HISTORY PMSS Summary 1977-1978

Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 04: HISTORIES
1937-2000 HISTORY PMSS Summaries

HISTORY PMSS Summary 1977-1978

Tags: History PMSS summary 1977-1978, staff, interns, events, workshops, Amish volunteers, weather, historical preservation, pianos, PMSS philosophy, Environmental Education goals.

TRANSCRIPTION: HISTORY PMSS Summary 1977-1978 [image 103]

History of the Pine Mountain Settlement School
1977-78

Staff Members:

Tom Blodgett, E. E.
Boyd Boggs, Maintenance
Billy Bo Boggs, Maintenance
Mike Cornett, Maintenance
Donnie Boggs, Maintenance
Mae Boggs, Laurel House
Matthew Boggs, Night Watchman
Ruth Boggs, Bookkeeper
Gerry and Hoyd Brown, West Wind
Asbel Browning, Maintenance
Lorraine Browning, Laurel House
Afton Garrison, E. E.
Gary Larson, E. E.
Gary Lewis, Night Watchman
Sandra Lewis, Office Secretary
Sue Lewis, Laurel House
Omer Lewis, Maintenance Supervisor & Farm Manager
Ethel Middleton, Laurel House
James Murray, Maintenance
Pam McKee, E. E.
Steve McKee, E. E. Coordinator
Mary Rogers, Librarian, E. E.
Marlyn Smith, Maintenance
Mildred Wilder, Laurel House
Burton Rogers, Director Emeritus, Correspondence with donors
Alvin Boggs, Director

Traditional Events: Homecoming, Community Fair, Nativity Play, Fall Color Weekend, Wildflower Week-ends

Interns: Jo Ann Blodgett, Laurie Hougan, Gary Lewis

Events:

January term for college students, 28 enrollees; Harlan Co. Poke Sallet Festival, June; Carroll College “Rural-Urban Environmental Interests”, June; Wild Plant Food Seminar, June 9-11; Southeast Community College course at PMSS, June 15 – August 10; Medical Plant Workshop August 8 – 12.

Amish volunteers helped with construction of a coal bin and coal chute. CETA…

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…employees helped with the wiring of the barn.

The April flood and subsequent wet weather resulted in a drastically reduced farm and garden crop. A tornado in early October leveled approximately 50,000 ft. of timber, damaged some of the nature trails, and destroyed fencing.

The Kentucky Historical Preservation Review Board recommended that the Pine Mountain Settlement School be included in the National Register of Historic Places.

A new grand Baldwin piano for the Chapel was presented in memory of Chris Boggs, nephew of Alvin Boggs, who was a member of the Pine Mountain maintenance at the time of his death in 1976. The former chapel piano was moved to Laurel House. The former Laurel House piano was used as a trade in.

Philosophy:

The Board approved the following statement presented by the special committee appointed to study the PMSS philosophy:

“Uncle William Creech wrote eloquently of his hopes for the School and its students:

‘I don’t look after wealth for them. I look for the prosperity of our nation. The question of this world is naught. We are born into it naked and go out naked. The savin’ of the soul is what we should seek. I want all younguns taught to serve the livin’ God. Of course, they won’t all do that, but they can have good and evil laid before them and they can choose which they will. I have heart and cravin’ that our people may grow better. I have deeded my land to the Pine Mountain Settlement School to be used for school purposes as long as the Constitution of the United States stands. Hopin’ it may make a bright and intelligent people after I’m dead and gone.’

“Building on the foundations laid by Uncle William and Miss Katherine Pettit and their successors, it shall be the plan of Pine Mountain Settlement School, Inc., to use its resources (increasing them if possible) for these purposes:

I. To concern itself with the character and quality of human life, seeking for their enhancement; ready to work independently and with others; guided by Christian love for all those with whom it may be in touch.

II. To provide for the youth of the vicinity needed educational programs, supplementing those of the public schools. Such programs may include environmental studies, recreation, vocational matters, moral needs, or special needs. In such activities the cooperation of the Harlan County Board of…

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…Education, Berea College or other institutions will be welcomed.

III. To cooperate with the people of the community in meeting educational, social, economic, recreational, religious, or other needs, for the improvement of the quality of community life.

IV. To initiate, and to cooperate with others in, measures for the preservation of the environment and enhancement of the traditional qualities and characteristics of the mountain people and mountain culture.”

The Board also approved the following statement of purpose of the environmental education program:

“The Trustees of the Pine Mountain Settlement School, realizing the alienation that exists between many modern-day people and their natural environment, believe that the abundant natural resources of the Pine Mountain Settlement School should be put to use in a program of environmental education.

The goals and philosophy of the environmental education program are:

  1. to help visitors come “to see and respect the visible creation which mirrors the glory and the perfection of the invisible God.” (Thomas Merton)
  2. to offer mountain students, young and old, the opportunity to learn from the earth and to understand and appreciate better the rich heritage of our region and their role of responsible stewardship for its future.
  3. to give students from other regions an interpretation of our culture and natural environment through first-hand experiences. These experiences, which give deeper understanding of a person’s own attitudes, also provide a frame of reference with which to compare other environments.
  4. to present environmental education not as a single subject, but as an integral part of all subjects. We hope to help participants learn by involvement and discovery rather than merely hearing and reading.”

GALLERY: HISTORY PMSS Summary 1977-1978

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