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M ay-June 1986

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X h e M o u n t a in S p ir it: The Magazine o f the Christian Appalachian Project M a y -J u n e 1986

V o l. V , N o . 3

Contents Features 4 T h e W eek ly N ew sp a p er by G io v a n n a Burks G odby Weekly new spapers in Eastern K entucky provide a forum for local columnists, who m a y well be part of a dying art. M ost of the c o m m u n ity columnists in Eastern K e ntuc ky are elderly w om en, b ut m eet the exception to that rule, Ike A dam s.

16 N o t J u st “ D o -G o o d e r s” by the C A P News Service T h r e e w om en leave their jobs in large cities to begin a preventive health care p ro g ra m in Floyd C o u n ty , K entucky.

Ike A dam s, p. 4

23 W Y M T -T V by M a rg a re t G abriel “ T h e biggest thing to h appe n in co m m unic ations in Eastern K entucky since the transistor r a d io ,” according to D arw in Singleton, a native of K no tt C o u n ty , K entucky, who is a m e m b e r of the news staff.

Departments 3

From O ur F ou n d er

9

A rou n d the P roject

13 A T h o u g h t from th e E d itor 14 T h e C A P C loseu p 20 Arts and C u ltu re 22 L etters

W Y M T , p. 23

The May-June Theme As o u r world gets sm aller and sm aller, inform ation and access to inform ation becom es m ore im p o rtan t. T his m onth The Mountain Spirit explores different aspects of m edia and its relation to life in A ppalachia. O n the C O V E R , some of the weekly new spapers in E astern K entucky (photo by G odby). O n the B A C K C O V E R , a sunrise at Buffalo M o u n tain , the site of the tran sm itter for W Y M T -T V (photo courtesy of Dick G abriel).

E d itor-in -C h ief, F ath er R alph Beiting; E ditor, M arg aret G abriel; A ssociate E ditor, G iovanna Burks G odby; A dvisory Board, M ike M cL au g h lin , Leslie B. L arsen, Ja c k M o rris, Bill Begley; G raphics C oordinator, D ebbie J . W ilson; C irculation M anager, T eresa Richey The Mountain Spirit is published six tim es a year. T h e annual subscription price is $5.00. S ubscriptions and o ther correspondance should be sent to The Mountain Spirit, C h ristian A ppalachian Project, 322 C rab O rch ard R oad, L ancaster, K entucky 40446. C opyright 1986. T h e C h ristian A ppalachian P roject, Inc. All rights reserved. M em ber, C atholic Press Association. T h e C h ristian A ppalachian Project is a non-profit C hristian service organization o perating throughout E astern K entucky. T he project operates on the philosophy that “ helping people help them selves” is the best approach to A ppalachian poverty.

From Our Founder

M a y -J u n e 1986

Jo rd a n

For years, Appalachia has been isolated, both from the outside world and from other com­ munities in the region. As the world gets smaller, the mountains are in greater need of information. The media, that collection of radio, TV and printed word, convey the information that the people need in order to make a better, more pro­ ductive life for themselves. The purpose, the reason, for information or facts is so that the present generation can make decisions that will lead them to evaluate the past, as well as the present, in such a way that tomorrow might be the best part of our history. To enable young people to make these decisions we must be honest about the past as well as the present. That is sometimes very difficult. For generations, Appalachia’s poverty and problems have captured the attention of the nation. Those of us who live in Appalachia and love it, react to this public examination of the seamy side of our story by conjuring up visions of days past that were simple and beautiful. We give the impres­ sion, at times, that if we could only go back to the good old days and throw out those outside rascals that have defrauded us, all things would be well and peace would reign in the valley once again. Well, the good old days aren’t coming back. The simple times around the hearth, where stories were told and songs sung have been replaced by the TV, the high school basketball team and the automobile. The media must not allow us too much concen­ tration on past glories, real or imagined. We can­ not live in the past; we can only learn from it. This year, General Motors was looking for a location for a new automobile plant. It would hire thousands of people. Many states were in competi­ tion for the plant, Kentucky among them. No mention was made of a possible Appalachian area site until one of the county newspapers in Eastern Kentucky attacked state officials for not consider­ ing the eastern area in its presentation. The tenor of the story was that a beautiful and needy area of the state was ignored so that the more affluent areas might become richer still. The fact is, that at this time, we are totally un­ prepared for such a giant operation. I wish the media had pointed this out and challenged us to prepare for an operation of the size of the General Motors plant by starting more small businesses that would have equipped us to grow and expand. I hope that we can achieve more balance in the information we receive. I can look at the front page of my weekly county newspaper and read of

F a t h e r R a lp h B e itin g .

killings, strikes, protest marches, conflicts bet­ ween industry and the environment and how many persons were put into the jail last weekend for drunk and disorderly conduct. We need to hear more about people who are do­ ing good and exciting things. If I have to put down the paper and shake my head in sorrow, I am not strongly motivated to make tomorrow better. I know there are hundreds of success stories involv­ ing ordinary people that need to be told. We need to know about them. The media should challenge us. In Sunday’s paper, I read of an attempt to form an Ap­ palachian Hall of Fame. Men and women from Appalachia who were achievers against great odds would be the ones selected for inclusion. I believe this is an excellent move. Every age, every area needs heroes, and Appalachia is no different. We need to hear and see their stories in order that we might imitate them. How can we have heroes today if we have no knowlege of the heroes of yesterday? Finally, I hope that the media, in addition to be­ ing honest, balanced and challenging, strive to unite us all. In Appalachia, as elsewhere, we are a varied people, with different talents, dreams and values. Somehow, we must be convinced that only when we respect one another and allow our dif­ ferences to strengthen rather than divide us, will we achieve the better tomorrow we all dream of. I pray that the media will encourage us to know, respect, and love one another so that together we may make today and tomorrow better than yester­ day. 3

The W eekly Newspaper: Forum for L ocal C olum nists b y G io v a n n a B urks G od b y

L e f t, I k e A d a m s show s old fa s h io n e d c o rn to th e sto ry a u t h o r , G i o v a n n a B u r k s G od b y : A b o v e , I k e looks t h r o u g h som e le tte rs a n d seed th a t his r e a d e r s h a v e sent to h i m .

The Mountain Spirit

“ H e is the kind of person who talks just like we do. He doesn’t pull out his college credentials just to prove he has them. He’s so down-to-earth you want to call him up and ask him to go fishing with you.” Ike Adams wrote these comments about Jeremy Dreier, host of “ Kentucky Afield,” in his column which appears in the London Sentinel-Echo. After reading Ike’s columns and spending an afternoon with him in his home, it becomes evident that these words are also selfdescriptive. Ike Adams is a “ local boy” who has captured the imagination, respect, and sometimes, the temper of The Sentinel-Echo readership. Ike writes a weekly one-topic column ranging from woolly worms to his craving for “ squirrel gravy and sweet ’taters.” Brent Mershon, Manag­ ing Editor of The Sentinel-Echo, says, “ Ike is our only local columnist. He really reaches local peo­ ple, and I’m convinced that readers look for his column.” People not only look for his column; they write to Ike. Sometimes they write in response to one of Ike’s more controversial topics—like when he called for Joe B. Hall’s resignation as the University of Kentucky basket­ ball coach. But, more often, readers write to Ike to share gardening tips, rare seeds or, according to Ike, to “ shoot the bull.”

salt, sugar and your very basic staples were grown and canned on the farm,” relates Ike. “ My mother put up everything from saurkraut to beets to every kind of relish, beans, peaches, pears, ap­ ples, other kinds of preserves. I couldn’t wait ’til springtime to get rid of canned green beans. But, I’ve always enjoyed gardening, ever since I was just a little boy.” Ike pursued a career in writing after graduating from Pikeville College with a degree in English and Journalism. Early in his career, he compiled “ an impressive collection of rejection slips.” To­ day, however, he boasts quite a list of published work. In addition to his column in The SentinelEcho, he writes features and editorials for Your Business Magazine and Diamond Shamrock Courier. The manuscript of his novel, a World War II romance, is nearly complete.

For the past five years, Ike has endeared him self to and, at times, enraged his readers.

He is particularly proud of the response from a woman from Clay County, Kentucky. “ I just mentioned that I didn’t know anybody who had any old-fashioned corn,” explains Ike. The corn is special because the seed is speckled red and renders red cornmeal. Over forty years ago, seed companies bred the red out of the corn, and to­ day, it is very difficult to find. Louise Kelly sent him some of the rare corn as well as a book of her childhood memories. The little book begins, “ I was born August 1, 1898.” “ How do you put a cash value on something like that?” Ike ponders with a deep sense of respect and gratitude.

