NOTES – 1993

Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 17: PUBLICATIONS PMSS
Spring and Fall 1993

NOTES – 1993

“Notes from the Pine Mountain Settlement School”
Spring and Fall 1993

GALLERY: NOTES – 1993 Spring

The Pine Mountain [Environmental Education] program reflects the perspective and indeed the life of its founder, Mary Rogers.

TAGS: NOTES – 1993 Spring, Environmental Education, Earth Day, Boarding School, Community School, Mary Rogers, Nancy Sather, Afton Garrison, Ben Begley, Kentucky Association of Environmental Educators, Naturalist of the Year award

TRANSCRIPTION: NOTES – 1993 Spring

P. 1

PINE MOUNTAIN
SETTLEMENT SCHOOL
PINE MOUNTAIN     HARLAN COUNTY    KENTUCKY
Telephone: 606-558-3571

Spring             Paul Hayes, Director            1993

[Featured color photograph: “Mary Rogers.”]

P. 2

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM COMES OF AGE

1993 is the 21st year of Pine Mountain’s Environmental Education program! Like the Boarding School of the 30’s and 40’s, the EE program is founded on the educational philosophy of student experiential involvement. From its conception as a vision at the time of the first Earth Day through its infancy in 1972 concurrent with the last days of the Community School to its maturity today, this program has never ascribed to any of the canned curricula available for adoption.

The Pine Mountain program reflects the perspective and indeed the life of its founder, Mary Rogers. To this program Mary has brought her worldwide perspective, her sense of the importance of history and place, her respect for the natural order of the Creation. From her arrival on campus in 1942, through all her years as teacher and librarian, first with the Boarding School, then the Community School, Mary was herself a keen observer and student of nature, charting the blooming dates of flowers, learning their special habitat needs as she developed her Big Log wildflower garden. Mary helped Community School children see the creative potential of natural materials for crafts. When the Community School was consolidated, it was with Mary’s vision and under her guidance that Pine Mountain’s 800 acre campus became an extended classroom. Based on a foundation of knowledge, love and respect, the program has served thousands of school children from the valley and beyond the mountains.

When Mary Rogers teaches geology she “paints the land 300 million years ago and goes forward from there, building mountains and tearing them down before your eyes and with your hands. Lets you walk through the primeval coal forests, hot and steamy, alive with strange trees and even stranger animals…Opens the ‘book’ of strata page by page, catching one up in the excitement of finding a prettier fern.”

Mary has “opened the eyes and minds and fired the imaginations of thousands to the wonders and importance of our natural world and all its component parts. She has shown through her teaching and life-style the difficult decisions concerning this fragile planet that we all must face and the consequences… of our decisions.” Mary is one of those rare people whose ‘work’ is not a ‘job’ – it is a mission of love – love for people, love for the Kentucky mountains, love for the earth, and love for the Creator. Pine Mountain, and especially Mary Rogers, has touched me to my very core, has deepened my sense of wonder about the natural world, and have caused me to daily evaluate my stewardship of the earth.

I first went to Pine Mountain as an intern 17 years ago. My memories remain vivid and strong, they haven’t faded into the distance as other memories seem to. I never could seem to find the detail, wealth and wonder in a rock, a seed, or a flower that Mary can see and illuminate so beautifully with her reverent descriptions and exclamations! No other place or experience in my life has affected me as deeply and profoundly as Pine Mountain.

In the spirit of Pine Mountain,
Nancy Sather

P. 3

[Photograph: Group of hikers in a wooded setting.]

The importance of Pine Mountain’s lessons during the last 21 years is best expressed in the words of those who experienced the EE Program firsthand – as students, as interns, and as former staff who carry the Pine Mountain spirit throughout the nation.

“A sense of wonder is easier to transmit than pure information and in the long run is probably the most important thing to be learned.”

“This is a settlement school – a community in which people work together, recreate together, eat together. A community dedicated to educating each person to become more aware of his or her environment, internal as well as external. Each day is sacred, whereas on the outside only Sunday is sacred.”

In 1988, Mary Rogers and Afton Garrison together were awarded the Kentucky Association of Environmental Educator’s Naturalist of the Year award. The excellence of this legacy was echoed last fall when present EE coordinator Ben Begley brought home to Pine Mountain the same award.

Please be generous, send what you can to help us in our effort to continue the excellent programs offered at Pine Mountain, and please – say thanks to Mary.

P. 4

[Image: Sketch of Pine Mountain valley from the top of Pine Mountain.]

