Interview with Ernest Bonds, Virginia Bonds, May 28, 1987

Partial Transcript: And they put them shots off, when they put them sh, shots off I just sitting right here in this chair.

Segment Synopsis: Ernest and Virginia Bonds discuss how strip mining affected their lives and how they became involved in lobbying for anti-strip mining legislation. They talks about the difference between strip mining in the 1960s and current strip mining techniques.

Keywords: Blasting; Blasts; Careful; Damage; Destruction; Falling rocks; Land reclamation; Ranger Fuel

Subjects: Community action; Reclamation of land; Strip mining--Law and legislation--Appalachian Region

Partial Transcript: Do you remember the first time you ever met a Appalachian Volunteer or a VISTA worker? Community action worker?

Segment Synopsis: Ernest and Virginia Bonds talk about how they became involved with VISTA workers and Appalachian Volunteers. They tell a story about some volunteers that they knew.

Keywords: Appalachian Volunteers (AVs); Lawyers; VISTA

Subjects: Strip mining--Law and legislation--Appalachian Region; Volunteers in Service to America

Partial Transcript: Was there a lot of conflict, or any conflict in the community when you were working on that strip mining thing?

Segment Synopsis: Ernest and Virginia Bonds discuss how people in the community felt about the attempt to change the strip mining laws.

Keywords: Agreement; Community; Conflict; Controversy; Damage; Falling rocks; Floods; Lawsuits; Mud; Ranger Fuel

Subjects: Strip mining--Law and legislation--Appalachian Region

Partial Transcript: What did you think--or can you remember what you, what you thought when the Appalachian Volunteers or the VISTA workers started saying, “Well, let’s go to Charleston. We can get this law changed. We can stop these people.”

Segment Synopsis: Ernest and Virginia Bonds talk more about the VISTA workers and Appalachian Volunteers and their involvement in the attempt to change strip mining legislation. They discuss whether a similar program could be effective in the future.

Keywords: Appalachian Volunteers (AVs); Community problems; Conflict; Democratic process; Future; Government; Opposition; Ranger Fuel; Rights; Tracy Hilton; VISTA

Subjects: Strip mining--Law and legislation--Appalachian Region; Volunteers in Service to America

Partial Transcript: Tell me a little bit about your recollections of the early days of Head Start.

Segment Synopsis: Ernest and Virginia Bonds discuss the beginning of the Head Start program in their community and Virginia's role in the program.

Keywords: Communities; Graduation; Head Start programs; Health Department; Opposition; Teachers; Training

Subjects: Community action

Partial Transcript: Other than, than the success of Head Start, do you s--feel that Community Action had much impact or was it more just a flash-in-the-pan type of thing?

Segment Synopsis: Ernest and Virginia Bonds discuss their opinions on the impact of community action. They talk more about the outside volunteers that came into their community.

Keywords: Appalachian Volunteers (AVs); Barefoot; Benefits; Impact; Rights; VISTA

Subjects: Community action; Strip mining--Law and legislation--Appalachian Region; Volunteers in Service to America

Partial Transcript: Head Start’s changed. At the time when she was here, we followed just as close to the Head Start rules and philosophy as we could.

Segment Synopsis: Ernest and Virginia Bonds talk more about the Head Start program and how it has changed over the years. The talk about when they first heard about community action.

Keywords: Appalachian Volunteers (AVs); Changes; Head Start programs; VISTA

Subjects: Community action; Politicians; Politics and government; Volunteers in Service to America

Partial Transcript: Do you all remember any more sort of funny stories or anecdotes about the VISTA workers or the AVs?

Segment Synopsis: Ernest and Virginia Bonds tell more stories about the volunteers that they knew. They talk about a film that was made concerning strip mining in their community.

Keywords: Academy Awards; Appalachian Volunteers (AVs); Charleston (W. Va.); Films; Funny stories; Movies; Payment; VISTA

Subjects: Strip mining--Law and legislation--Appalachian Region; Volunteers in Service to America

Partial Transcript: I got hurt in sixty-four.

Segment Synopsis: Ernest Bonds talks about getting injured while working as a coal miner. He and Virginia Bonds discuss a man in their community named Ellis Bailey who was part of the group working for anti-strip mining legislation. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Backs; Charleston (W. Va.); Ellis Bailey; Hurt; Injuries; Legislature; Mines

Subjects: Strip mining--Law and legislation--Appalachian Region