Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 02: GOVERNANCE – Advisory Board
Series 09: BIOGRAPHY – Staff 
Harriet Crutchfield, PMSS Teacher 1928-1930
Correspondence After PMSS 1931-1956

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TAGS: Harriet Crutchfield correspondence after PMSS, Mrs. John K. Orndorff, Pine Mountain Settlement School, Presbyterian Orphanage, Hubert Hadley, springtime, China, Glyn Morris, weaving, rotogravure, photographs, Youth Guidance Institutes, Fern Hall (Hayes), H.R.S. Benjamin, Dorothy Nace, music donation, Burton Rogers, Christmas oranges

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HARRIET CRUTCHFIELD Correspondence After PMSS 1931-1956

HARRIET CRUTCHFIELD CORRESPONDENCE AFTER PMSS provides summaries, images, and transcriptions of Harriet Crutchfield’s correspondence after her employment as teacher at Pine Mountain Settlement School during the years 1928 to 1930. Her correspondence after Pine Mountain cover the years 1931 to 1956.

For Harriet’s correspondence before and during her employment at Pine Mountain, see the list of links at the bottom of this page.

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CONTENTS

January 9, 1931. Handwritten by Harriet Crutchfield, Sewickley, PA, to Mr. (Hubert) Hadley. Send radio to Mrs. Mary Hoffman, Presbyterian Orphanage, Anchorage, KY; enjoyed fall visit to P.M. [011a-011b]

January 22, 1931. [unsigned half-page]. HH (Hubert Hadley) to Harriet Crutchfield, Sewickley, PA. Radio has been sent to Orphanage; apologized that P.M. could not accept her gift. [012]

February 9, 1931.[unsigned half-page]. HH (Hubert Hadley) to Harriet Crutchfield, Sewickley, PA. Received set of by-laws for the handling of her father’s gift to class of 1930. [013]

February 23, 1931. Handwritten by Harriet Crutchfield, Sewickley, PA, to Mr. (Hubert) Hadley. Thanks Hadley for taking care of radio for her. [014]

March 3, 1931. HH (Hubert Hadley) to Harriet Crutchfield, Sewickley, PA. Thanks her for check which he turned over to Miss Conn; describes springtime at P.M.; anecdote. [015]

June 7, 1935. Handwritten by Harriet Crutchfield, Nanking, China, to Mr. (Glyn) Morris. Appreciates receiving P.M. material; agrees with Morris’ teaching policies. [016-016a]

December 20, 1938. Harriet Crutchfield, American Embassy, Peiping, China. Sends contribution to P.M. School; asked to purchase a “homespun” to cover her P.M. photograph album; mentions her sister Grace’s visit to P.M. [017]

January 19, 1939. [unsigned] (Glyn Morris) to Harriet Crutchfield, American Embassy, Peiping, China. Thanks her for letter and gift; sends weaving piece to cover her album; sends photographs to add to album and rotogravure section of Courier-Journal with P.M. pictures. [018]

August 23, 1939. Harriet Crutchfield, Peiping, China, to Mr. (Glyn) Morris. Sends check as contribution and payment for black and yellow homespun; pleased with P.M. news; describes China’s situation; sister Kitty will be visiting Peiping. [019-019a]

October 11, 1939. [unsigned] (Glyn Morris) to Harriet Crutchfield, Peiping, China. Thanks her for check; sending P.M. Notes and Findings of last summer’s Youth Guidance) Institute; describes influence of Institute; invites her to visit P.M.; mentions new secretary, Fern Hall. [020-020a]

December 23, 1945. Handwritten by Harriet Crutchfield Orndorff, Sewickley, PA, to Mr. (H.R.S.) Benjamin. Sends check for Creech Memorial Fund and her annual subscription. [022]

January 13, 1946. Handwritten by Harriet Crutchfield Orndorff to Mr. (H.R.S.) Benjamin. Delighted with wedding gift of walnut table from P.M. School; writes about her love for the School. [023-024b]

