GLENN and DOROTHY LaRUE Staff - PINE MOUNTAIN SETTLEMENT SCHOOL COLLECTIONS

Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 09: Biography – Staff/Personnel
Rev. Glenn and Dorothy LaRue Staff
Published 2017-03-31 aae

GLENN and DOROTHY LaRUE, Staff 1943-1947

Rev. Glenn LaRue – Woodworking Instructor & Maintenance Man
Dorothy LaRue – Relief Nurse & Relief Housemother

TAGS: Glenn and Dorothy LaRue staff, Glenn LaRue, Dorothy LaRue, missionaries, China Inland Mission, OMS International, nurses, teachers, housemothers, China, Boarding School students, Nativity Play

Rev. Glenn and Mrs. Dorothy LaRue, Miss Gladys Hill, Miss Goodnow. October 1946. [nace_1_035a.jpg]

It wasn’t uncommon for PMSS staff to have been involved in missionary work abroad before and/or after their time at the School. The Reverend Glenn LaRue and Mrs. Dorothy W. LaRue were among those hearty and devoted people, bringing to the School much-needed experience in such areas as education and health care.

Glenn and Dorothy LaRue Staff: APPLYING FOR A PMSS POSITION

In a letter to William D. Webb, PMSS Acting Director, Dr. Frances Tucker writes about his friends, the LaRue family, in an effort to encourage Webb to hire them as workers at the Line Fork Settlement, PMSS’s satellite operation in Gilley, Kentucky. The letter tells much about the LaRues’ background:

“They are about 40 to 45 years of age. He is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, and Mrs. La Rue is a trained nurse with considerable practical experience in China and elsewhere– her nursing course having been taken in Canada. They have recently come home from China where they were mission workers of the China Inland Mission.*

They are both musical, and have recently completed an outstanding hymnal in the Miao language (which is quite different from the Chinese). Kept from returning to China for the present, and desiring to have their 3 children in the home, they plan to tarry in the United States for a time. They are likely to settle elsewhere if not approached in regard to the Line Fork position….

I may say that he is evangelical in his beliefs and preaching, but not as literal in regard to Scriptural matters as some of the churches of this region. Hence it seems that Mr.and Mrs. LaRue would fit into such a niche as that at Line Fork. Mrs. La Rue is expert with the typewriter, and would be efficient in keeping in touch with the constituency of ‘The Cabin.’

They have been in China about 15 years, and were highly thought of by their Mission. Mr. LaRue has had practical experience with agricultural matters in a country where terrain and soil is much like what we have here. He is also able in handling horses and other animals. Both have done much traveling among the hills of Kweichow Province, China, – on foot and horseback. Mrs. LaRue is an expert at canning and other household necessities, for they had to live almost entirely off the country. …

We are inclined to feel that all the family would be more likely to ‘fit in’ than most families that might be secured. Yet all available material should be looked over, of course, and an invitation extended to the party or parties most suited. The address of the LaRues is … Kalispell, Montana.

In Glenn LaRue’s letters to Dr. Tucker and Mr. Webb, he stated that he preferred the woodworking instructor’s position at PMSS rather than the work at Line Fork, explaining that “I am not a genuine student and something that occupies my hands as well as my head is more in my line. …I get along well with young people … I could be of spiritual help to the young folk around.” Dorothy would like to “be of some help in the hospital.”

(*The China Inland Mission was established in 1865 to minister to the inland provinces of China. Still in operation, it is an international and interdenominational Protestant Christian missionary society now working in East Asia nations. Since 1964 it has been known as Overseas Missionary Fellowship and since 1993 as OMS International.)

Glenn and Dorothy LaRue Staff: AT PINE MOUNTAIN

By June of 1943, Glenn LaRue accepted the dual positions of maintenance man and teacher of the Industrial Arts class in woodworking. Dorothy LaRue accepted work as a part-time relief nurse, a position she held from 1943 to 1944. Later, she served as a relief housemother until 1947. Her co-workers in the Infirmary were Dr. Francis Tucker, Dr. Emma Tucker, Miss Grace Rood (nurse), and Grace Feng (nurse). The couple lived on the School’s campus in the Farm House during their PMSS years, 1943 to 1947.

Evidently, The Tuckers, Miss Feng and the LaRues knew one another prior to their coming together at Pine Mountain. One of the memorable events during the LaRues’ time at the School was the wedding of Grace Feng to Mr. T.C. Liu. According to an account by Mr. Liu of his wedding, Rev. LaRue was the minister, who was “well known to Grace in China.” He then describes their work:

Both Mr. & Mrs. LaRue worked in China among the Miao tribes and the language has 7 to 9 inflections of each sound, making it much more difficult than the Chinese language. The Miaos live a very primitive life among the mountains, but are very honest and hospitable. The three children of the LaRues were born in China, and are now in school here at Pine Mountain. Both Grace and the Tuckers have visited the LaRue station in Kweichow Province, China.

Glenn and Dorothy LaRue Staff: THEIR CHILDREN

Nativity Play – 1946. Beth LaRue, Roy Banks, Harold Cox, Arch Lewis. [nace_1_023b.jpg]

Rev. and Mrs. LaRue’s three children, Gerald (Jerry) W. LaRue, Beth LaRue, and Robert (Bob) Karr LaRue, graduated from PMSS Boarding School in 1946 (Jerry) and 1947 (Beth and Bob). Photographs in the PMSS Collections depict Beth and Bob participating in the School’s annual Nativity Play, with Beth as Mary. The children are also to be found among the students in the 1946 and 1947 PMSS graduation photographs. (See Gallery below.)