CALENDAR OF EVENTS 1993

Wildflower Weekend
April 23-25

Elderhostel
June 6-12

Elderhostel
September 12-18

Elderhostel
November 14-20

Black Mountain Weekend
May 7-9

Homecoming
August 7

Fall Color Weekend
October 22-24

Nativity Play
December 12

[Images: “Artwork by Mary Rogers” –
Three small sketches of children playing in nature.]

GALLERY: NOTES – 1993 Fall

It is our hope to again have our [medical] clinic available to serve the needs of area people five days a week. – Paul Hayes

TAGS: NOTES – 1993 Fall, medical services, extensions, Big Laurel, Line Fork, Glyn Morris, Dr. Kenneth N. Gould, Health Association, West Wind, hospital, United Mineworkers Hospitals, clinics, Public Health Service, Frontier Nursing Service, Christian Healthcare Services, nurses, Gertrude Morgan

TRANSCRIPTION: NOTES – 1993 Fall

P. 1

PINE MOUNTAIN
SETTLEMENT SCHOOL
PINE MOUNTAIN     HARLAN COUNTY    KENTUCKY
Telephone: 606-558-3571

FALL             Paul Hayes, Director          1993

[Featured color photograph: Entrance sign to “Pine Mountain Community Clinic, Trudy Morgan, R.N.“]

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Since 1913, Pine Mountain has given consideration for school and community health. The school’s extension medical centers at Big Laurel and Line Fork at one point were staffed with doctors, but it wasn’t until 1932 that a doctor was hired for the school campus.

Dr. Glyn Morris, Director of PMSS 1932-42, described this event in his book titled “Less Traveled Roads.” He said, “Shortly after my arrival, I concluded that our school and the surrounding area needed a doctor, so I proceeded to find one. And so, in 1932, Kenneth [N.] Gould, M.D. was engaged at a salary of $166.66 per month and maintenance with full right and privileges to “Sunny Jim.” He was a fine saddlehorse, who having once been shot through the nape of his neck, tended to stopping suddenly and prancing a bit at any sharp sound.”

Morris also tells of the school’s effort to organize a Pine Mountain Health Association to provide medical service at a cost feasible to each family. The school and community members agreed on the simple “Medicare” program. A family would receive the services of the doctor, use of the infirmary with a trained nurse, and medication up to $4.00 for the annual fee of fifteen dollars. This fee was payable in cash, produce, or could be worked out at the school. The Health Association continued and flourished until long after World War II.

In 1949, Pine Mountain changed from a boarding school to a consolidated public school, replacing seven one-room schools. The health work expanded rapidly at the beginning of this period and Westwind dormitory was converted into a hospital.

In 1955, a chain of United Mineworkers Hospitals were built in Appalachia, including one in Harlan, only 30 minutes away. In 1958, the Board of Trustees was forced to close the hospital at Westwind, then in 1960 our clinic closed.

Although Pine Mountain’s health work since then has largely lapsed, the school has supplied space for a clinic. It has been operated by the Public Health Service and then by Frontier Nursing Service of Hyden, who, 5 months ago, closed the Pine Mountain location to merge with another clinic 40 minutes away.

Our local clinic committee had signed a contract with Christian Healthcare Services, Inc. of Hyden to have a family nurse practitioner available to the Pine Mountain clinic one day a week. Gertrude Morgan, FNP, has served the Pine Mountain area for 12 years, first with Frontier Nursing Service and now with Christian Healthcare Services.

It is our hope to again have our clinic available to serve the needs of area people five days a week. Thank you in advance for your generosity and we wish you good health.

In the spirit of Pine Mountain,
[Signed] Paul Hayes
Paul Hayes, Director

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[Photograph: “Gertrude Morgan (“Trudy”) with Heather]

The Pine Mountain clinic building was constructed in 1921 and has recently been upgraded with a new roof, insulation, new windows, enlarged office space, and the coal furnace has been replaced.

The clinic believes strongly in preventative medical care and offers well-child check ups, immunizations, flu shots, pap tests and family planning as well as treating acute and chronic illnesses.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS 1994

Elderhostel
April 3-8

Black Mountain Weekend
May 6-8

Homecoming
August 13

Fall Color Weekend
October 21-23

Wildflower Weekend
April 22-24

Elderhostel
June 12-18

Elderhostel
September 11-17

Nativity Play
December 11

[Image: Large sketch of children and supervisor exploring the woods.]

Previous:
NOTES – 1992
Next:
NOTES – 1994

See Also:
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION Guide
HISTORY PMSS Summary 1993-1994
MEDICAL Guide

Return To:
NOTES Index