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VOLUNTEERS Despite the materialism of our society and the self-centeredness of many lives, the idea of volunteering still occupies a special place in American life. We here at the Christian Appalachian Project have long ex perienced the blessings that com e from those who volunteer their time, energies and resources to the work we do. The Volunteers come from all parts

of the country. This year we have them from M aine and Florida, from California and Minnesota, and all the places in between. Their age span ranges from 18 to 70 years. People of many and differing religions work together in mutual harmony and respect. We have not merely a sense of pride about our volunteers but also the realization that not many of our

Appalachian Festival Coming Up at Camp Nelson... Plus Other Special Events Excitement is in the air these days at Camp Nelson with a spectacular lineup of entertainment planned over the next weeks. Getting the month of August off to a great start will be our second annual CB Jamboree. Area Citizens Band Radio Clubs will gather for a day of activities, country music, and fun. Booths will display the latest in CB equipment and dispense information to CB enthusiasts. Club members also will compete in a variety of CB games, and prizes will be awarded for clubs with the most members present, oldest member, and other categories. More than 2,500 people attended our first Jamboree and this year’s event is expected to draw a similar crowd.

programs that help people could go on without them. In this issue of the Soundings we want to feature them in a special way. There will be many photos of them as they do their work. In addition, m any of them are contributing their ideas in short articles. I don’t know of any who can express the thoughts of the volunteers as well as they can them selves.

Heading to the car and hom e after a busy day at Camp Nelson.

Parking near Camp Nelson’s pool.

The best of the Appalachian lifestyle will be highlighted at Camp Nelson’s Central Kentucky Bluegrass Festival on August 13 and 14. Music will accompany this outstanding tribute to the mountain culture, with two big shows by popular bluegrass artist, J. D. Crow and the New South. Crow will perform on a special outdoor stage backed by the beautiful palisades of the Kentucky River. Sixty-five craftsmen from the region will display their handiwork in booths at the festival. Now is the time to select from an array of treasured items for yourself or to tuck aw ay for gifts later on.

Of course our festival wouldn’t be complete without authentic Appalachian foods. We’ll be serving up specialties like country ham sandw iches, burgoo, western Kentucky barbeque, and that old favorite, cornbread, beans and green onions. Come Saturday, then spend the night and enjoy a second day at the festival. Events are scheduled from 4 to 1 a.m. Saturday and 2 to 9 p.m. Sunday. Admission will be $4.00 for adults and $2.00 for children under 12. Winding up the month will be our Custom Van Show, August 27 and 28. This spectacular rally will exhibit a variety of vans, painted to perfection and adapted to the owner’s specifications. (continued page 2)

Kentucky River Soundings Publisher............................. ..

CAP

Editor-in-Chief .. Father Ralph Beiting Editor....................... Carol Ann Claeys W riter...............

Gerald J. Cashman

Design A rtist...............Louie Simpson Project C oordinator...........Bill Begley

Published monthly by Christian Ap palachian Project (CAP). Entered as third class matter at Camp Nelson Post Office, Camp Nelson, Kentucky 40444. Subscription rate in U.S. is $4.00 per year. Address all correspondence to Kentucky River Soundings, Camp Nelson, Kentucky 40444.

In addition, we need people who have the ability to be a jack of all trades. Someone who can pitch in and help out with whatever job needs to be done. I would like to ask each of you help us recruit the volunteers for this fa ll^ B We normally have a week’s training session the last week of August. It is helpful if the volunteers can attend this. Please forward the names for prospective volunteers to: Fr. Ralph W. Beiting

Kentucky River Soundings Lancaster, Kentucky 40444

(continued from page 1)

Letters to the Editor Dear Msgr. Beiting: For weeks I have been trying to find words to express my appreciation to you for the delightful article on me in the Kentucky River Soundings and other publications. But no adequate words exist so I’ll just say your graciousness and kindness are greatly appreciated. People are sending copies of the article back and forth across the nation. Again, Father, thanks for that generous article and please take good care of yourself. Respectfully, W. C. Eyl

Readers’ Opinions Needed In th e

course

of two

years

Soundings has endeavored to feature articles of interest to a wide range of people. From editorials through historical articles, to newsy bits of information about what is going on in the land of the Christ ian Appalachian Project, and to in terviews with people, we have tried to bring forth those things that we hope would be of interest to as many of our readers as possible. We would like very much to have a response from those who read Soundings to let us know what kind of articles they prefer and would like to see in future issues of the Soundings. Address your suggestions to Editor of the Soundings, 217 Lexington Street, Lancaster, Kentucky 40444.

More Volunteers Needed At the end of August each year, we undergo our annual crisis. How do we get the volunteers we need to carry out the work of our many programs? For some reason, this year bf 1977 has been a difficult o n e for th e recruiting of volunteers. Our summer programs had to be curtailed at times because of the lack of volunteers. Each year our programs become a little more sophisticated and therefore our needs for volunteers become a little more exacting. This September we are going to need volunteers with teaching experience, especially in the pre-school level. Three teachers are needed. We also need fellows who can drive trucks (to pick up rummage, building supplies, etc.) and who are handy with tools to assist us in our home repair work for the elderly an d p o o r. O ur woodworking shop needs additional personnel. In o u r hum an d evelopm ent programs we need workers to visit and care for the elderly. This includes much driving plus the visiting. Drivers also are needed for medical transportation. Nurses are still much in demand. The care of our Attics (our rummage stores) and our office is another pressing concern. We are losing several experienced and dedicated workers in these fields. It will be impossible to duplicate them but we need replacements to carry on their work. Napoleon once said that an army mdves on its stomach. Our volunteers are the same. A good cook goes a long way to make a happy crew. Two of these valuable people are needed.

