CHARLSIE VAUGHN Correspondence 1939-1946

Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 09: BIOGRAPHY – Student and Staff
Series 19: STUDENTS
Charlsie Vaughn Correspondence 1939-1946
Charlsie Vaughn, Student, 1939-1946
Assistant Nurse, Summer 1947

CHARLSIE VAUGHN Correspondence 1939-1946

Grace M. Rood (middle), Dr. Emma Tucker (far left) [rood_021x.jpg]

TAGS: Charlsie Vaughn, correspondence, Grace Rood, nursing, student application blanks, applicant’s autobiography, Grace Nettleton Home, Home and Parents Records, Malcolm Arny, student counselors, Pennington Gap (VA) High School, doctors, teachers, Infirmary, students’ self-evaluation letters, transcripts

CHARLSIE VAUGHN Correspondence 1939-1946

PMSS Student, 1939–1942
Assistant Nurse, PMSS Infirmary, April–August 1947

CONTENTS 

[Note: Letters from PMSS staff in the PMSS Collections are carbon copies, typewritten, unsigned, and meant for the Office files. The original signed copies were sent to the correspondents. Charlsie Vaughn’s handwritten letters are originals. The following list of contents is in chronological order and not necessarily in order of the image numbers.]

1939-1940

[001b] December 7, 1939. Born: February 25, 1925, Pansy (Harlan Co.), Ky.
Post Office: Woodway, Virginia
Last School Attended: Pennington Gap High School, Lee County (Virginia)
Ready to Enter Third Year
Father: Ed Vaughn (Father was killed.)
Mother: Mary E. Vaughn – Occupation: Work(s) in a cafe.
Applicant provided three references.
Why Pine Mountain? “To make a better preparation for my future.”

[001a] January 18, 1940. STUDENT APPLICATION BLANK for Charlsie Vaughn. [Contains similar information as that in 001b]
Why Pine Mountain? “To be better prepared for the future.”

[002a] MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY, page 1 of 5  
Name: Vaughn, Charlsie …
Address: Woodway, Va. – Also lived in Elcomb, Ky., and Benedict, Va. While my family lived in Elcomb, I was attending Grace Nettleton Home, Harrogate, Tenn.
Father: Ed Vaughn – Born January 15, 1900. Died 9 years ago at age 31. He completed 5 grades in elementary school.
Mother: Mary E. Fee, 33 years old, born in Harlan County, completed 8 grades.

[002b] MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY, page 2 of 5 
I have one sister. We own 20 acres of land, 3 acres tenable, balance grazing. We have 1 car and 1 hog. Our home is of log; heated by open fireplace, lighted by electricity….

[002c] MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY, page 3 of 5 
Magazines and papers: Knoxville News, Sentinel
My regular duties: Cooking and house cleaning
Applicant lists schools attended, teachers, grades through ninth grade. …  I should like to stay in school through the 11th grade, and then take as many as possible years in college. Her parents agree.

[002d] MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY, page 4 of 5
I have earned money by: Delivering papers
I like to swim, skate, sew, read, and hike.
Studies I like; History, English
Occupational preferences: Athletic coach & reporter
Her stepfather and mother agree.

[002e] MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY, page 4 of 5
Group contacts and offices held: 4-H Club – reporter
B.Y.P.U. – Secretary

When I finish school, I should like to live in a town because: “You have a better chance to do the things you like being in a town rather than in a city. Of course, I have never lived in a city, but I have an idea what it would be like. Also, you have a better chance to build yourself up in a town and can make friends, while in a city you don’t know your next door neighbor.”

[003a] HOME AND PARENTS RECORD, page 1 of 7
… Father: Ed Vaughn, born in Moorse Creek, Ky. He was a miner.
“Charlsie has a step-father.”
Mother: Maiden name – Mary Fee. Born in Martins Fork, KY. Age 33. Education: 2nd yr. High School.

[003b] HOME AND PARENTS RECORD, page 2 of 7
… Sister: Athelene Vaughn – Finished High School last yr.

[003c] HOME AND PARENTS RECORD, page 3 of 7
Step-father; Floyd Qualls
Grandmother, maternal: Martha Fee
Home, Cultural surroundings.

[003d] HOME AND PARENTS RECORD, page 4 of 7
Cultural surroundings, description of home; duties
[003e] HOME AND PARENTS RECORD, page 5 of 7
Parent describes the family’s home, yard, farm, Charlsie’s recreation.
[003f] HOME AND PARENTS RECORD, page 6 of 7
Physical Data, Educational Data, Attitude toward school
[003g] HOME AND PARENTS RECORD, page 7 of 7
Interests, Parents’ occupational preferences for child.

[004a] N.D. Handwritten note, apparently for a telegram: “Three cheers – School bus meeting evening train Tuesday. All my love. Louisville General Hospital, Louisville, Ky.”

[005a] December 2, 1939. To Mrs. Mary E. Vaughn, Woodway, VA, from Mrs. Esther Burkhard, Student Counselor, responding to Mrs. Vaughn’s request to place her daughters in PMSS; encloses applications and a school bulletin. No spaces at PMSS next semester but will “keep the application of the younger girl” on file.

[006a], [006b] January 13, 1940. Two-page letter to “Supt.” from Charlsie in Woodway, VA, expressing interest in attending PMSS; provides information about herself. She has played basketball at Pennington H.S. for several years. “Some people don’t advise basketball for girls but I don’t think there is any harm in it, do you?” She writes about knowing Nell (Ruth) Shuler and Charlie Mae Lawson, who were at Grace Nettleton Home, Harrogate, TN, when she was there about 5 or 6 years ago.

[007a], [007b] July 15, 1940. Two-page letter to “Supt” from Charlsie, returning her completed application blank.