See Also: GLENN LaRUE Correspondence

GALLERY: Glenn and Dorothy LaRue Staff

: Rev. Glen and Mrs. Dorothy LaRue, Miss Gladys Hill, Miss Goodnow. October, 1946. [nace_1_035a.jpg]

: Mrs. LaRue’s Knitting Group, 1946. Wanda Lee Copler, Despres Scott, Genella Boggs, Hazle Kilgore, Betty Logan, Evelyn Ayers. [nace_1_061b.jpg]

: 01 Bramlett Album II. Staff 1945: Dorothy and Glenn LaRue; Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin; Georgia Dodd with Margo in arms and Elizabeth; Bergstressen; Gladys Morris; Glyn Morris 49 [ser_19_workers_misc_groups_0049.jpg]

: Staff at Laurel House, 1947. Bottom row: Dorothy Nace, Margaret Nace, Ruth Smith, Mrs. Georgia Dodd, Mrs. Birdena Bishop. Front row: Ronald Henderson, Elizabeth Henderson, Miss Cold, Mrs. Benjamin, Miss Cobb, Miss Christensen, Miss Spinney, Miss Merrill, Mr. and Mrs. LaRue, Back Row: Miss Kingsbury, Miss Hill, Mr. Benjamin, Mr. Barry, Mrs. Willis, Miss Sparrow. [nace_1_038b.jpg]

: 011u Stir Off. “Bob LaRue and Jimmie Blanton.” [050_FN_occupations_homes_011u.jpg]

: Nativity Play, 1946. Beth LaRue, Roy Banks, Harold Cox, Arch Lewis, Bob LaRue, Jack Wilder, Ray Banks, Raymond Sturgill, Robert Calloway, Gladys Carroll, R.B. Begley [?], Bill Blackson, Densel Duncan, Frank Berry. [nace_1_026b.jpg]

: Senior Class, 1947. Front row: Ray Banks, Arch Lewis, Earl Lewis, Lonnie Lewis, Bob Calloway, Bill Blackson, Densel Duncan, Betty Zane Logan. Second row: Roy Banks, Jack Wilder, Gladys Correll, Mary Howard, Jim Blanton, Bob LaRue (hidden), R.B. Begeley, Beth LaRue, Delores Scott, Douglas Reynolds, Lois North, Ann Creech, Wanda Collier, Jolene Lucas, Emily Bailey. [nace_1_057a.jpg]

: 05_2441 Graduating Class of 1946. Cenella Boggs, Hazel Winters, Billy Tye, Birdie Miniard, Evelyn Ayers, Faye Trail(?), Shirley Holbrook, Maxine Moses, Colleen Day, Nell Cox, Kilgore(?). (Front row): Millard Sellvey, Frank Richards, (center), David Martin, Lester Centers, Jerry LaRue. (Far back row older man): Dr. Clark Bailey. [098_IX_students_05_2441003.jpg]

: 008 Baccalaureate 1947. Densal [Denzal] Duncan, Lonnie Lewis, Wanda Collier, Bob Calloway, Gladys Caroll, Dr. Clark Bailey [Trustee and Physician], Jack Wilder, Beth LaRue, Grace Tyree, Roy Banks, Arch Lewis, Jolene Lucas, Janey Lou Blanton.[097_students_008 008 [B-2427]

Title	Glenn and Dorothy LaRue
Alt. Title	Glenn LaRue ; Glenn P. LaRue ; Mrs. Glenn LaRue ; Dorothy W LaRue ; Rev. Glenn LaRue and Mrs. Dorothy LaRue ; Glenn La Rue ;
Identifier	https://pinemountainsettlement.net/?page_id=41202
Creator Alt. Creator	Pine Mountain Settlement School, Pine Mountain, KY.
Subject Keyword	Ann Angel Eberhardt ; Helen Hayes Wykle ; Rev. Glenn LaRue and Mrs. Dorothy LaRue ; Glenn LaRue ; Dorothy LaRue ; Dorothy W. LaRue ; missionaries ; China Inland Mission ; Overseas Missionary Fellowship ; OMS International ; nurses ; teachers ; housemothers ; Dr. Francis Tucker ; Dr. Emma Tucker ; Miss Grace Rood ; Grace Feng Liu ; China ; Gerald (Jerry) W. LaRue ; Beth LaRue ; Robert (Bob) Karr LaRue ; Boarding School students ; Nativity Play ;

Subject LCSH	LaRue, Glenn P. LaRue, Dorothy W. Pine Mountain Settlement School (Pine Mountain, Ky.) — History. Harlan County (Ky.) — History. Education — Kentucky — Harlan County. Rural schools — Kentucky — History. Schools — Appalachian Region, Southern. Protestant churches — Missions — China — History — 20th century.
Date	2017-03-31 aae
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: Biography – Staff/Personnel.
Language	English
Relation	Is related to: Pine Mountain Settlement School Collections, Series 09: Biography – Staff/Personnel.
Coverage Temporal	1943-1947
Coverage Spatial	Pine Mountain, KY ; Harlan County, KY ; Kweichow Province, China ; Kalispell, MT ;
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 Rev. Glenn LaRue and Mrs. Dorothy LaRue ; clippings, photographs, books by or about Rev. Glenn LaRue and Mrs. Dorothy LaRue ;
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	2021-03-31 aae ; 2021-04-13 aae ;
Bibliography	Source “GLENN and DOROTHY LaRUE Correspondence” Series 09: Biography – Staff/Personnel. Pine Mountain Settlement School Institutional Papers. Pine Mountain Settlement School, Pine Mountain, KY. Internet resource. Bibliography LaRue, Glenn. “A Staff Report…Practical Application of Labor, Academic and Group Relations,” 1944. Box 20 Series II Director’s Office Files 1913-1949; Subseries B: Subject Files, 1913-1949. Pine Mountain Settlement School Institutional Papers. Pine Mountain Settlement School, Pine Mountain, KY. Archival material.

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