HISTORY PMSS Summary 1945-1946

Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 01: HISTORIES
 HISTORY PMSS Summary 1945-1946

Margaret Nace

Margaret [Nace] amid the tall corn, Summer, 1946. [nace_1_051a.jpg]


TAGS: History PMSS summary 1945-1946, staff, events, number of students, Creech Birthday Centennial, Thanksgiving, Christmas, buildings and grounds, farm, publicity, visitors, Chapel speakers, trips, one-room schools, trustees


HISTORY PMSS Summary 1945-1946

TRANSCRIPTION: [image 31]

History of the Pine Mountain Settlement School
1945-46

Staff Members:

Stuyvesant (Peter) Barry, Sociology, English
Alice Barry, Seventh-Eighth Grades
Birdena Bishop, Dietician
Abby Christensen, Folk Dancing, Mechanical Drawing
Alice Cobb, Publicity
Edith Cold, English, Library
Ruth Danner, Nurse
Arthur Dodd, Principal, Print Shop
Georgia Dodd, Folk Dancing, Housemother, West Wind
 William Hayes, Farm, Dairy, Poultry
Dr. Elizabeth Henderson, Doctor
Ronald Henderson, Science
Gladys Hill, Co-op Teacher, Store
Helen Kingsbury, Home Economics, Girls Industrial
Dorothy LaRue, Nurse (Part-time)
Glenn LaRue, Woodwork, Plant repairs, Bible
Josephine Merrill, Mathematics, Housemother, Boys House
Dorothy Nace, Office Secretary
Margaret Nace, Bookkeeper
Grace Rood, Nurse, Community Group
Ruth Smith English (March – )
Minerva Sparrow, English, Pine Cone, School House
Edna Spinney, Housemother, Big Log
Drs. Tucker, Summer
Flora Willis, Housemother, Far House
Brit Wilder, Maintenance, Transportation
Rev. and Mrs. Baker, Line Fork
Anna Pishzak, Big Laurel Medical Settlement
H. R. S. Benjamin, Director
Sally Cornett, Laundress
Alice Pennington, Kitchen Assistant
Marsh Browning, Miner
Chester Jackson, Miner
Martin Baker, Nightwatchman
Henry Lewis, Fireman, Farm Assistant

Number of students: Beginning of year: 110 Boarding, 10 Day

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Page 2, 1945-46

Special events: October 28, 1945, Celebration of the Centennial of the Births of Wm. and Sally Creech, Publication of “One Man’s Cravin”. The Creech Memorial Fund to be used eventually for a new hospital was established. By March the fund had reached $3,383.50.

Thanksgiving celebrations included Chapel service, a puppet show “The Spirit of the Hearth” by the freshmen, pictures of India taken by Faye Trail’s brother, and the Thanksgiving Ball, with peasant costumes instead of formal dress.

Traditional Christmas week events.

$344.29 was contributed during Christmas week and a special drive later on for European relief. Of this $100.00 was given to Harlan Charities, $25.00 was sent to the Friends Service Committee with the hope it will reach Mr. [Burton] Rogers to help him in his work in India, and $219.29 was sent to CARE.

February Book Party, and formal George Washington Ball.

Seniors assisted Mrs. Benjamin at the annual Dogwood Breakfast at Zande House for members of the staff, board members and visitors.

Special Easter music by the choir included “The Seven Last Words of Christ,” and the “Hallelujah Chorus” and “The Glory of the Lord” from the “Messiah.”

In May the Co-op class presented three skits emphasizing various phases of the co-op movement. The May Day celebration included Field Day athletic contests.

Buildings and Grounds: The Director was authorized to proceed with the planned, necessary work on West Wind and Draper Buildings, which would cost much more if delayed.

Farm: Being unable to purchase a tractor, the school bought a civilian Jeep to be used for plowing, discing, and as a pleasure car! The building of the farm workshop was decided to be out of the question until building materials were again available. Fencing costing up to $150.00 was approved. It was suggested that the land above Big Log be planted as a memorial to PMSS students who had served in the war. in May, 1946, a new tractor was purchased. During summer the dairy barn floors were cemented. New stanchions were installed, with individual drinking cups for each cow.

Publicity: Mr. Benjamin made winter trips to Chicago and Florida. Miss [Alice] Cobb made a winter trip to the New York area, and joined Mrs. Barry for a Philadelphia area trip.

Miss Cobb’s resignation from full-time work with PMSS was accepted with much regret, and appreciation for the quality of work she had done, in publications and…

TRANSCRIPTION: [image 33]

Page 3, 1945-46

…publicity meetings. She continued her work for 3 months, instead of a full-year commitment.

Visitors: Mr. and Mrs. [Glyn] Morris visited December 14-17. Mr. Morris (former PMSS Director) became Executive Secretary of the Council of Southern Mountain Workers. Former staff member John Howard Young, Richard Chase. Mr. Hartman of the Council of Southern Mountain Workers. Mrs. Rawlins from Brooklyn, NY, who was visiting mountain schools. Jean Fairfax, Wendell Lipscomb, and Lillian Holland, staff members at Tuskegee Institute, visited PMSS and presented an assembly program about their school. 15 students and leaders of Annville Institute were at PMSS overnight. Board members Miss Evelyn Wells, Mr. Van Vleck, Mr. Crutchfield, Mr. Manning, Dr. Seay, Mrs. Hook, and Dr. Bailey. Advisory Council member Mr. Michael Martin.

Chapel Speakers: Dr. Gordon Ross and Dr. Clayton Feaver, Berea College, and Dr. Stewart McClelland, Lincoln Memorial University.

Trips: Group of dancers to the annual Folk Festival at Berea College April 12-13.

Education: PMSS to be included in a survey of the Harlan County Schools by the University of Kentucky. PMSS continued supervision of 5 one-room schools. It was felt impossible for PMSS to accept responsibility for the supervision of all 13 one-room schools on the north side of Pine Mountain.

Trustees: Mrs. Gratz, Mrs. Hook, Mr. Ball, terms to expire in 1947 Mr. Crutchfield, Mr. Manning, Dr. Van Vleck, Dr. Bailey, terms to expire in 1949. Dr. Seay, Miss Wells, terms to expire in 1951. Miss Gertrude Smith is to replace Mrs. Elsmith.

Trustee Committees:

Publicity: Miss Smith, Miss Wells
Appointments: Mr. Crutchfield, Mrs. Gratz, Miss Wells
Education: Dr. Van Vleck
Bldgs. & Grounds: Mrs. Hook


GALLERY: HISTORY PMSS Summary 1945-1946


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