American Turners - Cultural

The cultural aspect of Turner life is very important to us. Always playing a major roll within every Turner society since their beginnings in America, it has evolved into something quite American. Originally, the aim was to keep the German traditions alive and prepare for the day when the Turners would return and overthrow the barons they fled from in 1848. As time wore on, the Turners came to love their new country and the freedom it offered. They fought valiantly for their beliefs and their new country in the American Civil War, and the thought of return to Germany became more and more remote.

Some of the early society's buildings were financed by singing groups, performing public concerts as a means to raise money. There are still Turner societies that continue this tradition. Public speaking is encouraged for all ages in all societies, as is scholarship and craftsmanship. "A Sound Mind" is a very important half of the Turner Motto.

Cultural competitions are held annually on the local and district levels and every four years at a National Festival. This includes fine art, paintings in watercolor, oil and acrylics, woodcarvings, both machine and hand-sewn items. Crafts of all kinds and every imaginable hobby that people could be involved in, doll collections, stamp and coin collections, etc. There is also a section for Performance Arts which includes singing, dancing and oratory.

2019 Cultural Redbook