Until 1984, Ike worked as Director of Com­ munity Development and Director of Corporate Relations of Kentucky Highlands Investment Cor­ poration in London. In 1981, Charles House, who was then Editor of The Sentinel-Echo, ran a con­ test in which readers were asked to define moun­ tain terms. Ike explains, “ He ran terms like rockin’ chair. Well, rockin’ chair is what people up in the mountains call unemployment. If you get laid off, you sit around and draw your rockin’ chair.” Ike entered the contest, and, with some “ diggin” ’ and a little help from his father, Ike defined all of the terms correctly—the only contes­ tant to do so! Also, unlike the other contestants, he defined the terms in narrative form in a letter to the editor, using all of the terms correctly. Charles House was impressed and asked Ike to write for the paper on a regular basis. Ike remembers, “ For the first six months, I wrote about going to the outhouse after dark with the snow on the ground, drawing water out of the well, shucking corn, and pulling blade fodder, and grade school basketball on a dirt court. I was getting a lot of positive feed­ back, but I was running out of ideas.” So, Ike asked his readers for topic suggestions and ran his office number in the column. Thus began a new level of active communication between Ike and his readers.

Ike hails from Letcher County where he grew up in a family whose livelihood was based on coal mining and subsistence farming. Family gardening and his mother’s canning surely account for Ike’s love of gardening. “ Everything we ate besides

For the past five years, Ike has endeared himself to and, at times, enraged his readers. One of his most controversial columns dealt with legalizing liquor sales in Laurel County. When Ike suggested that the tax base for schools would be increased by

“ I’ve got people that I correspond with regular­ ly, who live in London, only forty miles away, that I’ve never met—I’ve never laid eyes on,” Ike says proudly. “ I’ve published my home address in the paper so many times that a lot of people just know it by heart.” A woman from Corbin wrote to Ike to enlist his help in locating a family graveyard. Ike found it! Another reader sent Ike some corn to plant and included a self-addressed, stamped envelope in hopes that he would send her some bean seeds. He did just that. “ I get mail like that most every day,” smiles Ike.

M a y -J u n e 1986

5

are much more lucrative, it is his column in The Sentinel-Echo that Ike loves the best. He beams when he talks about the way most of his readers perceive him—“ You can’t be Ike Adams. You’re supposed to be seventy-five years old.” Ike ex­ plains, “ That’s a compliment to me really, that I can convey that historical imagery in a positive way. I fool the old-timers all the time. They think I’m one of ’em.” And so, that may very well be the secret to Ike’s success as a local columnist. He reaches and touches readers with plain language and a down-to-earth style that makes them feel that Ike is “ one of ’em.”

M y rtle Shoupe of H im a .

Ike’s editor, Brent Mershon, says, “ Ike is just the type of local columnist that is fast disappear­ ing from rural newspapers. Local columnists are vital to the paper when they really are local, from the community. Some papers use columnists from big cities, like New York, who write columns from their offices.” Even though Ike is the exception, most local columnists, especially those who report neighborhood news, are elderly, and there seems

thousands of dollars by legalizing liquor sales, the readership was outraged! “ The very people who support me would have done me physical harm if they could’ve gotten their hands on me,” remembers Ike. “ I didn’t write any columns for four weeks From W o o lly W orm s to S q u irrel G ravy because the letters to the editor were so thick they took up my space.” Vina (Mrs. Walter) Goins of Ike Favors Country Folk Ike has since been forgiven, but still Manchester was my daughter Gen. . . Normally I can stop about stirs up tempers from time to time ny’s maternal great-grandmother anywhere I choose and ask where when he and the editorial staff feel and she was known as Mimmy to a John Doe lives and be given specific courageous enough to broach a host of offspring that numbers in instructions even though the house “ hot” issue. the dozens and dozens. I don’t may be several miles away . . . “ People often ask me what I do know how she kept track of all the When I get to John’s house I am to support my writing habit,” great-grandchildren without a com­ usually invited in for coffee and laughs Ike. “ Really, it’s a pretty puter, but she managed. conversation. A one sentence ex­ good analogy.” Since 1984, Ike has planation of my business usually Mimmy wasn’t very selective in been self-employed. Outside of suffices, because folks are more con­ spreading her love around. She just freelance writing and working on his cerned about where I live, how many plain loved everybody. Affection novel, Ike is a freelan ce kids I have, and whether or not I radiated from her like the warmth photographer. In addition, he know their cousin who also happens of a fireplace on a cold winter night. works for a company, out of to live in Crab Orchard. In fact, I She was the kind of person that no Louisville, that secures appraisal have recently come to the conclusion matter what the circumstances, you pictures for insurance underwriters. that everbody in Central Kentucky has would always be glad to see. Ike’s “ beat” is the Boyle County kin folks in Crab Orchard . . . I don’t believe that Mimmy Goins area in Kentucky, and he wishes that Inspiration From ‘Mimmy’ Goins had any more fear of dying than you he had time to do this work on a and I have of going to sleep. The on­ Every once in awhile God almost fulltime basis. “ I love to get out and ly thing about death that concerned outdoes Himself and puts a person ride around and talk to people,” her was that it was going to be an in­ in this earth who exemplifies the says Ike. “ Something related to that convenience to other people. I don’t goodness that we would all be well job has been my column at least have much of an idea how Heaven advised to try to copy. I have been every other week since the first of looks, but I can say with certainty the year.” fortunate enough to know a few of that if Mimmy Goins isn’t there, I them and one of my very favorite Even though other aspects of ain’t got a chance at ever finding just passed from life on earth at the Ike’s livelihood, such as much of his out. age of 85. freelance writing and his photography, 6

The Mountain Spirit

to be little interest among young people to write for the weekly newspaper. And so, the local col­ umn, especially the neighborhood news column, may be a dying artform . . . “There isn’t much news this time o f year. Everyone stays indoors close to the fire. I know I do. I enjoy being snowed in. It gives me time to crochet, quilt, read and write. ” Vendetta Fields “ Families and Friends” The Mountain Eagle Whitesburg, KY Our view of the world is, for the most part, sculpted by the media. Through the media, we witness wars, famines, crime scenes, as well as at­ tend royal weddings, inaugural balls and funerals of national heroes. We relive moments of history over and over as we tune our televisions and radios to special report coverage and the evening news, and reach for the daily newspaper. In addition, media is big business, as dynasties are bought, sold and reshuffled.

E lsie E n s s li n o f O t t e n h e i m .

“Mr. and Mrs. Bill Davis spent Sunday in Lex­ ington with Mr. and Mrs. Chris Allen. Mrs. Charles A bt and Elsie Ensslin visited Mrs. Rebec­ ca Walker Wednesday evening. She isn’t well at this writing. We hope she will soon feel better. ” Ik e w rites on a v a r ie ty o f to p ics. Elsie Ensslin “ Ottenheim News” The Interior Journal Nothin’s Better Than haven’t found anyone outside the Stanford, KY Squirrel Gravy limits of Letcher County who ab­ Much to the chagrin of people solutely loves the dish and can hard­ Many weekly newspapers, across that I’ve worked with over the last ly live without it . . . the United States, print the happen­ ten years; about the middle of ings of small local communities August every year, I start gettin’ this Once Again on Weatherworms which make up a respectable percen­ tremendous craving for squirrel Members of my peer-group, (both tage of their readership. Columnists gravy and baked sweet taters. of them), local farmers, and half a gather the news, not from teletype For instance, just last fall one of dozen newspaper people have been or the Associated Press, but through my female associates from right on to me for the last couple of weeks telephone calls from friends and here in London, (and I mean she for a scoop on what the Wooly relatives, and from church and grew up here), volunteered one day Worms have to say about this social events. According to Glenn to go out and pick up lunch for the winter’s weather. Gray, Editor of The Manchester rest of us. Journalists call me in the middle Enterprise, “ The neighborhood “ What do you want Ike?” she of the night inquiring about the news columnist puts the ordinary politely asked. Wooly Worm Convention. Since no person in the paper—not just town press passes are given to this somber “ Squirrel gravy, sweet-taters, officials and other big names. Peo­ event, news-folks seem strangely half a pone of cornbread, a big ple look for themselves in the col­ willing to pay good money for a real white onion, and quart of butter­ umns.” ticket. milk,” I replied. She gagged and an­ Myrtle Shoupe has written for nounced that she didn’t feel like go­ Unfortunately it’s an “ invitation The Manchester Enterprise for ing out for lunch after all. Said her only” party and I am the only homo thirty-two years. She continues to appetite had just vanished and she sapien thus privileged. Wooly write her “ Hima News” column needed a strong dose of Peptoworms are pretty particular about even when she winters in Florida Bismo. the company they keep, and franky, every year. “ Friends and relatives I don’t blame them. One never Fact is though, (I found out write and tell me who all is sick and knows what one might catch off a later), she actually considered my so on. I write it up and send it into newspaper writer . . . favorite delicacy repulsive. Fact is, I the paper.” M a y -J u n e 1986

7

Columns in weekly newspapers are more than space fillers. Readers enjoy and expect to see par­ ticular columns in the newspaper; some have been written by the same writer and published by the same newspaper for years. The writers are usually older church people, perhaps ministers, and even widows and widowers of former columnists. Ac­ cording to Mr. Gray, “ Since most of the writers are older, down the road, the weekly column may be gone. I hope that day never comes, and that is why we are encouraging more people to write col­ umns. However, only one new writer has written for the paper in the last year.”

