![]() “Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.” Pine Mountain runs from “Praise the Lord” to “Hell’s Point.” Such being our geographical limits, you cannot expect all in our community to be good, ambitious, “standing-up folks.” But as you sojourn in the hills, the belief grows in you that our country’s wealth here is only half-guessed that this is a field for large constructive service that schools such as ours do no less for the mountains than for America. Faithful to their scrubbing and their grubbing, they slowly develop sturdiness of character. Day by day they grow more competent, and more resolute in mettle, because real responsibilities are theirs. You find us dependent on the children for our garden planting, for our clean clothes, for our bed-making and for our daily meals and because we have trained them to these tasks and to thought for the household, we can trust them, even as they trust us. #The trail of the lonesome pine 1915 manualIt is the faith of our founder, Uncle William, that “hit’s better for folks’ characters to larn ’em to do things with their hands.” Manual training, with us, is no mere device to give children discipline once supplied by the old-fashioned home. I’ll kill a hog for ye.” Pretty behavior comes from the heart the rustic manners of the hills are the first evidence, to a stranger, of the high heritage of this stock. To travel in the hills is to marvel at the innate courtesy you find everywhere, from the smallest damsel bringing you a blossom with a shy, “Here’s a pretty for ye,” to the gentle-voiced old lady who urges you, “Stay and make us… Yet it is only in “fotched on” forms of courtesy that we can instruct. “Hit’s a sight what manners my young uns have got from ye,” commented a mother recently. It is their insistent behest, also that we teach “mannerly ways” to the flock intrusted (sic) to us. A mountain mother, asked the other day if she made her children go to school, answered, “Lord, they haint to make, they cry to go!” So, summer and winter alike, we teach reading and writing because children “delight in their books” and parents “crave a chance for them.” Never think of the mountain people as mere acceptors of opportunity carried to them by a superior, benevolent class. You will find us “sentinels of the alphabet”, indeed, guardians of the three R’s, not only because we are theoretically concerned that Kentucky’s percentage of illiteracy be decreased, but also because fathers and mothers here at the “outposts of civilization” want us to “larn the children books.” Please follow The Trail of the Lonesome Pine and ride through the close-gathering hills, at once so untamed and so gentle in their beauty, to the gates of the Pine Mountain Settlement School. “ DEA R FRIEND” LETTER – November 11, 1915 Letterhead lists administration letter written by William Creech pleased with progress of School describes houses that have been built farm and pasture about 40 children at School School is the only chance they have other communities want schools children can become good examples for their parents the School gives me hope for my people Parents want schooling in books and manners for their children importance of manual training education serves the mountains and America Dear Friend letter signed by Ethel de Long William Creech writes a letter to the Friends of the School and notes the enrollment in August is up to forty. Hughes, who also provides assistance with playground activity and civic lessons. Theology is introduced as part of the program with a new itinerant theology student, Mr. Poultry farming begins and gardens grow and canning becomes a major part of activity at the School. visits the School and comments that he “…has never before seen such a well behaved group of children.” The barn fund is large enough to commence the construction of the Barn and a small log cabin, “ The Cabin ” or “Little Log,” for the farmer. Visitors begin to be interested in the School and drop in on the workers. Laurel House I continues to be constructed. It was nearly finished by August of the year. The year of 1915 is marked by the construction of Far House I to serve as a dwelling for staff and more students. TAGS: Dear Friend Letters 1915, parents desire education, importance of manual training, Ethel de Long letter on need for PMSS, William Creech letter on progress of PMSS Series 17: PMSS PUBLICATIONS DEAR FRIEND Letters 1915 ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |