DEAR FRIEND Letters 1958

Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 17: PMSS PUBLICATIONS
“Dear Friend” Letters
1958 June and Thanksgiving

DEAR FRIEND Letters 1958

Mary Rogers, drawing. Mountains and fir trees. [rogers_mary_drawing_008.jpg]

DEAR FRIEND Letters 1958 June and Thanksgiving

TAGS: Dear Friend letter 1958, closure of the PMSS hospital, PMSS medical facilities, paved road to Harlan, shortage of PMSS nurses, graduation of PMSS students, shared program with Presbyterian Child Welfare Agency, Pine Mountain School District, public school system, Gerna Campbell, West Wind, community cooperation, Mary Rogers’ sketches

DEAR FRIEND Letters 1958 June and Thanksgiving

CONTENTS: DEAR FRIEND LETTER 1958 June

Burton Rogers, PMSS Director, reports on the trustees’ decision to close the Pine Mountain Hospital and their rationale for its discontinuation, noting that the new 20-mile blacktop road to Harlan allows more rapid access to medical services and the shortage of nurses. He pays homage to the 45 years of service of medical employees and facilities at the School.

PMSS graduated 28 children (14 boys and 14 girls) in a special service in the Chapel arranged and conducted by the graduates themselves.

He describes a plan for a new shared program with the Presbyterian Child Welfare Agency to house and educate a small group of children from the region in the School’s facilities.

“Gratefully,”
[signed] Burton Rogers, Director“

Handwritten notation at bottom of page: “Dear Burton, many good wishes in your splendid work [& for Mary]. Bess.”

GALLERY I

Dear Friend letter from Burton Rogers, 1958 June with handwritten note. [1958JunBurtonRogerstoFriendc2.jpg]

CONTENTS: Dear Friend Letter 1958 Thanksgiving

Page 1 [One-half of folded page]
“PINE MOUNTAIN MEANS COOPERATION”
Sketch: “The Nativity Play”

Page 1a [The other half of folded page]
Sketch: “The Chapel Altar”

“Thanksgiving Day, 1958
PINE MOUNTAIN MEANS COOPERATION. It has always been the desire of Pine Mountain (its founders, the staff, and all who have been related to the undertaking) that the School might be a helper, a stimulator, an initiator, a cooperator with all of the community, and with all who sought the betterment and the enrichment of life in this mountain valley. Following this desire and purpose of helping and assisting, the program has been formed, altered, created anew, redirected, amended and reinforced from time to time. Emergencies have been met. As needs became apparent, programs were undertaken to meet them. With changing times, programs have changed, but the purpose of working with our neighbors for the betterment and enrichment of life has never changed.”

Burton Rogers’ fundraising message, Thanksgiving Day, 1958. [1958ThanksgivingBurtoRogerstoFriendc2.jpg]

Page 2 (Letter)

“Today, more than ever, Pine Mountain means Cooperation —
1. WITH THE COUNTY: On the north side of Pine Mountain there are 506 school children. Of this number, 274 are enrolled in the school with the County maintains in Pine Mountain Settlement school buildings.”

Rogers describes PMSS as a good place for a school, physically and atmospherically. He mentions Uncle William Creech; how the Pine Mountain School District has “enlarged to include all of Harlan County lying north of the mountain.” He gives the number of students in each of the 10 grades.

“One of the theories of our present program is that the public school should rightly carry much of the educational burden in this area, but that Pine Mountain Settlement School can help. … Principal, Mr. Gerna Campbell, a Berea College graduate, is supervisor of the entire public school system on the north side of Pine Mountain, and thus has major responsibilities in addition to the educational program of the school located on our campus.”

“2. WITH THE PRESBYTERIAN CHILD WELFARE AGENCY:” PMSS has accepted 30 mountain children when the Agency needed a place for them to live and go to school. They arrived at the end of the summer and live in West Wind with houseparents and a registered nurse.

“3. WITH THE PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY:” Rogers describes a new blacktop road, KY 221, that runs 10 miles from US 421. Mentions the Pine Mountain Fair in September, the Nativity Play in the Chapel in December, the classrooms, hot lunch program, library, and general activities which use Pine Mountain’s facilities and traditions.

“NEEDS.” Among many needs, PMSS has special needs, such as new kitchen equipment. Rogers asks for help; sends greetings and a calendar. (Extra calendars are available at 6 cents each.)

“Gratefully,”
[signed] Burton Rogers, Director“

Sketch at bottom of page: Star over Bethlehem.

GALLERY II

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