ROBERT SHEPHERD Correspondence

Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 02: GOVERNANCE – Board of Trustees
Series 09: BIOGRAPHY
Robert Shepherd, Trustee 1963-1971
Correspondence 1963-1971

Dr. Elizabeth Henderson and son, Harold, in front of Laurel House, c. 1946. Grace Rood Album. [rood_040.jpg]

TAGS: Robert Shepherd, Robert Lee Shepherd, horticulturist, University of Kentucky, University of KY Cooperative Extension Service, Horticulturist and Resource Development Specialist, Burton Rogers, Francis S. Hutchins, East Kentucky Resource Development Project, greenhouses, Rev. Alvin Boggs, Brit Wilder, donations, PMSS Board of Trustees, Mrs. Shepherd, Marian Kingman, condolence letters, memorial garden for Robert Shepherd

ROBERT SHEPHERD Correspondence

ROBERT LEE SHEPHERD, Trustee (1963-1971) and Horticulturist

Robert Shepherd was a member of the PMSS Board of Trustees from 1963 until 1971. As a Horticulturist and Resource Development Specialist with the University of Kentucky’s agricultural extension service, he assisted the School with questions regarding the farm and regional horticulture. His correspondence traces this period, capturing the close friendship he had with Burton Rogers who was director of Pine Mountain at the time of Shepherd’s tenure as a trustee. Robert Shepherd died in March 1971 while serving on the Board of Trustees.

1963

001 October 12. To Robert L. Shepherd, Extension Division, University of Kentucky, Jackson, KY from [unsigned on letterhead for Berea College, Francis S. Hutchins, President]. Upper margin, right: “Mr. Rogers.”

“I am very pleased, as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Pine Mountain Settlement School, to invite you to become a member of this Board…. We feel that you will be able to assist markedly in the planning and thinking which go into this enterprise.”

002 October 14. To Shepherd, East Kentucky Resource Development Project, Quicksand, KY, from PMSS Director, Burton Rogers, welcoming Shepherd to the PMSS Board of Trustees.

“I very much hope that you can accept this invitation as you are already somewhat familiar with the overall program at Pine Mountain. Your familiarity with conditions in this region and your full time concern with these problems will make you a very helpful member of our board as we seek to make the School’s services and outreach in this community and area as effective as possible.”

003 October 25. To Hutchins from Shepherd, Resource Development Specialist in Horticulture, Quicksand, KY, on letterhead for “Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, State of Kentucky,” accepting the invitation to serve on the PMSS Board.

“I have written the Soil Conservation Service for a map of the school property and any farm plans they made of the property. This material should be helpful in making plans for the future.”

004 October 25. To Rogers from Shepherd who is honored “to be chosen as a trustee of your school.”

“I would like to get a farm map of the school property and do some thinking on it with you and your farm manager. There is a part the school farm can play in the community and the ongoing work of the school.”

1964

005 February 10. To Shepherd from Rogers, sending his general annual report and enclosing the February bulletin of our soil conservation district. “I think you will be interested in the statement on our timber stand improvement.” Rogers tells about enjoying the School’s tomatoes and wishes “that we could experiment with a small greenhouse here to test our ability and our markets and to provide more employment.”

006 February 16. Three items: (1) Handwritten note to Rogers from Shepherd, stating that Rogers’ report “looks good…. There remains much for us to do throughout the mountain area.” (2) To “Friend” from Shepherd, enclosing information. Handwritten note, bottom margin: “Give my regards to Rev. [Alvin] Boggs and Mr. [Brit] Wilder .” (3) Handwritten notes.

007 November 11. To Rogers from Shepherd, who praises Rogers’ work: “One needs to have a sincere love for the area and the people and I believe you have such love. Your works have proven this.” Shepherd hopes that Wilder will plan another garden program and asks for statistics to show Mayhew Clark. He mentions that Ferry-Morse Seed Company would like to donate seeds to be used by teachers to teach science and the remainder given to the pupils. He would like PMSS to consider this project, as a successful one was implemented in Johnson County.

1965

008 April 30. To Shepherd from Rogers, asking him for a temporary return of slides showing the PMSS tomato patch last summer.

“We are trying to assemble a group of slides to illustrate the many-sided Pine Mountain program for a sorority which has been helpful financially. [They will] show something of what our youth labor corps helped produce.”

009 [N.D.] Three items: (1) A small clipping titled “Fresh, Outside Money,” a humorous anecdote about Shepherd’s saving money for Eastern Kentucky. [Source unknown.] (2) Handwritten note on Cooperative Extension Work letterhead, apparently from Shepherd, stating that he will be unable to attend the trustee meeting. (3) Envelope with date stamp of “May 5, 1965, Jackson, KY” and handwritten notation [unknown author, possibly Milly Mahoney], “Thanks I have taken the slides, which we can return to Mr. Shepherd after we get duplicates.”

010 [N.D.] Handwritten in red ink: Mr. Rogers. Plastic needed for greenhouse. 2 layers. This amount will cover the given house with two layers with some to spare.” Diagrams with measurements, totaling 976 sq. ft. [See 011.]

011 October 28. To “Bob” [Shepherd] from Rogers. “Mr. Conley’s class have done some measuring and figuring that it will take 976 square feet to put two layers of plastic over this lean-to greenhouse….” Rogers asks Shepherd if he plans to continue participating in this project in this school year; he is grateful for Shepherd’s help “last year in getting this project underway with your generous help.”

012 “November 2, 1965, Jackson, KY” [date stamp]. Address side of postcard to Rogers.

012a November 1. To Rogers from Shepherd, who will “bring some plastic so the classes can carry out some work in the greenhouse…. Mrs. Shepherd and I have been very busy and have not had the time to visit you like we would love to have done.”

