Morehead Normal Bulletin, vol. 1 no. 3, March 1909.https://scholarworks.moreheadstate.edu/college_histories/1000/thumbnail.jp

Morehead Normal School

English

Morehead State University

< MOREHEAD NORMAL BULLETIN ISSUED QUARTERLY B Y THE MOREHEAD NORMAL SCHOOL £nlOt'Cd OR ~ .. 1'"", Ofl.< . .. Motm..L Ky .• 0<t0I>« H. 1903 . .. s....... elM> M.,I MOl ...... "ndor, ,II< "'<1 01 /ulr the ,," •• n,b. 1!<I!o. VOL I. Morchud, Ky .. Mauh, 190Q. No. 2. < < , ~fctorial JE~ftfon { I MOREHEAD NORMAL SCHOOL CONTROLLED B Y THE CHRISTIAN WOMAN'S BOARD OF MISSIONS WHOSE MOTTO IS "The Love of Christ Constraineth Us." THE MOREHEAD NORMAL SCHOOL 1887_1909, j}-"~~ .~~  HIS institution was slal'ted twenty-two years ago under t he most di stressing and dil'cOUl" ~ " ~ alti ng conditions imaginable. It wag the 51'ene of the terr ible "Rowan County \V~lI"" ~\ ,# and Morehead. itself. was a battle fi eld . Citizens were fleeing from the town in ter l'Ol', and :2S~_ those who ,'emained were in feal' fo r theit'lh'es. The people all Qve,' t he sta te were cry-ing. ;'Send t nx>ps. send sold ie,'''; to subdue these people! Aboli sh that coun ty !" One Christ ian spil·i r. whi spered. "Send teachers! Send the gospel to Cht'ist ianize them! " In I'csponse to t his ca ll came two teach pI's. Mrs. Phcebe ButLOn. :m f' lde l'1 y sai nted woman. and her so n. F. C. Button. a young and gentle mini ster. who sta rted in t he upstairs l"OOm of a rickety dwelling house a litll f> school wi t h one pupil in attendance. Throug hout these twell ty-two years God has wondl·ousb· pros pered and blesl this ins titution. Il has g l'OWIl from one room to four gO:ld. substa ntia l bui lding,;. f!"O m t wo teacher,; to a faculty of sixteen membel·s. and fl·om one inditrel·ent pupil to neat"ly s ix hu ndl"ed eal"nest young peo-ple. In a[ 1 these years in t his institution there has npvel· been a fire or a de:tth- and bu t two cases o f alarming illnes::., We believe. indeed, LluH God i", ror it. find "if God is for it who can he 1ll!ain;;t it '!" The influence of the i'lchool UIXln the communil,l' and <I ll the ll1()t1tainQlIs St'C!iOll has been l'ellUlrkable, A few yeal'" ilftCl' its flst;lblishment a ";U'atL~\.· r comin\.!,' into the town instt'ad of ht'flring the r:lUip of musketry was greeted by the ril\~ing of ('hurch and ",,,hOi'll bt'll:-, The ('ili zcnship in the town of MOI'ehead i5 now of as hi),!h and sph.'lldid lYI»I.' a..; mar he found in an,\' tOlln in the stllte. An Mlllo:"-phet'eor culture and Chri:"tianit.I' pel·valk·, .. Lhl.' t()l1'/l 11<; 11'(>11 as the Rchool. and the mot'al nnl! 1'(:ligious sentiment is so sb'ong lhat ";lIlo01l,;, dllIH:ill )! and ca l'l l pla,\'ing Hl'e not tolcr:1lcrl, Last yt:<lr when the proud old commonwealth of I\ent.ur:k~' ('a Bed h(>I' ]'011 of ('OLLlllit's 10 find their r(>f'lpeclivc ~landing in the great~chool impl'O\'ement work, Rhe found rroi OtU.' (If Iwr H IU('gT<lR~ c()unl ies, nor one of her lill'g-est count.ies in the lead, but the little mountain county of Howan was thc one thllt stood fit';;l Of:'lll he r 119 counties in this grea t educa lional movcmcnt. A II t hf':;{, ]'c!<lIits ale due to t h{' i nfiuE'nee of lh is splen-did institu tion, Becallse of its elel'ating and upliflin~ inflllCncl.;·:;, as well as hecause of the small cost of living hCl'e, people of oj he !' RecLionR and (It Iwr "lates )1'; \\'t,11 as the mountaill peoplc al'C begin ning to send theil' children here t.o school. Thal the wOl'k don(' i,; thOl'ough has heen attesled uy the t"ead, iness of such splendid institutions as 'i'1"atHylvania Uni vcl'si ty and State University to accredit \\'Ol'k done in ou!' class rOOIllS, Prof. McKenzie;\ le:.