Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 09: Biography – Staff/Personnel

EMILY STORER CORRESPONDENCE, 1919 – 1927

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TAGS: Emily Storer Correspondence, community workers, Big Laurel Medical Settlement, job application letters, Ethel de Long Zande, train travel, donations, Playhouse fire, community, influenza, rheumatic fever

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Miss Storer was a community worker at the Big Laurel Medical Settlement from 1919 to 1921.

EMILY STORER CORRESPONDENCE provides a listing of the contents and images of the correspondence. The 1919 letters concern her application to work at Pine Mountain Settlement School. The letters dated 1925 through 1927 are mostly between Storer and Ethel de Long Zande after Storer’s time at Pine Mountain.

The back-and-forth of the application letters provides a good window on the many accommodations that were negotiated by Pine Mountain and applicants for PMSS positions. The letters from Ethel de Long Zande to Emily Storer often describe the concerns and daily activities at the School and in the community.

Emily Storer Correspondence: GALLERY

Emily Storer Correspondence: CONTENTS, 1919

NOTE: The images of Zande’s letters are carbon copies of typewritten letters which are meant for the office files and therefore unsigned. Instead, the typewritten initials at the end of most of the letters have identified the author of the letters. Storer’s letters are handwritten.

Storer_emily_001
October 14, 1919. To Emily Storer at Ferncroft, Waltham, MA, from Ethel de Long Zande.

Zande will be asking the doctor at the medical settlement about hiring Storer; salary not included; need help in office and supervision of children at odd times; received a recommendation letter from Miss McCready.

Storer_emily_002
October 17, 1919. To Storer from Zande.

Medical Settlement does not need additional staff during their first year; recommends others to approach for employment; Helen Dingman at Smith, Harlan Co., and Rose McCord at Wooten, Leslie Co. who are Presbyterian workers developing community centers; May Stone at Hindman Settlement School, Knott Co. (“progenitor of Pine Mountain”).

Storer_emily_003, 003a, 003b, 003c
October 24, 1919. To Zande from Storer.

Storer is writing to Miss Stone about employment; interested in PMSS office job if there is no other option.

Storer_emily_004
October 29, 1919. To Storer from Zande.

Defends Presbyterian Schools as good places for Storer to apply for employment. Miss McCord at Wooten and Miss Dingman at Smith are “doing a new sort of work,” developing community agencies.

Storer_emily_005, 005a, 005b, 005c
November 5, 1919. To Zande from Storer.

Accepts PMSS position; asks about Lucretia Garfield, travel arrangements, such as meeting with school carrier, John Willis and his mule.

Storer_emily_006
November 10, 1919. To Storer from Zande.

Welcomes Storer to PMSS; encloses travel directions; Wilson Lewis is School’s carrier; Storer will help in the office and with children; Lucretia Garfield is at PMSS; Constance Sheltman will be the new bookkeeper.

Storer_emily_007, 007a
November 11, 1919. To Zande from Storer

Updates her travel arrangements; wrote to Wilson Lewis.

Emily Storer Correspondence: CONTENTS, 1925-1927

Storer_emily_008
April 16, 1925. To Storer from Zande.
Received Mr. Frank Storer’s check; influenza epidemic; Dorothy Bolles begins her country dancing classes; Aunt Sal Creech died; Mrs. Peabody will be going to Big Laurel; over 200 responses to annual (Dear Friend) letter.

Storer_emily_009
January 29, 1925. To Storer from [unknown, probably Zande]

Appreciates $10 check; Mrs. Peabody visits; building improvements at Big Laurel due to Dr. Huse; an Industrial Building for girls is under construction; Chapel; Art Boggs and Ran Boggs died; Uncle John Fiddler; Percy MacKaye’s poem in the Yale Review.

Storer_emily_010, 10a
November 16, 1925. To Storer from Zande.

Appreciates the $10, which will go to Playhouse; Dr. Withington and Mrs. Alderman will send Christmas things; mentions Storer’s West Indian cruise plans; news from Big Laurel about Priscilla Boggs, Manilla, Floyd Smith’s shooting of Turner Turner (sic) leaving Reny with 5 daughters to support; Mrs. Creech will help her. Updates about Gilles Turner, Lewis children, Robert Harris, Bertha Turner, and Georgie Harris. Squire Creech bought the Deschamps house & Alberta and William are PMSS students. The Deschamps family are in Nashville where Mr. Deschamps is studying for a college degree and teaching.

Storer_emily_011
[date is truncated]. To Storer from [unknown, probably Zande].

Sale of old clothing at the Medical Settlement was “harmful in many ways” and thus discontinued, so the source of revenue for Playhouse is cut off; asks Storer to raise about $25 for staple groceries. Mr. and Mrs. Warren living and working at Medical Settlement this year; updates concerning community activities, Preacher Fields, playground work, baseball team, a school at mouth of Little Laurel.

Storer_emily_012
January 11, 1926. To Storer from [unknown, probably Zande].

Thanks Storer for $10 donation for Big Laurel; Playhouse burned down during vacation, a test of the community’s desire to rebuild; Mr. Warren, who lived there with Mrs. Warren, will help.

Storer_emily_013 DUPLICATE OF storer_emily_009

Storer_emily_014, 014a DUPLICATE OF storer_emily_010, 10a

Storer_emily_015 DUPLICATE OF storer_emily_011

Storer_emily_016 DUPLICATE OF storer_emily_012

Storer_emily_017
February 22, 1926. To Storer at Wardman Park Hotel, Washington, DC, from Zande.

