HELEN F. LITTLE Correspondence I

Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 09: BIOGRAPHY
Helen F. Little, Staff, 1925
Line Fork Settlement
Correspondence I
January 20, 1925 through June 9, 1925
Including Application to PMSS

017d. Line Fork students [mccullough_I_017e.jpg]

TAGS: Helen F. Little correspondence, application for PMSS position, Katherine Pettit, Evelyn K. Wells, Line Fork Settlement instructor, Hindman Settlement School, Stanley McCormick School, Pocono Peoples’ College, Georgetown Settlement

HELEN F. LITTLE Correspondence I

SUMMARIES: January 20, 1925 through June 9, 1925

[Note: Letters from PMSS staff in the PMSS Collections are carbon copies, typewritten, unsigned, and meant for the Office files. The original signed documents were sent to the correspondents. The initials at the bottom left of most PMSS letters indicate the writer (along with initials of the secretary). For example, “KP” refers to Katherine Pettit, and “EKW” to Evelyn K. Wells. Letters from others are typewritten originals unless specified otherwise. The following list of contents is in the order of the image numbers and not necessarily in chronological order. Text may be slightly edited for clarity.]

HELEN F. LITTLE: Application for PMSS Position

001 January 20, 1925 APPLICATION BLANK, Pine Mountain Settlement School, Inc. Pine Mountain, Harlan County, Kentucky. Executive Committee: Miss Katherine Pettit; Mrs. Ethel de Long Zande. Treasurer: C.N. Manning, Security Trust Co. Lexington, Ky.

Name: Helen F. Little
Address: Pocono Peoples’ College, Henryville, Pa.
Age: 42 Health: Excellent
Education: High School – 4 yrs. Classical course
Complete courses: Normal Training School, Detroit, Mich.; Summer Course – Teachers’ College, N.Y.; North Carolina College for Women
Partial courses: University of Minnesota
Line of work at PMSS that Interests you? Adult Education
Training and experience for this work? A year at Stanley McCormick School, Burnsville, N.C. Am taking course here.
What is the smallest salary you could accept? $50.00 per month.
….
Do you know anything about housework? Home Econ. graduate
How did you become interested in PMSS work? Thru a visit to the Hindman School
Names and addresses of references: (1) Director of McCormick School, (2) Former director of settlement where I was assistant, (3) Principal, North High School, Minneapolis, Minn.

001a APPLICATION BLANK, Continued, reverse side of 001.

“My experience has been as follows:
Two years teaching cooking at the Ohio Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Orphans’ home, Xenia, Ohio.
Six years teaching cooking in the 7th and 8th grades in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Eight years teaching summer school in Minneapolis.
Five years teaching Household Science (Bacteriology, Physiology, Dietetics, House Planning, Household Management, etc.) in North High School, Minneapolis.
Three years teaching cooking in night school, Mpls.
One year teaching English at Brookwood (Private school at Katonala[?], N.Y.
One year at Stanley McCormick School, Burnsville, North Carolina, where I did the following things:

I had charge of girls
Taught Senior High School English – Dramatics.
Social and Economic Geography.
House Planning – Hygiene.
Assisted with Physical Culture, Basketball, etc.

Taught two months at the “free school” in Roan Mt. School District, Mitchell County, but the school had to close for awhile so I left.
One year as assistant director, Georgetown Settlement, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

002 February 28. 1925. Evaluation of Helen Little by one of Helen Little’s references. “Conscientious, likable, able, inclined to overwork.”
003-004 January 19, 1925. Evaluation of Helen Little by one of her references. “…(C)apable…earnest…because of her zeal she often worked far beyond her endurance….She has a brilliant mind and is a splendid teacher of children at the ages of 10 to 14 years. Her love for this work makes her very valuable in any school.”
004a January 30, 1925. Evaluation of Helen Little by one of her references. Desirable characteristics: “Ladylike.”

005 October 28 & 30, 1923 (sic). On a letterhead for “Pocono Peoples College, Henryville, Pa.,” a typewritten (in italic font) transcription of three paragraphs written about Helen Little by previous references.

006 February 24, 1924. To Miss Little in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., from KP (Katherine Pettit), providing the source for the music to “Sourwood Mountain.” Pettit encloses PMSS literature.

007-007a March 10, 1924. Two-page typewritten (italic font) letter to Pettit from Little., 007 who thanks Pettit for her response. Little sent PMSS info to a Minnesota DAR chapter, which may be interested. She tells of her work with mountain children at Stanley McCormick in N.C., visiting Hindman School, and doing social work in Georgetown Club House, a small settlement that is a recreation center for the children of miners. She asks if PMSS has “any vacancies for next year.” She describes her work at Stanley McCormick, which she had to leave when she became “overworked.” She lists her training and experience. 007a Little asked for a position as housemother, teacher, or community worker and enjoys dramatic work.

008-008a March 30, 1924. Two-page typewritten (italic font) letter to Pettit from Little in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 008 Little explains why she must stay at Pocono Peoples’ College in January and her plan to travel to Denmark in the spring. 008a Little would like to come to PMSS “a year from next summer” if she does go to Denmark. She recommends a couple that may “be interested in working in the mountains.” “I love the mountain people and the country down there so much that it is very hard not to decide to go back at once, but I can be of so much greater service after more training that I think I ought to get it.”

009 April 29, 1924. To Little from Pettit, stating that, if she doesn’t go to Denmark, “I think we might have something quite interesting to offer you here, along folk-school lines.” Little’s recommended person is welcome to apply to PMSS but Pettit fears he would not be able to manage on a PMSS salary.