Grace C a u d ill, o f B lack ey.

As I have said before it is good to hear from our friends when they move away. We had some good times together. I guess we thought we would always live close together. I think this is one reason I take time out to write a little column so that we can keep in touch. ” Elsie C. Banks The Mountain Eagle

It seems our weather has fallen into a pattern o f being a fresh new snow on the ground each Mon­ day morning. The snow was so pretty hanging on­ to every limb and wire. The trees and shrubs look­ ed like crystal trees in the outdoor lights. ” Grace Caudill The Mountain Eagle The neighborhood columnist is important to the weekly newspaper. The columnist lends a “ hard to describe” flavor to the weekly news. The perhaps “ not-so-newsworthy” reports bring a feeling of “ community” so rarely present in large newspapers and national television and radio broadcasts. The intended audience is very narrow, but that flavor and feeling of community can be felt by even an outsider. Mr. Gray explains, “ Newspaper people cannot get out into the community like local people do. Staff is concerned, and rightly so, with more newsworthy items.” He continues, “ Some people may look at the neighborhood columns in disbelief that we would print them. But, our readers know these people, and the columnists have a unique way of reaching and talking to them.” “Well, Spring is just around the corner and then we can all get outside in our flower beds and yards. Before you know it beautiful blossoms will be blooming, some even peeping through the snow. I hope my crocus and daffodils bloom pret­ ty this year. ” Vendetta Fields The Mountain Eagle 8

M rs. Burt C. B anks o f W h itesb u rg.

The local column is a bit of Americana. It is an American tradition that has allowed the weekly newspaper to become a forum of the small local community. In many cases, the weekly newspaper is now quite sophisticated with a professional staff and a seasoned editor. But, invariably, even in the most journalistically heralded newspaper, the reader will find the news of the people of small communities written by one of its inhabitants. Since most of the columnists are elderly, and the trend leans more and more toward more “ newsworthy” stories, the days of the local col­ umns may be numbered. Let’s hope not, for it is truly an American artform, an American tradi­ tion. CAP. The Mountain Spirit

Around the Project

by the CAP News Service

Farm Program Starts P lanting for Spring LANCASTER—It’s springtime and CAP’s Small Farm Program is again “ going to seed” in several Ap­ palachian counties. Keith Gilbertson, the Small Farms C oodinator and Steve Goobic, a volunteer assigned to the program, plan on visiting different counties to distribute fertilizer, seed potatoes, vegetable seed and gardening and preserving advice. This work enables people to grow and store their own food to supple­ ment low incomes and food stamp allotments during the hard winter months. Temporary volunteers, many of whom are college students spending their spring break in Kentucky, begin preparations for distribution by dividing up thousands of pounds of seed potatoes into individual siz­ ed units. The handicapped workers from CAPrice Industries, a division of the Christian Appalachian Pro­ ject, are a vital part of the Small Farm Program, too. They help prepare for the spring seed distribu­ tion by packing bulk seed into in­ dividual packets. The volunteers then visit, telephone, and address envelopes informing recipients that the seeds are available. They also ar­ range the date, time and place for the allotments to be distributed to the individuals in the different coun­ ties. This year, several new things are being implemented into the pro­ gram. “ Instead of purchasing wilting plants from a retail store that are several days old and paying a goodly sum,” says Keith Gilbert­ son, “ Now we are giving extra seed to those who are growing tobacco and pepper beds. We are asking them to plant the seeds, so when they sprout, we can pull and distribute them to those who want tomato, pepper, broccoli, and other vegetables that require a start in a M a y -J u n e 1986

V o lu n tee r, S teve G oob ic d istrib u tes fertilizer to seed program p a rticip a n t.

protected enviroment. We repay them in kind with extra fertilizer, seeds, and canning jars. Also, often we go by and people tell us, ‘you should have been by last week, we could have given you lots of plants.’ With the fifteen people we have starting plants, and the extras we pick up along the way, we should have enough to go around. “ About 1200 people will be visited by CAP volunteers and about 300 more by Outreach groups,” notes Keith. “ We serve about 5 counties in Kentucky. “ During the summer we stop by and offer practical advice and en­ couragement,” he continues. “ Dur­ ing the canning season we have four pressure cookers, a few hot bath canners, blenders, freezer bags, and canning jars to loan or provide to the people as we see the need. We offer the incentive to try. “ This year we’ve taken flower seed donations and bought about six

pounds of flower seeds to distribute to everyone for planting along with their vegetables.” He concludes with a smile, “ With flowers bloom­ ing in everyone’s garden, that should help to spread a little beauty throughout Appalachia.” Future aspirations? They hope to get a greenhouse for next year. This would enable the handicapped workers to have “ on the job train­ ing” in growing hothouse vegetables and flowers such as poinsettas and hanging plants, which could be sold, thus giving more financial backing for their program. Keith and Steve have already started a small “ greenhouse.” In front of the large bay window in their office they have dozens of pot­ ting containers with new sprouts shooting through, which they very carefully tend. They’ll be ready to plant soon, and they’ll have the satisfaction of seeing their work help feed the needy in Appalachia. 9

around the project . . . continued

E m p lo y ee m orale w as b oosted through the celeb ra tio n o f “ M ick ey M ou se S w eatshirt D a y ” at C A P ’s h om e o ffice in L an caster. M ick ey ad orn ed the b o d ies o f C A P em p lo y ees on a fu n -filled F rid a y . T h e sp ecial d ay w as the id ea o f J ea n B row n , low er righ t, C A P P u rch a sin g M an ager.

A n other P ip elin e E x p lo sio n in K en tu ck y GARRA RD C O U N TY —On February 26, 1986, Kentucky suf­ fered its third Texas Eastern Pipeline natural gas explosion in ten months. This time the explosion oc­ curred about 5 miles out of the city limits of Lancaster, 10 miles away from any of the Christian Ap­ palachian Project’s program sites. Flames shot so high that people 40 miles away could see them, and the sky was so light that those close by thought it was daylight at 2:00 in the morning. Potentially a catastrophic affair, the damage was minimal, due in part to the hilly terrain and sparsely settled countryside. The explosion leveled two homes, two barns, and 10

various out-buildings, and caused extensive damage to a mobile home and several automobiles. Garrard County firefighters and those from surrounding counties kept the fire caused by the explosion contained to approximately a one-mile square area. Six people were injured with three requiring hospitalization for 2nd and 3rd degree burns, which they received while fleeing from the in­ tense heat that destroyed their home. One man, who was outside when the gas line blew, was blown across his cattle fence from the force of the explosion, escaping with only minor cuts and bruises. Our prayers are with them, and state officials are currently negotiating with Texas Eastern personnel to insure a greater degree of safety for pipelines in Kentucky.

A T exas E astern offical addresses the press ab out the ex p lo sio n .

The Mountain Spirit

around the project . . . continued

K entuckians H onored As Poets Laureate

Language Department at Western Kentucky University.

The source o f information for the following article is The Courier Jour­ nal, February 27, 1986.

Another Kentucky writer, Harriet Arnow, died Saturday, March 22, at her home in Michigan at the age of 78. The Dollmaker, Mrs. Arnow’s best-known work deals with an Ap­ palachian family living in Detroit during World War II. Mrs. Arnow was born in Wayne County, Ken­ tucky, attended Berea College, and taught, for a time, in the Pulaski County school system.