Appalachian Festival Come look over the competition and see prizes awarded for the best paint job, most elaborately equipped interior, and best overall vehicle. Coming up September 10 and 11, C am p N elson’s P io n eer Days will concentrate on Early American crafts, food and activities. Tests of skill will include wood chopping, log rolling and inner tube races. Every Saturday brings the strains of old time country pickin’ and singin’ to Music Hall at 8 P.M. The show stars the Sleepy Hollow Boys and well-known country guest artists from the area. rustic decor of Music Hall also p ro v icS ^ the comfort of air conditioning and a modem snack bar. Camp Nelson’s full service Marina now offers canoe rentals on a daily or weekly basis, as well as our popular pontoon and fishing boats. In addition to picnic supplies, the dock store has all kinds of accessories to outfit the fisherman, including a season’s fishing license. Be sure to visit Camp Nelson’s mountain craft shops during the summer. Among the most popular are the pottery, leather and m acram e shops which feature a variety of items, created while you watch. Stop by our studio, too, for a pastel portrait by resident artist, Gary Smith. If you like to get away from it all, take advantage of the beautiful mountain scenery around Camp Nelson from one of our hiking trails. With 35 miles of trail to explore, you can always find a few hours of free entertainment. Finish off your hike with a dip in Edgecliff Pool. It’s open till 9 P.M. Friday and Saturday. For outdoor recreation the w t ^ B family can enjoy, plan an outing to Camp Nelson during the exciting month of August.

CAP Workers Tell Their Impressions: oys, Sorrows, and Hopes

Sr. Margaret O’Brien.

Coming from upper middle class cities—experienced in prosperity, crime and materialism—to a place like Mt. Vernon can, indeed, be a culturing experience. To a committed Christian, nothing can be more fulfilling than to give to others with no expectation of return. And y e t—the hundredfold is there—even in Appalachia. Whether during home visitation or Bible school, meeting young or old. The friendliness of the people of Mt. Vernon is remarkable and is much of the fruit of the work of |if.AP and the remarkable Fr. Beiting. The summer community at Mt. Vernon formed easily and I will always cherish this experience of a true Christian community—committed people of all ages and environments working and praying together among the needy of Appalachia. It has been a “moment of grace” to experience and be a part of the happiness promised in the Gospel to those who refuse to worry about food, clothing, cars, and seek after the important realities of the Kingdom—the poor- neglected, the lonely—the children of God. After the first week of Bible school what could be more rewarding than to hear a 7 year old say “See ya’ next year! I’m gonna come back—will you be my teacher?” Sr. Margaret O’Brien Tampa, Fla. Since my arrival in Kentucky, I’ve become more and more impressed by the work being done by CAP. The volunteers I’ve met and worked with have touched me deeply by their selfless giving and genuine desire to be persons-for-others. This desire I’ve seen manifest is an active concern for people. My involvement has been mainly with the Bible School here at St. William’s. This

(

Sr. Judy Curley (left) at Lancaster Bible school.

experience has been for me a refreshing and hope-filled one. What a delight it is to share with those little ones. Their openness, simplicity, and zest for life has revealed to me something of God’s Kingdom which has already begun in their hearts. “Unless you become like little children . . . .” Sr. Judith Curley, Salem, Mass.

Joyce Anderson at work with CAP children.

Working for CAP provides a great feeling of satisfaction for many reasons. Perhaps the most important is the satisfaction of knowing we are helping many people—children, young families and the elderly. Secondly, of great importance is knowing the whole project is guided by a morally committed, dynamic leadership; and lastly, the staff is not only dedicated to the people they serve, but they are supportive and caring of one another. Spending a month with CAP this summer has been a very happy experience for me. Joyce Anderson El Sobrante, Cal.

Sr. Jeanne Lafond at Lancaster Bible School.

Rolling green hills and hidden poverty . . . just what I had always read about Appalachia. But somehow it is different now that I am part of it for a time. The beauty and the poverty are both more subtle and more blatant than I expected. Every turn of the winding roads brings new scenic beauty, as well as striking contrasts in the m an-m ade environment. Lovely, modem homes beside shacks. Shiny cars parked beside an out-house. Poverty has shown its fact to me in small incidents. One woman came in to “The Attic,” chose several articles of clothing for perhaps a 2 year old toddler, and then put them on lay-away. The total amount of her purchase was $2.73. Another day, we rode to outlying districts to remind the children about the upcoming Bible School. One mother was doing her wash on the front porch, using an old fashioned wringer washing machine, and an aluminum basin for rinse water. She was smiling . . . . The faces of the people: some reflect despair, others indom itable courage and faith. I came to teach, but mostly I am learning, both from the natives and from the volunteers among whom I live. I am learning to find beauty in unexpected places, and in little situations, especially in the respect and care of one person for another. Perhaps, in a sense, the poverty is simply my own. Sr. Jeanne Lafortd Salem, Mass. (continued on page 4)

and their neighbors will become a part of their lives. I know that after these two weeks, the Parables will mean more to me than ever before because of this summer experience. Sr. Alice B aj^B Detroit, M ichic^^

Sr. Rose Mary Ala marches to a different drummer in Lancaster.