January 17, 1946. [half-page] H.R.S. Benjamin to Mrs. John K. Orndorff (Harriet Crutchfield), Sewickley, PA. Thanks her for gift to Creech Memorial Fund and her annual subscription; encloses receipt for her father’s check for Christmas publicity mailing. [024]

February 23, 1946. [half-page] Dorothy Nace to Mrs. John K. Orndorff (Harriet Crutchfield), Sewickley, PA. Asks for recent address for Mrs. Ramsey; describes springtime at P.M. [025]

March 22, 1946. Harriet C.(Crutchfield) Orndorff, Pittsburgh, PA, to Mr. Benjamin. Mr. Johnson, organist at Sewickley Presbyterian Church offered to give P.M. piano teaching material, organ music and quartet music. [026]

March 26, 1946. [half-page]. Dorothy Nace to Mrs. John K. Orndorff, Pittsburgh, PA. Thanks her for offer of music, which P.M. can use except for piano teaching material; lists titles of music played at P.M.’s Easter.

December 17, 1947 [half-page]. H.R.S. Benjamin to Mrs. John K. Orndorff (Harriet Crutchfield), Sewickley, PA. Thanks her for annual subscription; students’ anticipation of vacation. [028]

January 25, 1956. Harriet Orndorff, Sewickley, PA, to “Burton” (Rogers). Sends check for Christmas oranges, continuing her father’s custom; appreciates P.M. Christmas card and Mary (Roger)‘s drawings. [029]

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GALLERY: Harriet Crutchfield Correspondence After PMSS 1931-1956
(crutchfield_h__011 to 029)

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TRANSCRIPTIONS: Harriet Crutchfield Correspondence After PMSS 1931-1956

Crutchfield_h__011.jpg [Handwritten letter.]

[Header] BEAVER ROAD
GLEN OSBORNE
SEWICKLEY, PA.

Jan. 8, 1931

Dear Mr. [Hubert] Hadley,

I am much ashamed of my delay about the radio. I wrote to my cousin at the Orphanage as soon as I returned from Pine Mountain, but did not get a reply until I was in the midst of the Christmas rush. And this is the first moment I have found for business since then.

The Orphanage is delighted…

crutchfield_h__011a.jpg 

…with the prospect of owning the radio. So will you please have it well-packed and sent by freight to

Mrs. Mary Hoffman
℅ Presbyterian Orphanage
Anchorage
Kentucky

If possible, I should like to have the bill sent to me, but if not feasible I will understand that you send it C.O.D. and I will arrange the matter with Mrs. Hoffman.

crutchfield_h__011b.jpg 

2.

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit at the school this fall. It was so nice to see you and Mrs. Hadley and the two little girls again and to have a couple of visits with you in your house.

Tell Mrs. Hadley the memory of that good cake she made still lingers in my memory and tickles my palate.

With best wishes to you and your family.

Sincerely,

Harriet Crutchfield

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crutchfield_h__012.jpg [Carbon copy of typewritten letter.]

January 22, 1931

My dear Miss Crutchfield:

Your letter was received too late for us to get the radio packed and away last week. However, it is well-packed and is going forward today by way of log train and then by prepaid express to Mary Hoffman, In care of the Presbyterian Orphanage, Anchorage, Kentucky. I know the people at Anchorage will be delighted to have so valuable a set and it is easy to believe that continued enjoyment can only be the result from it. I know you thoroughly understand that while it was a case of keen disappointment to Pine Mountain to be unable to use your gift, we were acting in the best interest of everyone when we felt it necessary to tell you that the expense of making the change would be so great that it seemed futile to attempt it.

It is useless for me to say that all of Pine Mountain enjoyed your recent visit and this was especially true for me and my family. We hope that you may be able to come again before long.

Sincerely yours,

[Unsigned office copy. Initials indicate Hubert Hadley.]

Miss Harriet Crutchfield
Beaver Road
Sewickley, Pennsylvania
HH: RC

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crutchfield_h__013.jpg [Carbon copy of typewritten letter.]

