GOVERNANCE 1943 Directors Reports and Letters to BOT

Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 02: GOVERNANCE – Board of Trustees
Series 04: ADMINISTRATION – Directors
1943 Directors Reports and Letters to BOT
William D. Webb, PMSS Acting Director, 1942-1944

1943 Directors Reports and Letters to BOT

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TAGS: Governance, director’s reports and letters, PMSS Board of Trustees, William D. Webb, James S. Crutchfield, holiday activities, annual events, budget reports, staff updates, grounds report, farm reports, WWII, guests, visitors, boarding students, day students, hiring, auditors, Line Fork Cabins, Kiwanis Camps, community, student labor, building repairs, pianos, PMSS Notes, PMSS Calendar, canning, schedule of classes, coal mine strikes, Draft Board deferments


GOVERNANCE 1943 Directors Reports and Letters to BOT

CONTENTS 

June 1943 (William D. Webb, Acting Director)

[June-001.1] “JUNE DAYS AT PINE MOUNTAIN (Report to Board of PMSS by the acting director – for June 1943), Pine Mountain, Kentucky, July 1, 1943. Dear Mr. Crutchfield and Board Members:” Quotes from flyer for PMSS’s Gay Day, with field day, swim events, movie (“Sutter’s Gold”). He describes the BUDGET, approved by Mr. [J.S.] Crutchfield and Mr. [C.N.] Manning but needs to be reviewed by Miss [Evelyn K.] Wells and Dr. Swift. Manning “reminds again of the ‘big gap of about $16,000 a year expenses and income.’” GROUNDS: Mrs. [Mary Rockwell] Hook reports as Chairman of the Buildings and Grounds Committee and gives suggestions. “Our local committee was most grateful for her visit and survey. … A local carpenter, Doris Wilder, on leave from defense job, is busy at poultry house,” Mr. [Boone] Callahan was delayed “in getting materials from local mills, which are meeting government orders first.” BOARD: Dr. Clark Bailey accepted election to the PMSS Board.
[June-001.2] [Page 2] GUESTS: Mrs. [Glyn] Morris, “wife of the director-on-leave, whose abilities and activities have left such an imprint on the life of Pine Mountain School.” The Drs. [Emma and Francis] Tucker and their son and daughter; Miss [Grace] Feng will be substitute nurse in Miss [Grace] Rood’s absence; Miss Cynthia Harris from Radcliffe College is a summer volunteer. STAFF UPDATES: The [Arthur W.] Dodds, the [Burton] Rogers, the Callahans, Mrs. [Alice Joy] Keith, Miss [Gladys] Hill, Miss [Helen] Kingsbury, Miss Spinney, Mrs. [Birdena] Bishop (director of Kiwanis Camp), Mr. and Mrs. Webb, Miss [Alice] Cobb, Misses Grant and [Ruth] Shuler, Mr. [William] Hayes, Mr. [Brit] Wilder. HIRING: Eight candidate-inquiries about the Line Fork position after an ad in Christian Century. Under consideration for hire: the LaRues, Miss Smith, two dietitians, Rev.[Roland E.] Pinke. Webb activities.

July 1943

July-001 “JULY DAYS AT PINE MOUNTAIN (Report to Board of PMSS by the acting director – for July 1943.) Pine Mountain, Kentucky August 3, 1943. Dear Mr. Crutchfield and Board Members:” Webb tells of two publications that mention PMSS; two auditors from Cotton & Eskew in Louisville reviewed PMSS’s financials. Miss Shuler will be with a publishing house in Cincinnati next year. Fourth of July field and swim events for Kiwanis campers and community movies; thanks to Mrs. Bishop’s leadership, Jane and Jim Bishop, Pat Hall and Jack Martin (Jr. Counselors and PMSS seniors), Cynthia Harris (volunteer). “Many Harlanites know of Pine Mountain through the camp.” Describes the christening ceremony in the Chapel for Elizabeth Oakes Dodd and Helen Hayes by Rev. Andrews of the Presbyterian Church. This church hosted a meeting on China, attended by Dr. Emma Tucker, Miss Flora Heebner (acting housemother for the summer), recently returned from China, and Mrs. Webb.
July-002 (Page 2) Dodd and Rogers are working on applications and interview trips; student labor; farm production, William Hayes; STAFF UPDATES: Lists those remaining on campus; the locations of those who left for the summer; expected arrivals; openings of local schools. “One of our miners…helped Mr. Wilder put in steps and curbing and walk back of Laurel House — which was a gift of Senior Class.”