As the hills tumble into one another and the highways swirl into a kaleidoscope of unending formations, so my impression of CAP, counties, and Kentucky, are constantly deepened. In a short time, the needs of the area are rapidly unfolding. Exposed roots of the youngsters are like the saplings searching for moisture and soil in which to grow even if the only place for now is on the fringe of rock formation. There are hills of separation between the valleys of cultural differences, races, religions. The streams of resources have been gnawed through by the jaws of machinery, and the people have been left to rise above the floods that flash through the barren areas. Like our founder, Father Louis Gillet, said, “I long to be everywhere when I see so many needs.” Yet the warmth of the penetrating sun shines through this area in the heal ing rays of compassion, sensitivity, generosity, and outreach. In place of despair, there is faith, hope and love. Indeed, God is alive in His “Old Kentucky Hom e,” filling the hills with peace and joy. Sr. Rose Mary Ala Birmingham, Mich. My impressions of Kentucky are the following: When I first came here three years ago I said, and today I say it again, “This is God’s country.” The beauty of the hills, fields and valleys just takes my breath away. When I leave I always try to make a mental image so that in January and February I can recapture, in my mind, this beauty. God’s children are here also. The rich as well as the poor. To teach them is a real privilege. These children have given me so much. Their innocence and love have so touched me that I want to hold on to them. Another real privilege for me has been working with the volunteers. They are truly unique people. Each one pos sesses beautiful gifts. Their love and concern for the children and people have 4

Sr. Margaret Rooney at Lancaster Bible School.

so touched my life. They give of themselves totally both to God and His people. When the summer is over, and I return to Boston, I always go home with so much more than what I have given, My time here is always too short and when I leave, I leave part of myself in these hills of Kentucky. Sr. Margaret Rooney Somerville, Mass.

Sr. Alice Baker: “The Parable of the Yard Darts”

At St. William’s, Lancaster, this past week, I was privileged to grow and share the Lord’s love with the staff and children in our Bible School. Organized, yet not organized. Work, yet not work. Play, yet not play. I guess my first impression, and maybe lasting one, will be the message that kept coming through to me from several persons: “It’s not what we do, or how much, but who we are that counts.” Each day, I’ve becom e m ore convinced than ever that to be myself is the most im portant gift given and received, that I can bring to Lancaster. I can honestly say that I’ve enjoyed teaching the Parables of Jesus to my 8 and 9 year olds very much. Their spontaneity and creativity in their projects were a real joy. I pray that their openness to Jesus’ message of love for themselves

Sr. Mary Ellen makes friends at Lancaster.

So far my experience as a volunteer h^3 been profitable for a couple of reasons: 1. It is good to talk and share with the people of Kentucky—to see their poverty, yet to feel their warm th, openness and friendly attitude; to hear their appreciation for the work of the Christian Church in Appalachia. 2. It is good to share in the lives and work of young men and women who give a y | ^ ^ or so for the service of others. To see th l ^ r willingness to work, their belief in a prayer life, their commitment, and their concern for others, is terrific. 3. To meet the other tem porary volunteers has been enriching—learning their reasons for coming. I would have preferred not to be teaching but working in some other area. However, I can’t complain, as I realize the need is in Bible School. I feel a personal enrichment as well as an enrichment to my apostolate in Boston. Sr. Mary Ellen O’Connel Somerville, Mass. Being in Mt. Vernon, Kentucky is a real experience. It has made me question most of my values and priorities. I came from the city ready to help the poor “hillfolk,” but instead they have helped me! Through home-visiting, I have been able to meet many people. I am always amazed at their friendliness and sincerity. Each person is special, unique and packed with a million stories! Teaching Bible school allows you to see the poverty in Rockcastle County, the effects it has on the kids. K rc ^ come—no shoes, dirty clothes that have been worn for 5 days (because they don’t have anything else). And that is only

R ose Vanuum kneels to play.

physical appearance. CAP is doing something. They are giving not just to help those physical needs, but on a personal level that communicates that love of. Christ—respect for life that each vo lu n teer has. T hat starts solving problems. Rose Vanuum Bay Village, Ohio

school. I’ve also done things around the center—like mowing the lawn and doing other odd jobs. The people down here are really beautiful—so much more open than up north. They have so much to offer and yet their poverty and lack of education still upsets me. I feel giving up a summer of my time as a volunteer doesn’t make that much of a difference to the people. What does make a difference is what their lives have done to me! I have learned that faith in and love of God and love of others is something that a lack of money or education can never rob one of. These people have shown me what is really important in my life. I also want to thank the community of Mt. Vernon for teaching me that faith is something that should be continually growing; attending daily prayers and sharing in other ways our spiritual ideals has helped my faith greatly. No matter where I go from here I feel able to grow and commit myself more to Christ as a result of this unique and challenging summer. Betsy Raymond Acton, Mass.

In a minute way, I have had the opportunity of sharing in some of these attempts. I appreciated the opportunity of visiting some of the people in the area and feeling their warmth and openness. It has also been interesting to participate in Bible School and witness the feeling of the blacks and the whites and try in some way to teach the message of God’s love and acceptance of all peoples. I am grateful for having had the opportunity of joining this Appalachian com m unity an d will savor my experiences. Sr. Rosemary Brennan Boston, Mass.

Betsy Raymond, (right) in the middle of things at Mt. Vernon.

Sr. Winifred DeKarski supplies chips for Mt. Vernon Bible S chool snack-time.

