ELIZABETH MOORE Correspondence from Ethel de Long Zande 1913-1923

Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 09: BIOGRAPHY
Elizabeth Moore, Advisory BOT, 1913-1917
Correspondence from Ethel de Long Zande,
1913-1923
Letter from Moore to PMSS, 1955

Elizabeth Moore’s cover letter for her donations of de Long/Moore letters, 1955. [moore_elizabeth_000.jpg]

TAGS: Elizabeth Moore, St. Louis MO, Ethel de Long Zande, Katherine Pettit, Pine Mountain Settlement School, correspondence, PMSS General Advisory Board, PMSS Master Plan, Big Log, funeralizing, Baptist Association at Hurricane Gap, Aunt Sal Creech, Cloverlick homeplace, Riverside Happy Hours Series, Masonic Lodge school, library book donations, timber harvesting, clear-cutting, fundraising, Trachoma Hospital, Hyden KY, furniture

ELIZABETH MOORE Correspondence from Ethel de Long Zande 1913-1923; Letter from Moore 1955

Elizabeth Moore was a very early member of the General Advisory Board of the Pine Mountain Settlement School. This page contains images and summaries of letters to Moore, an Advisory Board member, donor, and PMSS friend, from Co-director Ethel de Long [Zande] during the earliest years of the School. In her letters, de Long tracks the progress of the School’s beginnings. Moore donated the letters to the PMSS Archives in 1955.

[NOTE: individual letters by year are stored in the ETHEL DE LONG ZANDE FILES. The following list of contents is in chronological order and not necessarily in the order of the image numbers.

SUMMARIES

1955

000 October 24, 1955. To Miss Dorothy Nace, PMSS Secretary, from Elizabeth Moore, noting that she is sending letters written by Ethel de Long Zande and addressed to Moore.

1913

001, 001a, 001b September 13, 1913. Three-page carbon copy of a typewritten letter to Moore in St. Louis, MO, from Ethel de Long on PMSS stationery, [001] describing “the progress that has been made since our May visit.” She describes clearing land; accumulation of logs; sawmill; mules hauling the logs, some 16 inches wide; Columbus [Creech]’s swapping of mules for oxen. She mentions a delay in finishing the log house; getting a stove for one of the tents; use of the Masonic Lodge Room for the schoolteacher (Miss Merrill) and a student and other uses. She and Miss [Katherine] Pettit plan to visit neighbors and also to attend a funeral meeting and later the Baptist Association at Hurricane Gap. Aunt Sal [Creech] will be taking Pettit and de Long to “Clover Lick where she lived as a little girl.” [001a] De Long expresses appreciation for two boxes of books sent by Moore, including the Riverside Happy Hour Series. She asks whether Moore has any appointments for her in St. Louis and mentions other cities that she has visited. She wonders “what happened to Miss Lyonberger,” who didn’t answer her letter about the timber; she is expecting the arrival of the deed to the timber and tells of the cost of delivery. She explains why the School needs to buy timber elsewhere. [001b] De Long asks about Moore’s horseback injury; describes plans to go with Pettit by horseback to the trachoma hospital, soon to be established by the Federal Government at Hyden. Also, they will walk to visit neighbors and “see about some walnut timber, the last walnut in this region,” hoping to acquire some for School furniture. She sends greetings to her parents.

002 October 29, 1913. Typewritten letter to Moore from de Long on PMSS stationery, expressing her delight in the February appointments Moore has set up for her. De Long hopes to meet with Moore if she travels through Kansas City. She has received proofs of the “stunning” School calendar from University Press and hopes to distribute to friends of the School who would sell them at 40 or 50 cents each. De Long writes: ‘We shall probably make some money on the venture but consider it valuable largely for advertising purposes.” She provides her addresses while in Cleveland and Indianapolis. She is pleased with the help with her appointments that she receives from the women on the Board. As for the men, “…we have to be content in their case with what their name and introductions can do for us.”