August 1943

Aug-003 “AUGUST DAYS AT PINE MOUNTAIN (Report to Board of PMSS by the acting director – for August 1943.) Pine Mountain, Ky., Sept. 1st. Dear Mr. Crutchfield and Board Members:” Activities during school opening; arrival of 100 boarding students; Stanford Achievement tests for new students; student labor; classes, work periods, fire drills, evening program; Citizenship Committee meeting. “The blind piano-tuner, Mr. Routh, was asking about Captain Morris and Miss Wells. He has been checking pianos here since the World War I.” STAFF UPDATES: Mrs. [Anna Wulf] Pishzak, Miss Robinson, Miss Burkett, Mr. Glen Crawford (Line Fork Cabins), Mrs. Northam, Mrs. Crawford, the Brit Wilders. GUESTS: Miss Hattie Howard, the Nace sisters, subscribers from Cleveland, Miss Brown. Miss Spinney’s work and weaving class; Jack Martin’s work on the Big Log floors.
Aug-004 (Page 2) Departing staff; Miss Grace Feng, Miss Flora Heebner, MIss Charlsie Vaughn, Miss Cobb for a publicity tour, Miss Grant, Miss Shuler. New hire: Miss Helen Bartlett as secretary. Mrs. Webb is acting bookkeeper until a new one is hired. New arrivals: Miss Crawford, Mr. LaRue and sons. Repairs to Far House. Returns from vacations: the Bishops, the misses Smith, [Minerva] Sparrow, Hill, Kingsbury, [Edith] Cold, and Merrill and Mrs. Keith. Statistics for canned tomatoes and beans; potatoes.

 September 1943

Sept-005 “SEPTEMBER DAYS AT PINE MOUNTAIN (Report to Board of PMSS by the acting director – for September 1943.) Pine Mountain, Ky., October 4, 1943. Dear Mr. Crutchfield and Board Members:” PMSS is looking forward to Mountain Day, Community Day, local elections; farm produce is ready for winter storage; Henry Creech’s stir-off occurred in early September. STAFF UPDATES: Miss Rood and Miss Spinney are on sick leave; Mrs. Kaylor began as an acting housemother at Big Log; BOT Vice Chair, Prof, Swift, has a new address in California; Miss Cobb is in Mass., where she met with Miss Wells and [Dorothy Olcott] Elsmith. Printing of the October Notes and the Calendar is in process; details about Mrs. Northam’s return; Mr. Crawford reports that Line Fork Cabins are operating well and he has a new baby girl.
Sept-006 (Page 2) VISITORS: Norsworthy (asst. Supt. of Harlan Co. Schools), Capt. Perkins of Harlan, (who has helped Mrs. Hook in architectural work), evangelists, Prof. Sulzer of UK Listening Centers and organ builder, Webb family members, former students in Navy uniforms, former staff Hayes and Chloe Bunch with baby. Report on the activities of Dr. Francis Tucker, Counselor Rogers, the Webbs, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Wilder. STAFFING: The staff has 25 resident and 10 non-resident members; report of the numbers, names, and assignments of the resident and non-resident men and women, full-time teachers, housemothers, building supervisors, Infirmary staff, Office staff, kitchen supervisor, laundry, assistant cook, Big Laurel staff. STUDENTS: Total 110; the numbers of boarding girls and boys; staff children; day students; seniors, juniors, sophomores and freshmen, departing students.

Sept-007 “SCHEDULE OF CLASSES, September 1943.” Monday through Friday classes that begin at 10:00, 11:00, 2:15, and 3:15; a list of 27 “place where classes meet.”

October 1943

Oct-001 “OCTOBER DAYS AT PINE MOUNTAIN (Report to Board of PMSS by the acting director – for October 1943.) Pine Mountain, Ky., Nov. 3. Dear Mr. Crutchfield and Board Members:” Webb quotes from The Harlan Daily Enterprise concerning coal strikes; tells how it is affecting the miners at PMSS. Dodd was granted deferment by the Local Draft Board, with evidence from Mr. [James A.] Cawood and Mr. Crutchfield, Dr. Bailey, and Mr. Webb. Dr. Tucker, Mr. LaRue, the night watchman, and fireman are exempt. Describes his search for a bookkeeper and where the ex-bookkeeper, Mrs. Schuler, is now employed.
Oct-002 (Page 2) Descriptions of the hallowe’en party, Mountain Day, Community Day (featuring the Ritchie sisters singing ballads). LINE FORK CABINS: The Crawford family is leaving in July. Webb asks the Board if he should contact such boards as the Baptist Home Mission Board, which may be interested in backing a Line Fork worker. Crawford and Pinke lead an old hymn-sing on Friday nights at Laurel House; Webb writes further about Pinke’s background and activities. Miss Hall teaches at Little Laurel School, hired by the County System and living in West Wind, “our contribution to education here.” STAFF UPDATES: Miss [Abby Winch] Christensen will visit before Thanksgiving Ball; Mrs. Northam (relief housemother) sent her piano for use in West Wind; Miss Rood, Miss Spinney, and Mrs. Wilder are recovering from illnesses; Mr. Wilson of Cincinnati is repairing the organ; Mr. Hayes, the [Leon] Deschamps.