Com ing to K entucky for the summer to volunteer for CAP was something I’d thought about for a long time—so when it finally came about, in the middle of June, it took some time to really believe that I was here. Com ing from M assachusetts, Kentucky itself was surprise enough, but once I “hit” Mt. Vernon—I did a doubletake! At first it upset me to know that the volunteers had such a luxurious place to live, but once I learned of all the donations and volunteer labor that goes into it—I could accept it a little better. And the small sacrifices and inconveniences we do have to put up with as volunteers make up for it. After five weeks, I am finally “settling in” and feel more at home here. I have done home-visiting for Bible school and camp, blanket home-visiting around the county, and have finished my first week teaching second graders in Bible

My stay at Mt. Vernon was limited to three weeks. In this short time as a volunteer, it was difficult to assess the needs of the volunteers and the people they were serving but a spirit and dedication to serve filled each day. It did not take long to get a feel for the kinds of work that was going on at the center. Sharing concerns for the people of the area were continually expressed in daily prayer and at liturgy. This sharing allowed me to touch and to reach out in my prayer to different needs and other people in the family of God. The perm anent and temporary volunteers have given me a positive and hopeful outlook on the work in this center. It has stimulated my interest in learning more about CAP and other centers and programs. Sr. Winifred DeKarski Arlington, Mass.

Sr. Rosemary Brennan and Abbey Peck lead singing at Lancaster Bible school.

Upon coming to Kentucky, one is immediately struck by the countryside, the rolling hills, large farms and beautiful stables. But as one stays longer and travels through these hills and by the farms, there is the reality of poverty nuzzled into the hills and down dirt roads, as well as the subtle but obvious black and white tension. These societal realities and injustices are not isolated just to this section of the country, but perhaps they can be better cloaked over because of the beauty of the countryside. In my brief stay here, I have been impressed with the many dedicated people who are trying to obliterate some of the poverty and face the racial issues.

OPENED KENTUCKY AND TH E W EST

TQ'-ftAPlD SETTLEM ENT AND MAJOR DfiELOPMENT. FIRST WAGON ROAD « I T BY KENTUCKY, 1798 CRIB ORCHARD TO CUMBERLAND GAR A PRINCIPAL HIGHWAY, MAINTAINED AS A TURNPIKE T O L L ROAD" FOR 8 0 YEARS &

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Wilderness Road marker

Holston River at Kingsport, where the Wilderness Road began.

Wilderness Road: 300 Years Old—Its Early History and the Men Who Built and Fought for It

“Wilderness Road” was a path blazed through the forest, starting at Long Island on Holston River, the present site of Kingsport, Tennessee. From there it ran through Cumberland Gap, up through the center of Kentucky, until it forked at Hazel Patch between London and Livingston. One branch went northeast to Boonesboro and the Kentucky River. The other branch went northwest to Stanford and Hanrodsburg. But before the story of the Wilderness Road can be told we must have some feeling for the time in which this took place. America was still a part of the British empire. There were no thirteen free and independent colonies. For the first hundred years of its existence, the fledgling colonies had all they could do to survive. Gradually, however, the westward trek began. By the time of 1720, the explorations to the west got as far as that imposing chain of mountains known as the Appalachians. No one had gone into them. A few brave families had ventured out to the very fringe of this wilderness and had established posts or forts. The major roads that connected these forts with civilization came from Virginia, following the river valleys, connecting with the mother colony. As early as 1750, a Virginian by the nam e of Dr. Thom as Walker was exploring these mountain lands for the Loyal Land Co. of Virginia. His purpose was to find a passage through the seemingly impenetrable mountains and open up this land for immigration. He discovered a pass in the mountains to which he gave the name “Cumberland Gap” in honor of an English nobleman. For the next twenty years, hardy souls found their way through the Cumberland Gap on trips into the Kentucky lands.

For more than a quarter of a century it has been my privilege to live in the Southeastern section of Kentucky. This particular locale is richly endowed by history. Here the first settlements were made; the first pioneers came. The infant republic of the west was being formed and fashioned in this part of Kentucky. Yet like most people, as I travel I see new factories built; new roads being laid out; new houses going up. These things occupy my attention more than the hidden m arkers that indicated a civilization of a hundred and more years ago. I find it possible to live in an area, and still be almost totally unaware of the importance it played in the development of our nation. In recent years, however, it has been my conviction that the hurried pace of modem life must not distract us entirely from a grateful reflection on the contributions of the past. It is with this in mind that I talk to you about one of the truly great things we have in this section of Kentucky. History refers to it as “The Wilderness Road”. In its simplest description, the

These trips were made by either lone hunters or explorers or by groups of hunters. No attempt at colonization was made. In the early 1770’s, a North Caro line judge, Richard Henderson, dreamed of establishing an empire independent from the other colonies in the land beyond the mountains. He called it Transylvania. He needed two things. He must make peace with the Indians he must find a pioneer who not only n S r the knowledge of the country but who also commanded the respect of his fellow citizens. He was needed to lead a group of settlers into this forbidding new land. In March of 1775, Henderson collected the Cherokee on the banks of the Watauga River in Sycamore Shoals, site of the present city of Elizabethton, Tennessee. Here for $50,000 worth of goods and cash he purchased over 20 million acres of land from the Cherokee nation. It was the largest private or corporate purchase of land in the history of the United States. He needed to find a pioneer of extraordinary merit. He found a fellow North Carolinian named Daniel Boone. B oone had m ade several trips to Kentucky and had even attempted to colonize it a year earlier. Henderson now employed him to cut a trail from the last of the settlements to the Kentucky lands. Boone, with 30 men, started on March 10 at Long Island on Holston River, to cut such a road. He and his group of wood cutters blazed a trail and made it w y j^ enough for the pioneers and their fami!||^P to follow them. The trail led from Kingsport down into Tennessee, past B ean ’s S tation an d up through Cumberland Gap. It passed the present cities of Middlesboro, Pineville, Barbourville,