003-003c N.D. Four-page handwritten letter to Moore from de Long in Pineville, KY, on PMSS stationery, describing a trip on horseback she is taking with Pettit “up the Cumberland and over.” [003a] She gives her opinions about books she has read. [003b] She describes her visit with Moore as “a restorative and heart-warmer as well. Only too short!” [003c] She closes with thanks for Moore’s hospitality.

1914

006-007 January 6, 1914. Carbon copy of a two-page edited typewritten draft on PMSS stationery. To “Miss Moore” in St. Louis, MO, from [unsigned, apparently de Long], who lists the new board members: Miss [Mary] Rockwell, Dr. Willis Butler, Mrs. Francis Taylor. The subjects of her talks in St. Louis will be Youngest School in the Kentucky Mountains and its Neighbors, Romance of Kentucky Mountains, and Hand Industries of the Mountains. De Long thanks Moore for the letter of introduction to Mrs. Henrotin. The School is indebted to help from Moore’s mother; de Long gives her reasoning on her use of slides.

008 May 15, 1914. Carbon copy of typewritten letter to Moore from de Long, who mentions a visit from Mrs. Kurrie and other Hindman people. De Long describes her “depression” at Moore’s absence, writing “I haven’t anybody to look after me now and miss you.” She tells of plans to visit her mother, and of two carpenters from Baxter who are working on the “new log house.”

009 June 25, 1914. Carbon copy of a typewritten edited draft on PMSS stationery to Moore from [unsigned, apparently de Long], who is expecting Miss Butler and Miss Biglow to visit. Miss Gill feels that Miss Butler’s future will “work out happily.” [In a paragraph that is crossed out:] “I have been reading of your mother in connection with the Biennial at Chicago in the Christian Science Monitor.” See gives updates about the garden plants and buildings; mentions that she and Miss [Eve] Newman are living in the Old Log House. The School’s first sanitary water closet has been constructed by the Italian stone mason [Luigi Zande] with field stone. E.C. Hench has been visiting for ten days.

010 October 15, 1914. Carbon copy of a two-page typewritten edited draft on PMSS stationery to Moore from [unsigned, apparently de Long]. De Long provides updates about flowers that she and Moore had planted; her plans to give talks in Illinois, mostly Chicago; and work on the annual letter with Miss Newman. [Incomplete].

011 November 25, 1914. Carbon copy of a typewritten letter on PMSS stationery to Moore at the Department of Labor, Saginaw, MI, from de Long, who received a donation from Moore, in response to the annual letter. She outlines her travel plans to give talks in New York and Louisville (to the Filson Club). “I am to speak to the ‘British Women in America’ on ‘Old English Survivals in the Kentucky Mountains.’” She describes living in the Old Log House and the children that are living there with her: the Lewis children, Monroe, Douglass. Freddy Creech (“William Creech‘s little boy”), and Bobby Coots.

1915

012 February 10, 1915. An edited draft on PMSS stationery to Moore in St. Louis, MO, from Katherine Pettit, thanking Moore for her $25.00 gift and expressing how much the School needs “you and others like you.” She mentions that de Long and the students had whooping cough. She and de Long plan to visit neighborhood schools; She and Mrs. Morton are ordering seeds; Mr. and Mrs Kurrie will be visiting.

013 & 014a February 26, 1915. Two-page typewritten carbon copy of an edited draft to Moore from de Long in Buffalo, NY, where de Long is “having a campaign.” [Crossed-out paragraph: De Long congratulates Moore on getting a “permanent job” and gives reasons why she and the Board will refuse her resignation.] She describes her upcoming travels to New York (staying at the Woman’s University Club), then Chicago. She encloses a letter from a 13-year-old boy who was sent to Cincinnati for TB treatment.

015-015a May 19, 1915. Two-page typewritten carbon copy of an edited draft on PMSS stationery to Moore at the Child[ren’s] Bureau, Washington, DC, from de Long. She writes: “I still feel like a stranger and as if my job here is a mountain and I could never hope to carry it on my back, but when I get caught up I hope I shall get over this somewhat frantic feeling.” [Crossed-out sentence: “I hope you will be able to get to that fiftieth anniversary at Vassar.” She mentions a visit by Mr. Burgess, who was impressed by the School’s accomplishments. De Long and Pettit worry about funding the completion of Laurel House. [015a] Pettit and Miss Newman attended the Mountain Workers conference. The School has 25 children so far.

