Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 09: Biography – Staff/Personnel
Barbara Spelman Correspondence

BARBARA SPELMAN Correspondence, 1940-1943

The following are images and transcriptions of Barbara Spelman correspondence, dated 1941-1943, with PMSS staff during and after her employment at PMSS, and staff memos concerning her employment. Also shown below are images and transcriptions of her completed application form and recommendations from her references that were submitted to the School when she applied for a PMSS position in 1940.

Barbara Spelman was the sister of John Spelman III, who was an instructor of art at Pine Mountain from 1937 to 1941. Always a champion of her talented brother, she continued to stay in contact with many of his friends and their in-common friends following his premature death in 1969. Many of these were friends she made during her two-year stay at Pine Mountain where she worked as an office bookkeeper from August 1940 until July 1942.

Barbara trained to be a librarian and her career and that of her husband Collin F. Allen, Jr. were always centered around books. Collin served as a board member and president of the Michigan Association of Educational Representatives. Their home in Kalamazoo, Michigan, always had children coming and going. They had three daughters and one son and multiple grandchildren. Collin Allen died in June 2003 following a stroke. The two had enjoyed a marriage of 60 years.

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GALLERY: BARBARA SPELMAN Correspondence, Application & Photograph

TRANSCRIPTIONS: BARBARA SPELMAN Correspondence

[NOTE: Transcriptions of the correspondence are in chronological order and not necessarily in the order of the images.]

[spel_b_012b.jpg] Pencil sketch of the Chapel by J. A. Spelman III.

“Chapel at the Pine Mountain settlement School, Harlan County, Kentucky.”

[spel_b_010a.jpg] Handwritten postcard, side 1.

Post stamp: Oak Park, Wisc., July 30, 1940

Mr. Glyn Morris
Pine Mountain Settlement School
Pine Mountain, Kentucky

[spel_b_010b.jpg] Handwritten postcard, side 2.

Dear Mr. Morris:
I will arrive Thursday, August 4th, on the 4:50 train at Harlan. Am looking forward to seeing Pine Mountain. I hope it is cooler than Oak Park – it is just terrific!
Sincerely,
Barbara Spelman

[spel_b_012a.jpg] Handwritten postcard.

Post stamp: Pine Mountain, KY., June 28, 1941.

Address: Mr. Glyn A. Morris, Woods Hole, Mass. c/o Mrs. [Dorothy Olcott] Leonard Elsmith

June 28, 1941
Dear Mr. Morris:
The checkbook arrived in the mail yesterday. Thank you very much for your trouble. The Work Camp arrived yesterday & all are busy this morning.
Barbara [truncated]

[spel_b_013.jpg] Typewritten letter on PMSS stationary.

[Letterhead] PINE MOUNTAIN SETTLEMENT SCHOOL, INC.
Pine Mountain, Harlan County, Kentucky. Director, Glyn A. Morris. Treasurer, C.N. Manning, Lexington, Ky.

July 9, 1941

Dear Mr. Morris:
I am enclosing receipt for the balance on your bill. I paid this from the Petty Cash and if possible could you replace this now, so I can clear it up before the auditors come.
Sincerely,
[signed] Barbara

[spel_b_014.jpg] Carbon copy of typewritten letter.

September 2, 1941

Mr. Fritz H. Riley
c/o Cotton & Eskew
Louisville, Kentucky

Dear Mr. Riley:
I should appreciate it if you would give me a statement regarding your impressions of Miss Spelman’s work for this year. I understand that the books were in excellent condition and I should appreciate having a note from you about this. I ought to say that we are pleased with Miss Spelman’s work and, because she has not kept books before, should like to know about her progress.
Very sincerely yours,
[unsigned]

[spel_b_014.jpg] Carbon copy of typewritten memo, n.d.

MEMORANDUM
Miss Barbara Spelman will receive $60.00 per month as salary beginning September 1941.

[spel_b_016.jpg] Carbon copy of typewritten memo, n.d., unsigned.

Miss Barbara Spelman is engaged by the Pine Mountain Settlement School, Inc. for the fiscal year of 1941-42 as Bookkeeper. Her salary is $55.00 per month plus maintenance and laundry. She is entitled to one month’s vacation at the above rate on the completion of eleven month’s work, the time to be arranged at her convenience as well as the school’s. [Handwritten notation] “Relieve West Wind – each week. Flowers …[?] Sunday, ….[?].

