Interview with James Greene, November 23, 2011

Partial Transcript: The interviewer is Amanda Fickey and the interviewee is James Greene.

Segment Synopsis: Greene discusses his background. In particular, he describes his education. He talks about the schools that he has attended for undergraduate and graduate school. He also talks about his academic interests and how his majors have changed across his degrees.

Keywords: Eastern Kentucky; Harlan (Ky.); Ohio State University; Union College; University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; University of Wisconsin

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Appalachian Region--History.; Appalachian Region.; Appalachians (People); Art & community; Arts and crafts movement--United States.; Pine Mountain Settlement School (Pine Mountain, Ky.); Regionalism and the arts.

Partial Transcript: Now let me ask you something, so you were really interested in educational reform, and that's what drew you to the Settlement School.

Segment Synopsis: Greene offers a brief history of education reform during the Progressive Era. He talks about the rise of the social settlement movement and how Katherine Pettit served as a founder and leader of the movement in Kentucky. He notes her attempt to start a settlement school in Hindman, as well as explaining the move from Hindman to Harlan.

Keywords: Education; Harlan (Ky.); Hindman (Ky.); Hindman Settlement School (Hindman, Ky.); Katherine Pettit; Progressive Era; Schools

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Appalachian Region--History.; Appalachian Region.; Appalachians (People); Art & community; Arts and crafts movement--United States.; Pettit, Katherine; Pine Mountain Settlement School (Pine Mountain, Ky.); Regionalism and the arts.

Partial Transcript: So, she decided that Pine Mountain was going to be all of the things she'd ever wanted, wanted something like this to be.

Segment Synopsis: Greene discusses the founding of Pine Mountain Settlement School. He talks about the initial leadership of Ethel DeLong and Katherine Pettit and what their goals were for the school. He talks about the initial programs offered and the nature of the school.

Keywords: Education; Ethel DeLong; Katherine Pettit; Schools

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Appalachian Region--History.; Appalachian Region.; Appalachians (People); Art & community; Arts and crafts movement--United States.; Pettit, Katherine; Pine Mountain Settlement School (Pine Mountain, Ky.); Regionalism and the arts.

Partial Transcript: Now, the other thing was, they both had a great appreciation for Appalachian culture.

Segment Synopsis: Greene discusses the appreciation for Appalachian culture held by the Pine Mountain Settlement School. He talks about how Pettit and DeLong hoped to form a school to promote and protect those traditions. He notes the role of religion and morality in the school as well.

Keywords: Education; Ethel DeLong; Katherine Pettit; Schools

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Appalachian Region--History.; Appalachian Region.; Appalachians (People); Art & community; Arts and crafts movement--United States.; Pettit, Katherine; Pine Mountain Settlement School (Pine Mountain, Ky.); Regionalism and the arts.

Partial Transcript: Which, can I ask you something about that?

Segment Synopsis: Greene discusses the way the school was organized and whether it was a tightly controlled environment. He discusses what students were required to do in terms of work, as well as why it was done. Greene notes the increased visibility of women at the school, with the hiring of female doctors and architects.

Keywords: Education; Ethel DeLong; Katherine Pettit; Schools

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Appalachian Region--History.; Appalachian Region.; Appalachians (People); Art & community; Arts and crafts movement--United States.; Pettit, Katherine; Pine Mountain Settlement School (Pine Mountain, Ky.); Regionalism and the arts.

Partial Transcript: Well, let me ask you something. You mentioned, um, the students having to cover their own way and to be able to wor--offset some of their costs.

Segment Synopsis: Greene discusses the presence of class divisions among students at Pine Mountain Settlement School. He talks about the difference between modern conceptions of wealth and those of the early twentieth century in Appalachia. He also discusses the rising role of mining as a factor. Greene talks about the changes in the relationship between the settlement school and the public schools.

Keywords: Economic status; Education; Schools; Social classes

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Appalachian Region--History.; Appalachian Region.; Appalachians (People); Art & community; Arts and crafts movement--United States.; Pettit, Katherine; Pine Mountain Settlement School (Pine Mountain, Ky.); Regionalism and the arts.

Partial Transcript: Yeah. Well, let me ask you something about, uh, the programs they would have been involved in.

Segment Synopsis: Greene discusses the development of the Pine Mountain Settlement School from its early years as a part of the social settlement movement into a community school associated with Berea. He talks about the changes and phases the school had gone through, along with notable leaders.

Keywords: Education; Ethel DeLong; Katherine Pettit; Schools

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Appalachian Region--History.; Appalachian Region.; Appalachians (People); Art & community; Arts and crafts movement--United States.; Pettit, Katherine; Pine Mountain Settlement School (Pine Mountain, Ky.); Regionalism and the arts.

Partial Transcript: So, at that point, then Pine Mountain had to decide what, well, you know, what is the appropriate thing to do?

Segment Synopsis: Greene discusses Pine Mountain Settlement School's current priorities. In particular, he talks about the shift to focusing on the environment and promoting sustainability. He talks about the environmental education and workshops offered to students, such as the co-operative store.