November 1943

Nov-001 “NOVEMBER DAYS AT PINE MOUNTAIN (Report to Board of PMSS by the acting director – November 1943.) Pine Mountain, Ky., Dec. 15, 1943. Dear Mr. Crutchfield and Board Members:” Dr. Bailey will meet at PMSS “with members of the Harlan County Planning Council Executive Committee (of which he is able chairman)” for supper, Mummers’ Play, and meeting with teachers. HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES: Students perform Christmas traditions at PMSS: bringing in the Yuletide tree, setting up wreaths, hanging of garlands on the balcony, candle-light singing, choir anthem at the Chapel, ‘Open House’ visiting, Nativity Play, Minuet-and-Butler ceremony, farewell party with Santa. Webb lists several reports in the November Pine Cone. He gives credit to Miss Sparrow (senior English class) and Mr. Dodd and his printers for the quality of Pine Cone issues. Mentions Miss Christensen’s visit, Miss Smith’s orchestra, Miss Kingsbury for the girls’ dresses, Mr. Dodd and Patsy Hall (senior student) for country dancing. SPEAKERS: Mr. LaRue, Mr. Webb, Dr. Bailey, Rev. Keith Tabor of Viper, Rev. Glenn Crawford of Line Fork, Dr. Francis Tucker, Rev. Roland Pinke, Miss Cold, and Patsy Hall. For the five Sundays prior to the Nativity play, we tried a series of … studies of Prophets at five hearths on campus….based on the booklet “Spokesmen for God” (Pilgrim Press). Describes the 1944 calendar; report on PMSS’s cattle and hogs.
Nov-002 (Page 2) An article in the Southern Medical Journal gave results of 824 laboratory examinations made by Dr. Emma Tucker. Summary for Infirmary statistics for last Quarter (Sept. through Nov.). STAFF UPDATES: Miss Spinney, Mrs. Kaylor, Miss Crawford (to be replaced by Miss Elizabeth McBride). VISITORS: Edward Miller of the American Friends Service Committee, and Rev. and Mrs. Everett of Saylor, Ky. Changes of addresses came from Chaplain (Capt) Glyn Morris and Mrs. Morris and the Callahans; deferment for Mr. Webb; Paul Baker (junior student) joined the Marines.

December 1943

Dec-003 “DECEMBER DAYS AT PINE MOUNTAIN (1943) (Report to Board). Pine Mountain, Kentucky, Jan. 5, 1943. Dear Mr. Crutchfield and Board Members:” Mentions returned students, including Christopher Columbus Turner; Farewell Party, oranges from Mr. Crutchfield; student labor during vacation; repairs at various PMSS buildings and on road; Christmas activities, Community Party. “…[S]everal of us were glad that most of our staff members preferred the relative comforts of Pine Mt — even at risk of being asked to wrap packages (for students, employees, neighbors), to rigors of wartime travel.” STAFF ACTIVITIES AND TRAVELS: The Dodds, the Hayes, Mrs. Bishop, Miss Kingsbury, Miss Merrill, Miss Cobb, Miss Smith, Miss Sparrow, Miss Spinney, the Tuckers, Miss Feng, Dr. Francis,… 
Dec-004 (Page 2) …Miss Bartlett. Acknowledgements were sent for $2,500 in donations. He describes the work of Miss Creech and her plans to return to college after helping at PMSS; updates concerning Mrs. Frank Kaylor, Mrs. Northam; candidates for new housemother, Miss McBride (successor to Miss Crawford),; Mr. Crutchfield’s meeting with Miss Wells and Mr. [Joseph] Van Vleck in NY about PMSS affairs. The new auditors, Hifner and Fortune of Lexington, will undertake the School’s bookkeeping pending a new hire, “somewhat as in earlier days of the School.”


GALLERY: 1943 Directors Reports and Letters to BOT


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See Also:
DIRECTORS Guide
GOVERNANCE

GOVERNANCE BOT Alphabetical Guide 1913 to Present
PMSS Boards of Trustees GUIDE – Chronological Listing