QUINTEN WOOTON Student

Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 19: STUDENTS
Quinten Wooton, Student, 1940-1941
Quinten Wooton Correspondence, 1939-1941
Quinten Joseph Wooton (1924-1947)

Quinten Wooton

Quinten Wooten, Self-evaluation Letter, May 22, 1941. Wooton Family. SCAN0314


TAGS: Quinten Wooton, Wooton Family, Hansford Wooton, Student Application Blanks, Home and Parents Records, self-evaluation letters, student autobiography blanks, Stanford Achievement Tests, Work Reports, physical exams, instructors’ reports, houseparent appraisals, Quinten Joseph Wooton, Quentin Wooten (sic)


QUINTEN WOOTON Student, 1940-1941

Application to PMSS

Quinten Wooton was one of several members of the Wooton Family who attended Pine Mountain Settlement School. He entered ninth grade in 1940 and stayed through June 1941. His reason for applying to the School, according to his entry on a Student Application Blank, was that “[t]here are many advantages here where I cannot get elsewhere.” He also stated on his application that the occupation he was interested in for himself was “Dr. of Medicine.”

QUINTEN WOOTON At Pine Mountain

When Quinten’s father wrote on his Home and Parents Record that Quinten “….likes school sometimes but likes to go places and not satisfied in one place long,” he predicted Quinten’s adjustment problems at PMSS. In Quinten’s first-year reports of his school and work habits, several teachers and work supervisors wrote of Quinten’s need to use his abilities to fuller capacity and to respect the value of work. At the end of Quinten’s first term in 1940, the Principal sent a letter to Quinten’s father stating, “…[Quinten] must learn the dignity of work, that the most menial job is honorable if it is tackled with the proper attitude and done well.” In spite of Quinten’s difficulties, the Principal ended with “He is a good citizen and has given very little cause for worry….”

Quinten was showing improvement in his second year, most likely due to the School’s influence and his growing maturity. The School required all students to write a self-evaluation letter to their parents at the end of each school year. In Quinten’s second-year letter to his father, he recognizes his own improvements, which he attributes to the teachings of the School. In his letter, Quinten also expresses his dream of possibly entering the Navy Air Corps, echoing his father’s wish that he would be an airplane pilot. [For image and transcription of Quinten’s letter, see SCAN0314 and SCAN0315 below.]

QUINTEN WOOTON: Leaving Pine Mountain

But Quinten’s wanderlust, described earlier by his father, must have gotten the better of him after all. He left Pine Mountain Settlement School after his second year. The last letter in his file, dated June 24, 1941, is from Pine Mountain Settlement School to “Gentlemen” at the United States Coal and Coke Company, Lynch, KY. The Acting Director of the School provides a recommendation for Quinten who had applied for work in the company’s Commissary:

For the past year [Quinten Wooton] has been in attendance at Pine Mountain Settlement School and has made a worthy record for himself. We have found him to be honest and capable. At times he does not show great initiative but on the whole he will live up to what is expected of him. He has had some experience in our school store both with sales and with the bookkeeping and which should be of help to him.

**********

Quinten Joseph Wooton was born in Wooton, KY, on June 11, 1924, to Hansford Wooton, a miner, and Iona Creech. He served on reserve duty in the United States Navy in World War II. He died on October 5, 1947, and is buried in Zachery Taylor National Cemetery, Louisville, Kentucky. (Source: www.FindAGrave.com)


GALLERY: QUINTEN WOOTON Correspondence 1939-1941


CONTENTS: QUINTEN WOOTON Correspondence

[NOTE: The list below is in chronological order and may not correspond to the order of the images.]

Student Application Blank

SCAN0279 and SCAN0280. August 21, 1939 – Student Application Blank with handwritten entries for Quinten Wooton. Born in Wooton, KY, on June 11, 1924. Last attended high school in Buckhorn, Perry Co., in 1938-39. Ready to enter 9th grade. Father: Hansford Wooton, a miner. Mother: Iona Creech who lives with her parents in London. [Notation: “On Cutshin Creek. Good mother.”] Why Pine Mountain: “There are many advantages here where I cannot get elsewhere.” [Notations on reverse side of Student Application Blank: “capable student; separated parents 4 yrs; [?] at Buckhorn 1 yr.”]

SCAN0281. June 1, 1940 – Student Application Blank with handwritten entries for Quinten Wooton. Last attended high school at Combs, Perry County, in 1939. Ready to enter Sophomore grade. One parent has died. [Notation at top of page: “To work on next year’s debt.”]

SCAN0323. June 17, 1940 – Address side of handwritten postcard to Arthur W. Dodd.
SCAN0324. Message side of handwritten postcard from Quinten Wooton, Avawam, KY, “It will not be convenient for me [to] come until June 23.”

My Autobiography

SCAN0282. [n.d.] – My Autobiography with handwritten entries by Quinten Wooton. Page 1 of 5.
Address; Cumberland, KY
Born: 1924 June 11 at Wooton (Leslie County) & has lived there 3 years
Also lived in: Hazard, Bluediamond and Avewam
Father: Hansford Wooton, 32 years old, born in Hyden, KY; completed 2 years in high school; occupation: miner
Mother: Iona Creech, 35 years old, born in Leslie County

SCAN0283. [n.d.] – My Autobiography. Page 2 of 5.
“No brothers or sisters.”

