Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 17: PUBLICATIONS PMSS
Dear Friend Letters
Fundraising 1911 to present
“Dear Friends” letter from Rebecca Caudill Ayers, December 1964, page 1. [1964RebeccaCaudillAyerstoFriend.jpg]
TAGS: Dear Friend Letters Index, fund-raising, newsletters, updates, group mailings, Burton Rogers, Director fund appeals, Mary Rogers drawings, new construction, new hires, community news, Director’s work, philosophical overviews, educational programs, new hires, staff departures, deaths, donations, needs, biographies, financial reports
DEAR FRIEND LETTERS Index (1911 – )
The DEAR FRIEND LETTERS of Pine Mountain Settlement School are used to keep former students, trustees, and friends of the institution informed regarding the School’s activities and to solicit financial support for institutional programming and physical facilities. The letters generally written by the Director may also be “farmed ” out to other editors to address special interests and appeals.
The Dear Friend Letters, generally begin with the greeting, “Dear Friend.” They generally contain a running account of additions to the built environment, new hires, departures of staff, financial appeals, events of importance to the School or community, educational program updates, and frequently biographical information of individuals associated with the School. For the reader, the Letters can be good economic indicators for those interested in the financial health of the School. Most importantly, when aggregated, they are good indicators for readers of the health of the School and, for the writers, a tool for staying in touch with loyal donors and for raising operational and endowment money for the School through gentle nudging.
The letters or flyers are usually brief and their format is irregular depending on the Director’s communication style. The Dear Friend Letter is mailed in addition to the more broadly disseminated NOTES (Notes from the Pine Mountain Settlement School, 1919-2001) and usually on an irregular basis. Like NOTES, the DEAR FRIEND LETTERS often narrate the historical highs and lows of the institution.
FREQUENCY AND FORMAT
While the frequency and format of the DEAR FRIEND LETTERS vary with the Director’s instruction, they remain a key document for tracing the history and development of the institution. The LETTERS were more frequent in the early development years of the settlement school. Largely written by Ethel de Long [Zande] until 1928, the year of her death, these early letters reflect her ability to tug at the heartstrings of donors. The well-crafted well-received letters brought to the School an important and strong base of support. The letters are intimate and upbeat and also often directed to specific targets. They are always intimate and often personal reflections of the early activity of the school. Later letters are more generic and often specific to programming or urgent needs. Further, with the closing of the Boarding School, in later years, the Directors generally elected to use NOTES as the main vehicle for communication and fund-raising and some of the candid and sometimes personal commentary found in the DEAR FRIEND LETTERS is lost in the more detached, broad and generic reporting on the activity of the institution.
Personal correspondence of workers is generally not found here but many biographical details of staff and students may be found woven into the letters. If biographical information of a staff member or a student is included it is generally brief. When additional biographical material exists we have linked names to the various biographies. The BIOGRAPHY of many of the Directors may also be readily found. Often links within the letters direct the reader to personal reviews of events, special persons observed through a single lens, and reviews of new or changed programs, etc.. Sometimes there are even tall tales recounted by the Director. Yet, even this gossipy style can bring considerable management information forward and enliven the day-to-day routines at the School for the reader. Always these records are a good barometer of institutional health. These ongoing letters to the School’s FREINDS are highly recommended for those wishing to compare administrations and social and cultural changes in the School and its Community. The consistent publication of the DEAR FRIEND LETTERS is a remarkably comprehensive journey through over a century of the institution’s history. The brief, but often diverse records can readily provide a picture of the journey of the School as well as a means for exploring the management styles, personalities, and surrounding community health. The letters are remarkably revealing of the living organism that is Pine Mountain Settlement School and the vibrancy it has shared with Appalachia and beyond for over a century.
THE DEAR FRIENDS LIST
The following list is a partial accounting of the DEAR FRIEND LETTERS and a few accompanying or associated mailings. Not all years are yet [2024] represented and these will be updated as additional DEAR FRIEND LETTERS are located, scanned, and added. The years following the end of the Boarding School years are presently sparse, but more will be added as they are processed.
Letters prior to 1913, the year of the founding of the School, represent fund-raising efforts prior to and during the activity of Katherine Pettit and Ethel de Long and others to establish, build, and maintain Pine Mountain Settlement School, the institution.
DEAR FRIEND LETTERS Index
DEAR FRIEND Letters from Katherine Pettit (1911-1930)
and Ethel de Long Zande (1911 — 1928)
n.d. Ethel de Long from Pine Mountain [?] c.1913
n.d. Ethel de Long from Pine Mountain [?] c. ?
1911 [Ethel de Long from Hindman Settlement School] An unusually early letter that seeks money to begin Pine Mountain Settlement School. The letter, written by Ethel de Long while she was still at Hindman Settlement School, samples the climate for the creation of the new school in Harlan County.
1911 May 27 Ethel de Long from Hindman. The six-page letter describes a trip taken by Ethel de Long and Miss Butler, a nurse at Hindman, to look at possible sites for additional Settlement Schools in eastern Kentucky. “At last there is a chance to tell you about that beautiful trip ….” A great read!
1912 pending
1913 October & November – Letters by Ethel de Long and Katherine Pettit
Describes the early days of building the PMSS School and future plans that will need funding, particularly plans for hog-proof fencing. An enclosure titled, “Sammy,” by Evangeline Bishop is a narrative from the pigs’ point of view.
1914 January & November from Ethel de Long.
(PRIVATE – DEAR FRIEND Report and Letter 1914) November 21, 1914: “Miss de Long to Patrons” and Fall 1914: “Miss Margaret McCutcheon, after a visit.”