Kentucky writer, Robert Penn Warren, was recently named the first Poet Laureate of the United States. Mr. Warren, a native of Guthrie, Kentucky, won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1947 for his novel, All the King’s Men. He is honored also with two other Pulitzers, the 1970 National Medal for Literature, the 1966 Bollingen Prize for Poetry and the 1958 Na­ tional Book Award for Poetry. New York Times News Service reporter, R.W. Apple, Jr., writes, “ A man of letters . . . who has writ­ ten in almost every literary form, he [Warren] said in 1983 that ‘poetry is where my heart is,’ and he has devoted himself largely to that writing form in the last decade.” Great Britain has designated poets laureate since the 17th century when John Dryden was so named. Traditionally, poets laureate created ceremonial verse for the monarchy. However, the functions of the first poet laureate of the United States will be quite different. Robert Penn Warren will act as advisor to the Library of Congress in regard to literary programs and its poetry ar­ chive. He will also conduct lectures and public readings. Today, Mr. Warren lives with his wife, Eleanor Clark who is also a writer, in Fairfield, Connecticut, and published a new collection of poetry last year. Just a few days after Mr. Warren’s honor was announced, John Wayne Miller was named Poet Laureate of Kentucky. Dr. Miller, whose latest collection of poetry, Nostalgia fo r 70 is reviewed in this issue of The Mountain Spirit (see p. 20), is a native of the Appalachian region of North Carolina and a faculty member of the Foreign M a y -J u n e 1986

Gift Annuities

C h ild re n ’s Books D on ated to CAP LANCASTER—Several weeks in March were the time frame for a great scavenger hunt for CAP. The goal? To locate an affordable warehouse, large enough to store $1.5-2 million worth of children’s books, records and tapes. Parker Brothers, manufacturers of the items, donated the materials to the American Indian Heritage Foundation, in Virginia, after Christmas. The foundation, unable to use all of the items, asked World Vision in California for their recom­ mendation about a charity which might be able to utilize the re­ mainder. The folks at World Vision recommended CAP. Several friends of CAP were con­ tacted for advice about possibilities for storage space. The Somerset staff of Congressman Harold Rogers, representative from the 5th District of Kentucky, located a warehouse in Pulaski County which has agreed to donate the necessary space for storing the books, records, tapes and a limited amount of foodstuffs. “ There will probably be 30-35 trucks that will come in three a week to the warehouse in Somerset,” said Doyle Fortney, CAP Director of Spiritual Programs and Planning. “ Then we’ll devise a plan for distribution for those in need.”

A gift annuity to the Christian Appalachian Project will help us continue to provide employment opportunties to Appalachian people. This activity is an essen­ tial part of our mission to help people help themselves. But, what is a gift annuity? It’s a legal agreement by which you make a gift to CAP and receive a guaranteed life income in return. For a more complete explana­ tion, write today for your free copy of “ Giving Through Gift Annuities” by filling out the coupon below and enclosing it in the envelope provided. Clip and send

Please send, without obligation, my free copy of “ Giving Through Gift Annuities.” Name ____________________ Address __________________ City, State, Zip_____________ Date of Birth_______________ Telephone _________________

11

around the project . . . continued

CAP Preschoolers Celebrate Easter The children at Little World Child Development Center in Stan­ ford, Kentucky, were very busy in anticipation of the Easter season this year. W ilm a R ichey, kindergarten teacher at Little World, explains, “ We feel that it’s important that children realize that Easter isn’t only the Easter Bunny.” With that goal in mind, the teachers developed activities that were fun, yet didn’t exclude the religious meaning of Easter. The Easter Bunny and a cross adorned the bulletin board of the kindergarten class. The children discussed the meaning of the cross, and to reinforce their discussion, performed finger plays about Jesus. The children colored Easter eggs, created baskets out of milk cartons, and on Thursday before Easter, had an egg hunt. One of the most truly meaningful exercises of the season occurred when Little World “ took its show on the road,” and visited the elderly who live at the Stanford House, a nursing home near the school. Twenty-three children, aged three to five, presented an Easter program. They sang two songs and performed their finger plays. After the pro­ gram, the children visited with and gave their original Easter artwork to each member of the Stanford House. One elderly woman thanked Wilma and said, “ This can be a lonely place and having the kids here makes it a happy place.” Little World is one of six CAPsponsored child development centers in Appalachia. June Widman, Assistant Director of Human Development, explains, “ The primary goal of all the centers is to foster in the child a postive selfimage. We view the children as in­ dividuals and try to foster their development spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically.” 12

W ilm a R ich ey , k in d erg a rten teacher, show s ch ild ren in her class at L ittle W orld h ow to p la y an ed u ca tio n a l gam e.

Of the six child development centers, three are also day care centers. In all, the centers serve ap­ proximately 160 children aged three to five. The process for enrollment includes an interview, home visit, and needs assessments of both the child and the parents. No more than one third of the students in each center come from families of middle and upper income levels. Many of the parents volunteer to work as teachers’ aides in lieu of tui­ tion, allowing them to interact with the teacher and the children in the classroom. According to June, “ This is the primary means of enrollment. In fact, in two of the centers, 100% of the parents volunteer in some capacity, particularly as aides. Our goal for the upcoming year is to increase the number of parent volunteers in the other four centers.” The child development centers en­ joy an excellent reputation in the communities they serve. Not only children and parents reap benefits, but, as in the case of Little World’s Easter visit to the nursing home, so does the community.

H om e Repair Crew M oves to Casey County CASEY COUNTY —Jim Bowman and Doug Poynter, the Jackson County Home Repair crew, will move their attention to Casey County during the spring. Many of the homes in Jackson County are rental property, disqualifying them from participation in the program. This fact necessitated relocation for the crew and the pieces fell into place for Casey County to be that location. Casey County is the site of one of CAP’s two newest Attic Stores (see The Mountain Spirit March-April 1986). Traditionally, the presence of a used clothing store in a county signifies a “ listening post” where CAP workers may learn of other needs in the county. The need that presented itself in Casey County was primarily home repair. When Jim and Doug finish the work they have started in Jackson County, they will move their base of operation to Liberty. Applications for the program are accepted in CAP’S Attic Store and through Casey County Community Action Agency. The Mountain Spirit

A Thought from the E ditor In June of 1982 I was a brand new, totally inexperienced jour­ nalist. I’d been on The Mountain Spirit staff since April of the same year, and we were working on my second issue of the magazine. My assignment for the SeptemberOctober issue was to cover Mother Teresa of Calcutta’s visit to the Mis­ sionaries of Charity, who had just arrived in Jenkins, a small com­ munity in Letcher County, Ken­ tucky. I’ve never been able to figure out why Ken Craven, who was the editor at that time, didn’t cover the event himself, but I was thrilled to have the opportunity, so thought it better not to ask any questions. We’d known for quite some time that the Missionaries of Charity had chosen Eastern Kentucky as the location for the first rural mission. In fact, Father Beiting had escorted Sister Priscilla, the North American Provincial, around the mountain communities when she was looking for a suitable place for the sisters to live. I did, what I then considered to be, a tremendous amount of research for the story. In the weeks preceding Mother Teresa’s visit I read everything I could get my hands on about her, the Mis­ sionaries of Charity and even Jenkins. I wanted to be ready! The morning that I was to leave for Letcher County with one of CAP’S temporary volunteers, who was serving as staff photographer, I had car trouble. It was then that I started to believe that God was truly smiling on my trip because the car trouble turned out to be one of those problems that was serious enough to keep the car from start­ ing, but not serious enough to keep us in Garrard County. We also hap­ pened to be in the service station of one of the best mechanics in Lan­ caster. It took him a little time, but he got us on the road. We knew we were going to be late but decided to press on anyway. M a y -J u n e 1986

A te le v isio n r e p o r t e r , fro m L o u is v ille , m o n i t o r s services in St. G eorge C h u r c h d u r i n g M o t h e r T e r e s a o f C a l c u t t a ’s visit to J e ja k in s in 1982.

The first event of Mother Teresa’s visit was Saturday night Mass celebrated with the parishioners of St. George Church in Jenkins. In my naivete, I believed that there might be some people there from the diocesean paper, but I certainly was not prepared for the hordes of press milling around outside the church as Mass went on inside. The priorities were well ordered for the event—all of the parishioners were in the church with a few writers and photographers. The rest of us were outside, peeking in the windows or the doors. The reporters wore their press credentials, so I could see that everyone who was anyone was there. Associated Press. United Press International. National Catholic News Service. Local papers. Television stations. Radio stations. It was the first time that I’d ever been just one in a crowd of reporters, and if I’d never seen “ Lou Grant” on television, I would have had no idea what to expect. To make matters worse, I was so new that I was in awe of people that I considered to be “ real” journalists. There were other services schedul­ ed for the weekend, along with a reception after Mass on Sunday morning. We reporters got our op­ portunity for “ special time” with Mother Teresa and the sisters at a

press conference on Sunday after­ noon after Benediction. By that time many of the reporters had been in Jenkins for two days, and I could sense that many had been profound­ ly moved by the experience. Writers asked Mother Teresa why Jenkins had been selected for their mission, how her sisters had been accepted by the people of the com­ munity and asked the sisters for their impressions of M other Teresa’s visit. Then, one reporter asked a question, the answer to which has stayed with me since that time and, I’m sure, will stay with me for many more years. The reporter asked Mother Teresa how she felt about being “canonized” by the press. She thought for a mo­ ment, then answered, “ It is nothing extraordinary to be holy. Holiness is a simple duty for you and for me. We have been created for that, so there is nothing extraordinary. If you do your work as a newspaper­ man and in this work you always write the truth, always write for Jesus and always speak of his love for one another, that will be your holiness.” This call to holiness as a reporter gives the job a whole new dimen­ sion. We learn that the Good News of the Lord is not always happy news. But when we report the truth, goodness cannot help but grow from that root. —MMG. 13

The C A P Closeup W ilson

M argaret G ab riel “A Second Generation Volunteer”

by the CAP News Service

P e g g y G a b r ie l.