February 9, 1931

My dear Miss Crutchfield:

I am glad to have your set of by-laws for the handling of your father’s gift to the class of 1930, and I have turned them over to Cleo since Willie is no longer here. I think the money has been given to the Red Cross, but Cleo has probably already written you exactly what disposition has been made of the fund.

The expressage on the radio was $2.20 — since you want to know. Our radios here give much pleasure. I am sure this one will bring joy to Anchorage, too.

Sincerely yours,

[Unsigned office copy. Initials indicate Hubert Hadley.]

Miss Harriet Crutchfield
Beaver Road
Sewickley, Pennsylvania
HH: RC

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crutchfield_h__014.jpg [Handwritten letter.]

[Header] BEAVER ROAD
GLEN OSBORNE
SEWICKLEY, PA.

Feb. 23, 1931

Dear Mr. Hadley,

Please excuse the uneven writing, as I am trying to catch up with my correspondence on the train. Thanks so much for taking care of the radio for me. They wrote that it arrived at Anchorage in fine shape and was producing a lovely concert half an hour later.

Sincerely,

Harriet Crutchfield

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crutchfield_h__015.jpg [Carbon copy of typewritten letter.]

March 3, 1931

My dear Miss Crutchfield:

I admire a person who tries to write letters on a train! Thank you for yours and for the check which accompanied it which I have turned over to Miss Conn.

I wish you were here right now to enjoy our beginnings of spring, the first crocuses which always seem brighter and more unbelievable than any later flowers, and the snowdrops and the jonquils in tight bud — for those down by Old Log are! But there is enough of a freeze by night to make the sugar run in the sugar maples — as some of the workers who went up to the Creeches the other night can testify. Henry told a tale of how John Begley, sent to the store to buy something, was tempted by the sight of sugar cakes instead and bought five. Realizing the danger of having the goods upon him on his arrival at home, he tried to eat them all and managed four — but when he started the fifth he had to lie on the ground and recover from a world of “speckled calico”!

Sincerely yours,

[Unsigned office copy. Initials indicate Hubert Hadley.]

Miss Harriet Crutchfield
Beaver Road
Sewickley, Pennsylvania
HH: RC

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crutchfield_h__016.jpg [Handwritten letter.]

[Header] MISS HARRIET CRUTCHFIELD
31 HUBUGIAI
NANKING
CHINA

June 7, 1935

Dear Mr. [Glyn] Morris,

Although I never acknowledge receipt of the news sheets, letters, et cetera, that come all the way from Pine Mt. out to Nanking, I read them all with great interest.

It seems to me that the School is very wise in stressing vocation training and better methods of living rather than “book larning.”

crutchfield_h__016a.jpg 

Congratulations on the progress you have made.

With best wishes to you and any workers or students whom I knew back in 1928-1930 who may still be with you,

Sincerely,

Harriet Crutchfield

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crutchfield_h__017.jpg [Typewritten letter.]

American Embassy,
Peiping, China,
December 20, 1938.

Dear Mr. Morris:

I am enclosing a small contribution to Pine Mountain School. I am sorry it has to be smaller than last year but perhaps I will be able to send another check before a whole year goes by.

I have an album of Pine Mountain photographs and it has occurred to me that it would be awfully nice to have the album covered with a piece of homespun. If, by chance, there are a few small pieces in the Pine Mountain weaving room, I would be ever so pleased to have one of them. The piece would have to be at least 9 x 12 inches — of course, it would not matter if it were larger. It would make no difference what color the piece is but if there is a choice between a large and a small pattern, I believe the small one would be better. Of course, I expect to pay for the piece and the postage to send it out here.

My sister Grace wrote about having a delightful visit at Pine Mountain this year. I certainly envied her. Just now with the Christmas plays and festivities, the school is particularly fascinating, and I should love to be in on the celebrations.

With best wishes to you and Mrs. Morris and the School,
Sincerely,

[Signed] Harriet Crutchfield.

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crutchfield_h__018.jpg [Carbon copy of typewritten letter.]

