If I Loved You Less: Celebrating Jane Austen’s 250th Birthday and the 50th Anniversary of the Goucher College Jane Austen Collection

On September 13, 2025, Goucher College celebrates Jane Austen and the Jane Austen Collection bequeathed to the College by Alberta Hirshheimer Burke ’28, who split her collection between Goucher and the Pierpoint Morgan Library in New York City, now The Morgan Library & Museum.

This fun-filled day is for Austen fans, enthusiasts, and the curious who want to see what all the fuss is about! The celebration begins at 1 p.m. with afternoon tea, a talk and book signing by Sarah Glosson, author of Performing Jane: A Cultural History of Jane Austen Fandom, a tour of Goucher’s Jane Austen Collection with Kristen Welzenbach, Curator of Special Collections, and a special commemorative activity led by the Library Artists-in-Residence.

Workshops with JASNA Maryland, the regional chapter of the Jane Austen Society of North America follow, including dance lessons, capped off by dinner, trivia, and an English Country Dance in partnership with the Baltimore Folk Music Society.

Austen-inspired games will be given away during the afternoon and evening (open to all those registered. Must be present to win).

Registration opens June 1, 2025. Register for individual sessions or the full day for an immersive experience!

If interested in volunteering in exchange for a free pass, spots are very limited. Contact christine.stewart@goucher.edu. Session details below.

Pricing & Registration

Registration opens June 1, 2025.

Individual Session Pricing

Session 1: Happy Birthday Jane Austen Tea, Talk & Tour – $45

Session 2: Threads, Verses & Reels – $25

Session 3: Having a Ball – $65

Combined Session Pricing

Session 1 & 2: $60 prior to August 1, 2025; $70 thereafter

Session 2 & 3: $80 prior to July 1, 2025; $90 thereafter

Full day of events: $120 prior to July 1, 2025; $135 thereafter

Session One

Happy Birthday Jane Austen Tea, Talk & Tour | 1 – 4 p.m.

Enjoy a selection of tea, sandwiches, scones, and desserts and a presentation by guest speaker Dr. Sarah Glosson, author of Performing Jane: A Cultural History of Jane Austen Fandom, followed by a tour of Goucher College’s Jane Austen Collection with Kristen Welzenbach, Curator of Special Collections & Archives, and book signing.

Attendees will participate in a special commemoration activity led by the Library Artists-in-Residence. Attendees are encouraged to purchase books prior to the event for the book signing. Limited copies will be available for purchase.

Registration opens June 1, 2025.

The Lasting Legacy of Jane Austen Through Fandom

Jane Austen’s novels have entranced readers for over two centuries. In a lively talk about the legacies and afterlives of Jane Austen’s works, Sarah Glosson will describe the history of Jane Austen’s vibrant fandom. Austen enthusiasts have helped keep the author’s works alive and fresh for each new generation by going beyond the novels. From scrapbooks to fanfiction to Regency country dances, Austen fans harness creative ways to engage with Austen’s characters and plots. Learn about the history of the Austen fandom and why it matters.

Sarah Glosson holds a Ph.D. in American Studies and is the author of Performing Jane: A Cultural History of Jane Austen Fandom (LSU Press, 2020). Dr. Glosson serves as Director of the Graduate Center at William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Session Two

Threads, Verses & Reels: In the Spirit of Jane Austen | 4 – 5:30 p.m.

Three workshops, hosted by the JASNA Maryland and the Baltimore Folk Music Society, will be held during this session. Attend two of the three offerings; each workshop will be offered twice:

4-4:40 p.m. – Workshop Session 1
4:40-4:50 p.m. – Break
4:50-5:30 p.m. – Workshop Session 2

Registration opens June 1, 2025.

Workshops

Workshop 1: Austen in Verse

This creative writing workshop invites participants on a poetic journey inspired by Jane Austen’s inimitable language. Building on Austen’s expressive vocabulary, giving both new and seasoned writers an opportunity to celebrate her artistry and voice in a contemporary context. Writing materials will be provided.

Participants will be led through a workshop that introduces:

• Blackout Poetry using Austen’s prose: a very simple starter approach to creative writing
• An Advanced Invective: write a poem in which you unleash your frustration or disapproval toward a specific person, object, or concept: Be creative with your fury! Your invective can bemoan an Austen character that drives you mad. Or you can harness the power of the invective to craft a poem in the voice of one of Austen’s snobbier characters. Step by step guidance provided.

Workshop hosted by JASNA Maryland and led by Dr. Tara Moore.

