JOSEPHINE M. MERRILL Correspondence II

Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 09: BIOGRAPHY – Staff
Josephine M. Merrill, Community Worker & Teacher, 1931-1954
JOSEPHINE M. MERRILL Correspondence II, 1934-1938

Group of girls at Far House with view of Chapel in background, 1930s-40s. [ii_chapel_0351d]

TAGS: Josephine M. Merrill correspondence, Pine Mountain Settlement School, Harlan County KY, teachers, New Hampshire, Barbara Merrill Bartlett, community residents, Big Laurel Medical Settlement, recognition for student achievements, PMSS staff, Line Fork Settlement

JOSEPHINE M. MERRILL Correspondence II, 1934-1938

Community Worker at Medical Settlement Big Laurel, 1931-1935
and at Line Fork Settlement, June-July 1937

Teacher at PMSS, 1934-1949

[Note: Letters from PMSS staff in the PMSS Collections are carbon copies, typewritten, unsigned, and meant for the Office files. The original signed documents were sent to the correspondents. Letters from Josephine Merrill are typewritten originals unless specified otherwise.]

1934: Summer In New Hampshire

027 July 20, 1934. To Morris from Merrill in Keene, NH, telling of a Doylestown, PA, school that is offering PMSS their used textbooks. Merrill writes that “the schools at Big Laurel and Little Laurel could do a great deal better work if they had more books.”

028 July 24, 1934. To Merrill from [unsigned, apparently Morris], thanking her for her July 20th letter and explaining that “the state of Kentucky is furnishing free textbooks for the first three grades….”

029 August 4, 1934. To Merrill from [unsigned, apparently Morris], reporting that school begins on Sunday, August 26, with old students returning the day before and new students on Sunday. Workers should arrive on Wednesday, August 22.

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030 December 28, 1934. Postcard to Morris from “J.M. Merrill,” Thorsby, AL, informing him that she and Mrs. Bartlett [her sister] will arrive in Harlan on January 1.
030a [Datestamp: “December 29, Thorsby, ALA”] Address side of postcard to “Rev. J.A. Morris, Pine Mountain, KY”

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1935: Summer in New Hampshire

031 May 26, 1935. Postcard to Miss [Alice] Cobb, from Josephine Merrill in Keene, NH, informing Cobb that two boxes of school material will arrive by freight to Putney from her friend. Merrill hopes the contents will be of use to Miss Thomas next year.

032 June 1, 1935. To Merrill in Keene, NH, from [unsigned; Notation “Alice Cobb”], acknowledging the receipt of the donated books and describing the way they will be used at PMSS. She tells of her work “charting all the families in our area” and the places she visited. “…[M]y little namesake Alice Lexine Boggs died of pneumonia. Alicie Boggs has a baby boy….” She wishes Merrill a “nice vacation.”

At Big Laurel

033 August 10, 1935. To Morris from Merrill at Big Laurel [Medical Settlement], sending her plans to visit friends the week of August 19-24, then “spend a few days at Pine Mountain before I go.” She asks for help with transportation; mentions Mr. Brewer.

034 August 13, 1935. To Merrill from [unsigned], who will be visiting Big Laurel this week.

1936 Summer in New Hampshire

035-035a July 14, 1936. Two-page letter to Cobb from Merrill in Newport, NH. [035] At Morris’s request, Merrill reminds Cobb to bring up for discussion at the summer discussion group a suggestion that Merrill made at their meeting in May. Merrill suggests that “a regular method of recognition” for achievement should be established for students other than the usual few, those who had made “special accomplishments.” Merrill then provides examples. [035a] “Barbara [Josephine’s sister] is…attending a library school in the northern part of the state….”

036 July 20, 1936. To Merrill from [unsigned. Notation: “Alice Cobb”]. No report has been sent to the committee yet, although they have considered her suggestion. She asks Merrill for her opinion on the qualifications of Miss Sarah Sample who is interested in working at the Medical Settlement.

You know so well the sort of person who is needed — someone like yourself, sympathetic and yet firm, with lots of tact and patience and good judgment, and someone people will love.

Cobb mentions “Barby and Jim [Faulkner], Miss Edith [Cold], Miss Bertha [Cold], Mellie Huff.

037 August 6, 1936. To Merrill from Morris, asking for her arrival date.

038 August 7, 1936. To Merrill from [unsigned], stating the day that Merrill should arrive.

039 August 8, 1936. To Merrill from [unsigned]. There has been no time to get to her suggestion concerning, “Public Recognition of Achievement,” but an informal discussion of it with Mr. [Arthur W.] Dodd is planned. The writer lists the projects that have made this summer the busiest ever at PMSS. “Miss Jessie Munger, who has given us the chapel as a memorial to her aunt, Miss Charlotte F. Hedges, has given us a pipe organ for the chapel.”

040 August 16 and August 21, 1936. Two typewritten notes to Morris from Merrill describing her travel plans to PMSS.

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041 Two notes. (1) December 18, 1936. To Merrill from [unsigned, apparently Morris], asking if she would stay at Laurel House during the holidays. (2) N.D., likely 1937. Handwritten note [possibly written by Morris] concerning arrangements for Merrill and Cold to live at Line Fork [Settlement] and their salaries.

