Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 09: BIOGRAPHY – Staff
James Faulkner Correspondence 1930-1963

JAMES FAULKNER Correspondence, July 1930 – Jan. 1963
Mechanics Teacher & Maintenance Supervisor, 1933 – 1937

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TAGS: James Faulkner, teacher, Antioch College Cooperative Education Program, maintenance supervisors, Barbara Wilbur Faulkner, college transcripts, Hubert Hadley, Glyn Morris, teaching auto mechanics and electrical engineering, H.R.S. Benjamin, Burton Rogers 

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GALLERY: JAMES FAULKNER Correspondence

CONTENTS: JAMES FAULKNER Correspondence

[Note: Letters from PMSS staff in the PMSS Collections are carbon copies, typewritten, unsigned, and meant for the Office files. The original signed copies were sent to the correspondents. The initials at the bottom left of some PMSS letters indicate the writer (along with initials of the secretary); for example, “HH” for Hubert Hadley, PMSS Director, and “EKW” for Evelyn K. Wells, Acting Director.

Letters from James L. Faulkner are typewritten unless specified otherwise. The following list of contents is in chronological order and not necessarily in the order of the image numbers.]

1930

[002] July 3, 1930. “To Whom It May Concern” from O.L. Inman, Dean, Antioch College, Yellow Springs, OH, who explains how Antioch’s credit hours are converted to semester hours by other colleges; and also whether other schools include Antioch’s industrial credits (which includes cooperative work) in the total number of credits.

[003] July 3, 1930. (Page 1) “To Whom It May Concern” on Antioch College letterhead, certifying that “Mr. James Levant Faulkner is enrolled as a student at Antioch College” and providing a transcript of his record for 1926-27 and 1927-28, showing Subject, No., Credit Hours, and Grade.

[004] July 3, 1930. Page 2 of Faulkner’s transcript of record for 1928-1929 (first semester), 1929-30 (second semester), and his Industrial Record for 1926-27 through 1928-1929. A “credit hour” is defined. Submitted by Miss Susan G. Fralick, Registrar.

[005] N.D. Academic record for “Faulkner, James L.,” North Tonowanda, NY, listing subjects and grades for first, second and third years. A handwritten column for credit hours was added. Also provided are Industrial Experience and Personal (birth date, height, weight, health).

[006] July 3, 1930. To Hubert Hadley, PMSS Director, from Miss Susan G. Fralick, Registrar, on Antioch College letterhead. At Miss Willett’s request, she encloses Faulkner’s record at Antioch and Dean Inman’s statement regarding credits.

[007], [008] July 8, 1930. Two-page letter to Miss Grace K. Willett, Antioch College, from HH (Hadley), who asks her to suggest another candidate, as Faulkner’s credentials do not meet the State Department’s requirements to teach in high school in Kentucky. Mentions “we can get along with Mr. Clouse” although he doesn’t have the necessary credentials. He describes problems with Mr. [John Howard] Young and Mr. Argetsinger, who “seemed unwilling to incur the risk of losing popularity with the students by demanding adherence to our regulations.” Hadley states that “The hours of training are not as essential as the ability [in handling the students and helping with athletics] of the person you send.” Therefore, he will accept Faulkner if an alternative cannot be found.

[009], [010] July 12, 1930. Two-page letter to Hadley from Willett. Associate Director, Student Teaching at Antioch College, who is glad to learn that he accepts Clouse; Faulkner is studying Education at the University of Buffalo summer session, as well as planning to take education courses at Antioch. Assures Hadley that both Clouse and Faulkner will support the school’s regulations and will help with athletics.

[011] DUPLICATE OF [010]

[012] July 24, 1930. To Willett from HH (Hadley), who has decided to accept Faulkner even though the State Department hasn’t yet responded. Mentions Mr. Argetsinger.

1931

[013] May 19, 1931. To Faulkner in North Tonawanda, NY, from EKW (Evelyn K. Wells), Acting Director. “I really cannot see how we can justifiably ask you to return either from our point of view or yours. It is a real regret to me for, of course, we do value you most highly, and it is such a pleasure and relief to us to have a young man whose connection with the boys is everything it should be. I most sincerely hope that you will find something which will take you along the line you wish to follow. …”

1932

[001] December 1, 1932. Resume for “Faulkner, James,” showing his home address, education, industrial experience (including 1 year at PMSS in the Antioch College co-operative program), and personal (birthdate, height and weight).

[014] December 5, 1932. To Faulkner from Emily Frank, PMSS Principal, who tells him “Mr. [Glyn] Morris, our director, will let you know officially in a short time that he approves your appointment to our staff for the period following Christmas.” Miss Frank then describes the type of work he will be doing in cooperation with Mr. L. A. Appleberry and Mr. George Shoup, who taught Biology, Physiology, and Social Studies in Junior and Senior High School and directed playground activities. Suggests that Faulkner meet with Appleberry who will be following Faulkner.

 [015] December 8, 1932. To Miss Frank from Faulkner in North Tonawanda, NY, thanking her for her letter.

1933 & 1934

[016] March 26, 1933. To Glyn Morris from “Jim Faulkner,” N. Tonawanda, NY, applying for a PMSS position for 1934; full-time, $5 or $6 a week; will happily quit his summer “balloon job…because the show business does not tempt me as a future….”  

[019] July 22, 1933. To Faulkner at Antioch College, from Morris, who asks Faulkner what part of mechanics or auto mechanics can he handle; asks for information; can offer full-time employment at $20.00 a month.

