Settlement Institutions of Appalachia Records

The Settlement Institutions of Appalachia (SIA) was founded in 1970 as a non-profit consortium of private service institutions in South Central Appalachia. Leaders of the twelve founding institutions envisioned it as a mechanism to facilitate exchange of ideas, cooperation in program development and fund raising. The first executive committee of the board of directors consisted of Chairman, John Ramsay - John C. Campbell Folk School; vice-chairman, Robert Fulton - Henderson Settlement; secretary, Harold McSwain; and treasurer, Loren Kramer - Pine Settlement School.  Loren Kramer was also designated as an agent at this same meeting. The original seventeen member institutions included: Appalachian South Folklife Center, Buckhorn Presbyterian Child Welfare Agency, Clear Creek Baptist School, FOCIS (Federation of Communities in Appalachia), Frontier Nursing Service, Hazel Green Academy, Henderson Settlement, Hinton Rural Life Center, John C. Campbell Folk School, Marrowbone Folk School, Pine Mountain Settlement School, Red Bird Mission, Sunset Gap Community Center, Oneida Baptist Institute, and Annville Institute.  Associate membership entities included: Berea College, the Appalachian Regional Commission, and CORA (Commission on Religion in Appalachia).  However, by 1980, only the following fourteen institutions remained active members:  Appalachian South Folklife Center, Bethel Mennonite Center, Buckhorn Presbyterian Child Welfare Agency, Hazel Green Academy, Henderson Settlement, Hinton Rural Life Center, Jackson Area Ministries, John C. Campbell Folk School, Lotts Creek Community School, Pine Mountain Settlement School, Red Bird Mission, Sunset Gap Community Center, and Oneida Baptist Institute. SIA’s principle leaders included Loren Kramer, Robert R. Rowland, and Erwin C. Goering. Kramer was treasurer of the Board’s executive council from 1969-1971. From 1972-1973, Kramer served as chairman of the SIA board of directors.  In the years following, he worked as Project Development and Work Study Assistant at Berea College. From 1976-1980, Kramer served as SIA Executive Secretary. Robert R. Rowland and Erwin C. Goering were Presidents 1973-1974 and 1974-1976 respectively.  There were no other presidents after them, but Loren Kramer essentially served as President in his capacity as Executive Secretary. Among the Correspondents are: Erwin C. Goering, Loren C. Kramer, Robert R. Rowland, and Willis D. Weatherford