IN MARCH, 1775, DANIEt BDONE MADE A ROAD U P M f M C l i TO RO O N ESRO RO ^tEN fVO KllI FOLLOWED THE ORIGINAL INDIAN PATH AND WAS KNOWN AS THE W ILDERNESS ROAO. F 8 M W ig TIME IT WAS THE MA« ROUTE TO S f K O g O M THE E a£ J

Big Moccasin Gap in Virginia.

Tennessee’s D .A .R .’s mark trail.

Cumberland Gap in Kentucky.

L ondon, Mt. V ernon, B erea an d Richmond until it came to the banks of the Kentucky River at a point Boone had determined earlier would be the site of the new capital of Transylvania. The men who accompanied him felt by all rights this new site should be known as Boonesboro. This then, in brief outline, is the trail blazed by Daniel Boone in 1775, which history has since recorded as the fc‘Wildemess Road”. Boone had made several trips to Kentucky before 1775 and spent a considerable amount of time exploring. He was familiar with the terrain and knew he would be helped in this road building enterprise by two factors. One would be the Indians. No Indian tribe in modern history has ever occupied and held Kentucky as its own. It had, on the contrary, been claimed by a number of Indian tribes: the C herokee, the Shawnee, the Iroquois, the Chicasaws and a number of others. The Indians used it as a place for hunting. It also served as a natural highway for them in trading and war expeditions among other Indian tribes. The Cherokees, from their sacred city of Chota in Tennessee, had a path worn by over a hundred years of use to the Ohio territory as far as the shores of Lake Erie. They called the trail “Path of the Armed Ones”. We call it the “Warrior’s Path”. It was used for war and trade. This path was utilized by Daniel Boone on his trail into Kentucky. The second ally in making the trail as buffalo. Their presence in Kentucky r predated that of the Indians. For more centuries than man knows, these great animals migrated back and forth from one salt lick to another. Frequently, the herds numbered in the thousands. Paths sixty and a hundred feet wide, were frequently made as these huge animals traveled the

length and breadth of Kentucky. At the time of Daniel Boone’s entry in Kentucky, these buffalo trails were very much in evidence. Boone used both the Warrior’s Path at times and the Buffalo Trace in his new road that was now called “Boone’s Trace”. Later it would be named the Wilderness Road. In March of 1775, time was of utmost importance. Boone had to get a trail made and quickly. He utilized the buffalo tracks wherever he could. It saved countless hours of cutting and disposing of dead brush and mighty trees. It was not the shortest nor the most direct route but it was the quickest. In later years, men would straighten and shorten the trail in order to make a more direct route possible. This group of thirty hunters spent from March 10 till April 1. On this day they arrived at the site of Boonesboro. Along the way they were attacked by Indians. Two hunters were shot and killed. Another was wounded and all had been mightily frightened. They had come a distance of over 200 miles in a little m ore th an th ree w eeks; a truly extraordinary accomplishment. Behind Boone and his trailmakers came Col. Richard Henderson and the first group of settlers. Boone and his crew arrived at the Kentucky River on April 1. Henderson and his settlers arrived on April 20. For the first time there was a road made by white men into Kentucky, clearly marked and wide enough to accommodate a procession of settlers. Benjamin Logan came through the Wilderness Road a short time after Boone laid it out. He left the trail at a place called “Hazel Patch”, at the comer of Rockcastle and Laurel County. From here he went off on an old

Hunter’s trail called “Skagg’s Trace” and bore to the west. He came to a place along the creek that was named St. A saph’s and form ed the second perm anent settlement in Kentucky, known as Logan’s Fort. Later, it would be changed to Stanford. From there the trail was extended to Boiling Springs, the site of the present town of Danville, and from Danville it was carried to Harrodsburg, the first of the original settlements. As the years went on the trail was extended from both Boonesboro and Harrodsburg. From Boonesboro it went on to Winchester and another branch headed north to Lexington. From Harrodsburg the road ran directly west till it came to the falls of the Ohio at the present city of Louisville. For those of us who live in the sophisticated times of the 20th century where all forms of transportation are open to us, it is difficult to imagine the importance that this Wilderness Road had for the people of the 18th century. In the years during and following the Revolutionary War, there was a hunger on the part of the citizenry to go west. One of the great migratory instincts in the American people was at work, and hundreds of thousands were anxious to leave the eastern seaboard and head west. And west for them was Kentucky. The only way the majority of them could get there was through Cumberland Gap and the Wilderness Road. In the first twenty-five years of its existence, the Wilderness Road carried better than a quarter of a million immigrants into the western territory of Kentucky. From Kentucky many of them went on to the Ohio and Indiana territories and to the Missouri lands. (continued on page 8)

(continued from page 7)