\t'lled profeiol,;or and author of State Universit,\' recently sa id before one of his classes, Hor IllOI'C than one ht1ndl"~1 hi)!h schoolR in the ~tate, thet'e arc only seven that a l"e thorough, and of these sel'en, the Morehead NOt'mal is one of the best." This school was adopted in t he yeat' 1900 by the Christian Woman 's Board of Jl i,;sions. and since it passed unde r t hei r control its pro~ress a nd efficiency have been grea tly illel'eased , BIRO'S EYE VIEW OF MOREHEAD. ,y"" ..... ~ ESTLI NG in a beautiful basin, formed by the valleys of the Triplett and Dry Fork conjoining, , :x 0 ~ .. ~ surrounded by emerald mountains. lies the little town of Morehead. the county seat of 'I '" r: ~~e.€ Rowan county, one of Kentuck y's most famous mountain counties. Serene and peaceful are the beautiful \,iews of the valley, f)"()m RlllTolmdi ng heights. Tr ipplett. whose waters are limpid in their clearness. wa ndel's like a si h'er th l'ead t hrough the green b~ttoms skirting the enstern and southern range of hi ll R, now fo rmi ng into Ilools. whose Rurface mi rrors the overhang· ing trees, now breaking" into ripple:;:, mUl'murin j:!' soft and low. No scene could be more peacfui, more restfullhan the valley in wh ich MOl'chcmj is located. Nothing more charming t han the sun-shine as it chases the shadows aCI'03S the face of the mountains which sUtTound it. Here can be heard the sweet notes of the Kentucky Cardinal. made famous by one of Kentucky's gifted sons, James Lane Allen. Here can be hea rd t he dulcet strains of the mocking bird . and his worthy rival the brown thresher. The morni ng carol and the evening vespers of the birds- the mu-sic of the wa ters- t rlle, pure, sweet, hoi,\'. is so!ac ~ to the ti t'ed soul and st rength to tAe weary body. Nothing draws lOan closer to the jnnnite than the handiwork of nature 's creator. for he who finds rest in the heart of nature. rests on the hosom of Goel. BROTH E R.. BUTTO," KNOWN to all the mountain )Je<)ple, whethe r Christians or not. as ' 'Bl'Othel' Bmton. " he has been to t his ))e<)IJle, indeed. un eldcl' brothel', Alw<I,VR ge n-lie, kind and pati ent. he has BROTti E R.. BUTTON won {hem and influenced them as no othe l' nlllll could hU\'e cion€'. lI i ~ s(,I'\'ices to man-ki nd in til(' (! £> \'elopemenl of {he moun la i 11 people ha \'(. been in va luahk'. • I i FRESH AIR CLUB OF MOREHEAD Nine youlIg woo men on thei l' regula!' fh' ~' mile wa lk, be for lreakfl.lst, at five o'clock in the moming. t t • , I AN INTERESTING GROUP OF MOREHEAU NORM AL STU DEN T S An energetic student who wO"ked hi s wa,\' through school and is now earning hi s own expenses while Jl~rsuing a c:olll'~e in dentisU'y, • The build ing on the right is t he one first occupied by Mr. Button and his mother for a I'esidence and school. HAR.GIS HALL Til E first buildillj( en'Ned. It Wl-\:; origin:.1 11.>, a two-room 8U'UCL-ure and was dona ted h,v Chief Justice Tho;;, P. '-im-gi s. 11 native mountaineer. Since the school passed into the control of the Christia n \Voman's Boul"d of l\ l issions this bu ildinJ.! ha s been much enlan{ed and irnp]'(Ivcd. and i:-; lI!:;cd ag a sc hool house building. · , HODSON HALL THE gil'ls' dOl'mitory. named in honor of Robert Hodson. of Oquawka, Illinoi s who donated lhe lan~er part of the fund for iIRel'C'ction. A delightful home (or gil"lH during the Rc booJ IeI'm. al1(1 the nl<ln who ga\'l;' it has $!iven to hundreds of mountain maidens an ideal which will be stamped upon mountilin homes of the future. ,"" '-• • •• BURGESS HALL USP(1 1'01' cimpel. dormi tory n)(1Il1S a nd pr inter y. Named 1'01' i\ l r ,,;, O. A. BurgeRR. of l nl lianapoli:-;. Ind . • WITHERS HALL The boys ' dormi tory. named for Gen. Wm. T. Withers. that noble. Ch"jRlian gentlemnn who !o;cnt Mrs. Button and her son to the mountains to found this schrul. and who paid t he expenses fo r Sflme for 3 )'cars out of hi s own purse. • The campus, the Rift also of Col. Thos. F. Har-gis, is one of the most beautiful spots in the State of Kentucky. The g l·aceful. gradual slope, the beauti ful, native pines and green sward combine to make it very at tracti ve; but more beautiful than