In Lehigh County, Northampton County, and part of Berks County, a region largely settled by Germans and Swiss of the Lutheran and Reformed faiths, Pennsylvania standard barns are widely admired for their symmetrical rooflines, forebays extending over the stable doors, and often beautiful geometric motifs painted on the forebays. These adornments were purely decorative, and although often called hex signs, they had nothing to do with witchcraft or spells; some believed them to be ancient symbols of protection and good luck. Amish settlers to the west and English settlers to the south did not decorate their barns. Barn decorations were related to Fraktur, an elaborate form of illuminated folk art and lettering that flourished between 1740 and 1860 and appeared in drawings, watercolors, birth and baptismal certificates, book plates, and marriage and house blessings. Regional folk artists commonly used rosettes, tulips, birds such as the distelfink, and hearts in decorative work and everyday household items, and young girls learned to embroider linens with the same motifs. Music was central to the lives of German immigrants in this region: it was taught in school and Sunday School, singing schools were established in most communities, and contests were held at Christmastime in schoolhouses, churches, and farmhouses. Secular music was actively performed in homes, taverns, and private social clubs, and simple songs about work and life or mournful ballads were sung while working on the farm. During harvest season, the most popular musical event in rural Pennsylvania was the hoedown, a community barn dance held after the threshing floor was cleared so relatives, friends, and neighbors could eat, drink, and dance the night away.