The W ilderness R oad was America’s gateway to the West. But during that entire period of time it was so narrow that not even a small wagon could be taken over the road. You could travel the road only by foot or by horseback. In 1796, four years after Kentucky became a state, its first governor, Isaac Shelby, posted a notice that the old trace would be widened to accomodate wagon traffic and asked for bids on the job. Daniel B oone, still living in Kentucky* applied for the contract. He had written to the governor informing him that he had never been paid for his ser vices on the first road and hoped that he would have an opportunity to widen the road and be paid at this time. The con tract was given to someone else. With the coming of the 19th century, however, other m odes of transportation became more practical. The rivers were now open. The Indian danger had been removed. Fulton had invented a steamboat and it was able to transport a large number of people and many supplies over a large distance in a short time. With the coming of the steamboat, and peace with the Indians, the Wilderness Road declined and became almost a forgotten trail. The importance of the Wilderness R oad how ever cannot be o v er emphasized. From 1775, when the road was made, until the 1790s there was constant need for reinforcements for the various forts and settlements in Kentucky. George Rogers Clark traveled the Wilderness Road to Virginia and back as he planned his expeditions out into the Illinois territory to Vincennes, Kaskaskia, and Cahoki. The militia came from Virginia and North C arolina to reinforce th e settlements at Boonesboro, Stanford and Harrodsburg. Without the Wilderness Road it would have been impossible to sustain these early settlements during the attacks by the Indians and British. The road itself was an unbelievably important factor in America’s acquiring of the land beyond the mountains. During the first fifteen years travel along the road was hazardous to say the least. It was at times a part of the Warrior’s Path. At no time was it very far away from the Warrior’s Path. This exposed it to the constant presence of the Indians. A party traveling the Wilderness Road did so in fear of their lives. Many massacres occured along the road. The most notable was that of the McNutt party, ambushed with nearly thirty people killed, south of the present town of London, Kentucky. A state park, Levi Jackson, now includes

part of the Wilderness Road and has a monument to the dead who were the victims of the Indian raid. Only with the end of the Revolutionary War did the Indian attacks on the road diminish. Probably the most important man who lived along the road was a gentleman by the name of William Whitley. William Whitley was from Virginia and had come early along the Wilderness Road in Kentucky. He had taken the western fork at Hazel Patch and settled between Crab O rchard and Stanford. He established a fort there and raised his family. If anyone deserves the name of guardian of the Wilderness Road it is William Whitley. Whenever an attack was made on any group of settlers by the Indians they could expect swift and rapid retribution on the part of William Whitley. He would gather whatever pioneers he could and set out in swift pursuit attempting to bring back the horses and the other items stolen as well as to punish the Indians. By 1792, Whitley had built a fine brick house along side the road. He called the place “Sportsman’s Hill”. It was the first brick house to be built west of the Allegheny Mountains. Even with the end of the Revolutionary War, Indian attacks from the South persisted and Whitley took it on himself to gather a group of men and marched down into Alabama where they fought a great battle with the Indians and defeated them. Travel on the Wilderness Road was now much safer. Whitley himself died, if not in defense of the road, at least in pursuit of the defense policies that he had set up. He felt that the only sure defense was a good attack. He joined with Simon Kenton, Benjamin Harrison and others to attack the Shawnee nation, under the leadership of their great Chief Tecumseh, at the Battle near the Indian town of Tippecanoe. He was killed in this battle. Many people believe that before his death he succeeded in killing the Indian Chief Tecumseh. The story of the Wilderness Road would not be complete without a mention of William Whitley. Henderson conceived the idea of a colony beyond the mountains which needed a road. Daniel Boone made the road. William Whitley protected and guarded it. Isaac Shelby, Benjamin Logan, Jam es Harrod, George Rogers Clark and nearly 250,000 people used it—both to defend the new nation against the British and Indian attacks and to colonize it and speed it on its west ward journey. Probably few other roads in the history of the United States have had such a great influence on its

history as has this trail cut out in the wilderness. Anyone who wishes to retrace a course of the Wilderness Road is a s k e d A write to the Soundings and details aWT information will be sent to you that will make the trip easier. In the next issue of the Soundings will appear the story of “The Wilderness Road as it Figured in the Great Civil War”.

A roof nears completion in Rockcastle Co.

Housing We are happy to announce we have finished two of o ur h o n ^ remodeling program s in R o c k c a ^ p County. Work is now progressing on three other homes. For a couple of weeks one of our crew leaders, Robert Bussel, came down with back trouble and could not work for two weeks. He is feeling better and both crews are at work on different jobs. Each of the major jobs they are working on involves additions to the houses and repairs on the existing sections. These additions will be a God send for the two families. One of the families has four children and the other has nine. The family with nine children has been living in a one-room school house. Besides the addition to their house, several rooms will be partitioned off in the old school house. It is very consoling to see what a difference the improvements have made to the houses already finished and to the people who live there. It has given many of them a new lease on life. Just this week, we have obtained the services of a young man fresh out of high school. His name is Joe Martin and he is from Warren, Michigan. After weeks with the children at Bible scho^B; he is working with the home repairing crews. We could do so much more if we jnly had the help. But progress is being made. It will be a better winter for many people because you cared.

Ed Johnson from Washington, D.C. working with children in Lancaster.

Happiness is . . . the first catch of the camping season. Miss Ellen Burke from N.Y. City heads our summer camp program and Berea child development center—“THE B O S S .”

Judy O’Brien, Gene Hensley, Tom Granger, and Tony Scalfani at Andrew Jackson. Tony cam e from New York to help.

Resting up for

a c u v iu t s .