these is the mountain back of it, which, with its ferns and flowers, birds and trees, forms a back-ground more lovely than is to be found on any campus in the State. The l1nedl1cated type, so well known through history and literature, to all the world . Education means as complete a change in clothing. manner, fOI'1ll and fcature as the transform-ation of a rough block of marble in the hands of a sculptor to a bcauti ful statlle . Bro. Neal and Willie and Susie Smith, the youthful editors of " The Young l\1uunt-aineer. " These children started a weekly newspa-per to pay thei r expenses while attending school. Their first few papers were print-ed undel' great difficulties. A picture f rame was llsed for a chase and sticks were made ft'om corners of boxes. Bro. Neal is their friend and has provided them with better equipment They are bright and wor thy chi ldl'en and this is a commendable effort. • SOME MOUNTAIN HOMES ;'The mountain people are much alike in their lit,vle of living. Being gene.'ally 1)4')(W. t hc~' arc obliged to work fOt" their daily b.'cad. and enjoy but few of the luxuries of life." Many of ou r worthy and ambitious students come from these "Abrnham Lincoln cabins." It' living in cabins and end:.Jring hardships wii1 bring out the g l'catness in a l>eople. th:\t condition truly exists in the mOllntains, and a great people must evcnluall,v be the result. A MOUNTAIN FARMER. This woman cultivates sixty <lel'es of moulltain land, hoeing. plowing. sowi ng and reaping ((';th -ou/ J// (l I I' (/SS;,"/I/II/'(' . The tragedy of the mountains is not so much in the feuds, which have been disastJ'ous enough. but in the condi tion of positive slavery wh ich ex ists among the women in the more isolated sections. Besides real"ing lnl'ge families of twelve and fifteen ch il dren . they " make a hand " in the corn field, they do all thei r cooking and house wOI'k, all their own weav ing and sew-ing . As a resnlt, they are, at t he age of t hirty. bl'oken-dow n. old and wr inkled a nd haggard. j ust at t he age when other women a1'e enterin g into the fullness and beauty and power of womanhood. • • The public schools of the mount-ains are in session s ix months in the year. They are usuall y kept in rud e, uncomfortahle buildings, and without maps, blackboards and other appliances necessary to good teaching. These condit ions are fast imprO\' ing, but bad roads and lack of bridges across the streams are causes that prevent any regu-larity in attendance. • A BIT OF MOUNTAIN SCE:NE:RY The mountains abound in beautiful. inspi ring scenes. The hill s and valleys. cliffs and caverns, rem s and Row el'S. spt' ings and tippling streams, combine to make this an enchanted spot. Too heaven!,\', indeed. for its women to be made slaves 01' its men murden::t·s. Here the touch of the Creator is sublime and sweet t ht'oated song hinls lead the choir'S. The people <I re fast joining in the chorus of praises to the Redeemer fOl' this beauty and gTandeur of environment. and for the "ldiy"ld"IIIIU'ul which has come to t hem and the power to see the beauty and to enjoy their . 'Garden of Eden." We nt:ed an iNdlls/rillt/witdil'!:", The hundreds of tetters from young people e\'en children begging for employment that tllf' .\' may wOI'k theil' way ibrough school bdng thi~ Ileed most forcihly before us. The wor!. of the school now is larget,\' that of preparing young people for teachers. but c\'erybodr cannot teach school. )Iany l)Cr~ons who would make good tradesmen and (armel's and mechanics would make \'ery pOOl' teachers, Untit we can 111\\'e !';uch equipment that we may fit them for other avocation:;, we will have many persons in the schooll'oom who ought to be build ing bridges or following the plow, We need to teach the young mountaineers how to do things, as well as to prO-vide emJ)loyment for them to defray theil' expenses while in school. This ir.dustrial building is a cry· ing need. The school will soon celebrate its 25th a!lni\'ersal'Y, A $25.000 industrial building would fitly celelwate it. r ( 25 pers(}n" would gh'e ~lOO() each. it could be erected. or if 1000 pf'rsons would give $25 each. one dollar for e!