SCAN0284. [n.d.] – My Autobiography. Page 3 of 5.
[No entries.]

SCAN0285. [n.d.] – My Autobiography. Page 4 of 5.
What I like: “Reading, swimming, basketball. I like [mechanic] work.”
I like best these kinds of reading: “Poetry, mystery, fiction”
The studies I like best are these: “History, arithmetic, science”
The occupations in which I am somewhat interested for myself are: “Dr. of Medicine”
My father would like me to be a “Dr.”

SCAN0286. [n.d.] – My Autobiography. Page 5 of 5.
When I finish school, I would like to live in a “city,” because “intend to be a Dr. of Medicine.”

Home and Parents Record

SCAN0287. [n.d.] – Home and Parents Record with handwritten entries by parent, Hansford Wooton. Page 1 of 7.
Pupil: Quinten Joseph Wooton
Birth: in Wooton, KY, on June 11, 1924
Address: Lynch, KY
Father: Hansford Wooton, born in Wooton, age 33, education through eighth grade, miner. Previously occupation : electrician
Other places lived: Hazard, KY, Blackey, KY, Hamilton, OH
Mother: Marie Iona Creech, born in Wooton, KY, age 28, high school education.

SCAN0288. [n.d.] – Home and Parents Record. Page 2 of 7.
[Mother, continued] Occupation before marriage; student. Length of time in present community: 2 years. Also lived in Lynch, Wooton, Hazard.

SCAN0289. [n.d.] – Home and Parents Record. Page 3 of 7.
Present [people] of household: father and son
Relatives living: Both grandfathers – 8th grade education – farmers

SCAN0290. [n.d.] – Home and Parents Record. Page 4 of 7.
Magazines: “Life, McCall’s, Colliers”
Musical instruments: “None”
House: Painted frame, lighted by electricity, has running water, living room and a bath.

SCAN0291. [n.d.] – Home and Parents Record. Page 5 of 7.
Home duties: “None.”
Recreation: Parties “often”; movies with “dates – very often”

SCAN0292. [n.d.] – Home and Parents Record. Page 6 of 7.
What is [Quinten Wooton’s] attitude toward school. “He likes school sometimes but likes to go places and not satisfied in one place long.”
Are you planning to have [QW] finish high school? “Yes.”
Are you planning to send [QW] to college? “No.”

SCAN0293. [n.d.] – Home and Parents Record. Page 7 of 7.
Prefers: Outdoors
What are some of the things [QW] likes to do? “Games, Reading, Fishing, Picnics”
What would you like for [QW] to do when [QW] finished education? “An airplane pilot”
Would like for [QW] to live in the city.

Stanford Achievement Test – First School Year

SCAN0319. September 16, 1940 – New Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) for Quinten Wooton, 9th grade, age 16. Lists scores for 10 tests and total score (average).

SCAN0320. Educational Profile Chart for the New SAT, Advanced Examination. Graph indicating Quinten Wooton’s scores compared to norms.

SCAN0224. [n.d.] Profile Chart for SAT. Graph indicating Quinten Wooton’s scores compared to norms.

Work Reports – First School Year

SCAN0294. Work Report for Quinten Wooton for Sept. 16 to Oct. 27, 1940. Supervisor: William Hayes, Farm & Dairy House.

SCAN0295. Work Report for Quinten Wooton for Oct. 10 to Nov. 30, 1940. Supervisor: M. Holbrook with Remarks by N. Ward, Laundry and Kitchen. Work Habits: “Fair — Getting better all the time.” “Learns quickly, but does not always follow.”

SCAN0296. Work Report for Quinten Wooton for Oct. 27 to Dec. [Nov.?] 8, 1940 as a substitute. Supervisor: Edith Jones for Office (carrying mail). Work Habits: “Good.” “He only worked a few days, but showed some initiative and dependability, and would probably be very good with more experience.”

Reports of Physical Examinations – First & Second School Year

SCAN0317. June 29, [1940?] – Report of Quinten Wooton’s physical examination.

SCAN0318. October 21, 1940 – Report of Quinten Wooton’s physical examination.

SCAN0316. December 5 – 7, 1940 – Individual [Infirmary] Report for Wooton, Quinten, age 16. Admitted with cold, then readmitted with complaints of digestive[?] pain.

Instructors’ Reports – Second School Year

SCAN0300. December 1940 – Instructor’s report for Quinten Wooton Instructor: August Angel, Typesetting. “Quiet and busy in class but see not enough work in his notebook to satisfy his presence in the printshop for 10 weeks. Test results – Excellent.”

SCAN0301. December 18, 1940, and Second Semester, 1941 – Instructor’s report for Quinten Wooton for English. Instructor: Vera R. Hackman. 1st semester, 14 weeks.: “…Quinten grasps the gist of an explanation of an article and can express his ideas quite well….He did fairly well…as announcer for a class play….” 2nd semester, 18 weeks. Miss Hackman wrote :

…With help he produced a scene for the co-op play and acted his parts fairly well…. Quinten is blocked from greater achievement by his attitude. His ability was not all used to full capacity.

