Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 19: Students
1943 GRADUATING CLASS
MAY 1943
1943 GRADUATING CLASS lists Pine Mountain Settlement School senior students, details about them and their wartime occupations after graduation. Following the list is the 1943 Senior Prayer.
1943 GRADUATING CLASS: Students
Anna Lucille Beeler
Known as: Lucille Beeler
Home: Cumberland, KY
School Activities: Sports, Hiking, Infirmary, Work
Favorite Saying: “My Devotion”
Future Plans: Defense work
After graduation, Lucille Beeler married and joined the war effort as a WAC
Maurice Richard “Buster” Blackson
Known as: Buster, Buck
Home: High Splint, KY
School Activities: Scouts, Sports, Dancing
Favorite Saying: “Zzzzzzzzzz”
Future Plans: College
Following graduation Buster Blackson joined the Navy where he was immediately sent to Chicago for further schooling.
William Lloyd Brown
Known as: Lloyd, Nut
Home: Crown, KY
School Activities: Ch. Safety Committee, Class President, Woodworking
Favorite Saying: “Beans again”
Future Plans: Air Force Mechanic (U.S. Army)
Brown was drafted, served and in late 1943 he was discharged from the Army, after receiving several wounds. He was sent home to Crown, Kentucky to recuperate.
Bertha Jean Creech
Known as: Jake
Home: Bledsoe, KY
School Activities: Editor of Pine Cone ;Printing ; Sports ; Hiking
Favorite Saying: “Same here”
Future Plans: Teacher — Harlan County
Bertha remained in the immediate community as a teacher at Creech school.
Carl Elmer Farley
Known as: Cobb
Home: Wallins, KY
School Activities: Editor of Pine Cone ; Printing ; Sports
Favorite Saying: “Ah, pshaw”
Future Plans: Army [U.S. Coast Guard]
Carl joined the U.S. Coast Guard, and served out the war.
Elsie Irene Garrett
Known as: Irene, Pitcher
Home: Mill Creek, KY
School Activities: Infirmary Work
Favorite Saying: “I’d say —”
Future Plans: Nursing School
Irene joined the war effort and was trained as a Cadet Nurse. She was sent for training to Speers Memorial Hospital in Dayton, Kentucky.
Wallace B. Griffith
Known as: Wallace, Wally B.
Home: Lexington, KY
School Activities: Milking Scholarship ; Scout Patrol Leader
Favorite Saying: “Hail and farewell”
Future Plans: Defense Work
Whereabouts is unknown.
Margaret Louise Hawn
Known as: Louise, Lou
Home: Wallins, KY
School Activities: Citizenship Committee ; Class Secretary ; Ch. of Reception Committee
Favorite Saying: “Step on it”
Future Plans: College [Nurse Training]
Louise was, like Irene Cornett, trained as a Cadet Nurse. She also went for training at Speers Memorial Hospital in Dayton, Kentucky.
Lloyd Lewis
Known as: Lloyd
Home: Gilley, KY
School Activities: Ch. Grounds Comm. ; Barn Supervisor ; Sports ; Dancing
Favorite Saying: “Drive the cow around here”
Future Plans: U.S. Army
Whereabouts is unknown.
Martha Elizabeth Peters
Known as: Marbeth, Mar
Home: Kingsport, TN
School Activities: Citizenship Committee ; Ch. of Assembly Comm.
Favorite Saying: “That’s just what you think”
Future Plans: Work [Dime Store]
Marbeth remained at Pine Mountain to work in the kitchen. In 1943 she was saving to attend Berea College in September.
Sarah Shepherd
Known as: Shep
Home: Delphia, KY
School Activities: Dancing
Favorite Saying: “Nothing’s amiss, all’s well”
Future Plans: Business School [Work in Cincinnati]
Sarah’s plans for business school were interrupted by war. She joined the WAVES in 1944 and was sent to New Orleans to train, where she came in contact with Paul Gilliam, another Pine Mountain student.
Virginia Nell Shuler
Known as: Nell, Short Arm
Home: Big Stone Gap, VA
School Activities: Ch. Chapel Committee ; Choir ; Dancing
Favorite Saying: “Don’t ask me”
Future Plans: College [Berea College]
Following graduation from Pine Mountain, Nell Shuler attended Berea College for two years, and then left to employment with Mabley and Carew in Cincinnati where her primary duty was the selling of War Bonds.
Donald Robert Thompson
Known as: Don, Duck
Home: High Splint, KY
School Activities: Citizenship Committee ; Ch. Scout Comm. ;Ed. of Pine Cone ; Sports
Favorite Saying: “Why, you didn’t ask me”
Future Plans: Army [Work in Commissary]
Following graduation, Thompson joined the Navy and trained and deployed to sea duty.
Hattie Sturgill
Known as:
Home:
School Activities:
Favorite Saying:
Future Plans:
Hattie graduated from Pine Mountain and the School lost track of her, but heard she was working but the location was unknown.
Thelma Centers
Known as:
Home:
School Activities:
Favorite Saying:
Future Plans:
Thelma graduated from Pine Mountain and the School. Also lost track of her. She was heard to be working but the location was unknown.
CLASS PRAYER
Our Heavenly Father, we as a class graduating from Pine Mountain, do render thanks for the health that has been ours throughout the years of our study here, and for the protection against serious mishaps and calamities.
We are grateful for the many opportunities that have come in our way; for the chance to explore many things, and for the friendships that have been ours.
We are thankful also for those older than we who have throughout our school days helped us by their guidance and companionship.
Our Father, we express our gratitude for thy presence here in this chapel, and for the way in which we have come to know Thee here.
Now, as we leave Pine Mountain, we ask Thee that Thou will continue to hold Pine Mountain School in Thy keeping; and grant that it may long remain in this valley.
We remember today all those who have given up education as well as many other things for the sake of fighting and defending our country. Be with them wherever they are all over the world.
Father of us all, we ask Thy protection and guidance for each of us personally as we now part from one another. Each one of us will go forth seeking new fields for our lives. We pray Thee Thy blessings on the years that lie before us.
Amen