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1937: At Line Fork

042 May 15, 1937. A memorandum to Merrill on PMSS letterhead from “G.A.M.” [Morris].

Miss Merrill is to live at Line Fork from June 1st to July 30th if necessary. I am [aim?] to try to secure someone to live there before that time if possible. School is to supply feed for horse and pay for any maid service necessary. Miss Merrill is to receive $60.00 per month.

043 June 22, 1937. To Mr. and Mrs. Morris from Merrill at The Cabin [at Line Fork], Gilley, [Letcher County], KY. Miss Cold leaves Line Fork in a week; visited Mrs. Wright and the Halls on Bear Branch. Mentions Velma Wright.

It has been interesting and enjoyable to be here. When I think of the next person to come into this work, it seems to me that it will be a fortunate man who falls heir to this opportunity and to this lovely home, ready and waiting for him. There is a sort of prosperity here that is lacking at Big Laurel.

044 July 7, 1937. To Morris from Merrill, asking if any decision has been made regarding Line Fork. “…. I am wanting to be through here as soon as possible, though my stay has been pleasant and profitable.” Mentions Swallow, the Stapletons; describes the current supply of food for the horse and stove wood.

045 July 10, 1937. To Merrill from [unsigned, likely Morris], who assures her someone will relieve her in three or four days. Mentions Swallow.

Summer In New Hampshire After Line Fork

046 July 17, 1937. To Merrill in Newport, NH, from Morris, enclosing a check for expenses; thanking her for her “kindness of taking over this work at Line Fork and making it possible for us to be relieved of any care there during our vacation.” He has made arrangements for her to stay at Far House with the younger boys. Tells of changes at PMSS involving the Burdines, the Angels, Mrs. Powell, and Maude. Morris updates her on the plans for the institute, mentioning Mr. [James A.] Cawood. He hopes to see Merrill at PMSS on August 24th.

047 July 24, 1937. To Morris from Merrill, thanking him for the check and memorandum for next year. She asks Morris if her plans to help Ruth Ann are acceptable.

048 July 29, 1937. To Merrill from [unsigned, likely Morris], who asked Mr. Dodd to write Merrill about her teaching for next year. He is sending a check from the Stapletons for Ruth Ann, to be administered by Merrill. “I think it is very kind of you to do this.”

049 August 7, 1937. To Merrill from [unsigned, likely Morris], telling her that John Howard Young of Soo Nipi Park, NH, offered to pick up any workers on his way to PMSS.

050 August 18, 1937. To Morris from Merrill, reporting her plans to return to Pine Mountain with Mr. Young, arriving on Tuesday.

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051 Three items: (1) N.D. Merrill’s list of professional reading. (2) December 21, 1937. A doctor’s health evaluation for Merrill with a description of her injured right hand. (3) A brief typewritten note: “Tuberculosis test at Pine Mountain in Dec.”

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1938: During the Summer in New Hampshire

052 July 6, 1938. To Merrill, c/o Mrs. Barbara Bartlett, Newport, NH, from [unsigned, apparently Morris], who received a watch that may be hers. He wishes her a pleasant vacation.

053 July 11, 1938. To Morris from Merrill, thanking him for news about her watch and asking him to send it to her. She is planning for the class she will be teaching next year.

054-055 July 22, 1938. Two-page letter to Merrill from [unsigned, apparently Morris], [054] who is sending Merrill books (and suggesting others) that will help plan her course next year. [055] Morris advises on how to prepare for teaching Bible classes.

056 July 29, 1938. To Morris from Merrill, describing her preparations for teaching Bible classes, including finding material other than the Bible and a work-book for student use.

057 August 1, 1938. To Merrill from [unsigned, apparently Morris], suggesting that she could make her own work-book and have it mimeographed for distribution to students. He cites [Everett] Wilson’s text book on civics as an example of a “home-made work-book.”

058 DUPLICATE IMAGE OF [057]

059 August 13, 1938. To Merrill from [unsigned, apparently Morris], who tells of the upcoming and surprising marriage of Georgia [Ayers] and [Arthur W.] Dodd at PMSS and that of Mr. Wilson, who will live in Pole House. Describes efforts to find living quarters for the Dodds and resultant changes for Merrill.

060 August 16, 1938. To Morris from Merrill, giving her thoughts on where she will reside at PMSS during the school year. She asks about return dates.

061 August 19, 1938. To Merrill from [unsigned, apparently Morris], assuring her of the room arrangements she requested and providing the return date as September 7.

062 August 22, 1938. To Merrill from [unsigned, apparently Morris], announcing a series of informal conferences to be held at PMSS on September 8th and 9th, so workers are expected back by September 7.

063 N.D. To Morris from Merrill, who has “decided not to be a Pine Mountain during the vacation” and asks whether her room will be occupied then. [Handwritten note: “Nobody is to occupy Miss Merrill’s room….”]

064 August 27, 1938. To Morris from Merrill, giving her travel and arrival plans.

Appreciation from Morris

065 November 29, 1938. To Merrill from [unsigned, apparently Morris]:

I have been reminded on several occasions recently of how much I rely on your wisdom and good judgment in helping to solve some of our problems here. It is good to know that you are on the staff and I want you to know that both Gladys and I are grateful that you are with us.

066 November 20, 1938. To Morris from Merrill on PMSS letterhead, thanking him for his “kind note…. I sometimes have a feeling of sympathy with you for having to work with people who are capable of such stupidities as some of us do commit, — ‘of whom I am chief.’”