Volunteers Trish Dandrow and Duane Gottemaeller help with lunch at Andrew Jackson.

Camping The major activity of the summer as far as camping for children is concerned is Camp Andrew Jackson located in the Daniel Boone National Forest about five miles from McKee, Kentucky. Since the last week in June, sixty children a week have gathered at Camp Andrew Jackson to enjoy the wonders of outdoor life. Not only have they enjoyed the immediate facilities of the camp itself which include swimming, boating, fishing and the various games that go to make up all camping experiences, but they also go on extended hikes through the Daniel Boone National Forest. In addition, one day a week is used for exploring Wind Cave, a large cave in the side of a mountain a few miles from the camp itself. In earlier days the cave had been used by Indians as a place in which they could camp on hunting expeditions in this part of Kentucky. Early pioneers used it as a shelter on their own hunting trips through this part of the world. Today it is used by many sightseers and the children that attend Camp Andrew Jackson. Extensive additions have been made to the facilities of Camp Andrew Jackson this year to insure an even more efficiently run cam p. New kitchen equipment as well as dining room facilities were added plus other additions. A staff of eighteen people run the camp under the direction of Miss Ellen Burke. Mr. Gene Hensley is responsible for the facilities at the campsite. In this issue many pictures of the activities at the camp will be found and the enjoyment of the children as they go about their various activities can tell better than any words could of the enjoyment and the value that a camping experience of this kind makes possible.

Volunteer Ann Bauer and campers plant at Andrew Jackson.

Swimming at Andrew Jackson.

Waiting for lunch.

Central Kentucky Bluegrass Festival

Music, Food &Crafts

Listen to the Sounds of: Jo h n H artford &The New Grass Revival J . D. Crowe &The New South Arnold Chin Band Back Door Trots Next Of Kin Stoney Creek Red River Boys and much more. . . Craft Booths Authentic Appalachian Food

“I like you. Can I be your friend?”

Two local girls, Lisa Owens and Edith Marler, volunteers at the Mt. Vernon Bible school.

Bible Schools

over the children are once again transported back home. There is a staff of about seven or eight people involved at each center for this important work. The Bible Schools are on an entirely ecumenical basis. The basic fundamentals of Revelations as given in the Bible are stressed. No attem p t is m ad e to emphasize one religious denomination to the exclusion of another. All are treated with respect and dignity, and out of such trea tm e n t a toleran ce has grow n. Religious prejudice has diminished and a~ mutual respect for the beliefs and tl|^ B convictions of someone different h a ^ ^ grown. Once again, pictures of the Bible Schools and their activities will speak more eloquently than any words—the enthusiasm, the involvement and the real enjoyment the children experienced in this setting where God is stressed and His word is made important.

With the singing of such songs as “Father Abraham,” “Michael Rowed the Boat Ashore,” and “Jesus Loves Me,” our Bible Schools for the summer session have been ushered in. Children in Jackson, Rockcastle and Garrard County have gathered together to spend some time learning and understanding the Bible with the hope that it may lead to a deeper love for God who revealed himself through the Bible. In each of the three counties roughly sixty children are assembled each week to experience this type of formation. Each day the staff gathers the children from their various locations scattered throughout the respective counties. They are then brought in to a central location in the county seat. The school lasts from 10 o’clock in the morning until a little after two in the afternoon. After this period is

August 13 Saturday 4-1 a.m.

3 CAP Staff Say Goodbyes

August 14 Sunday 1-9 p.m. Taffy Bricker from Hyattsville, Md.

Admission:

Adults $4 Children under 12 $2 Gate Prizes

Come To CAMP NELSON 20 miles South of Lexington on Old U.S. 27 at the Kentucky River

Joe Martin at Lancaster Bible school.

Barbara Witte For over a year and a half Barbara Witte has traveled the highways and byways of Madison and Rockcastle Counties. Her task was to locate the neglected and needy among the elderly. Once this task was complete, she set up a program in which these people would be visited. Barbara has over forty people her list. All of them receive at least o ^ P visit a month; some of them are seen each week. To all of them Barbara has become a friend and a source of spiritual and social grace.

Barbara Witte leaves CAP.

At the end of August, Barbara will be leaving CAP and going to Little Falls, Minnesota. She will be joining a religious order of wom en by the nam e of Franciscans of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. As a co n seq u en ce of h er involvement with the people and the work in Eastern Kentucky she now wants to dedicate the remainder of her life to the service of others. Religious life affords the solid spiritual basis for the type of commitment Barbara wishes to make. The Sisters of this community are involved in all types of work and Barbara could conceivably be sent back to Kentucky to continue with the apostolate of the elderly. This past spring when Barbara was |in Washington D.C. on her vacation, she decided to call a community of Sisters for information on their order and its work. The director of the program turned out to be Sister Carla who had spent an entire summer in Lancaster working for CAP several years ago. The world is not so big a place after all. We shall misss Barbara in more ways than one. Our center at Mt. Vernon will certainly be a lot quieter with her gone. Our prayers and gratitude go with her in her new work.

Patti Sullivan leaves for hom e, r<

atti Sullivan It seems that when it rains it pours, We had several of our seasoned staff leave during the summer and now to this number we have to add Patti Sullivan.

