RUTH SMITH CREECH Correspondence

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

RUTH SMITH CREECH Correspondence 1945-1964

Ruth Smith Creech was English Teacher and Office Worker, March 1946 – May 1947;
Substitute Teacher (Elementary Grades) and Volunteer Librarian 1955 – 1957

TAGS: Ruth Creech Correspondence; Dr. Elizabeth Henderson; Ronald Henderson; Margaret Nace; Dorothy Nace; Charles Creech; Delia Creech; Henry Creech; H.R.S. Benjamin; Arthur Dodd; Blue Diamond Coal camp; Swarthmore College; education; Stinnett Mission; Greasy Creek; Pendle Hill; weaving; looms; Maurice Mandelbaum; philosophy; American Critical Realism; Alice Cobb; Louise Fliermans

CONTENTS: RUTH SMITH CREECH Correspondence

Ruth Smith, a student at SSwarthmore College in 1945 came to Pine Mountain and became a member of the Creech family when she married the son of Henry Creech, son of William Creech, and became a member of the founding family of the Pine Mountain Settlement School.

The following collection of letters traces the long association she had with the School.

1945

? (4 pages)

October 19, 1945 Ruth Smith to Dorothy Nace. Smith requests a copy of Pine Mountain publication One Man’s Cravin’ to be sent to her at Swarthmore, PA. Discusses the Co-op program at Pine Mountain Settlement.

[no date] Ruth Smith to Dorothy Nace. Ruth comments on the completion of building at Stinnett, a mission school not far from Pine Mountain Settlement. She notes that Charles Creech is at Pendle Hill waiting for order to go to France to join the War effort. Mentions “Prill” a classmate from Swarthmore who will return to classes with her to finish last year.

December 4, 1945 Dorothy Nace to Ruth Smith inquiring for Director H.R.S. Benjamin about Ruth’s plans to come to Pine Mountain following her graduation in December from Swarthmore. She notes that there is no full-time position but that Benjamin suggests several part-time positions that he believes she could fill and that if her work is satisfactory then Pine Mountain would consider her for a full-time position the next (school) year.

December 9, 1945 Ruth Smith to Dorothy Nace. Ruth indicates she is still “…very much interested in Pine Mountain and would like to know more about the possibilities …” She indicates that her graduation date is not December, but 24th of February and her earliest start date would be March. She balks at the idea of staying at PMSS as Benjamin suggests for 3-4 years and says, “…that is half my life.” She discusses the idea of “isolation” from her “youthfully incorrect” perspective of inexperience and argues for gaining more experience. She suggests leaving at end of June and working for AFSC [American Friends Service Committee] and then making her decision about coming to Pine Mountain. She offers several alternatives but no commitment longer than a year and a clear understanding of position and financals.

December 14, 1945 H.R.S. Benjamin to Ruth Smith. Benjamin says that a 3-4 commitment is not necessary and offers her an appointment for 3 months until the end of June offering $40 housing and $50 monthly salary. He indicates that teachers make a little more. He suggests that her 3 months would consist of “roust-about” and “jack–of-all-trades” including work with the School’s Principal as secretary, other clerical help, substitute teaching, and girl’s recreation. Benjamin advises her that the 3 months is not binding but that the School would like to settle on the next year before she departs in the summer.

December 28, 1945. Ruth Smith to H.R.S. Benjamin, Director. Ruth accepts the Director’s offer and says she is looking forward to coming.

1946

January 7, 1946. Dorothy Nace (Secretary) to Ruth Smith. Says PMSS is pleased that she accepted the conditions for employment at the School. She requests Ruth to fill out an application blank that will also suffice if she intendes to extend her employment.

January 9, 1946. Application Blank for Pine Mountain Settlement School for Ruth I. Smith.

Letters of Recommendation. See Gallery.

Maurice Mandelbaum, Swarthmore
Mrs. William Eagle Swarthmore. “…Ruth had a remarkably high scholastic.”
Olive Goodykoontz AFSC Work Camp, Leslie County “…she would try anything for the experience.”