Welcomes Storer to PMSS; sent travel directions; will rebuild Playhouse; Updates about Aunt Judy, Uncle John Fiddler, Aunt Leah (died), Nancy (laundry worker). Winnie Christensen is the new housemother at Far House.

Storer_emily_018, 018a, 018b
March 16, [1926]. To Zande from Storer.

Plans to visit PMSS about April 20th; hopes to see the Chapel, school’s improvements, Winnie Christensen and Evelyn Wells.

Storer_emily_019, 019a (019b is MISSING)
April 29, [1926]. To Zande from Storer in Morristown, TN.

Describes travel home via Asheville; suggestions for rebuilding Playhouse; appreciates her PMSS visit.

“I had almost forgotten how much I loved it all and the people. Everything is so genuine and true and the loyalty and devotion and ruggest strength of those people just makes one’s heart glad. It certainly is thrilling to see the changes for better in their lives and homes (apart from the horrible railroad side of it). It makes everything about Pine Mt. seem so wonderfully worthwhile and real.”

Emily Storer, in a letter to Ethel de Long Zande, April 29, 1926.

Storer_emily_020
May 10, 1926. To Storer from Zande.

Appreciates Storer’s recent visit; updates on rebuilding Playhouse; need money.

Storer_emily_021
May 25, 1926. To Storer from Zande.

Thanks Storer for two checks for rebuilding the Playhouse; need money for Mrs. Warren’s salary; mentions Storer’s plans for travel to Norway and Switzerland; Sallie Harris is gardening; tide week ruined John Turner’s garden and smokehouse.

Storer_emily_022, 022a, 022b, 022c
October 14, n.d. To Zande from Storer. 

Has returned from a two-week trip; asks about PMSS. Mentions news about Ella Jane Cornett, “another young widow”; Warrens leaving PMSS; offers to give something to the Community House; sending Swiss-colored prints of flowers and mountains. Bunny Thorp is visiting and they are going over PMSS memorabilia; will send copies of photos of her PMSS visit, all family groups.

Storer_emily_22b-1 DUPLICATE OF 22b

Storer_emily_023
October 23, 1926. To Storer from Evelyn K. Wells.

Listed items that Storer could donate to the Community House; Miss Sallie Belle Whitis replaced Mrs. Warren.

Storer_emily_024
November 19, 1926. To Storer from Zande.

The name of Lucretia’s baby was changed from Harry to John; mentions Elena.

Storer_emily_025
December 13, 1926. To Storer from Zande.

Thanks Storer for pictures; Victrola has arrived; Henry Creech, Columbus and Squire Creech are in charge of “that camp”; Henry spoke warmly about the group, mostly from Tennessee.

Storer_emily_026
January 24, 1927. To Storer at Wardman Park Hotel, Washington, DC, from Zande.

Thanks Storer for annual subscription; mentions Nicaraguan trouble, Bishop Lawrence’s story about Secretary Crane and President Roosevelt.

Storer_emily_027, 027a
March 1, 1927. To Storer at Wardman Park Hotel, Washington, DC, from Zande.

Appreciates Christmas package from Storer, including cap for Elena, scarf for Ethel and “Winnie the Pooh.” Mentions spring plantings at the Medical Settlement; Melia Turner’s loss of her son, Luigi; measles; Intermountain Company; Henry, Columbus and Squire Creech at camp; Dr. Withington’s absence; death of Denver Begley of rheumatic fever and birth of Hattie’s baby who was named Denver; Granny Creech; letter from Miss Butler; Dr. Huse.

Storer_emily_028
April 18, 1927. To Storer at Wardman Park Hotel, Washington, DC, from Zande.

Appreciates $25 from Storer’s aunt and $6.66 for sale of Storer’s first picture. Mentions Dr. Withington; sending “our own” domestic science worker to Big Laurel, replacing Miss Whitis; Miss Wells; Dorothy and Polly. 

Storer_emily_029
September 27, 1927. To Storer from [unknown, probably Zande].

Would love to have the Victrola, probably for the schoolhouse. Mentions Bunny’s engagement to Dr. DeBerry; Denver Begley’s funeral, including preachers, Oscar and Granny Creech, Charlie Jackson’s wife, Begley and Turner children. Describes Berto and Elena’s interests.

Storer_emily_030, 030a, 030b, 030c
October 19 [1927]. To Zande from Storer.

Update on sending Victrola via Putney; asked about a PMSS job for her niece; Becky Boggs and John are moving to Everts. “I wonder if many of the families are doing that and if people are finding that they can’t get a living at Big Laurel.” 

Storer_emily_031
November 11, 1927. To Storer from [unknown, probably Zande].

Eager for the Victrola; “Music means more and more to the children, as so many of them are taking piano lessons now, and learning to listen to it intelligently”; checked with Dr. Withington about a job for Storer’s niece; Kay Wright is at PMSS for three months. Updates concerning Big Laurel; young people are drifting back; Dan and Martha Turner are living near Incline.

Storer_emily_032 (title of image is storer_emily_03)
November 29, 1927. To Storer from Zande.

Victrola and records have arrived; Roscoe Miniard killed Charlie Jackson in revenge for reporting his brother, Alec Jackson, to prohibition agents concerning moonshine. Alec Jackson was “the husband of Bertha Lewis, and was postmaster and merchant of Big Laurel, and mail contractor for this route.”

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See EMILY STORER Biography

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