Patti has served for two years with the Christian Appalachian Project. She has worked both in Rockcastle and Garrard Counties. It is rare that you find someone who fits well into all sorts of jobs. Yet Patti has done that for us. Home-visiting, medical transpor tation, Attic store work, transport ing children to camp and Bible schools, and copking, have all benefitted by Patti’s participation. In recent months, however, she has assisted with the office work. Here it is her responsibility to answer inquiries from the many people who write us for information. After she sends out the thank you notes for donations, she keeps the files, answers the phone, meets the visitors, and makes them welcome. Her friendly smile and considerate attitude makes all things go a little better. Responsibilities back home and the health of her mother will take Patti back to Everett, Massachusetts. We can only hope that she will be blessed for her years of dedicated service to others. Kentucky’s loss will at least work to Massachusetts’ gain.

Catherine Rettig . . . off to Colorado.

Catherine Rettig Another one of the seasoned volunteers who will be leaving our service this sum m er is C atherine Rettig. Catherine is from Detroit and has served with CAP for a period of two years. She has resided in both Berea and Mt. Vernon during the course of her activities. Her responsibility has been teaching in the Child Development Center in Berea. She has also assisted in an extensive visiting program, Bible school work, the recruiting of children for camp, has helped in the Attics and rummage store work and has been involved in the other activities that are taking place at any given time. Catherine will be going to work out west with the Indians in Colorado. It is always with a feeling of pride that we see the volunteers leave their work at CAP and go on to some additional volunteer work in another field. Our hope at CAP has always been that we would foster even within our own personnel an interest

and a desire to be of assistance to other worthwhile and worthy programs. Catherine’s presence will be deeply missed at our Child Development Center in Berea, but we rejoice that she will be utilizing her talents with the Indians in the west for they, like the people of Applachia, are in great need of the love and concern of the rest of us.

Possible New Child Development Center in Stanford For several months children have been coming from Stanford and Lincoln County to our Child Development Center in Lancaster. While the children have profited greatly from the school, the distances they have to travel are very great. Some of the children have a 25 mile trip each way. As a consequence many of the parents and social agencies have met with us over the last three months to see if we could not begin a school in the county seat of Stanford. After nearly two m onths of searching, a tract of land has been found in Stanford, that has two old houses. There will have to be extensive work done on the dwellings, but they are sound enough to improve. There is a large lawn that will afford a fine playground area. There is enough land to eventually add classrooms for retarded or handicapped children. An option has been obtained on the property so we may have time to see if we can raise the money necessary to pay for the property. Our option goes until September 1, 1977. Our next step is to have an architect and building contractor look over the buildings to see what needs to be done. If we are able to exercise the option, it is our hope that we could start the school in October. Besides its ideal location and adequate size, the property contains an old brick home that was the first academy for boys in Lincoln County. It was known as the Stanford Academy and dates back to the 1880’s. The Kentucky Heritage Commission has designated it as a building worthy of preservation. We shall keep you informed on the progress here in the next issue of the

Soundings.

Marilyn Stefanski Finds Teaching Can Be Beautiful . . . at CAP

“I’ll be glad to do anything—except teaching,” said Marilyn Stefanski during her interview for permanent volunteer at CAP. Five years later she is director of the Sunshine Center in Lancaster, CAP’s child development and day care facility— a job which gives Marilyn supervision of several dozen 3 to 5 year-old youngsters daily.

Perhaps you would like to receive the Soundings each month. If so, send $4.00 for each year to: Kentucky River Soundings Camp Nelson, Kentucky 40444 Name_____________ ________ Address______________ City---------------------- Zip.

A native of Wallingford, C on necticut, Marilyn was graduated from St. Louis University with a major in French and Engjish. She had begun a career in St. Louis, teaching these two subjects at the high school level, when she first heard about CAP through a magazine article. Upon learning that a friend in St. Louis was coming to Kentucky to teach in CAP’s Bible School, Marilyn decided to accompany her for a weekend. She liked what she saw and planned to return when her teaching year was completed. Marilyn knew from her first interview with Father Ralph Beiting that CAP work was going to be very different from the structured teaching situation she was leaving. It was just after the floods of 1972 and Fr. Beiting was working on the clean-up detail in Boonesboro. As Marilyn talked about her hopes and goals at CAP, she was walking barefoot down the street through ankle-deep floodwaters. In the beginning Marilyn sampled a variety of jobs at CAP, mostly to fill in the gaps where someone was needed im mediately. First she tried her hand at sec retarial work, teaching herself to type as she went along. Next she set up and worked in several shops at Camp Nelson, then took a turn at selling in the Attic clothing store in Lancaster. Finally there was an opening for a

teacher at the Sunshine Center and Marilyn agreed to take over—-but only until a permanent teacher could be found. To her surprise, Marilyn loved working with pre-schoolers. While she filled important gap in the CAP program, t n ^ Sunshine Center has found an important place in her life, too. Marilyn prefers the unstructured teaching concept used at the Sunshine Center. “I find the younger children so open and trusting,” she says. “Working with them has given me insights into communicating with adults, too.” In addition to her teaching duties, Marilyn has found time to develop her culinary expertise in her spare moments, and has compiled an extensive file of recipes over the years. From her collection came many of the luscious and unusual dishes included in the Historic Camp Nelson Cookbook, co-authored with Katie Kelly, another CAP volunteer. Work at CAP and the Sunshine Center have so influenced Marilyn that she is planning to attend Eastern Kentucky University on a part time basis to obtain a master’s degree in Early Childhood. When asked how long she plans to con tinue her work at the center, Marilyn smiles, hugs a mischievous tow-headed youngster and replies, “Indefinitely.”