1915 June from Ethel de Long
1915 November from Ethel de Long and William Creech.
1916 April & September (RE: the seven Callahan children; a letter associated with the September 15, 1916, mailing) from Ethel de Long.
1917 January from Ethel de Long.
1918 May & October from Ethel de Long Zande. Coal camps begin to impact the lives of families in Harlan County, the Pine Mountain Valley, and educational planning at PMSS.
1919
1920 June from Ethel de Long Zande.
1921 March from Ethel de Long Zande.
1922 [NO CONTENT]
1923 February – from Ethel de Long Zande.
1924 April – from Ethel de Long Zande.
1925 April – From Ethel de Long Zande
1926 May – [missing last page]
1927 April – From Ethel de Long Zande
DEAR FRIEND Letters from Angela Melville, Interim Director (1928-1930)
and Evelyn K. Wells, Interim Director (1931)
1928 April – From Evelyn K. Wells
1929 April- From Angela Melville
1930 April & May – From Angela Melville
1931 April – From Evelyn K. Wells “for the Board of Trustees”
DEAR FRIEND Letters from Glyn A. Morris (1932-1942)
1932 April – from Glyn Morris
1933 March – from Glyn Morris
1934 March – from Glyn Morris
1935 April – from Glyn Morris
1936 March – from Glyn Morris
1937 April – from Glyn Morris
1938 March – from Glyn Morris
1939 [month not specified] – from Glyn Morris
1940 March – from Glyn Morris
1941 April – from Glyn Morris
1942 April – from Glyn Morris
DEAR FRIEND Letters From William D. Webb, Acting Director (1943-1944)
1943 May – from William Webb
1944 April – from William Webb
DEAR FRIEND Letters from H.R.S. Benjamin (1945-1948)
1945 April – from H.R,S. Benjamin
1946 April – from H.R,S. Benjamin
1947 April- from H.R,S. Benjamin
1948 April- from H.R,S. Benjamin
DEAR FRIEND Letters from James S. Crutchfield, Trustee (1949)
1949 June – from James S. Crutch]field
DEAR FRIEND Letters & Brochures from Burton Rogers (1950-1973)
1950 April Letter (draft and final versions) and Brochure -from Burton Rogers
1951 Louisville Courier-Journal Article about PMSS
Brochure -from Burton Rogers
1952 April –from Burton Rogers
July Brochure -from Burton Rogers
December -from Burton Rogers
1953 November Letter
April Brochure
Brochure
Brochure -from Burton Rogers
1954 December Letter –from Burton Rogers
1955 December Letter
Brochure –from Burton Rogers
1956 May Letter –from Burton Rogers
1957 April -from Burton Rogers
December -from Burton Rogers
1958 June Letter -from Burton Rogers
Reports on the upcoming closure of the Pine Mountain Hospital and the rationale for its discontinuance. He pays homage to the 45 years of service of the medical facilities at the School while noting that the new 20-mile blacktop road to Harlan allows more rapid access to medical services. Further, the shortage of nurses made staffing difficult at PMSS. He describes a plan for a new shared program with the Presbyterian Child Welfare Agency to house and educate a small group of children from the region in the School’s facilities.
Thanksgiving Letter –from Burton Rogers
1959 May Letter -from Burton Rogers
December Letter -from Burton Rogers
1960 May Letter -from Burton Rogers
December Letter -from Burton Rogers
1961 May Letter -from Burton Rogers
November Letters -from Burton Rogers
1962 May Letter -from Burton Rogers
December Letter -from Burton Rogers
1963 March 19
May Letter -from Burton Rogers
August Letter -from Burton Rogers
September Letter -from Burton Rogers
Thanksgiving Letter -from Burton Rogers
1964 Jan,
May Letter -from Burton Rogers
November Letter -from Burton Rogers
December Letter – from author Rebecca Caudill Ayars
1965 May Letter -from Burton Rogers
November Letter -from Burton Rogers
Brochures-from Burton Rogers
1966 May Letter -from Burton Rogers
December Letter –from Burton Rogers
1967 April Letter -from Burton Rogers
December Letter – from Burton Rogers
Brochure -from Burton Rogers
1968 May Letter -from Burton Rogers
November Letter -from Burton Rogers
1969 May Letter -from Burton Rogers
November Letter -from Burton Rogers
1970 June Letter -from Burton Rogers
November Letter -from Burton Rogers
1971 May Letter -from Burton Rogers
December Brochure –
1972
1973
DEAR FRIEND Letters from Alvin Boggs (1973-1983)
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
DEAR FRIEND Letters from James & Carol Urquhart (1983-1986)
1983
1984
1985
1986
DEAR FRIEND Letters from Paul Hayes (1986-1996)
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
DEAR FRIEND Letters from Mildred Mahoney (1996-1997)
1996
1997
DEAR FRIEND Letters from Robin Lambert (1997-2001)
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
DEAR FRIEND Letters from William Caudill (2001)
2001
DEAR FRIEND Letters from Nancy Adams (2002-2013)
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012 December
“Throughout the Settlement School’s rich history, the mission has remained constant: to provide educational opportunities and to serve the local community. We have adapted our programs to meet current needs without duplicating services offered by other groups and institutions.”
2013
DEAR FRIEND Letters from Penne Lane & Miriam Pride (2014-2015)
2014
2015
DEAR FRIEND Letters from Geoff E. Marietta (2015-2019)
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
DEAR FRIEND Letters from Preston Jones (2019-2023)
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
[ON-GOING] DEAR FRIEND Letters from Jason Brasherar (2024 – )
