ADMIN GENERAL 1913 Correspondence External October 10

Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 05: ADMINISTRATION
GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE
Fundraising Letter, 1913
To Mrs. George Hazen from Ethel de Long
RE: First Community Gathering

“On Bull Creek, May 1913.” Mary Rockwell Hook, Ethel de Long and Carl on horseback next to rail fence. [hook_album_2blk__017.jpg]

TAGS: fundraising, Mrs. George P. Hazen, New York, 1913 photographs, picnics, squirrel roasts, sweet potatoes, community picnics, folk dancing, Kentucky Running Set, set running, playground, basketball, gifts to PMSS, “Killkrankie is my song”, John Turner, Verdie Turner, gymnasium and workshop appeal, first Community social gathering at PMSS

ADMINISTRATION GENERAL 1913 Correspondence External October 10

TRANSCRIPTION

LETTER TO: Mrs. George P, Hazen, New York(?). George P, Hazen was co-owner with Joseph P, Knapp, 1906, of Crowell-Collier Publishing Company, New York (?)

LETTER FROM: Ethel de Long, Pine Mountain Settlement School Co-Director

DATE: October 10, 1913

My Dear Mrs. Hazen,

I wonder if you think I have quite forgotten your order for Pine Mountain pictures? Truth to tell, there hasn’t been a day since I got back here, when I haven’t wished I could get them sent off to you. At last, the prints are back from the photographers and I’m sending you all that I had with me in August and a few others taken since then that I think will interest you. They are 10 cents apiece.

Ever since last Saturday afternoon, I have longed for a chance to write you of our christening [of] your basketball. I had one of the nicest times I ever had in my life. In the first place, we invited all the young people to come to a squirrel and sweet potato roast. So that we could be sure to have them come we have the most perfect location for a basketball ground. The creek overhung with trees with some big rocks for splendid shelters from the sun, skirting one end of the field and the tree-covered Hill at the other end. The long. line of Pine Mountain makes the whole valley perfectly beautiful right there. There never was a finer response to any invitations. For everybody came. Not only the young people, but fathers and mothers and everybody brought something for the feast. Perhaps 2 or 3 pockets full of sweet potatoes, or a dressed chicken, or, squirrels. I think there was 16 of the latter.

We had three great fires built. One to make ashes for our sweet potatoes and the other two for roasting the squirrels and chickens Hunter’s style and cooking our coffee. Some of the boys came early, and we got in the poles for the basketball set, so that by the time the crowd had come, the ground was in order for the play to begin. Who. do you suppose took the most interest in the game? I really believe it was the man between 40 and 50 years old who pitched in and played so hard and so enthusiastically that the young ones declared that they didn’t get any chance at all. Fathers of families played in the same game with their 20 year old sons and enemies who won’t speak to each other enthusiastically chased the ball side by side. I was too busy superintending the supper to give any instruction as to the rules of the game. And, indeed, there were too many people playing just for the pure joy of it, for me to have a good chance. Of course, sometimes when we weren’t having so many other attractions. As for instance, this Saturday, we will begin to learn how in a more…

p. 2

…scientific fashion.

Then, as the evening began to come on, we ate our supper around those big fires. Perfectly delicious it was, too. There were about 50 of us to eat supper and there was enough squirrel and chicken for everybody. Quite an achievement, don’t you think? After supper, while the young Moon was making the Pine Mountain Valley a perfect dream of beauty, they ran sets on the grassy field. These rural games are, to me, very charming. They have not the slow, stately grace of the Spanish dances and are really more frolics than anything else. True folk dances played in the original style — Lively and spirited, accompanied by singing and the calling out of the sets. You ought to hear all the boys singing the orders for the figures.

“KILLICRANKIE. Is my song
I sing and dance, it all along.
double twist and double twist.
from my elbow to my wrist.”

Or,
” Swing her right swing her left, home, swing.”

Then when we all came home together, we had a good time till the very last minute. Many people had come on horseback. We all left at once. Perhaps 15 nags. Ridden double. Sometimes the sweetheart behind her swayne. Sometimes the wife behind her husband and the walkers, delightfully, mixed in among the horses without any fear of being stepped on, apparently.

The one precaution I took was to lead the mule immediately behind me. I suppose you might call him the head mule, for he carried John Turner with Verdi behind him and John was picking the banjo and singing Sourwood Mountain or some other fascinating old song every minute of the way. Never was there more laughter or gaiety than you heard in that crowd. Really, I haven’t words to tell you how delighted I was with our first social success. It was a great occasion in the history of this school. Now I’m hoping and hoping that when we get our schoolhouse and our family house and a few cottages built, we can put up a combination gymnasium and workshop, so that in the winter months, when the ground outside is frozen, or muddy, there will really be a place for the young people to play. I have been wondering if you wouldn’t like to have any friends you [can] make for the school, especially interested in the building of that gymnasium. It seems to me it would be fine for you with your keen interest in healthy recreation for young people to have the gymnasium for your own special enthusiasm in connection with this school, I hope sometime you may come down to one of our Saturday afternoon plays. We shall welcome you any time.

p. 3

I am planning to come to New York in [or] vicinity from February 24th to March the 10th and if you can help me perhaps you could when I saw you. I shall indeed be glad if you will let me know as soon as possible what special time to set apart for you, I will be glad because I am writing to everybody I know in New York and hope soon to have my appointments pretty well settled. It would be such a pleasure to see you again and I am surely looking forward to meeting your daughter at Vassar.

Sincerely yours.
[Ethel de Long]

[To] Mrs. George P. Hazen,
New York

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ETHEL DE LONG ZANDE Writing and Publications Guide