010-010a January 8, 1925. Two-page typewritten letter on “Pocono Peoples College” letterhead to Pettit from Little, who writes that she cannot go to Denmark due to lack of funds. She is currently studying at Pocono Peoples College. Little asks about “the possibilities for working at Pine Mountain School or at Hindman.” [Handwritten notation in top margin: “Jan. 16 – Told her that it might be well for her to come in May…[?] Line F. Settlement.”]

011-011a January 20, 1925. Two-page typewritten letter [in italic font] on “Pocono Peoples College” letterhead to Pettit from Little, 011 who encloses the completed questionnaire. She describes her “experience in the mountains and understands what it means to live there.” 011a Asks for more information about Line Fork Settlement. Little also encloses copies of letters of recommendation written when she applied for a position in Wilkes-Barre; provides names of other references. She can begin work at PMSS in May. [Notation in bottom margin: “June 26 – asked her if she was interested in the religious 011b side of the work. That it would be well to go [?] study the situation & find out what should be done. Told her [?] pay $50.00 a month & living expenses…that [?] usually [?] for two months, that we gave 1 month and salary.”

012 February 2, 1925. typewritten letter [in italic font] on “Pocono Peoples College” letterhead to Pettit from Little, accepting the offer to come to PMSS in May, possibly May 20. Little asks about “the nearest railroad point,” post office address, weather. Answering Pettit’s question about the “religious side” of the work, Little states that she “was brought up in the Congregational Church and have taught in an Episcopal school….I am not a sectarian….” Asks if a piano or organ will be available, as she is interested in community singing and dramatics.

013-013a [No date] 013 Note in Pettit’s handwriting, recording her response to Little’s letter. 013a [Reverse side of 013] Partial handwritten note signed by Francis W. Garwith[?] concerning “…lars for their Christmas Sale for the Pine Mt. School.”

014-014a March 7, 1925. Typewritten letter [in italic font] on “Pocono Peoples College” letterhead to Pettit from Little, 014 who explains the reasons why she can come to PMSS earlier than she had planned. Mentions looking for a possible nurse for Line Fork. [Notation in bottom margin in Pettit’s handwriting: “Mar. 13 Told her that we should be glad to have her come now without salary 014a until Miss Hynes left in May. That the salary was promised to her {?} til then. Asked her [?] [?].”

015 March 27, 1925. To Little from KP (Pettit), asking when she will come to PMSS and if she will come as a volunteer. She writes about “the plan for Line Fork…that Miss Hynes will have to have the salary until May. Only by planning to stay till May could she arrange to give up her position and come to help us out.” Pettit encloses travel directions and suggests how to send her trunk. “The post office is Gilley, Ky.”

016 March 30, 1925. Handwritten letter to Pettit from Little, accepting that she must volunteer until May. She states that she would like to wear divided skirts for horse riding, rather than “breeches or knickers.”

017 April 8, 1925. To Little from KP (Pettit), agreeing that Little should

“bring a divided skirt, or a shell skirt that buttons down the front and back and may be worn over knickers. While many of our neighbors are getting used to seeing the workers on horseback in riding breeches, they do not like it when the workers don’t have skirts to put on when they get off their horses and some of the workers have been criticised (sic) a great deal. I am so glad you realize that we must conform to the prejudices of the people somewhat, if we are to do our best work here.”

HELEN F. LITTLE at Line Fork

018 May 1925. Typewritten (in italic font) “Report for Line Fork Settlement” on PMSS letterhead, signed by Helen Little, who tells about a case of smallpox and subsequent vaccinations by a PMSS nurse; the start of a “singing-school”; increase of boys’ interest in Sunday School; the neighbors (including children) busy gardening and not visiting at Line Fork Settlement; the “invaluable assistance of Miss Dennis” in making contacts with 30 families. “Because of the helpful co-operation of Miss Dennis, I feel almost as much at home with my many kindly neighbors as with the dear friends I left behind in the North Carolina mountains.”

019-019c May 16, 1925. Four-page handwritten letter to Pettit from Little, 019 alerting her that she will receive “an application for the position here from a Miss Skidmore,” who paid a visit to Line Fork Settlement with her nephew, Silas Mitchell; and has corresponded with Mrs. [Ethel de Long] Zande. 019a LIttle describes Skidmore’s experience. Little showed Skidmore the Health House, who was impressed with what Miss Metcalf had done. 019b The Smiths are helping Little with gardening; Maud [Miniard] is assisting Little with cleaning. 019c “I love this place and enjoy being here very much.” She plans to continue visiting neighbors with Miss Dennis.

020 May 18, 1925. To Little at Line Fork Settlement from EKW [Evelyn K. Wells], telling Little not to pay Maud Miniard for her work as she is working out her debt of $25.30; tells Little how to send the amount by check to PMSS.

021-021b June 9, 1925. Three-page typewritten (in italic font) letter from Helen F. Little at Line Fork Settlement, Gilley, Ky., 021 enclosing reports. She will be writing a report for the Southern Educational Association. She and Maude want to attend the Fourth of July affair, but wonder about leaving the cabin unattended. Little then tells about her newly discovered injuries from two falls in past years. 021a Among the doctors she saw was Dr. Pickett, who “conducted a pre-natal clinic here at Line Fork, who, along with Dr. Bush, advises that she spend six months getting her injuries attended to. Little hopes she can stay at Line Fork permanently, if possible. For now, she can stay until August 1st to arrange for her temporary replacement. 021b Little encloses a letter from her mother, whom Little suggests as her temporary replacement. She gives updates about Line Fork activity, including Everett Cornett’s help with gardening.

NEXT: HELEN F. LITTLE Correspondence II, June 18, 1925 – January 2, 1926