GERTRUDE KING CARTER Correspondence

Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 09: Biography – Staff
Gertrude King Carter Correspondence

GERTRUDE KING CARTER Correspondence, December 1931 – August 1932
Housemother 1932 


TAGS: Gertrude King Carter, Mrs. Lillard Carter, housemother, 1932, correspondence, PMSS application blanks, references, teaching experience, Gilbert Lewis


GALLERY: GERTRUDE KING CARTER Correspondence

 CONTENTS: GERTRUDE KING CARTER Correspondence

NOTE: Letters in the Collections that were from Pine Mountain Settlement School staff were carbon copies of typewritten documents. (The carbon copies, unsigned, were kept in the PMSS Office files and the signed original letters were sent to the correspondents.) Letters from Lillard Carter were handwritten. Question marks in brackets indicate illegible handwriting. Each of the following lists of References and Correspondence is in chronological order and not necessarily in order of the image numbers.


Autobiography and References

[004] N.D., no salutation. Typewritten autobiography by “Gertrude King” stating her education at Franklin (TN) College and South Kentucky Classical and Normal College and teaching experience at the latter; quotes the college’s president concerning her abilities as a teacher as “one of the best scholars the institution has ever graduated.” Was also a special student at Wellesley College, then taught four years at Mt. Allison College in Canada; quotes Dr. Borden, the college’s president, about her qualifications. After her husband’s death, she attended Transylvania College for one year and received her A.B. degree. Then taught Latin and French at Morehead State Normal School and Teachers’ College for five years.

[003] N.D., no salutation. Carbon copy of a typewritten reference for Miss “Gertrude King” from B.C. Borden, President, Mt. Allison College, Canada, confirming that she taught at Mt. Allison for four years and was a “thorough, painstaking and efficient teacher.”

[007] N.D., no salutation. Reference for Mrs. Carter from “Judge Hobson, ex-member of the court of Appeals, Frankfort.” “…fine disciplinarian…has herself in hand…experienced teacher.”

[008] N.D. “A copy” to Miss King from B.C. Borden, enclosing her rating. A second paragraph on the same page, also indicated as “a copy,” is a reference for Mrs. Carter from Mrs. Solomon VanMeter, State Librarian, Frankfort. (Appears to be the same text as [007] but from a different person.)

[005] April 22, 1929. To Mr. Hanley, President of Sayre College, Lexington, KY, from Mrs. Emma G. Cromwell, “Ex-Secretary of State and now State Treasurer.” Provides a reference for Mrs. Lillard Carter, who is applying for a faculty position at Sayre College. “I regard Mrs. Carter as one of the outstanding educators of Kentucky, and one who has had quite a good deal of experience in managing girls.”

[006] April 23, 1929. To President of Sayre College, Lexington, KY, from Dr. F.C. Bretton[?], providing a reference for Mrs. Gertrude K. Carter, “a very fine teacher of Latin and French. She has given good service to our institution here for several years. She has had experience as a teacher in Canada where she had special opportunities for studying French.”

[002] April 7, 1932. To Mr. Frederic A. Wallis from Glyn Morris, requesting information about Carter’s ability to fill the position of housemother at PMSS.

[002a] April 11, 1932. To Morris from Wallis, Paris, KY, who provides a handwritten reference for Carter on the reverse side of [002]. “…imminently qualified…by native and experimental ability. She’s a brilliant woman of great resourcefulness and of highest integrity, and splendid initiation. Her love of service, her mothering instincts, her culture and refinement, her deep interest in youth and in the unfolding of the mind[?]...would bring additional lustre to the administration of your great school.”


Correspondence

[009], [009a] December 27, 1931. Two-page letter to “Principal,” Pine Mountain School, KY, from Mrs. Lillard Carter, Pippapass, KY. [009] Currently “holding a library place at Caney Creek Community Center for a young lady who is [?] on leave of absence” until June. Mentions her son, a new lawyer in Lexington, whom she will have to depend on if she doesn’t have work. [009a] For 3 years past, taught Latin and French at Morehead Teachers’ College; before marriage, she taught English at Belmont College, Nashville, TN. Graduate (A.B.) from Transylvania University and “a special student of Wellesley.” Has been a widow for several years.

[010] January 14, 1932. To Carter from GM (Glyn Morris), Director, confirming receipt of her letter. No current opening at the School, but encloses an application blank for the files.t

[011], [011a]  January 15, 1932. Two-page letter to Morris from Carter, [011] who encloses her “testimonials” and a photo, Describes her teaching experience. Husband, who died 8 years ago, was a lawyer and served one term as Lt. Governor of KY. Her only son had been affiliated [011a] with a Lexington law firm for several years and a year ago began an office of his own. “I hope to be self-sustaining until he can take care of us both.” She provides names of people who know her.

[001] January 15, 1932. PMSS Application Blank with handwritten entries for Mrs. Lillard Carter, age 64.
Education:
A.B. (Transylvania) + Fourteen or fifteen post-graduate credits.
What PMSS work interests you? Library, Housemother
Training and Experience: Several yrs. In library work, besides many months’ training in Library Science, Religious work.
Volunteer or salaried position? Salaried position.
How did you become interested in PMSS work? Through Mr. Don West, now at Vanderbilt University.
References: Carter provides the name and location of a life-long friend, a state librarian, and a colonel in Lexington, KY.

[012] January 28, 1932. To Carter from GM, Director (Morris), who has received her application form and enclosures and will keep her informed of any openings.

[013], [013a] April 2, 1932.Two-page letter to Morris from Carter. [013] “I have been working in the Kentucky mountains for eight or ten years – ever since my husband’s death….These mountains have cast their spell over me. I like the work and rather than give it up I have concluded to offer my services free for a year or so. [013a] … Judging from what I have heard of the Pine Mountain School, I feel that the life there would be in harmony with my principles and ideals.”

[014] April 7, 1932. To Carter from Morris, who accepts her offer to do volunteer work for PMSS next year and asks her to act as Big Log housemother for 18 girls.

[015] April 11, 1932. To Morris from Carter, who accepts the position “because of the abundant opportunities it will afford me to give to young girls all that the years have given me.”

[016] April 15, 1932. To Carter from Morris, who welcomes her and gives the School’s opening date, stating housemothers should arrive earlier.

[017] July 14, 1932. To Morris from Carter in Nashville, TN, who asks for the exact date she should arrive at PMSS; requests PMSS pamphlets for distribution.

[018] July 19, 1932. To Carter from Morris. The School opens on August 22, but she should arrive by August 19 in order to attend a staff get-together. He describes how to get to Pine Mountain via the L. and N. train to Corgin, then Harlan, then Laden. Suggest that she write to Mr. Gilbert Lewis, Pine Mountain, or Mr. Gus Lewis, Laden, who hire mules to those who “desire such transportation” on the 3-mile trail over the mountain.

[019], [019a] August 7, [no year]. To Gilbert Lewis from Carter, who thanks him for his letter of August 2. [019] She prefers to travel to the school in a wagon “since I have never ridden horseback.” [019a] Relates her possible itinerary and will let him know when she will arrive.

[020] August 16, 1932. To Morris from Carter in Lexington, KY, responding to his special delivery letter, giving the earliest time she can arrive at Laden.

[021], [021a], 021b] Edited photos of Mrs. Lillard Carter.

[022] Reverse side of photo with handwritten note: “Taken in Lexington Jan. 1929.”


See Also GERTRUDE KING CARTER Staff – Biography