F ath er Beiting refers to her as a second genera­ tion volunteer. The Christian Appalachian Project regards her as “ part of the family.” The Mountian Spirit staff call her co-worker and friend. She is Margaret Gabriel, editor of The Mountain Spirit, better known as Peggy. Peggy, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, grew up with CAP. Her parents were CAP volunteers when she was seven years old. She recalls fondly the summer weekends when her family, along with another family (eleven children in all), traveled from Louisville to Cliffview Lodge, CAP’s first summer camp for children. Peggy remembers, “ My mom would help with the laundry. They had beds for sixty kids, and in the beginning, they only had a wringer washing machine. They strung clotheslines over the parking lot and hung all the sheets to dry . . . then we [the children] would play.” And, so began Peggy’s CAP volunteer ex­ perience. Those years when Peggy spent her summer Saturdays playing in freshly washed laundry became part of the Gabriel “ family legend” —a legend that would figure greatly in Peggy’s future years. After graduating from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Arts, she pondered a return to graduate school. Peggy remembers, “ I was real tired of school 14

when I got out, so I decided to take a year off and come to do some volunteer work before I went on to graduate school. That was nine years ago!” When Peggy became a fulltime volunteer in 1977, there were only a dozen volunteers, each of whom worked very closely with Father Beiting. Peggy remembers, “ When I first came, everybody was directly responsible to Father. He was at St. Williams [Peggy’s volunteer location] for Mass every other morning and for dinner at least three times a week. I had access to Father everyday, and there aren’t a lot of people who can say that anymore because he is called in so many directions for so many reasons.” Her first volunteer position was “ Jack of All Trades.” Soon, though, she acquired responsibili­ ty for the Christmas Basket Program, and then in­ herited the Emergency Assistance Program to boot. Peggy recalls with fond affection those early days in her career when Father Beiting was so close by. “ He was always a good sounding board. Now, there are so many demands on his time.” Peggy’s interest in graduate work in theatre arts waned during her three years as a volunteer, but not her love for the theatre. The West T. Hill Community Theatre in Danville, today, serves to meet her need to be part of theatre and to utilize, more directly, the skills she developed as an The Mountain Spirit

After three years as a volunteer, Peggy became an employee, first doing the same work she had been been doing as a volunteer. When Ken Craven, former editor of The Mountain Spirit, of­ fered her a position as Assistant Editor of the magazine, Peggy continued working halftime in Emergency Assistance and passed the Christmas Basket Program along to Jean Brown. She was named Editor in 1983, thus ending her days in Emergency Assitance. As Editor of The Mountain Spirit, Peggy supervises its publication from the beginning, when issue themes are planned and stories are assigned, to the end, when the final draft of the magazine is approved and delivered to the printer. She also oversees publication of all inhouse materials and fulfills administrative tasks such as monthly reports and budget development. In between work and theatre, Peggy makes good use of her limited free time. She loves to read and finds her reading material to be seasonal. She muses, “ In the summer, I read Sidney Sheldon

W ilson

undergraduate. Outside of her role as Henny Pen­ ny in the Children’s Theatre, Peggy directed The Good Doctor, by Neil Simon, in February 1985. Presently, she is toying with the idea of directing The Corn is Green, a play about a family in Wales, but instead, setting the play in Eastern Kentucky. She hopes to propose her idea to the Community Theatre this spring. Of all her ex­ perience in theatre, Peggy likes best to stage manage. In fact, she stage managed Plaza Suite, by Neil Simon, this past February. Peggy likes stage managing because it demands organization and attention to details. She explains, “ It calls on the same skills as my job as editor.”

novels on the dock by the lake below my house. The rest of the year, I read a lot of newspapers and magazines for professional reasons. I’m always in­ terested in what writers say and the way they say it.” Peggy is a crossword puzzle buff, and she eats lunch over the crossword puzzle every day. She is also an avid sports fan and enjoys all sports, especially basketball. She prides herself on being both a University of Kentucky and a University of Louisville fan—a feat most Kentuckians never master. Peggy Gabriel is a versatile human being who loves her work. The writing and photography in­ volved with The Mountain Spirit are the aspects of her job that she likes best. She laughs as she says, “ It certainly isn’t working budgets.” With the creativity that she enjoys, by way of the magazine, comes also a personal responsibility to those peo­ ple who read it. Peggy captures the essence of the responsibility when she says, “ It is important to me that readers know I am a person who is not from this area but has lived here a long time, and I bring that bent to my writing. I want readers to know that I am an honest person, and that they can believe what I write.” The Christian Appalachian Project has greatly influenced Peggy’s life, and for that reason, her work at CAP is much more than a job—it is a commitment. She doesn’t hesitate to acknowledge that fact. “ CAP is family. It’s provided me with a tremendous amount of growth, both professional­ ly and personally. I honestly have grown up here.” CAP.

M a y -J u n e 1986

15

M CA fourth graders listen to their heartbeats as part o f the health lesson given b y Sue M cD uffie.

N o t J u st “ D o -G o o d ersP by the CAP News Service

16

IViountain life is steeped in a cherishable pride and tradition, and children grow to adulthood sur­ rounded by some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. The mountains, while providing a ma­ jestic and beautiful home for a proud and honorable people, also pose issues with which those people must grapple. Many families live in isolated areas which will never be hooked up to municipal water systems. They drink substandard water and are not provid­ ed with sewage treatment and garbage pick up, resulting in cases of hepatitis and dysentary. Black lung and other health concerns such as hyperten­ sion, unbalanced nutrition and heart disease are prevalent among people of the mountains. Susie Smith, Jean Kowalski and Sue McDuffie are CAP volunteers who, in cooperation with Eastern Ken­ tucky University, hope to equip people with the in­ formation and the means to attack these issues head on and to make the mountains an even better home. The Mountain Spirit

Until recently, Susie Smith worked as a nurse in the emergency room of a San Francisco hospital; Jean Kowalski and Sue McDuffie worked as nurses in home health care for a Milwaukee hospital. The three women left their positions to move to Martin, Kentucky, in Floyd County—not for better jobs, not for higher salaries, not for vacation. For the next year, Susie, Jean and Sue will work as teachers, consultants, community ac­ tivists, and radio talk show hosts in CAP’s new Preventive Health Care program. The Preventive Health Care Program was born out of the CAP sponsored symposium, “ Ap­ palachia: A Vision for Action” at Berea College in June, 1985 (See The Mountain Spirit, SeptemberOctober 1985). Among the issues discussed during the two-day symposium was the quality of health care in Appalachia. A follow-up meeting was held soon afterward that dealt solely with preventive health, marking the beginning of a cooperative ef­ fort between CAP and Eastern Kentucky Univer­ sity, specifically with Dr. Oris Blackwell, Chair­ man of the Environmental Health Department. The program has met with a certain degree of skepticism on the parts of some Floyd countians. In the past, volunteers flooded the area conduct­ ing research and needs assessments in order to identify the problems confronting people of the mountains . . . and that’s all. People are a bit

tired, and rightly so, of “ do-gooders” who “ visit” the mountains and then leave, offering no hope or solutions for the problems they identify. “ People feel that they have given of themselves and gotten nothing in return,” says Susie. The philosophy of the program is summed up quite well by Sue McDuffie when she says, “ Our role is to get the ball rolling and get people organized with the idea that we will kick it off, and the peo­ ple will carry it. These people live here. We will be gone in a year. Hopefully, part of the core of this program is that we will set things up and get the people, themselves, involved. Because then, it will stick, and we won’t just be ‘do-gooders.’ ” One of the most immediate tangible results of the Preventive Health Care Program is “ The Floyd County Healthline,” a radio talk show hosted by Susie and Jean. When Susie and Dr. Blackwell conducted a survey to assess needs in the area of preventive health, Susie soon realized that “ . . . people didn’t know that there is a direct relationship between contaminated water and hepatitis and dysentary.” Susie further explains, “ Out of that, I thought that it doesn’t do much good to fix up people’s water and sewage if they don’t realize that it is an importance in their lives. I felt that education was the way we needed to start.” The Floyd County Healthline was born as a means of mass education and aired for the first time on February 1, 1986.

T h e P r e v e n tiv e H ea lth C are team h opes to teach ch ild ren the im p o rta n ce o f p r e v e n tiv e h ealth care. M a y -J u n e 1986

17

Fredericks

The thirty minute show airs on Saturday morn­ ing on station WDOC in Prestonsburg. Guest speakers discuss health issues such as water con­ tamination and health hazards, black lung and chronic breathing problems, nutrition, spouse abuse, dental health and stress. Susie and Jean find local professionals extremely willing to ap­ pear on the show. Susie says, “ We utilize local people so that it’s not just Jean and me up there telling people what to do.”