013 December 27. To Shepherd from Rogers, reporting that he has received the roll of plastic (Shepherd’s donation to Mr. Conley), and his students’ greenhouse project.

1966

014 January 11. To Shepherd from Rogers, asking whether Shepherd will “carry out another seed project for schools this spring, and if so whether you had had in mind including our school again…. This is the last year we will be having the high school grades 9th and 10th, and so it is the last chance Mr. Conley will have to work with [them].” Conley is ordering the Burpee Big-Boy Hybrid Tomato Seed.

015 January 18. To Rogers from Shepherd on letterhead for “University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Semi-Centennial, 1914-1964.” Shepherd suggests “a garden contest in the valley this year” with help from Conley, Rev. [Alvin] Boggs, and himself. He is trying to get seeds for PMSS.

016 Two items: (1) March 11. An unsigned note to Bob Shepherd, welcoming his and Mr. Smith’s arrival at PMSS on March 15. (2) [N.D.] Note to “Friend” from Shepherd, sending [unspecified] information.

017 March 8. To Mr. Nolan Smith, Knoxville, TN, from Shepherd, outlining plans to meet at PMSS and afterward. Handwritten note to Rogers, apparently from Shepherd, indicating that “I will be with you and Mr. Conley on March 15 to work out our garden program.”

018 April 25. Brief note to Shepherd and Ed Dabney from [unsigned] announcing that the board meeting is postponed until October.

019 September 28. To Shepherd from Rogers, confirming the board meeting, October 28-29.

020 October 24. Brief note to Bob Shepherd from [unsigned], specifying that Mrs. Shepherd is welcome to come with Shepherd to the board meeting and stay overnight.

1967

021 September 12. Brief note to Shepherd from Rogers, asking him to identify a plant that he encloses.

022 September 27. To Rogers from Shepherd, identifying a plant that Rogers sent: Lambsquarter.

1967-1968

023 Two handwritten notes: November 15, 1967. To Shepherd from Rogers, asking for 250 locust trees to “plant on hillside ruined by new road construction blasts….” March 15, 1968. To Shepherd from Rogers, asking for about 300 locust trees for spring planting.

1969

024 February 27. To Rogers from Shepherd, indicating his choice of dates for the board meeting.

025 March 24. To Shepherd from Rogers, asking his advice about pruning a large holly tree* [see featured image above] at the dining room entrance.

026 [N.D.] Handwritten note to “Bob” from Rogers, appreciating his “insisting on a donation when I did not like to charge in view of all your contribution in hard work!”

027 October 9. To Shepherd from Rogers, who was glad to see him and Mrs. Shepherd at PMSS last week and appreciative of the information he provided. “I feel we are exceedingly fortunate in your friendship and in all the assistance that you give us and are looking forward to giving in the months ahead. We are indeed very deeply grateful.” Rogers gives the schedule for the next Board meeting in two weeks; mentions Shepherd’s membership on the Trustees’ special committee on the future.

028 November 15. Brief note [no salutation or signature]. “Mr. Robert Shepherd mentioned that wheat or barley make a better cover crop that winter rye.”

1970

029 April 9. To Shepherd from Rogers, expressing concern about how he is doing. He encloses proposals from PMSS staff and staff committee concerning the future, organized by the staff committee and Mary Rogers, in preparation for the April Board meeting.

030 December 2. To Shepherd from Rogers (through Mrs. Shepherd), to let him know that “we are all thinking of you with prayer for your speedy recovery. You mean a great deal to us and we need you back in our midst.”

031 December 1. Brief note to Rogers from Alvin [Boggs], who learned from Shepherd’s secretary that “Bob has had a heart attack and is in the Hospital….”

032 [N.D.] Handwritten note without a salutation or signature. “…Fri drove self to Hospital, 48 hr, crisis over, still critical, intensive care, St. Joseph, no visitors [or] flowers….”

033 Two items: (1) December 2, brief unsigned note with details about Shepherd’s heart attack. (2) See 032.

1971

035 February 19. Condolences to Mrs. Shepherd, Quicksand, KY, from Marian Kingman, Secretary, PMSS Board of Trustees.

“…. We are sure you know, more than anyone, what a vibrant, positive, and unusually capable person your husband was. He had the ability to cheer, inspire, and even prod, and to do it with marvelous good humor. His contributions to mountain folk and to all who knew him were countless…. Bob’s constructive work on the Board of Trustees of the Pine Mountain Settlement School has been invaluable, and his suggestions as the school faces future changes have been most helpful. ….”

034 March 8. Condolences to Mrs. Shepherd from [unsigned, apparently Rogers).

“…. Bob was so extremely active and alive in every way, making everyone and everything else come alive with his infectious enthusiasm, that I just cannot realize that he is not still here with us ready to keep us in good cheer for the road ahead. With all these talents of his, and his immense store of information with the great gift of sharing it so easily and helpfully, I find it hard to understand and to accept our indescribable loss. ….”

036 May 3. To “Gentlemen” at Citizens Fidelity Bank, Louisville, KY, from Rogers.

“In response to your very attractive and significant announcement in the Courier-Journal, I should like to request your consideration of the gift of one Service Tree to the Pine Mountain Settlement School to become a part of a memorial garden which we are now developing in memory of the late Robert Lee Shepherd. Rogers describes Shepherd’s background.

037 March 13, 1971, Berea, KY [date stamp]. Two items: (1) Envelope addressed to PMSS Board of Trustees, ℅ Burton Rogers. (2) A thank-you card from “the family of Robert Lee Shepherd.”