Every small town pays homage to a certain number of oddball traditions. In Dahlonega, GA, the rituals include a multiplicity of art festivals, country and folk music festivals, ghost tours in the fall, the decoration of lights throughout the trees at Christmas time and a seemingly deep rooted tradition in closing stores at the most random times possible. But perhaps the most memorable yearly occurrence in Dahlonega is the coming of the scarecrows.
As August rolls in, so do the scarecrows. Coming back to college to start the new year, you're driving up Highway 19 thinking about all the stress and fun that is to come this fall. You're gazing out the window, thinking about your new classes and going through your checklist before the year starts, and that's when you see them. Staring at you. Watching you. Their bodies: strange contraptions formed from a mix of mannequin parts and straw-stuffed 70s clothing. Their faces: ghoulish distortions of painted smiles and crazy eyes often covered by old sunglasses to increase their stalker-like quality. There are only a few of them because it is early August, but do not fret, more will come.
They always do, they always have, and they always will.
You're sitting in your car, and the panic starts to set in. Why Dahlonega? Why are they here? Can't they just leave us alone? What did we do to deserve this? So many unanswered questions.
After years of dealing with the scarecrows, I decided to take it upon myself to finally find the truth behind their existence, to uncover the secrets beneath their maniacal, cringeworthy smiles. We, as students of the University of North Georgia, deserve to know the story. We deserve to sleep at night with the certainty that we are safe from the lurking town scarecrows.
The following is a series of questions that sound like they came from a sci fi movie trailer.
Where did they come from?
After lengthy research, I discovered that the scarecrows are indeed a result of an ancient organization known as "The Dahlonega Women's Club." The club consists of Dahlonega locals who volunteer in providing programs and activities and raise money for local charities. However, there seems to be some discrepancy in their records. They claim to have been founded in 1912, but their Facebook page only dates back to 2011. There seems to be no evidence of what their organization accomplished between 1912 and 2011. What were you doing during that time, Dahlonega Women's Club? The students of UNG would like to know.
Who put them here?
The scarecrows around Dahlonega are a result of the "Scarecrow Stomp," a local contest that takes place from August 30 to September 22. Businesses, organizations, families, school classes, scout troops and individuals are enticed by the Dahlonega Women's Club to construct their own scarecrows and place them around the town square. That means the scarecrows could've come from anyone.
Why?
This seems to be the toughest question. Why would anyone participate in such an evil task? Do they know the kind of emotional turmoil these scarecrows have put people through? Students are boarding up their windows and refusing to leave their dorms. Animals have begun to flock elsewhere. The reasoning behind constructing these terrifying beings is beyond me; however, I have uncovered that there is some sort of prize for the winner of the contest. The real question here is: Is your gain worth my suffering?
What do they want from us?
I don't know what they want from us. I don't know how to make them leave us alone. All I know is that they are among us now, and all we can do is learn to live with them. The good news is we will outlast them. Their invasion will last through autumn. When winter comes, they will return to the dumps and backyard sheds from whence they came. We can only hope for peaceful relations until winter, but don't be surprised when they return August of next year.
The always do, they always have, and they always will.