Fredericks

Eventually, Jean and Susie hope that the show will be set up so that listeners may call in their questions and concerns. Presently, listeners are asked to write in, and their questions are addressed the following week during the show. Most im­ portant though, the women want listeners to leave the show with valuable information. Listeners are offered, for example, pamphlets or agency phone numbers in regard to the particular topic addressed on any given Saturday. Susie explains, “ We don’t want to leave people knowing that they have a problem and that there is nowhere to go with it.” Also, at the end of every show, Jean advertizes services and agencies that people may contact in Floyd and surrounding counties. Susie says, “ The problem is that, in many cases, people don’t know who to turn to for help.”

A major project, and one in which Eastern Ken­ tucky University is most directly involved, is the Pilot Hollow Project. Through this project, peo­ ple in the most isolated areas of the mountains will be provided with clear, uncontaminated drinking water and sewage treatment. The fifteen to twenty families chosen to be part of this project are those who will never be hooked up to municipal water and sewage systems. Susie explains, “ These families will probably be at an income level that they can’t institute those things for themselves and probably have mineral or bacterial contamination from wells that are old or have been contaminated by mine sources.” In conjunction with Paul Wilkerson, a civil engineer and CAP volunteer, and Dr. Blackwell and his EKU students, a cluster system will be developed so that these families will 18

Fredericks

As another means of public education, Susie, Jean and Sue began working with school children the second week in March. The three teach preven­ tive health classes in grades K-12 at the Mountain Christian Academy and at David School. There are also plans for direct health care for public school children. Because of budget cuts, kindergarten, first, third and fifth grade children no longer have their vision screened. A program is being discussed where student nurses in the area would conduct that screening as part of their com­ munity health or pediatric training. Sue explains, “ This is helping the community to feed back into itself in real concrete ways.”

From top to b o tto m , Sue takes a soil sam ple in p rep aration for the flow er p la n tin g project; J ea n teaches first graders about n u tritio n ; J ea n tapes a n n o u n cem en ts o f co m m u n ity h ea lth related a ctiv itie s; R ig h t, J ea n m eets w ith an M C A stu d en t.

The Mountain Spirit

have a package treatment plant. According to Susie, “ We will be able to tangibly create a better lifestyle for these people.” Plans are also underway to add some springtime color to the natural beauty of the mountains by planting flowers in twenty-five acres of land in and around Martin. Susie explains, “ Father Beiting wanted to contribute uplifting beauty through colorful flowers as a way to improve men­ tal health and overall outlook.” Hopefully, the community, especially children and teenagers, will become much involved in the planting the flowers—perhaps through a high school competi­ tion or through school science classes. Susie, Jean and Sue work together very well and have accomplished a phenomenal amount of good in an extremely short period of time. Susie came to Martin in October after having volunteered as a CAP camp nurse for two months last summer. Susie smiles, “ I loved it here. When I left, I was a better person after being here for a couple of months. I really wanted to come back.” Jean, as a CAP contributor, learned about CAP through fund raising mailings. As a nurse in home health care, she toyed with the idea of a sabbatical and volunteer work. Jean explains, “ In fact, I had wanted to come to Appalachia for years and never had done it. I kept getting all this stuff in the mail and decided that I wanted to check this place out. I met Susie, and she told me about the program. That’s when I decided to volunteer on a fulltime basis.” Jean’s friend, Sue McDuffie, offered her a ride down from Milwaukee in January . . . Sue joined the program as a fulltime volunteer in February. Like Jean, Sue also had considered volunteerism. Sue explains, “ Over the years, the way the lay public dealt with a social issue was to give money. Now, the emphasis, in general, has shifted to ‘you go out and roll up your sleeves and do it.’”

The three women express excitement about the opportunity to do something that most nurses in large cities never experience. Susie, Jean and Sue find themselves immersed in projects, such as developing health education and hosting a radio health show, that are related to their field of ex­ pertise, but do not fall within their realm of train­ ing. They regard this year as a “ growthful pro­ cess” —a time of personal, as well as professional growth. As Jean, Susie and Sue are in the early stage of the program, they look forward to the months ahead—the unfolding of their projects and the in­ teraction with the people they hope to help. All three are impressed with the beauty of the moun­ tains. Jean and Sue, as do many people outside Appalachia, perceived the mountains as totally impoverished and were surprised, according to Sue, “ that the community is not totally im­ poverished for services; people just don’t know the resources and utilize them.” She observes, “ I don’t think that is a whole heck of a lot different than in a metropolitan area, or in the North, or East, or out West.” Jean adds, “ I am impressed by the quality of people who work here and the community involvement on the part of the college.” Both Jean and Sue recognize “ . . . a lot of pre-existing goodwill.” All three women approach the Preventive Health Care Program realistically. Sue states, “ This work that we are starting will not be finished by any means in a year.” Fortunately, other health related professionals have already inquired about future volunteerism with the Program. Susie reaffirms, “ We are real cognizant of the fact that our commitment here is for a short span of time. We hope to have replacements to come in and pick up this ball, but ultimately, through organizing the people who live here—who have a vested interest in this community—we hope to CAP. work ourselves out of a job.”

McDuffie

Appalachian A rts and Culture

Nostalgia for 70 A N e w B o o k o f P o e tr y b y J im W a y n e M iller

Rustic, simple, down-to-earth, yet at times respectfully sharp and penetrating, profound. Cut from a hand-held saw . . . that’s how I see many of his poems. He reminds me of an Appalachian Robert Frost, not just in his choice of nature and land, but that of his insight into human behavior and attitudes as well. In perhaps his best work, “ The Mountains Have Come Closer,” he has written . . . You’ve heard the prayer that goes: Help us to see ourselves as others see us. Buddy, that’s not a prayer we want to pray. I believe we ought to pray: Lord, help us to see ourselves—and no more. Or maybe: Help us to see ourselves, help us to be ourselves, help us to free ourselves from seeing ourselves as others see us. Can’t you see some of Frost’s Yankee wit and perceptive charm in that! Wit often hits home—and hard. On the other hand, in a poem “ Poetry Workshop,” from Vein o f Words, he wrote:

Reviewed by Mike McLaughlin

Jim Wayne Miller is one of the foremost poets of Appalachia today, not as well known—or perhaps as polished—as Wendell Berry, but gain­ ing over the years in popularity and acclaim. Born in 1936, in Western North Carolina, deep in the Appalachian woods and mountains, he lived there until 1954, when he entered Berea College, graduating in 1958. Later, he earned a Ph.D. in German language and American literature from Vanderbilt University, now teaches at Western Kentucky University, and is active in regional issues and concerns. True to his heritage, Miller’s poems are thoroughly Appalachian. He writes what he sees, feels, thinks. He remembers the Appalachian past, the roots of the land, while having a variety of contemporary themes and issues. His poems come out of himself, where he was and is; they are not superficial or shallow; they are perceptive and sen­ sitive, warm, and empathically human. He himself has described at least one volume of his poetry as being “ wrought out of my gnarled grief,” and in another place, “ I break these poems like moun­ tain newgrounds, odd shaped fields and patches cleared from stump and root-riddled roughs.” 20

“ You have to walk up on the blind side of the reader and lay the poem on bridle over the ears, bits in the teeth. So it’s not what the poem says but what it does.” So maybe there’s as much Mark Twain as there is Frost! And in truth, he is simply himself, but by being himself, he can mirror to us what we ourselves are. I think this last point may be the most signifi­ cant one I can make about Miller’s poetry. Yes, his poems are Appalachian. And there are some “ characters,” and a sense of the mountaineers’ past, and sometimes, a little mystery and magic hang in the mountain mists. But, his poems are contemporary as well. In this new collection, Nostalgia fo r 70, he writes about cheerleaders at a basketball game, a college campus policeman, the world of office-work, driving down an interstate highway, teenage sons rebelling against their parents, people living, working, loving, dying. In our common humanity, Appalachians are no dif­ ferent; they are sojourners like ourselves. Or maybe, we are like them, and through them are made to see a little bit more clearly into our own lives, our own problems, and our own society. And, isn’t this what most poetry does for us? I like his imagery. Listen—see—some colorful lines from this new collection, Nostalgia for 70. The Mountain Spirit

Describing secretaries at the office: Girls in offices along this hall— slaves in a galley rowing merchandise over the Corporate Sea. They ’re miners working separate rooms o ff the main shaft, loading black words by the ton.

Or on his own thoughts, as many ideas come at once: But here comes another one like a plane low over the river, red and green lights winking, winking. Soon I have a dozen notions stacked up, circling.