January 19, 1939

Miss Harriet Crutchfield
American Embassy
Peiping, China

Dear Miss Crutchfield:

Thank you for your kind letter of December 20th and your good gift of twenty-five dollars for Pine Mountain. It is most generous of you to remember us again. Yesterday when a group of students came to the Office I was glad to tell them that some one in China was thinking about them and had sent us a gift to help to carry on the work of the School.

Our minds are often turned to China these days and we are hoping eagerly for the time when all the trouble there has been settled.

Under separate cover, I am mailing you by parcel post a piece of weaving which we think will make a suitable cover for your album. I am sorry that it is somewhat larger than the piece you wanted but it is all we have available at the present time. The price is $1.50.

I am enclosing in this letter several photographs which you may like to add to your album. Although you do not know these young people the subjects of the pictures will make up for that. I am also sending, under separate cover, a copy of the rotogravure section of a recent edition of the Courier-Journal, inside of which you will find some more pictures of Pine Mountain. One or two of them I like especially; the one of the little girl in the Chapel and the picture of the boy behind the plow.

Write to us again when you have time.

Sincerely yours,

[Unsigned office copy.]

Dictated by Mr. Morris but signed during his absence.

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crutchfield_h__019.jpg [Typewritten letter.]

Peiping, Aug. 23, 1939.

[Handwritten notation under an image of a horse and buggy, upper left; “A Peking cart.”]

Dear Mr. Morris:

Your letter of January 19 has been waiting many months for acknowledgment and I am all the more ashamed of the delay because I have owed the School $1.50 all this time. I am herewith sending you a check for $26.50 — $25 as my contribution for this year, and $1.50 to pay my bill. The piece of black and yellow homespun is lovely and I am greatly pleased with it. I can’t bear to cut into it for the album cover so up to the present have simply been hoarding it.

I was delighted to get the photographs and to see how natural everything about the School looked. The new Industrial Arts Building is a beauty, reminding me quite a lot of the girls industrial building. It was good to see that the dancing is still carried on with zest. I read all the publicity about the School…

crutchfield_h__019a.jpg 

…with the greatest interest and am especially glad to observe the excellent health program for the whole community.

China is a sad, war-torn country these days with no quick solution of her many problems in sight, but as I see the daily headlines in the papers it seems there is scarcely a spot on this earth that is not suffering from war or the threat of war. The high hopes for world peace of ten and fifteen years ago seem almost incredible now.

I am expecting my sister Kitty to come to Peiping in a few weeks and after a visit here of a couple of months, she and I plan to return to the United States via Suez. I should love to visit Pine Mountain when I am home and will keep the idea in mind though I am not over hopeful since I am taking so much time en route.

With my best wishes always,
Sincerely,

[Signed] Harriet Crutchfield
2

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crutchfield_h__020.jpg [Carbon copy of typewritten letter.]

October 11, 1939

Miss Harriet Crutchfield
Peiping
China

Dear Miss Crutchfield:

I want to thank you for your check for $26.50 which included payment for homespun and your gift of twenty-five dollars. I am grateful for the gift and glad too that your interest in Pine Mountain is as lively as ever.

In a few days, you will be getting another issue of the Pine Mountain Notes so I need not tell you in this letter what you will find in the Notes. Under separate cover, I am sending you a copy of the Findings of the [Youth Guidance] Institute held here last summer. I hope you will have time to read these carefully because the Institute did mean a good deal for Harlan County. As I go about now to some of the schools I find that the teachers are doing things that they learned at the Institute and several have added that they learned more at the Institute than they did at teacher’s training college.

I do hope that you can come to Pine Mountain when you come to America. It has changed somewhat since you were here but not very much. We found so many things there were valuable here that there could not be much change. We are, however, able to do more work in the community I believe because transportation is easier and many of our students doing their bit. Try to come and we can have an assembly program or you can speak in chapel some Sunday morning and tell about your experiences in China. You could make a real contribution to Pine Mountain.

crutchfield_h__020a.jpg 

-2-

Miss Crutchfield
October 11, 1939

With every good wish, I remain
Cordially yours,

[Unsigned office copy.]

