In 1966 students in the English class started writing and publishing "Foxfire", a quarterly magazine with their articles based on their interviews with local residents about Appalachian culture. It was a project initiated by the teacher Eliot Wigginton to engage students in learning to use proper English. It gained national attention after a collection of articles was published in book form in 1972 and became a surprise bestseller. The magazine and book (followed by more) aroused people's interest in traditional crafts and skills at a time when some people were trying to live more simply.