisory Board. Also recognizing the importance of the School's mission, Jack and Katherine Harrington of Comstock, Texas, made their land available to the Shumla School for the creation of a living museum and experiential educational center 50 miles west of Del Rio in Val Verde County, Texas.

Since 1998, the Shumla School has been actively engaged in national and international research projects, education, and community outreach programs across the state. Thanks to the generous gifts of The Brown Foundation, Houston Endowment, The West Endowment, and The Ray C. Fish Foundation, the first phase of the Shumla campus was completed in August of 2003.