-.ch year of its past .service, it could be done. The dedication of sllch a building on the 25th anni\'crsary would mean a new era in the life of the school and would bring to the most need.\· and helpless of nil the mmltllnin girls and bo.\·s t he opportunity which the~ have so long cl',wed and whie-h haf; so IMg been denied them, We need. until an indu,;;lt'ia! building is el'i::'ded. more :wtlf'/" I's!, i/IS, Each Rcholarshi p nwans an outlay of $100. There is no ml)I'e nobh>, charitable or philanthl'Opic way of spending such a sum than to give some worthy, ambitious mOllntain girl or boyan 0PPOI'tunity to realize their aspirations. No amount of money piled up in II bank, 01' invested in lands 01' bonds can bring the blessing and the We need an illdlls/riot/witdill!!, The hundreds of letters from young people even children begging for employment that thf'~' may wOl'k their wny 1 hl'oug h school bdng this need most forcihly before us, The work of the school now is largely that of prel1aring young people for teachers, but everybody cannot teach school. ~ I any l)Cl'son" who would make good tradesmen and fanner" and mechanics would make \'ery poor teachers, Until we can have such equipment that we may fit them for other avocations, we will have many pen;ons in the schooll'oom who ought to be build ing br idges or following the plow, We need to teach the young mountaineers how to do things, as well as to prO-vide emJ)loyment for them to defray theil' expenses while in schooL This ir.d ustrial building is a CI'Y-ing need, The school will soon celebrate its 25th a!llli\'ersary , A $25,000 industl'iRI bu ilding would fitly celehl'Ute it. r f 25 pel'!"lll~ would gh'e ~lOOO each, it could be erected, or if 1000 pf'rsons would give $25 each, one dollar for e!-.ch yeUJ" of its past .service, it could be done, The dedication of sllch a building on the 25th anni\'ersar.\' would mean a new era in the life of the school and would bl"ing to the mo"t need.\' anu helpless of all the mountain girls and bo.\'s t he opportunity which the~ have so long cl"aved and whic·h has so long been denied tht'm. We need, until an indu"tl'iai building is el"t:'cte<i, more SI'/lfI!"f"s!,i/IS. Each Rcholars hip n1f>ans an outlay of $100, There is no ml)I'e noblC'. charitable or philanthropic way of spending such a sum than to give SOllle wOl'thy, ambitioU!i mountain girl or boyan opportunity to realize their aspirations, No amount of money piled up in II bunk, 0 1' invested in lands 01' bonds can bl"ing the blessing and the pleasure to a n indi vidual that i,; to be found in developin;..:" a brig-h I. a tl l'ad i\'e, ambitiOU!-i monn tain-eel', They I)()Sf<ef<~ man~ qUlllitie" of t ruegTea lne!"f<. and one who ::li d~ in their development ma.,· be g iving to the world a Hen ry Clay, a J emlY Lind. a J oel 'I' . I-lad . a Bar lon W. Stone, an Abraham Lincol n, or a Henry W. Longfellow. The world needs the"e young peo))le and they need some of t he wodd' s wealth in ol'del' t ha t t hey may fi t themselves fo r sen ' ice. " Kind hear ted men, " 'omen and children, a ll ovet' t his broad and pl'oSpe t'OIl S Jand. are sending mil lions annuall y to Asia, Afl'iea , and other foreign lands, to educa te and Christianize black and yellow childre r., with val'ying success, whil e r ight a t home, in the mountains of Kentuck y <md Tennessee, is a fiel d r ipe fa!' culti vation; a sect ion where t he material is sound, and where t he returns mean a citizenship wh ich is the vel'y back-bone of this Republ ic, " 

Morehead Normal Bulletin

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Morehead Normal Bulletin

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