The Marietta Johnson School of Organic Education will open its Fairhope campus to the community Nov. 7 for a Fall Festival celebrating the school's more than 119-year history of hands-on learning.

The festival, scheduled for 3 to 6 p.m., will feature baby goats, fall games, face painting, crafts, a silent auction, food and treats. Families also can take part in an old-fashioned Cakewalk before gathering for a Lantern Walk through the school's wooded campus at sunset.

Founded in Fairhope in 1907 by Marietta Johnson, the school was built on the belief that children learn best when they are allowed to learn through play, creativity and outdoor exploration, a news release said. The school began with six students and an approach that emphasized hands-on learning without grades or tests.

Today, the school serves students from pre-kindergarten through second grade, with a low student-to-teacher ratio and plans to grow alongside its students.

School officials said in the release that the approach continues to inspire students to take ownership of their learning.

One kindergartner who previously resisted reading and writing recently took the initiative to write a work schedule for a power plant he and his friends had built on the playground. His mother, Lindsay Jackowiak, said the change has been striking since her family returned to Baldwin County this year.

“I was blown away,” Jackowiak said in the release. “The kid who refused to write is now writing because he wants to. He’s so sad when there’s a school break.”

Tommi Sue Celli, who moved to Alabama and enrolled her son at the school, said he has also developed a new enthusiasm for attending classes.

“He absolutely loves going to school now,” Celli said. “He even told me he wants to stay at the Organic School all the way through college.”

The school's educational philosophy attracted attention from outside Fairhope in its early years. Philosopher John Dewey traveled to the community to observe the school and called it “a decided success.” Artists and thinkers also moved to Fairhope to enroll their children, helping shape the creative, independent-minded community it is today.

Despite its long history, some residents still believe the school has closed, said Susan Roy, executive director. Roy taught first grade in Fairhope public schools for 25 years before joining the Organic School.

“People stop me all the time and say, ‘I thought that school closed,’” Roy said. “We’re here. Come see what the kids are building.”

Admission to the Fall Festival is free. Advance activity tickets cost $20 for 25 tickets, while tickets purchased at the event cost $1 each. Proceeds support the school's teachers and students.

The festival will take place at 8 Marietta Drive in Fairhope. Advance tickets and RSVPs are available at www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/fall-festival-132.