[017], [018] July 28, [no year]. Two-page handwritten letter to Morris from Faulkner at Captive Balloon, Century of Progress (?), Chicago, IL, who lists his qualifications for teaching auto mechanics and electrical engineering.  

[020] August 7, 1933. To Faulkner in Chicago, IL, from Morris, informing him of the date that School opens and that he should arrive a day earlier.

[021] August 7, 1933. Handwritten letter to Morris from Faulkner in Chicago, IL, who will arrive at PMSS on the day requested. Provides home address in N. Tonawanda, NY.

[022] August 9, 1934. Handwritten letter to Morris from Barbara Faulkner in N. Tonawanda, NY, informing Morris of their arrival date. 

1935

[023] January 3, 1935. Western Union telegram to Morris from Faulkner, stating arrival day and time by train.

[024], [025] June 2, 1935. Two-page letter to Arthur W. Dodd, PMSS, from Faulkner at Antioch College, responding to Dodd’s request for ideas about Mechanics courses. Faulkner is currently working on two summer Education courses at Antioch: Educational Psychology and Methods in Math.

[026] June 6, 1935. To Faulkner from [unsigned, apparently Dodd], who thanks him for his suggestions; suggests class arrangements; mentions [August] Angel’s teaching load; the Burdines.

[027] [No date, unsigned]. A note to Faulkner, asking him to repair the chapel furnace “to keep the smoke from going into the auditorium.”

[028] November 4, 1935. To Faulkner and Dodd from [unsigned, possibly Morris], informing them how to deal with the engineer from Fairbanks Morse Company in his absence. 

[029] November 16, 1935. To Faulkner from [unsigned], asking Faulkner to not choose “Luther” to drive the truck to Harlan, due to his “excessive speed.”

1936 & 1939

[030] January 10, 1936. To D.R. Martin in Buffalo, NY, from [unsigned], introducing him to Faulkner. Describes Faulkner’s PMSS employment, marriage to a PMSS worker. Faulkner must leave PMSS five months earlier than planned because a fire destroyed all his equipment. Since his home is in Tonawanda, NY, he may visit Martin.

[031] January 10, 1936. “To Whom It May Concern” from [unsigned]. Letter of reference for Faulkner confirming his PMSS employment and duties; that he left PMSS on his own accord due to a fire that destroyed all his equipment.

[032] July 26, 1936. To Morris from Faulkner, who is arriving at Pine Mountain “with two guests – his brother and a business acquaintance of his.” He will begin work on Saturday, August 1; has new ideas for the auto mechanics course.

[033] August 3, 1936. Unsigned Memorandum, recording a “preliminary discussion” between Faulkner and [unsigned, likely Morris] for Faulkner and his wife to build a home on campus and live permanently at Pine Mountain, financed mostly by the School and by Faulkner at about $150 a year. The two did agree that Faulkner is to stay at Pine Mountain for the coming year.

[034] November 2, 1936. To Faulkner from [unsigned], who asks Faulkner to take care of chimneys.

[036] March 14, 1939. To “Barby and Jim [Faulkner]” from [unsigned]. “We are all happy to hear of the arrival of Hannah Bayley.” Mentions stopping at one of the Colonial Restaurants in Boston.

1940 & 1948

[037] through [039] June 30, 1940. Handwritten three-page letter to Morris from Faulkner, N. Tonawanda, NY, [037] who has read in a letter from Jess Cornett that Kentucky Utilities may extend their line to PMSS. If so, he sends a reminder that to avoid a fire, “a change from direct-current to alternating-current electricity will make it necessary to partially the re-wire Boys’ Industrial Building which was built in 1936-37.” [038] Describes the wiring of the cables and suggests testing by a competent electrician. [039] He and Barby send their regards to the Morrises, Callahans, and the Angels.

[040] July 5, 1940. To Faulkner from [unsigned], who tells of the burning of Laurel House; appreciates his describing the wiring in the Work Shop.

[041] September 25, 1940. To Faulkner from [unsigned], who “recently filled out a questionnaire regarding you and was glad to tell them of your work at Pine Mountain.”

[042] October 18, 1948. Typewritten letter to H.R.S. Benjamin from Barbara W. Faulkner in Ridlonville, Maine. Enjoys PMSS Notes. “Although we left Pine Mountain eleven years ago, it will always be the place we love most. Mr. Faulkner and I met there, were married in the Chapel, and worked there a few years.”  Encloses a check for an annual subscription and a calendar. Asked for PMSS publicity to hand out at a talk she will be giving to a women’s group.

[043] October 20, 1948. To Mrs. James Faulkner from Benjamin, thanking her for her appreciation of Notes; becoming an annual subscriber; sending a calendar and publicity material (1948 calendars, “One Man’s Cravin’” and “Uncle William’s Reasons”).

1955

[044] February 7, 1955. To “friends” (Mr. and Mrs. James Faulkner) in Ridlonville, Maine, from Burton Rogers, Director, thanking them for their contribution to Pine Mountain. This season’s gifts will help with the expenses of the reservoir repair and classroom reconstruction. “We remember with pleasure your last visit here….”

1960 & 1963

[045] December 20, 1960. To James Faulkner, Kents Hill, Maine, from Burton Rogers, thanking him for his gift; mentions performance of the Nativity Play.

[046] January 12, 1963. To Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Faulkner, Millinocket, Maine, from Burton Rogers, thanking them for their gift; explaining how helpful gifts are to PMSS; describing a very cold Christmas.

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See Also:
BARBARA WILBUR FAULKNER Staff – Biography
BARBARA WILBUR FAULKNER Correspondence

JAMES FAULKNER Staff – Biography

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