004 November 16, 1915. Typewritten letter to Moore from de Long, asking for her opinion of Uncle William [Creech]’s letter and the best date for her to attend the Board meeting. (Address for Miss E.C. Hench in Indianapolis displays at bottom of page.]

1916

016 October 27, 1916. Carbon copy of a typewritten edited draft on PMSS stationery to Moore in Dodge City, KS, from de Long. She lists current School activities: using rock from the mountain for the reservoir; carpenters hurrying to finish Laurel House living and dining rooms before it’s too cold for the outdoor school; steam heat fitters at work; the deepening of the creek-bed; and the building of a house for the superintendent of grounds. De Long thanks Moore for her $40 gift.

1917

017-017a February 21, 1917. Carbon copy of a typewritten two-page letter on PMSS stationery to Moore in St. Louis, MO, from de Long, who is glad to hear from Moore and “that you care about Pine Mountain still.” De Long tells how “contented” she is with her “baby girl” and about Frances, the youngest student. The Laurel House dining room is now in use. She refers to Birchell’s standards of table manners. At the Board meeting, Moore’s resignation was accepted; four members’ terms ended and four new members were elected. De Long thanks Moore because “what you have done for the school has been a great help.”

005 March 7, 1917. Typewritten letter on PMSS stationery to Moore from de Long. Expired board members have been notified that they will not be re-elected. De Long describes how busy she is “with this campaign for annual subscribers” and other School business. She mentions a pledge from “the Carl Fishers.” Many of the letters were inspired by articles in The Outlook and Survey.The School has received over $8,000 in pledges annually. “…I have always said that I wanted to have ten thousand dollars pledged annually by the time the school was five years old, and now it looks as if we should secure it before it is four years old.” She mentions not having heard from Caleb Denny. She is waiting for proofs of the Road literature. “The new dining room is a wonderful place!”
005a N.D., no signature. Handwritten note on reverse side on letter [Image 005}, mentioning Miss [Celia] Cathcart’s allegory[?], the death of Miss [Angela] Melville’s father, sending Board meeting reports to advisory board, and Billie’s clothes.

004a-004b N.D., no salutation; written on the reverse side of typewritten letter [image 004]. Handwritten letter from Ethel de Long with her critique of Uncle William’s letter: “…it’s not so true to…type as it might have been, but it is Uncle William. He has a large vocabulary, & uses all the words you mention (whose flavor is not so picturesque) in daily talk….Surely the letter, when read, will affect some people as it did my audiences, on whom I tried it before deciding to use it.” De Long describes her activities and how busy she is with them; overseeing construction of two buildings, “mothering” a household of 20, taking an 11-day trip, and “another good roads trip.” She mentions milk production from their cow. She closes with “Much love – dear pal, Ethel.”

1918

018 July 8, 1918. Typewritten edited draft on PMSS stationery to Moore from “Ethel Zande,” who urges Moore to visit the School this summer, and spend more time with Zande than she did last summer. She tells about “Enjoying the new schoolhouse. Miss Pettit and I have offices in it….” She and Luigi [Zande] are living in Pole House and hope to build a house of stone similar to the tool house. Miss [Marguerite] Butler and Dr. [Grace] Huse will be coming “next spring to begin the medical settlement at the Mouth of Big Laurel. That is the work that Miss Pettit and I feel more interest in than perhaps anything else.”

1923

019 April 2, 1923. Typewritten edited draft on PMSS stationery to Moore at State Tuberculosis Sanitorium, Mt. Vernon, MO, from “Ethel Zande,” who appreciates receiving Moore’s account of her history since 1917. Zande explains the current status of the road which is unfinished and has been taken over by the state. The Zande family is living in a cottage [Zande House] behind Far House, built with stones from the hillside. Berto [their son] is four years old. Mary Rockwell has married and adopted a two-year-old boy.