[008a] July 29, 1940. To Charlsie, from Malcolm M. Arny, Student Counselor, on PMSS letterhead, asking her to fill out the biography and have her family fill out the other form; return them with school report cards for the past five years and a photograph of herself.

[009a] August 8, 1940. To Arny from Charlsie, sending her report cards and completed forms.

[10] August 23, 1940. To “Sir” from Charlsie, asking for the School’s decision whether to accept her at PMSS this fall.

[11] August 23, 1940. To Charlsie from Arny, declining her application to PMSS “at this time,” but she will be first on the waiting list for fall.

[12] December 24, 1940. To Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Qualls from [unsigned], Principal, enclosing Charlie’s self-evaluation letter for the first term. “…Charlsie has made a fine adjustment to the pattern of life at Pine Mountain and..she is becoming a worthy citizen in our school community.” He then lists a few areas that need improvement.

[13a] N.D. A postcard verification from Charlsie that she will enter PMSS for the 1940-1941 school year. [13b] Address side of postcard to PMSS Student Counselor.

1941

[14] January 23, 1941. To F.E. Taylor, Pennington Gap High School, Lee County, VA, from Arny, requesting Charlsie’s transcript and tests for her two years there.

[15a] through [15e] May 22, 1941. Five-page self-evaluation letter from Charlsie to her parents, “Mama and Floyd,” describing her second semester. She describes her efforts in Current History which interests her most, Field Day, during which she “visited the clinic at Greenhill (sic, Green Hills?) with the Doctor every Monday” until Dr. Van (Preston J. Van Kolken) left and the clinic ended. She and Gwen (Hendren) also visited schools to teach games and art and [015b] do cooking and cleaning. “For the last two weeks Gwen and I have been home visiting, making a map for the new Doctor that is to come. On these visits I learned more about the community than I had the whole year.” She connects this experience with her Sociology studies, taught by Mrs. [Birdena] Bishop. “It teaches you how to associate with different kinds of people.” Charles describes what she learned in Hygiene, which Mrs. Bishop also teaches, [015c] English (Greek mythology, ballads), Ethics, and Art (linoleum blocks, manuscript writing). [015d] She worked in several houses, including the Cabin, Old Log, Workshop and is “trying not to be as sociable as I have been while working.” 

“At the first of the year, when I came over here, I hadn’t made up my mind as to what I would make my vocation. Now I have finally decided. I think I made my decision when I started going out in the community with Dr. Van. I am going to be a nurse! All of this year I have been wanting to work at the Infirmary but I haven so far. …”

[015e] She discussed “improvements” with Mrs. Bishop. “…some things I didn’t agree with but I am doing as she said.”

[016] June 13, 1941. To Mr. and Mrs. Qualls from [unsigned], Principal, enclosing Charlie’s self-evaluation letter and a letter from the school. He includes several positive quotes from teachers and points out her progress in various classes. “She will be a senior next year….”

[017] August 28, 1941. To Charlsie in Woodway, VA, from Arny, asking for her help in preparing for the new students. In return, she would be granted a weekend later.

[018] December 29, 1941. To Mr. and Mrs. Qualls, enclosing Charlsie’s self-evaluation letter in which “She has commented on progress in the various school subjects, labor, and on personal relations with others in our school community.” He reported that she “did a fine job at the school Infirmary….”

[019a] through [019c] December 16, 1941. Three-page self-evaluation letter from Charlsie to her parents, “Mama and Floyd,” describing her progress in her classes. One of her favorite classes is Chemistry. “This subject will be a great help in my nursing career.” Mentions Miss [Edith] Cold as the Current History teacher, Pine Cone, senior seminar, her 12-weeks’ work in the Infirmary, and working at the Workshop. She hopes to “be more conservative with the electric power, water, and other materials that may be used for ‘National Defense.’”

1942

[020] June 9, 1942. To Mr. and Mrs. Qualls from [unsigned, possibly William D. Webb], Acting Director, commenting on Charlsie’s completion of her PMSS studies. “Charlsie has continued to show great interest in becoming a nurse and Miss [Grace] Rood feels very strongly that she should enter some good nurses’ training school in September. … Miss Rood speaks very highly of her work at the Infirmary and feel that throughout the year Charlsie was able to carry an unusual amount of responsibility.”

[021] August 5, 1942. To Mr. Hugh F. N. Ramsey, Registrar, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN, from Burton Rogers, Student Counselor, enclosing a transcript of Charlsie’s PMSS record.

1943

[022] July 26, 1943. To PMSS Office of the Registrar, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VA, requesting a description of Charlsie’s PMSS high school work. “She is applying for entrance to our St. Philip School of Nursing.”

[023] October 23, 1943. To Arthur W. Dodd, Principal, from Charlsie in Kingsport, TN, asking him to fill out a transcript requested by University of Cincinnati College of Nursing and Health.

[024] N.D. To Dodd from Charlsie at “Girls Dorm., H.O.W.” Kingsport, TN, asking him to mail a transcript of her junior and senior years at PMSS to the Louisville General Hospital.

1946

[025] December 8, 1946. To PMSS Principal from Edna Henninger, Director, Nursing Education, Louisville General Hospital, requesting Charlsie’s PMSS records for 1940-1942. A request for transcripts for her time (1938-1940) at Pennington Gap (VA) H.S. has also been made.

See Also:
CHARLSIE VAUGHN Student Staff – Biography
CHARLSIE VAUGHN Correspondence 1947

CHARLSIE VAUGHN Student Records – Private (vaughn_charlsie_026 – 066b)
NOTE: Images of the full set of student records are considered private material and are not generally publicly displayed. Their access may be provided on request, pending approval of Pine Mountain Settlement School and the archivist of the PMSS Collections.
Contact the main PMSS Office for information.