DEAR FRIEND Letter and Brochure 1971

Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 17: PMSS Publications (Published by the School)
Dear Friend Letters 1971

DEAR FRIEND Letter and Brochure 1971
May and December

[Sketches by Mary Rogers.]

TAGS: Dear Friend letter and brochure 1971,fundraising letters,PMSS Director Burton Rogers,Mary Rogers’ sketches,beginnings of the Environmental Education,public school student activities

CONTENTS: Dear Friend Letter 1971 May

Page 1
Sketch: Overlooking a mountain range and valley with pine tree in right foreground.
Title: “PINE MOUNTAIN LOOKS TO THE FUTURE”

Director Burton Rogers provides a look at the School’s future prospects. After two years of work by trustee and staff groups, The April Board of Trustees’ meeting clarified and furthered plans to “continue our projects in farm, forest and community work and to give priority to…a Pine Mountain center for environmental education.” Many decisions must still be made. “…we are delighted that we can work on a project so vital and timely, which is attuned to the spirit and philosophy of Pine Mountain Settlement School’s entire existence and which will continue to bring youngsters (and adults) from a widening Appalachian community here….”

Along with developing this new program, the School has been operating as usual, as it awaits the public school students’ move to a new site next year. Rogers then lists the various activities of the School. “Upper-grade students from Green Hills came to Pine Mountain for a special Nativity Play performance, and more recently joined our upper grades in a hike to near-by Gabe’s Branch Falls, as part of an effort to bring together the two groups who will enter the new school next fall.”

Page 2
Meanwhile, the maintenance staff has been making changes to campus buildings to meet current fire safety regulations. They also installed wood paneling over Celotex partitions on the third floor of the guest house in order that the building can adequately house large groups.

Due to these extra expenses, the School faces “a critical financial situation” and help is needed to meet regular operating expenses for the fiscal year ending in June. Rogers lists the various costs that the School faces and asks “Pine Mountain Friends” for increased assistance and help in finding other donors.

“Sincerely,
[signed] Burton Rogers, Director
Pine Mountain Settlement School
Pine Mountain, Kentucky 40864
May, 1971″

Sketch: Young boy with dog watches a bird in flight.

GALLERY

CONTENTS: Dear Friend Brochure 1971 December

Page 1 (Cover and Back of a 3-Fold Brochure)

Cover: Sketch of children along a road leading up into the woods.

Text: Director Burton Rogers described the activities of a group of six third-graders, examining and collecting mosses, ferns, and seeds and making rubbings of tree bark in a woods.

Back: (Continued from reverse side)
Sketch: Rhododendron flower and leaves
Text: “…We have already had teachers from a neighboring county on our trails studying to prepare a pilot unit on forest communities. We also hope for youth leaders and church workers [to join the Environmental Education program].

Rogers asks PMSS friends to help the School realize its dream of a successful new Environmental Education program.
“[signed] Burton Rogers
Dec. 1971″

Page 2 (Reverse side – 3-fold spread of text)

[Continued from the Cover] Rogers quotes the children’s positive reactions to the woods. He asks, “Is there some way to preserve and develop in children the sense of being in tune with the created world?” He answers that Pine Mountain has been providing opportunities for children to “grow into adults who love and cherish the community of living things and do not seek to exploit and destroy it.”

An unexpected delay in opening the new school resulted in twice the number of children at PMSS. In spite of this, PMSS is starting a new program: Environmental Education. Preparations involved a summer church youth camp, visits to environmental education centers at National Park Service, National Audubon Society and T.V.A. and collecting library resources on the subject. Environmental classes began when the day school students filled the School. West Wind has been remodeled as a dormitory for groups.

Rogers describes the preparation activities of the new young director of the Environmental Education program who began in October.

Rogers outlines the School’s plans for the new program and how they hope it will operate. [Continued on the back of the brochure.]

[Inserted on this page is a list of equipment (new or used) related to the needs of the Environmental Education program.]

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