P.S. I have just noticed the date on your letter and Fern Hall, who is the secretary now and who is related to the Ritchie girls over at Viper, says that maybe you are in America by this time.

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crutchfield_h__021.jpg  [MISSING IMAGE?]  

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crutchfield_h__022.jpg [Handwritten letter.]

Sewickley, Pa.
Dec. 23, 1945

Dear Mr. [H.R.S.] Benjamin:

The enclosed check is half for the Creech Memorial Fund and half as my annual subscription to the School.

I will write you soon about the lovely table that arrived safely some time ago.

With best wishes for the New Year,
Sincerely,

Harriet Crutchfield Orndorff

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crutchfield_h__023.jpg [Handwritten letter.]

January 13, 1946

Dear Mr. [H.R.S.] Benjamin,

My husband and I are perfectly delighted with the beautiful walnut table the Pine Mountain School sent us for a wedding gift. We were deeply touched that you all should want to do such a lovely thing for us and I can assure you that the table is one of our most cherished possessions. Of course, the fact that some of the students made it adds greatly to its value and our appreciation. In addition…

crutchfield_h__023a.jpg 

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…to its attractive appearance, the table is a most useful piece of furniture and we are already using it to great advantage.

My two years at Pine Mountain were among the happiest in my life time and I shall always think of the School as one of my homes. I am looking forward to showing the place off to Mr. Orndorff some time but I really wish we could live there for a while so that he could learn to know the School’s many lovely traditions, its songs and its dances, its varying beauty from season to season, and above all the fine mountain people and the spirit that pervades the School.

Will you please convey to the…

crutchfield_h__023b.jpg [Carbon copy of typewritten letter.]

-3-

January 17, 1946

…whole School, students and staff members alike, our most sincere thanks for the beautiful table and their gracious remembrance of us.

Cordially,

Harriet Crutchfield Orndorff
January 13, 1946

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crutchfield_h__024.jpg [Carbon copy of typewritten letter.]

January 17, 1946

Mrs. John K. Orndorff
Sewickley
Pennsylvania

Dear Mrs. Orndorff:

We are grateful indeed for the fifty dollars which you sent — twenty-five for your annual gift and twenty-five for the Creech Memorial Fund. We have also your gracious letter about the table and are pleased that it delights you so much. I think the boys do turn out some very lovely things.

I enclose also the receipt for your father’s check for his Christmas mailing. As yet I do not think any of these people have been heard from, but in Miss [Alice] Cobb’s absence, Miss [Dorothy] Nace will keep watch on this and let you know the results. I think it was splendid publicity for the school and we appreciate it very much.

Very sincerely yours,

H.R.S. Benjamin

P.S. Mr. P.H. Whaley has sent his gift of ten dollars, I find. DAN

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crutchfield_h__025.jpg [Carbon copy of typewritten letter.]

February 23, 1946

Mrs. John K. Orndorff
Sewickley
Pennsylvania

Dear Mrs. Orndorff:

The copy of One Man’s Cravin’ which I sent to Mr. and Mrs. E. O. Ramsay, … West Summit Street, Lakewood, New York, has been returned to us. It is marked ‘removed.’ If you have a more recent address I will be glad to re-mail it with a note of explanation.

It is trying very hard to be spring. Saturday was one of those mild ‘bright blue’ days which make it very hard to remember the month. We hiked up to the Creeches’ Sugar Camp. This is the first time in several years that it has been used. There’s so much work involved and help is scarce. Now that Charles is home for a while (until he goes to medical school) he decided he wanted syrup this year so he worked very hard getting things in repair and has boiled the sap several times.

Crocuses and snowdrops have been blooming for several weeks and we are looking forward to the time when the woods behind the chapel will be carpeted with spring flowers.

Very sincerely yours,

Dorothy Nace

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crutchfield_h__026.jpg [Typewritten letter.]

21st & Smallman Streets
Pittsburgh 22, Penna.