SCAN0302. December 16, 1940 and May 23, 1941 – Instructor’s report for Quinten Wooton for Biology. Instructor: Alice Joy Keith.

SCAN0304. December 16, 1940, and May 23, 1941 – Instructor’s report for Quinten Wooton for History and Economics. Instructor: Gladys Hill.

SCAN0305. May 23, 1941 – Instructor’s report for Quinten Wooton for Printing. Instructor: August Angel. [No entries.]

SCAN0306. May 23, 1941 – Instructor’s report for Quinten Wooton for Auto-Mech. Instructor: Carl Areson. [No entries.]

Houseparent Appraisal – Second School Year

SCAN0307 and SCAN0308. December & May 1940-1941 – Houseparent’s Appraisal of Students with handwritten checkmarks for Personal Habits and Personality Traits.

Work Reports – Second School Year

SCAN0297. Work Report for Quinten Wooton for Dec. 14 to Feb. 3, 1941 – Supervisor: Wm. Hayes, Dairy (milking cows and cleaning barn.)

SCAN0298. Work Report for Quinten Wooton for Feb. 2 to March 9, 1941 – Supervisor: Carl W. Areson, Mechanics Department (routine maintenance and cleaning). “Quinten shows promise of doing satisfactory work in this department. He is handicapped by a lack of experience in this type of work.”

SCAN0299. Work Report for Quinten Wooton for April to May 1941 – Supervisor: William Hayes, Dairy House (cleaning of milk utensils). “Quinten improved considerably….” Work Habits: “Good worker…Seemed to enjoy his work much more this semester.”

Stanford Achievement Test – Second School Year

SCAN0223. May 13, 1941 – Stanford Achievement Test for Quinten Wooton, age 16, grade 10. List of 10 test subjects and handwritten scores.

Correspondence – Second School Year

SCAN0309. December 13, 1940 – Typewritten letter from Dr. Milus L. Gunn, Hazard, KY, to Dr. Preston J. Van Kolken, PMSS, reporting his findings concerning Quinten Wooton’s nosebleeding.

SCAN0310. December 24, 1940 – Carbon copy of typewritten letter from PMSS Principal [unsigned] to Hansford Wooton, Lynch, KY. Encloses “very thoughtful letter from Quinton in which he has evaluated his various experiences at Pine Mountain this first term.” Provides a summary of the teachers’ and labor supervisors’ reports. “…He must learn the dignity of work, that the most menial job is honorable if it is tackled with the proper attitude and done well. He is a good citizen and has given very little cause for worry….”

SCAN0311. January 2, 1941 – Carbon copy of typewritten letter to Mr. Wooton, Lynch, Harlan County, KY from Malcolm M. Arny, informing Mr. Wooton that his son should have a thorough physical examination, “…since there may be something which has been a handicap to Quinten.” Refers any question to Dr. Preson J. VanKoken.

SCAN0314 and SCAN0315. May 22, 1941 – Two-page handwritten letter from Quinten Wooton to his father, Hansford Wooton, Lynch, KY.

Dear Dad,
This is my second letter this year about myself and how I have valued myself. I have done reasonably enough work in each class this last semester to meet their requirements. I have really enjoyed working with my teachers this last semester.

I like to work when I get the kind I like. I have enjoyed working in the mechanics shop and taking care of the milkhouse…

I am a quiet person and enjoying quietness in Boy’s House. Improvement in class is gradually progressing and I find it satisfying.

Aviation interests me as a career. I would like to get in the Navy Air Corps. There are many advantages there for enterprising boys, meaning those who are prepared.

…This school has helped me more in learning manners and to get along with people. Here is where kindness goes a long way. I have learned the joy of work. I use to think work was merely the way of earning one’s livelihood….
Your Son
Quinten

SCAN0313. June 13, 1941 – Carbon copy of typewritten letter to Mr. Wooton, Lynch, KY from Principal [unsigned]. Sending a letter written by Quinten and one from the School, describing his improved attitude and asking Mr. Wooton to “encourage” Quinten and “impress upon him the importance of working harder on his studies next year….”

SCAN0321 and SCAN0322. June 24, 1941 – Handwritten postcard from H.C. Wooton, Avawam, KY, to Glyn Morris, asking if his grandson, Quinten Wooton, “is still working or gone from your school.”

SCAN0312. June 24, 1941 – Carbon copy of typewritten letter to “Gentlemen” at United States Coal and Coke Company, Lynch, KY, from Acting Director [unsigned]. Provides reference for “Quinten Wooton who is making application for work in the Commissary.” ‘For the past year he has been in attendance at Pine Mountain Settlement School and has made a worthy record for himself. We have found him to be honest and capable. At times he does not show great initiative but on the whole he will live up to what is expected of him. He has had some experience in our school store both with sales and with the bookkeeping and which should be of help to him….”


See Also:
WOOTON (WOOTEN) Family

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BIOGRAPHY A-Z
WOOTON FAMILY Students