[spel_b_017.jpg] Carbon copy of typewritten memo, n.d., unsigned.

Christmas Vacation Memorandum:
Miss Spelman will be here for the entire Vacation period. During the time Mr. and Mrs. Dodd are away, she will be in charge of West Wind, which will for the most part mean evening responsibility only.

[spel_b_018.jpg] Typewritten memo, unsigned.

[Letterhead] PINE MOUNTAIN SETTLEMENT SCHOOL, INC. Pine Mountain, Harlan County, Kentucky. Director, Glyn A. Morris. Treasurer, C.N. Manning, Lexington, Ky.

MEMORANDUM:
On Sunday, December 21st, Miss Spelman consulted with Mr. [Arthur] Dodd on the possibility of her changing her Christmas Vacation plans. She realized that it was not right for her to decide at such a late date, but felt that it would not cause any difficulties, since both Miss [janet] Grant and Miss [Ruth] Shuler were going to be at the school during her absence, and it was not necessary to find a substitute. Miss Spelman asked to be away from Wednesday morning, the 24th, through Sunday, the 28th, returning in time to take charge of West Wind for which she is responsible beginning Monday morning.
December 23, 1941.

[spel_b_019.jpg] Carbon copy of typewritten memo.

May 14, 1942
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
On July 15th Miss Barbara Spelman will have been at Pine Mountain Settlement School two years, where she has been employed as School bookkeeper, assuming heavy responsibility. Miss Spelman did her work efficiently and graciously. She was cooperative in all respects and did more than was required of her. She leaves Pine Mountain much against our wishes and we wish her every success.
Sincerely yours,
[unsigned]
Director [H.R.S. Benjamin]

[spel_b_021a.jpg] Handwritten letter, page 1 of 2.

[lettPrinted header] Barbara S. Allen

December 16, 1943
Dear Sir:
Enclosed you will find a check for Three Dollars for Pine Mountain, which I have meant to send since receiving the April Letter. It goes with all my best wishes for a fine year ahead.

I have not received any “Notes” this fall or a calendar. It may be that neither was sent out, or that my new name and address are not in your records. In case it is the latter, I would so much appreciate your sending them to me now, as it means a great deal to me to keep in touch with Pine Mountain. My name was Barbara Spelman, & the last address was … Oak Park, Ill. My married name is Mrs. Collin F. Allen, Jr., … Skokie, Ill. I will hope to hear about the “Notes”…

[spel_b_022b.jpg] Handwritten letter, page 2 of 2.

…and calendar. Thank you for your trouble.
Sincerely yours,
Barbara S. Allen

[spel_b_023.jpg] Carbon copy of typewritten letter.

December 21, 1943
Dear Mrs. Allen:
I am very sorry to learn that you have not received the copy of the Notes and the calendar, but it is undoubtedly due to the fact that we are new in the office and I do not find that Janet had your name on the mailing list. Possibly she automatically sent you copies as they were printed. However, I have added your name now, and in the future you should receive the copies on time.

Ruth Shuler left Pine Mountain in August and she is working at a publishing house in Cincinnati. Janet [Grant] left the first of August and she is living in New York with Ruth Cambell. Alice Cobb is still here, although at the present time she is in Indiana for the holidays. She made a long trip this fall, being gone for almost three months. I was very glad to have her return as there seemed to be so many things I needed to know since I was new on the job and she left so soon after I came.

Martha Anne Keen Arny and Malcolm Arny are visiting here for a few days while he is on leave from Camp at Greensboro, North Carolina. From the dates that I find about the years that you were all here I believe you must have known them.

There are about twenty-five students on campus this vacation, but only four staff have gone for the holidays. I am enclosing the Notes and the calendar–
[truncated, [possibly from William D. Webb]

[young_john_h_030.jpg] and [young_john_h_030a.jpg]

N.D. Two-page handwritten letter to Barbara Spelman, PMSS Secretary, from Alice Joy Keith in Berkeley, CA, [030] who thanks Spelman for the contract; asks for an increase in her salary due to family expenses; asks for help with her life insurance premiums; [030a] Received letter from [Arthur] Dodd at Peabody about curriculum; will meet with Miss [Edith] Cold at Ben Lomond on the “Day Student problem.”

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TRANSCRIPTIONS: BARBARA SPELMAN Application & References

[NOTE: Transcriptions of the application and references are in chronological order and not necessarily in the order of the images.]