Or describing his own less than peaceful sleep: Behind my eyes, fogged windows o f an all night diner, someone is always sitting drinking coffee. I ’m open nights and Sundays, I never close. Aren’t those rich! This book is, perhaps, even more contemporary in subject material than his past works. I sense a transition phase in his writing, a departure from some of his fine past work, leading towards a dif­ ferent plain, as yet unestablished. There is less of the Robert Frost, traditional pastoral poems, an even stronger attempt to find poetry in the most “ unpoetical of subjects,” an acceptable but noticeable bit of sensuousness, a continuation of the blurring of the distinction between poetry and prose. Elsewhere, he has recently written “ I find poetry in common speech, in folk forms, like rid­ dles, in memorable bits of prose, in the language of children and savages.” I like to think of Miller in a ‘‘growing phase” (aren’t we all?—I hope!), or perhaps an ‘‘unraveling phase,” and in this book, he has not quite arrived yet at his destination. It’s almost as if he is shedding off old skins, farther removed from old pains and hurts, and while still a deep personality, he can be more objective and aware of the world around him. And thus, I sense that he feels more free to be himself, more open to himself and so we perceive his newer work to be from that to us, more natural, more all-together because Mr. Miller has more oneness with his work. We must applaud this movement, and can be justifiably hopeful of more important works to come. If you are unfamiliar with Jim Wayne Miller’s poetry, I suggest you first read The Mountains M a y -J u n e 1986

J im W ayn e M iller.

Have Come Closer, and secondly Dialogue with a Dead Man. For the would-be poets among you, Vein o f Words, would be very enjoyable. If you like these, then I think Nostalgia fo r 70 would be a logical continuation. In his first volume, Cop­ perhead Cane (which is included in the above Dialogue . . .), Miller wrote ‘‘The only image of Appalachia and Appalachian people that can sus­ tain us is the image that Appalachians themselves create.” I like what his poetry has created for and in me. I like his lack of pompousness; I like his cherishing the common every day life of man, which is never so “ common” as the name seems to imply; I like his varied settings and diversity; I like his depth . . . I like his poetry. You might also. ***

Mike McLaughlin was recently invested as the President o f the Christian Appalachian when Father Beiting assumed new responsibilities for the Diocese o f Covington. Father Beiting retains his position as Chairman o f the Board fo r CAP. The Mountain Spirit wishes Mike much success as CAP’s new president and thanks him fo r submit­ ting his review. 21

Letters While I live in Washington State now, I was raised in the northern end of Appalachia; western Penn­ sylvania. My grandparents were coal miners and steel workers. Your magazine brings back many memories of what life was like for many of my relatives and their friends when I was growing up. My immediate family was financially better off—fortunately so we didn’t suffer like a lot of others. But as a child I loved visiting my relatives and loved their warmth and friendliness, no matter what their financial position. Your magazine takes me back to my roots in so many ways. I felt blessed to receive your request for support a few years ago. Your magazine was the icing on the cake. I do plan to continue making an annual donation to help you with your work and I truly en­ joy The Mountain Spirit magazine. I shared the article on Appalachia women with some friends who recently moved to Kentucky— wonderful! Mrs. Collum C. Liska Olympia, WA

I’m always interested in helping out people in need, especially in my own country. What I like about The Mountain Spirit is that it lets me in on the lives of those God is helping with the fruits he has blessed us with. I feel a part of the people there and in true intercession. I don’t feel as though I’m just writing a check. But really reaching out to the people and saying “ I love you; it’ll be OK.” The Mountain Spirit lets me know the atmosphere of what it’s like to live in that area and how God is working there. God bless you in your efforts and may he send in many more laborers. Sharon Francolini San Clemente, CA

22

I enjoy reading The Mountain Spirit and the stories in it, especially the story of Miss Jean Ritchie. Does she have any tapes of her singing the old songs of her childhood? This is ‘‘The Lord’s Money” to help out in your work there with The Mountain Spirit. E.E. Milton There are several collections o f Ms. Ritchie’s recordings which Em sure she will tell you about, if you write: Jean Ritchie Viper, K Y 41774 Happy to renew my subscription as it is a real treat to receive this arti­ cle and I look forward to it. The Christmas wreath that I pur­ chased from you folks this year is now hanging in the garage as it is still too good looking to throw away and, believe it or not, you can still smell it. However, more important, each morning as I back the car out, I take time to look at it and it reminds me of the fact that Christians of all different faiths can help each other. It’s a great way to start the day. Edward E. Allen, Jr. Houston, TX

The Mountian Spirit becomes bet­ ter and better with each issue. I am sure it is because of the truism and reality of the people involved which make the reading so interesting. Having worked with Doris Anglin for two summers, I am anxious to see her featured in the “ CAP Closeup.” I have never met a more dedicated person. Doris is the living proof of what Jesus taught . . . as are so many of the CAP workers, volunteers and salaried people. Tell Ellen that a good ad­ ministrator becomes MORE involv­ ed with people, not less. It is a myth that Administration is detached from people. I’ve lived with a health administrator for 34 years and I see the involvement with people in good administration grow and grow. The average person doesn’t know of the 3:00 a.m. calls or the Christmas visits. So Ellen, take heart. Ad­ ministration will NOT take you away from working with the people you love so dearly. After being a CAP volunteer I don’t think a day goes by that I do not think of the people of Eastern Kentucky and the wonderful work CAP is doing. It has changed my way of thinking and living. What impressed me most was/is the number of young adults who are willingly giving of their time to help others. America is in fine hands when we have people such as these young adults who will hopefully have meaningful input to the future of our country. Jan Sperry Secane, PA

Letters to the editor are welcome.

They should not exceed 150 words in length, and we reserve the right to edit them fo r space. Address letters to The Mountain Spirit, Christian Appalachian Project, 322 Crab Orchard Road, Lancaster, Kentucky 40446. The Mountain Spirit

W e ’re JLour

M

ou n tain

T elev isio n

“ The biggest thing to happen in communications in Eastern Kentucky since the transistor radio. ”

by M a rg a re t G abriel

Fam ily is important in Eastern Kentucky. Although the immediate family structure is going through the same painful changes—and even deterioration—that families are experiencing everywhere, you still often find that same old at­ titude that “ blood is thicker than water.” A television station that recently began broad­ casting from Hazard, Kentucky is truly “ local.” “ This whole station is not just a workplace—it’s a family,” said Gary Johnson, sports anchor. Many of those on the news staff have moved to Hazard from a much larger city, so are used to having a larger diversification of activities than what is available in Harlan. “ Our social lives revolve around one another,” Gary went on to say, “ so we get very close. We enjoy each other’s company.” WYMT-TV, a CBS affiliate, signed on the air on October 19, 1985. Bob Speakes, director of news development for WKYT-TV in Lexington, WYMT’s “ sister” station, explained that station executives realized how different and special the station would be. “ We call it our mountain sta­ tion. The normal thing that happens when you’ve got a station, they’ll take the call letters and say, ‘what can I make out of the call letters to be a slogan? We did the reverse. We figured out what we’d like to have as a slogan, that would match M a y -J u n e 1986

our mission, as we felt it, and we came up with We’re Your Mountain Television. We petitioned the FCC for WYMT and got it.” Ralph Gabbard, Executive Vice-President of Kentucky Central Television, is general manager for both WKYT and WYMT. He cites research which indicates that people who live in the moun­ tains of Eastern Kentucky had no access to regional news, sports and weather reports. Local news for the area was provided by stations in Hun­ tington, West Virginia, and Knoxville, Tennessee. “ We’ve been very well received in the region,” Bob said. “ We had booths at all the festivals last summer, giving information, shakin’ howdy, say­ ing ‘we’re coming.’ People said, ‘we’re so happy to have you coming; we want more of a Kentucky connection. Here we are, living in Kentucky, but we feel more like Tennesseans or West Virginians,’ because that was their media connec­ tion. At first, there was no great design to the fact that the station is located in Hazard. WKYH, a much smaller station licensed to operate in Hazard, was owned by Bill Gorman who also owned a cable company. FCC regulations state that one person can own one or the other, so Mr. Gorman opted to sell the television station. “ He 23

[offered it] to us, knowing our commitment to quality and eventually decided to sell it to us,” Bob said. Hazard was an ideal location, too, because it is centrally located in Eastern Kentucky two hours from Lexington, two hours from Pikeville, two hours from the Tennessee border. This accessibili­ ty is very important to WYMT as a regional, rather than just a Hazard, station. The only thing that was kept from the old sta­ tion was the license to operate. “ We pledged to come in as a first class operation,” said Bob, therefore all the studio equipment is “ state-of-theart.” In designing the building and the work facilities, WYMT drew heavily on the knowledge that has come with the seventeen year experience of WKYT. The population of Hazard is 5500, hardly a large enough population base to find the expertise needed to operate a full-scale television station with 50+ employees. But, as a regional station, WYMT has drawn staff from many areas of Eastern Kentucky, West Virginia and Penn­ sylvania. “ We wanted to find people who were from Ken­ tucky or from a mountainous area, so they would have some feel for the people, culture and general lifestyle. Virtually everybody we’ve got in the news department is that way,” Bob said.