Keywords: Education; Environmentalism; Schools

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Appalachian Region--History.; Appalachian Region.; Appalachians (People); Art & community; Arts and crafts movement--United States.; Pine Mountain Settlement School (Pine Mountain, Ky.); Regionalism and the arts.

Partial Transcript: Well, let's go back now, you had asked me a question about the crafts--

Segment Synopsis: Greene continues with further discussion on how Pettit and DeLong preserved Appalachian culture in various forms, such as traditional ballads. He also talks about the challenges faced in preserving traditional forms, such as the complications of harvesting indigo to make dyes in the traditional manner.

Keywords: Education; Ethel DeLong; Katherine Pettit; Schools

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Appalachian Region--History.; Appalachian Region.; Appalachians (People); Art & community; Arts and crafts movement--United States.; Pettit, Katherine; Pine Mountain Settlement School (Pine Mountain, Ky.); Regionalism and the arts.

Partial Transcript: Now what about with the adults?

Segment Synopsis: Greene discusses the crafts produced by adults, and taking orders to be able to gain some money. He discusses the creating of crafts, and weaving, and woodworking as ways for adults to make money off of traditional crafts.

Keywords: Finances; Income; Money

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Appalachian Region--History.; Appalachian Region.; Appalachians (People); Art & community; Arts and crafts movement--United States.; Pettit, Katherine; Pine Mountain Settlement School (Pine Mountain, Ky.); Regionalism and the arts.

Partial Transcript: Well, let me ask you, um, two questions about that, really quickly.

Segment Synopsis: Greene discusses the lack of focus on profit at the Settlement School, and its place in the larger project of the school. He also considers the comparison between moonshine in the early twentieth century with modern day drug epidemics in rural Appalachia. He talks about the relationship between the school and the whiskey business.

Keywords: Education; Finances; Income; Money; Schools

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Appalachian Region--History.; Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Appalachian Region.; Appalachian region; Appalachians (People); Artists--Economic conditions.; Arts and crafts.; Distilling, illicit; Pettit, Katherine; Pine Mountain Settlement School (Pine Mountain, Ky.)

Partial Transcript: Do you feel like they took that same approach in regard to the coal industry and the development of coal?

Segment Synopsis: Greene discusses the relationship between the Settlement School and the coal industry. He talks about the impact of the coal camps on the local economy. He talks about the political views of the region, as well as other camps and movements in responding to the coal industry.

Keywords: Education; Finances; Income; Katherine Pettit; Money; Schools

Subjects: Mining camps; Mining claims--United States.; Mountaintop removal mining; Pettit, Katherine; Pine Mountain Settlement School (Pine Mountain, Ky.)

Partial Transcript: What were some of those? Like, the, the problems that he would have--

Segment Synopsis: Greene notes the issues surrounding Harlan County during the Great Depression era. He talks about the lack of jobs. He also talks about how Pine Mountain Settlement School hoped to help the region during the Depression through the creation of the Pine Mountain Guidance Institute.

Keywords: Coal mining; Education; Education in Kentucky; Finances; Great Depression; Harlan County (Ky.); Income; Job opportunities in Kentucky; Katherine Pettit; Money; Schools

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Appalachian Region--History.; Appalachian Region.; Appalachians (People); Art & community; Arts and crafts movement--United States.; Depressions--1929--Kentucky; Pettit, Katherine; Pine Mountain Settlement School (Pine Mountain, Ky.); Regionalism and the arts.

Partial Transcript: But now in the sixties, they start to shift towards environmental education.

Segment Synopsis: Greene discusses the shift in recent years towards a more environmental and sustainable attitude. He notes the questions over what to do about the school's buildings as part of this discussion. He also notes the role played by strip mining in the region and the expansion of coal into Pine Mountain. He also notes efforts to preserve the mountain.

Keywords: Education; Environmentalism; Schools

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Appalachian Region--History.; Appalachian Region.; Appalachians (People); Art & community; Arts and crafts movement--United States.; Pine Mountain Settlement School (Pine Mountain, Ky.); Regionalism and the arts.

Partial Transcript: Um, well, I have a question about that, and this is, um--you answer this however you feel comfortable, 'cause you're an educator.

Segment Synopsis: Greene considers how to address feelings of local students and young people regarding how to deal with the coal industry. He talks about the tension between profits and workers, and how important the industry is for providing work for people. He notes the discussions held about the history of coal. He talks about his strategies for engaging students with the history of the coal industry.

Keywords: Education; Employment; Finances; Income; Jobs; Money; Schools

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Appalachian Region--History.; Appalachian Region.; Appalachians (People); Art & community; Arts and crafts movement--United States.; Mountaintop removal mining; Pine Mountain Settlement School (Pine Mountain, Ky.); Regionalism and the arts.

Partial Transcript: We've actually covered a lot for today.

Segment Synopsis: Greene discusses the potential for Kentucky and the Appalachian region. He notes the innovative quality of Kentucky education, and how the state needs to be recognized more.

Keywords: Kentucky education system; Recognition; Schools

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Appalachian Region--History.; Appalachian Region.; Appalachians (People); Art & community; Arts and crafts movement--United States.; Pettit, Katherine; Pine Mountain Settlement School (Pine Mountain, Ky.); Regionalism and the arts.