[spel_b_001a.jpg] Application form with handwritten entries, page 1 of 2.

PINE MOUNTAIN SETTLEMENT SCHOOL
PINE MOUNTAIN, HARLAN COUNTY, KENTUCKY

GENERAL APPLICATION BLANK
…
NAME Barbara Spelman
DATE May 24, 1940
DATE OF BIRTH September 24, 1920
…
EDUCATION – – TRAINING
Graduated from Oak Park and River Forest Township High School in June 1938. This June, will have completed two years at Beloit College, Beloit, Wis.

What line of work at Pine Mountain interests you?
I have always been interested in teaching, but not having had adequate training, I am interested next in any sort of office work in the school. Outside of working hours, I am very interested in working with groups.

What has been your training and experience for this work?
This year I have worked in the Registrar’s office at Beloit College, taking on a good deal of responsibility. The work interests me very much. It has taught me a great deal.
…
Give experience with rural life.
Every summer of my life I have lived in Minnesota on the north shore of Lake Superior. Here I have had a great deal of contact with country people and their ways as well as their hardships. Their problems have come to my attention, especially in the last year.

How did you become interested in work at Pine Mountain?
My brother, John, is working at Pine Mountain now. He has always been very enthusiastic about it, and thought I would enjoy the work there as much as he has.

[spel_b_001b.jpg] Completed application form, page 2 of 2.

…
INTEREST … EXPERIENCE
Athletics – games: Have always enjoyed them and participated in them throughout my schooling.

Handiwork – crafts: Took a course in jewelry in school. Have always enjoyed working with my hands, making things.

Gardening – flowers: Garden at home.

Music – singing, playing piano, appreciation of music; Took music lessons for about 8 years. I feel I could help any one interested in starting to play the piano. Through chorus work in High School and College, I have had much experience with group singing.

Do you apply for a volunteer or salaried position? Volunteer
…
Give names and addresses of three persons, including that of your last employer, who could tell us of your work and character….

1. Miss Bessie M. Weirich, Registrar
Beloit College, Beloit, Wisconsin

2. Mrs. Katherine B. Whitney, Dean of Women
Beloit College, Beloit, Wis.

3. Mrs. E.W. Hale
Huron College, Huron, South Dakota

Additional remarks:
I am having financial difficulty in planning to go on with my college course. Rather than settle down in a large city and work in a business office, I would much rather enter some work where I would be of some use. My training does not permit a wide choice of occupations, but being of some worth in a mountain school interests me very much, especially where there is a need. [Attachment; photograph of Barbara Spelman]
…

[spel_b_002.jpg] Enlargement of photograph of Barbara Spelman that was attached to her application form.

[spel_b_007.jpg] Carbon copy of typewritten letter.

May 30, 1940.

Bessie M. Weirick, Registrar
Beloit College
Beloit, Wisconsin

Dear Miss Weirick,
Miss Barbara Spelman tells me that you will give me information about her ability to fill a position at Pine Mountain Settlement School. I am enclosing a little literature about the School which may be of help to you in giving your answer if you do not already know about our work. Will you please underline one or more of the statements which you think apply best in characterizing the above named applicant and return the enclosed sheets….?
Sincerely yours,
[unsigned]
Glyn Morris
Director

[spel_b_003.jpg] Reference from Bessie M. Weirick, Registrar, Beloit College, dated June 3, 1940. Page 1 of 2.

…
[Handwritten notation] …She is an excellent student working her entire way and that takes all her time.
…
[Typewritten notation] Barbara Spelman has assisted in this office as an N.Y.A. worker and has given excellent service. She is a very fine student, is working her entire way, is a very happy, pleasant person to have about, a willing worker, sees things to do without being told, helpful, courteous, and interested. I am very glad to recommend her to you for your favorable consideration.

[spel_b_006.jpg] Reference from Bessie M. Weirick, Registrar, Beloit College, dated June 3, 1940. Page 2 of 2.

[spel_b_008.jpg] Carbon copy of typewritten letter.

May 30, 1940

Mrs. Katherine B. Whitney
Dean of Women
Beloit College
Beloit, Wisconsin

Dear Mrs. Whitney:
Miss Barbara Spelman tells me that you will give me information about her ability to fill a position at Pine Mountain Settlement School. I am enclosing a little literature about the School which may be of help to you in giving your answer if you do not already know about our work. Will you please underline one or more of the statements which you think apply best in characterizing the above named applicant and return the enclosed sheets….?
Sincerely yours,
[unsigned]
Glyn Morris
Director

[spel_b_004.jpg] Reference from (Mrs.) Katherine B. Whitney, Dean of Women, dated June 3, 1940. Page 1 of 3.