January 14, 1946. Ruth Smith to Dorothy Nace. Advises Nace that a letter of reference will be forthcoming from her Philosophy professor Maurice Mandelbaum — even before she asked for one. She notes that she is uncertain about her interests but has many that seem well-suited for Pine Mountain. She says that she is pleased that Pine Mountain will take her “… on ‘confession of faith’ rather than for any real skills.”

January 17, 1946. To Members of the Appointments Committee from H.R.S. Benjamin, Director. He indicates the position is temporary but that “…she will make good material for future years and will add youth to the program of this school.”

February 9, 1946. Dorothy Nace to Ruth Smith. Suggests dates for Ruth to meet with Mrs. Barry [wife of former PMSS worker Peter Barry] and with Alice Cobb in Philadelphia.

February 18, 1946. Dorothy Nace to Ruth Smith. Nace provides advice regarding packing for Pine Mountain and travel instructions…. and encouragement. [TRANSCRIBE FULL LETTER HERE]

February 26, 1946. Ruth Smith to Dorothy Nace. Thanks her for packing details and travel plan. She suggests Friday [March] as her arrival date at Pine Mountain.

June 1, 1947. Ruth Smith to Margaret [Nace] and Dorothy Nace. Ruth encloses check from Connie Merrill for PMSS. She departs Harlan by train for New Jersey to visit family. “I met the one and only John Spelman [III] in Harlan. I recognized him at a distance because of the chewing gum. He helped me waste 15 minutes of the time I wished to waste.” She describes vacation, and the departure for her summer AFSC [American Friends Service] Work Camp near Reading, PA. She discusses other part-time work possibilities and the “world of nylons” but plans her return to PMSS.

June 7, 1947. Dorothy Nace to Ruth Smith. Relates events at Pine Mountain in Ruth’s absence. A visit from Virginia Matthias and cousin, a hike up Arches Branch to Hobart Wilder’s place, and then down up Leatherwood to the Blue Diamond coal camp where they boarded the night with Mr. Boyd at his home. The description of the 3 year old Blue Diamond camp is extensive. The walk is again described as down from Blue Diamond to the “… headwaters of Low GapFork of Cutshin to where it flowed into Cutshin. Then we went towqrd the head of the creek and visited Arch Lew2is’ss home. From there we crossed a ridge and were on Rockhouse which flows into Greasy about a mile and a half below Big Laurel.” They also visited on campus with the Huntzickers, Eugene Truner and Reathea and Betty Benbjamin Peckler and her two sons. She describes dinner with Dr. Elizabeth Henderson and her husband Ronald and eating Ronald’s “famous meat pie.”

February 23, 1949, Swarthmore. Ruth Smith to H.R.S. Benjamin, Director. Ruth writes that she would like to re-join the Pine Mountain Settlement School staff again but that she is also applying to teach in the area schools and has asked PMSS staff for references. She comments on the good work Mrs. Fliermans is doing at the School and on the recent mailing of the PMSS Notes.

June 30, 1949. Ruth Smith to Ronald Henderson at Pine Mountain. Ruth thanks Ronald, the husband of Dr. Elizabeth Henderson, for sending Alan Eaton’s Highlands Handicrafts and sends him a check for the cost of the book and postage. She alerts him to a visit of the Quaker Work Camp she is with that will be visiting Pine Mountain the first weekend of August. She asks that there be square dancing available for the group of approximately 20.

March 4, 1964. Burton Rogers to Ruth Smith. Rogers responds to requests for record of Ruth’s teaching experience at Pine Mountain and notes that the record is not clear of teaching dates. He suggests contact with James A. Cawood, Harlan Co. Superintendent of Schools. He also advises that Ruth convey to Delia Creech [now Ruth’s Mother-in-law] that there is still snow on the ground and that travel may be difficult to her home near Pine Mountain.