BEATRICE AND ROXIE GAMBREL Student Records

Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 09: BIOGRAPHY – Students
Series 19: STUDENTS
Beatrice and Roxie Gambrel Student Records
1945-1949

Beatrice Gambrel. Self-evaluation letter to parents, December 1946, p. 1. [gambrel_beatrice_and_roxie-11-scaled]

BEATRICE AND ROXIE GAMBREL Student Records, 1945-1949

TAGS: Beatrice Gambrel, Roxie Gambrel, student records, student autobiography, Twila KY, Frank Gambrel, Bessie (Johnson) Gambrel, Gambrel family, home and parents’ record, student self-evaluation letters to parents, school subjects

CONTENTS: BEATRICE AND ROXIE GAMBREL Student Records

[The contents are lightly edited for clarity.]

BEATRICE GAMBREL: Application to Attend PMSS, 1945

01-06 February 26, 1945, 6 pages. MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
[01] Beatrice Gambrel, Twila, Harlan County, Kentucky. Born: Dec. 11, 1932 in Twila, Kentucky. …
Father: Frank, 54 years old, a miner, born in Knox County, Ky.
Mother: Bessie Johnson, (died 12 years ago), born in Knox County, Ky. [02] I have 4 brothers and 6 sisters. Those who left school: Ace Flambert (reached 6th grade; Army), Hazel (5th grade), Ruth (8th grade; age 14), Viola (12th grade). Not yet entered school: Orville Ray (age 4), Donald Ray (3), Bonnie Louise (2). We have a car and 1 cow….
[03] Our house is heated by coal and lighted by electricity; water is from an “electric well.” … We have about 50 books in our home. We take Knoxville News and Sentinel. My duties: washing dishes, making beds. I attended a school in Twila, grades 1 through 8.
[04] NO IMAGE
[05] …I should like to take 4 years in college; my parents agree. I’ve earned money going to the store, post office, keeping children. Favorite pastimes: read, play, sew, radio. Favorite studies: spelling, reading, health.
[06] My parents would like me to be a nurse. …Church attendance…
“This form is adapted from the form “My Autobiography” of The Alliance for the Guidance of Rural Youth.”

ROXIE AND BEATRICE GAMBREL: Home and Parents Record, 1946

7-10 February 27, 1946, 3 pages. HOME AND PARENTS RECORD
[07] Roxie date of birth: January 30, 1930.
Beatrice date of birth: December 11, 1932.
Father: Frank Gambrel, age 54; born in Knox County; education 6th grade; a miner. …
Mother: Bessie Gambrel.
[Notation, right margin: “Mother deceased; have stepmother.”]
[08] Parents’ children:
Hazel, 26, grade 6, housewife, Detroit, MI.
Ace Frank, 24, grade 5, defense plant, Detroit, MI.
Visla, 22, grade 12, Twila, KY.
Ruth Mae, 21, grade 8, housewife, Virginia
Roxie, 16, grade 8, Twila.
Beatrice, 14, grade 8, Twila.
Francine, 12, grade 4, Twila.
Bernard, 10, grade 2, Twila.
Orville Ray, 4, Twila.
Donald Ray, 3, Twila.
Bonnie Lou, 2, Twila.
Grandparents: John Gambrel and Martha Gambrel; Jim Johnson.
Home: Yellow frame house, heated by coal and electricity.
Labor-saving devices: sewing machine, washer, electric iron.
[09] Family recreation: church, show, ball games
Newspaper: Knoxville News and Sentinel
Beatrice’s duties: Washing dishes
Roxie’s duties: Dishes, making beds….
[10] Education of Applicant: … Interests: nurse and teacher…..

BEATRICE GAMBREL: Letters to Her Parents, 1946, 1947

11-14 December 19, 1946. Handwritten four-page letter to her “Parents” (Mr. and Mrs. Frank Gambrel, Twila, Kentucky) from Beatrice. [11] “Since this is the end of the first semester, all students are asked to write a letter home to their parents explaining to them how we are doing in our subjects.” She describes her studies in science; Bible history;
[12] civics taught by Mr. [Peter] Barry (“I hardly understand what the subject is all about….”); English (“I like English very much” in which she learns grammar, letter writing, and to answer want ads. She attends the English Club during which she practices public speaking; spelling bees. (“I think I do pretty good in spelling.”); mathematics;
[13] sewing class (“I like [this class] better than any other subject.”); work (washing dishes three times a day and “vegetables”). Dormitory life: “I try my best to get along with everybody…and always obey what Miss White,
[14] my housemother, tells me.” Mentions the Citizenship Committee. Leisure time activities: wash and iron my clothes; write letters, sew, visit with friends, parties, movies.

15-17 March 4, 1947. Two-page carbon copy of a typewritten letter to [not indicated] from “Principal,” explaining the decision of the “committee” concerning Beatrice and Roxie. [RESTRICTED]

18 May 31, 1947. Carbon copy of a letter to Mr. and Mrs. Gambrel from “Principal,” that accompanied Beatrice’s letter, listing the amount of effort and quality of her performance in her subjects. “She has been promoted to the Sophomore year…. Her Entrance Fee is $10.00….”

19-22 May 22, 1947. Handwritten four-page letter to “Mother & Daddy” (Mr. and Mrs. Frank Gambrel, Twila, Kentucky) from Beatrice. [19] She writes about her progress in science; Bible history; Old World;
[20] English; mathematics; woodworking; home nursing (“I like home nursing better than any other class we have had this year. I think I’m pretty good in home nursing.”);
[21] work duties (washing dishes); dormitory life (“I think I have won the friendships of most of the girls.”); leisure time (wash, iron, sew, study);
[22] “May Day” has meant the most to me this year.”

33 Image of file folder for “Gambrel, Beatrice, 1946-50”