[Handwritten notation] She is very sensitive and intend to do everything exactly right & usually does.

[spel_b_005a.jpg] Reference from (Mrs.) Katherine B. Whitney, Dean of Women, dated June 3, 1940. Page 2 of 3.

[Handwritten notation] Barbara is an exceptionally fine student, a real scholar. She has made straight A averages from the start, something which only the few exceptional ones get at Beloit. She does all kinds of work well, and everybody wants her. The registrar claims her for extra work in her office. the dean has asked for her to work in our office. I want her to take charge of the telephone job next year as she did this year. She manages about 12 college girls, assigns them telephone jobs every week in the various dormitories, sees that…

[spel_b_005b.jpg] Reference from (Mrs.) Katherine B. Whitney, Dean of Women, dated June 3, 1940. Page 3 of 3.

…they are on time, checks on them. She manages to keep it all going and everybody happy which is unusual. I recommend her most heartily. She does everything well.

[spel_b_009.jpg] Carbon copy of typewritten letter.

May 30, 1940

Mrs. E.W. Hale
Huron College
Huron, South Dakota

Dear Mrs. Hale:
Miss Barbara Spelman tells me that you will give me information about her ability to fill a position at Pine Mountain Settlement School. I am enclosing a little literature about the School which may be of help to you in giving your answer if you do not already know about our work. Will you please underline one or more of the statements which you think apply best in characterizing the above named applicant and return the enclosed sheets….?
Sincerely yours,
[unsigned]
Glyn Morris
Director

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Title	Barbara Spelman
Alt. Title	Mrs. Collin F. Allen Jr. ; Barbara Spelman Allen ; Barbara S. Allen ; Barbara Allen ;
Identifier	BARBARA SPELMAN CORRESPONDENCE
Creator	Pine Mountain Settlement School, Pine Mountain, KY
Alt. Creator	Ann Angel Eberhardt ; Helen Hayes Wykle ;
Subject Keyword	Barbara Spelman ; Mrs. Collin F. Allen Jr. ; Barbara Spelman Allen ; Pine Mountain Settlement School ; John Adams Spellman III ;
Subject LCSH	Allen, Barbara (Spelman). Pine Mountain Settlement School (Pine Mountain, Ky.) — History. Harlan County (Ky.) — History. Education — Kentucky — Harlan County. Rural schools — Kentucky — History. Schools — Appalachian Region, Southern.
Date	2015-02-24
Publisher	Pine Mountain Settlement School, Pine Mountain, KY
Contributor	n/a
Type	Collections ; text ; image ;
Format	Original and copies of documents and correspondence in file folders in filing cabinet
Source	Series 09: Staff/Personnel
Language	English
Relation	Is related to: Pine Mountain Settlement School Collections, Series 09: Staff/Personnel ; John Adams Spelman III ;
Coverage Temporal	1940 – 1943
Coverage Spatial	Pine Mountain, KY ; Harlan County, KY ;
Rights	Any display, publication, or public use must credit the Pine Mountain Settlement School. Copyright retained by the creators of certain items in the collection, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Donor	n/a
Description	Core documents, correspondence, writings, and administrative papers of Barbara (Spelman) Allen ; clippings, photographs, books by or about Barbara (Spelman) Allen ;
Acquisition	n/d
Citation	“[Identification of Item],” [Collection Name] [Series Number, if applicable]. Pine Mountain Settlement School Institutional Papers. Pine Mountain Settlement School, Pine Mountain, KY.
Processed By	Helen Hayes Wykle ; Ann Angel Eberhardt ;
Last Updated	2015-02-24 hhw ; 2015-10-06 aae ; 2016-02-29 hhw ; 2016-06-18 aae ;
Bibliography	Source “Spelman, Barbara.” Staff Directory 1913-present. Series 09: Staff/Personnel. and Series: PHOTOGRAPHS. Pine Mountain Settlement School Institutional Papers. Pine Mountain Settlement School, Pine Mountain, KY. Internet resource.

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See also:

BARBARA SPELMAN Biography
JOHN SPELMAN III Biography

Return to: BIOGRAPHY – A-Z

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