Dr. Tara Moore teaches writing and design classes at Elizabethtown College, where she shares her love of storytelling and language. She leads tours to Jane Austen sites in the UK and takes students on travel writing study abroad experiences in Ireland. Like many Austen fans, Tara is captivated by the author’s rich vocabulary. This workshop is the perfect chance to dive in and soak up Austen’s words together!

Workshop 2: Regency Shoe Roses

Unlike the Bennet girls, who had to acquire their shoe roses for the Netherfield ball by proxy, we will make our own! Participants will be given a choice of colors for both the center roses and the double-faced satin ribbon to form the bow, sew the rose in the center, and then sew a shoe clip on the back. Needles, matching thread, and scissors would be shared.

The cost of the supply package is $7. Once registered, participants will receive a payment link from the instructor and packages will be picked up at the session.

Workshop hosted by JASNA Maryland and led by Dr. Ann Wass.

Prior to retirement, dress historian Dr. Ann Wass worked at Riversdale, a Federal era house museum. One aspect of her programming was developing dress-related workshops. As an independent scholar, she continues to facilitate workshops as well as lecturing and writing. Ann has worked with Jane Austen interest groups and early 19th century reenactors. She is a member of the Jane Austen Society of North America, the Costume Society of America, and the UK Costume Society.

Workshop 3: Reel Regency: English Country Dance Lessons

Join a lively session where you’ll learn the graceful steps, charming patterns, and spirited reels that were the heart of social gatherings during the Regency period. Whether you’re a seasoned dancer or a curious beginner, you’ll enjoy friendly instruction, delightful music, and the chance to immerse yourself in the dance traditions of Jane Austen’s novels. Dust off your dancing shoes and get ready to twirl, promenade, and make merry—Regency style!

These lessons will prepare participants for the ball later that evening. Soft-soled flat shoes that will not skid or stick to the floor are recommended.

Workshop hosted by the Baltimore Folk Music Society.

About the JASNA Maryland

JASNA Maryland is a Regional Group of the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA).  JASNA MD began as the Baltimore Region and has been part of JASNA since its founding in 1979. Henry Burke, the husband of Alberta Burke ‘28, donors of the Goucher College Jane Austen Collection, the largest collection of Austen materials outside of England, was one of the founders of JASNA, along with Joan Austen-Leigh and Jack Gray. The JASNA archives are also housed at Goucher College.

About the Baltimore Folk Music Society

The Baltimore Folk Music Society (BFMS) is a nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to preserving and promoting folk music, dance, and tradition. BFMS sponsors regular dances, concerts, family events, and related activities year-round. Members are eligible for discounts to Society events by showing their membership card. BFMS is a member of the Country Dance & Song Society and shares reciprocity arrangements with the Folklore Society of Greater Washington, and the Annapolis Traditional Dance Society.

Session Three

Having a Ball: Regency Dinner & English Country Dance | 6 – 8 p.m.

Inspired by the tastes and flavors of the early 19th century, enjoy delicious fare, delightful company, and test your knowledge of Jane Austen trivia. After dinner, take to the dance floor for a Regency ball where simple steps, easy-to-learn figures, and a focus on community and fun with period music courtesy of the Baltimore Folk Music Society make for an unforgettable evening! Regency dress is encouraged but any finery will do! Soft-soled flat shoes that will not skid or stick to the floor are recommended.

Calling and music provided by members of the Baltimore Folk Music Society:

• Emily Aubrey started out playing classical violin at age 5, and has been playing a wide variety of dance music for the past two decades. She has been on staff at John C. Campbell Folk School and at Country Dance and Song Society camps and plays for and teaches dance regularly in the mid-Atlantic region.
• Dan Gillespie is a dance leader and musician and has participated in English Country dancing since 1984; calling several Jane Austen-era dances in the last year alone. Additionally he has a background in Renaissance dancing, English Country dances from the 1800s, as well as French Balfolk. He calls primarily in the Washington DC area and loves the traditional music of Ireland, Scotland and Brittany. Dan plays recorders, tin whistles and several types of bagpipes.
• Janina O’Brien is classically trained in piano and orchestral conducting. She’s worked with several orchestras over her career; beginning as Music Director at Goucher College for the Dance Department’s productions of L’Histoire du soldat and Pierrot Lunaire. Always enamored with playing various musical traditions (including gamelan), English Country, Contradance, Irish, Scottish and Balfolk are now her focus on the piano and accordion.
• Robin Wilson is a neurologist who encourages people to dance and enjoy music to keep their brains and bodies healthy. When she isn’t working in her clinic, she plays flute and concertina to inspire dancing.

Registration opens June 1, 2025.