March 22, 1946

Mr. H.R.S. Benjamin, Director
Pine Mountain Settlement School
Pine Mountain, Kentucky

Dear Mr. Benjamin:

The organist in the Sewickley Presbyterian Church is a good friend of the Crutchfields and therefore knows of our family interest in the Pine Mountain School. A few days ago he told me that he was going over the music at the church and his own music and that he found he had lots of music he would gladly give away, and he wondered whether Pine Mountain could use it. He has a quantity of piano teaching material from that for use with beginners on up; also organ music, and lots of music for a quartet (our Church used to have a quartet, but now has a choir of some twenty-five voices).

Will you please let me know if the School would be interested in receiving the above music so that I can pass the word along to Mr. Johnson?

With kindest regards,

Sincerely,

[Signed] Harriet C. Orndorff.
(Mrs. John K. Orndorff)

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crutchfield_h__027.jpg [Carbon copy of typewritten letter.]

March 26, 1946

Mrs. John K. Orndorff
21st and Smallman Streets
Pittsburgh 22, Pennsylvania

Dear Mrs. Orndorff:

Thank you so much for your offer of music. I think we can use all of it except the piano teaching material. We don’t do any piano teaching here any more. I am sure we are very grateful to Mr. Johnson for this.

Our Easter music is quite thrilling this year. We are doing Dubois’s Seven Last Words on Good Friday and the Halleluiah Chorus and And the Glory of the Lord on Easter.

Sincerely,

Dorothy Nace

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crutchfield_h__028.jpg [Carbon copy of typewritten letter.]

December 17, 1947

Mrs. John K. Orndorff
Backbone Road
Sewickley, Pennsylvania

Dear Mrs. Orndorff:

We were very happy to receive your annual subscription of fifty dollars and wish to apologize for our delay in acknowledging it. The Christmas season finds our office understaffed.

You no doubt remember the tenseness and expectancy that fills the air, with vacation less than two days off. I am sure some of the freshmen could tell you the exact number of hours and minutes until they depart for home. Even though they are so eager to go, they usually come back with a renewed spirit for their work and studies.

Best wishes for a happy holiday.

Very sincerely,

H.R.S. Benjamin
HRSB*mh

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crutchfield_h__029.jpg [Typewritten letter.]

Sewickley, January 24, 1956

Dear Burton [Rogers]:

I am working my way out of the accumulation of Christmas mail and send along the enclosed check for the Christmas oranges. It gives John and me great pleasure to continue Father’s custom and I’m happy that you so thoroughly approve and appreciate the give.

The Pine Mountain Christmas card was lovely, as always. Mary’s [Mary Rogers’] drawing is beautiful and appealing, giving the feeling of wind on the mountains and great simplicity. And the tune and text of the carol I love — both new to me.

Somehow or other we seemed to miss out on your family news but we trust all goes well with you as well as the School.

Sincerely,

[Signed] Harriet Orndorff

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See Also:

HARRIET CRUTCHFIELD Staff for her full biography.

HARRIET CRUTCHFIELD Correspondence After PMSS 1931-1956

HARRIET CRUTCHFIELD Journal Guide 1928 for summaries of her 1928 correspondence.

HARRIET CRUTCHFIELD Journal Guide 1929 for summaries of her 1929 correspondence.

HARRIET CRUTCHFIELD PMSS Application 1928

For IMAGES of her correspondence while at PMSS, see:

HARRIET CRUTCHFIELD Journal Part 1 (001-046) Sept 1928

HARRIET CRUTCHFIELD Journal Part 2 (047-100) Sept-Nov 1928

HARRIET CRUTCHFIELD Journal Part 3 (101-152) Nov 1928-Apr 1929

HARRIET CRUTCHFIELD Journal Part 4 (153-207) May-Dec 1929

For TRANSCRIPTIONS of her correspondence while at PMSS, see:

HARRIET CRUTCHFIELD Journal Transcribed Part 1

HARRIET CRUTCHFIELD Journal Transcribed Part 2

HARRIET CRUTCHFIELD Journal Transcribed Part 3

HARRIET CRUTCHFIELD Journal Transcribed Part 4

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