Ralph Baldwin, news director, grew up in Logan, West Virginia, travelled extensively with the Air Force, then came “ home” to the moun­ tains. One of Ralph’s early responsibilities at the sta­ tion was to hire the news staff. “ I had 135 resumes and tapes to go through,” said Ralph, adding that he had to be especially sensitive to the fact that liv­ ing in Hazard is unique and that the area might not appeal to folks who transferred in from New York or Boston. Aside from making judgements about people’s journalistic and broadcasting ex­ perience, Ralph had to judge how applicants “ would fit in Hazard, Kentucky. Would the peo­ ple in Hazard or Eastern Kentucky accept this in­ dividual? I ruled out a lot of people who would have been good and had good journalistic creden­ tials because either they wouldn’t fit or they were too ‘uptown.’ We felt that they wouldn’t be happy here and we might have a high turnover of people. “ I was looking around for Kentucky people or Southern West Virginia. And it all fell into place.” Ralph’s biggest concern was trying to judge how people from large metropolitan areas could relate to problems in Eastern Kentucky. “ I had people say, ‘I’ve been in Lexington; it’s a nice town.’ And I’d tell them ‘that’s two hours from here. You sent your tape to Lexington because, at that time, that G a b riel

W Y M T has b ecom e on e o f the sm allest tele v isio n new sroom s to be co m p u terized .

24

The Mountain Spirit

G a b riel

was the mailing address for this station.’ ” Ralph then had to explain that the impression applicants had of Lexington did not prepare them for living and working in Hazard. One of the “ locals” who started with WYMTTV at, almost, the very beginning is Darwin Singleton, weekend anchor. To the thinking of most people involved in broadcasting, Darwin made a “ backward” move, from WKYT in Lex­ ington, to WYMT, which has not yet established an ADI (Area of Dominant Influence). “ Darwin is originally from Knott County,” Ralph said. “ He worked at the old (Channel) 57 years ago. He knew what he was getting into.” Darwin said that he is familiar with many of the people in the area because he knew them or members of their family when he was growing up. “ If you want to know something about somebody, you go see Darwin,” Ralph said. “ There were a lot of different reasons that I moved back,” Darwin explained. “ One, of course, this is my home—I’m closer to my family. I’m known here, so that makes it a lot easier. At (Channel) 27 I worked in the South Bureau, so I was still working in the area. But I got a chance to anchor here, and I wanted a chance to get more experience anchoring. “ After working three years at the old station and growing up in Eastern Kentucky, I would have felt left out if I wasn’t in on, probably, the biggest thing in communications to happen in Eastern Kentucky since the transistor radio. “ It was a better position and family and friends—that’s why I came back. And the area—it does call you back. It does have strings attached to it, calling you back to the mountains.”

W Y M T N ew s D irecto r, R alph B a ld w in .

Darwin has the same sensitivity to “ bad press” about Eastern Kentucky as any other moun­ taineer.

As is the case with all of the people on the news staff, Darwin is sensitive to how Eastern Ken­ tuckians react to news reports about their area. The presence of media in the mountains, on a dai­ ly basis, is something very new. “ When emotions are running high and people are not used to being scrutinized, then it’s very handy to use the media as a scapegoat. That’s probably true just about anywhere.

“ When Ted Kennedy came to Letcher County [in 1979], an ABC cameraman asked me where the local affiliate was, so he could send his tape to the network. I talked with him for a moment and I said, ‘this time will you kind of lay off the shacks? Will you lay off the despair and depression a little bit?’ He said, ‘I’m sorry, but that’s where they took us.’ So I was blaming the national media—and sometimes they are at fault—but the media was being led.

“ As a newsman, sometimes I have to separate myself [from family and friends and childhood memories]. Sometimes it pays to be from the out­ side; being a ‘hometown boy’ can be an advantage or a disadvantage. But it boils down to this. If they can respect you for being a newsperson, for being a professional, then they can go to you with a problem and know what to expect. They know I’m not going to take sides. I want the people to feel that I care more than just the average reporter.”

“ That was a real lightening bolt for me. And it bothers me, that we can be led. I think that’s where the national media is a big disadvantage. We know when someone is not telling the truth or we know enough to check to see if something is the truth.” Darwin said that station personnel does not in­ tend to bury their heads in the sand about pro­ blems in the area. But, as local media, they can not only point to local problems, they can help to address those problems and devise ways to im-

M a y -J u n e 1986

25

ing them . . . thereby increasing the reciprocal awareness of happenings in both central and eastern Kentucky,” Bob wrote in a recent promo­ tional letter. Executives of both stations see the importance of WYMT maintaining its individuality, just as the people of its service area have maintained their individuality. “ We put on the type of programm­ ing here that, we assume, will be the type of pro­ gramming that they want,” Bob said. “ Time will tell—trial and error. If people aren’t going to watch Program A, then we’ll try Program B.” Along with the “ hard” news of the area, WYMT tells simpler stories; plain stories about the lives of the people in, what they hope to establish as, their ADI. “ We want to portray the human interest things, things that are culturally unique to the area. We want to showcase, for the rest of Kentucky, what life is like here and to share with the people here. In that way we can help preserve the culture,” Bob explained.

W Y M T p rov id es region al n ew s coverage for the A pp alachian area o f K e n tu c k y .

prove the quality of life in Eastern Kentucky. Ralph terms WYMT’s relationship with CBS, its network, as “ excellent,” and points to some great opportunities that have opened up for the network by having an affiliate in Eastern Ken­ tucky. “ We haven’t had a lot of personal contact with CBS, yet. We have been fortunate enough to have several of our stories used by CBS. The Southeast [Bureau] in Atlanta is very interested in us, because the heads of that bureau know that there’s a big mining disaster nearly every year in Eastern Kentucky. There are floods nearly every year in Eastern Kentucky. They know that this is a good area to develop news, and they’re glad to have us here to feed that to them.” The working relationship of WYMT and WKYT gives an advantage to both stations. The two operations share some equipment and an in­ tricate microwave path, which links them with bureaus in Frankfort, the state capital, and the Big Sandy region, which is about 65 miles east of Hazard. The perimeter of the region is approx­ imately 500 miles, but the microwave path makes transmission almost instantaneous. “ Up-to-the-minute news and sports reports, both live and taped, thus are available to both primary stations, not only from the in-house and roving news crews, but also from the bureaus serv26

A traditional drawback to life in Eastern Ken­ tucky is the isolation imposed because of the rough terrain, although Ralph says that the roads are light-years better than they were when he was a boy. Even so, a simple 25 mile drive between two locations in the mountains can sometimes be quite an undertaking. WYMT is serving to relieve some of that isolation. The impact is also being felt in economic areas. Ralph believes that WYMT is becoming an economic hub for Eastern Kentucky. Whenever possible, the station purchases in the local area and the salaries for more than 50 station employees have a considerable impact on the economic barometer. “ Due to our advertisement, we’re promoting business within,” said Ralph. “ We’re bringing money in, and a good deal of our operating capital goes toward local purchase and salaries. The economic multiplier for the county is four or five to one. So, for every dollar I pay, ac­ cording to Mayor Gorman, that dollar turns over four or five times. It’s even higher for single peo­ ple, and all but one of the newspeople are single.” “ Change” and “ impact” are words that are not uncommon around Channel 57. “ Twenty or twenty-five years ago, I drove up through Harlan into Lexington,” Ralph recalls. “ I don’t remember a four-lane road at all. It took us four­ teen or fifteen hours—a long time. The state highway department has done a real good job of building some highways that are passable. That’s what we’re trying to do with this station. We’ve got a communications link for traffic. I think we’re going to do as well there as the highway department’s done building the Mountain Parkway.” CAP. The Mountain Spirit

The Mountain Spirit R ea d ersh ip S u rv ey In just a few months The Mountain Spirit will celebrate five years of publication. As we prepare for our next five years, we want to be especially aware of the aspects of the magazine that our readers find the most enjoyable. Help us out, won’t you? Take a few minutes to answer our questions and mail your answers back to us in the postage-paid envelope in the fold of the magazine. Thanks! Name _ _______________________________ _______________________________________________ Address Age: 18-24 25-34 35-39 40-49 50-64 64-75 over 75

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C H R IST IA N A P P A L A C H IA N PRO JECT 322 CRAB ORCHARD RD., LANCASTER, KY 40446 The Mountain Spirit