George Alexander Papers (Hindman Settlement School)

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: BCA 0150 SAA 151

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of the writings and records of George Alexander who worked as an extension specialist with the Hindman Settlement School and rural public schools during the mid to late 1960s. The collections consists of his journals, correspondence, autobiographical writings, songbooks, travel notes, photographic slides, and phonographic records. Included in the collection are: records detailing Alexander’s travels from England to Kentucky; detailed notes on his numerous visits to rural schools including number of visits to each school, songs taught, student attendance records, and maps to schools; notes on people and areas Alexander meet and visited; research Alexander conducted on the Hindman Settlement School, Kentucky, and the state of the education system in rural Kentucky; numerous photographs (in slide format) of rural schools, students, school programs, folk dance events, and places Alexander visited; correspondence with Hindman staff and others; and papers regarding Alexander’s return travels to the United States and Canada in the 1970s.

Dates

created: 1916-1979

Creator

Alexander, George. (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Records can be accessed through the Reading Room, Berea College Special Collections and Archives, Hutchins Library, Berea College.

Conditions Governing Use

There are no restrictions on use of this material other than federal copyright regulations.

Extent

4.00 boxes_(general)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

In the summer of 1964, Englishman George Alexander, who had a background in English folk and dance songs and an interest in Anglo-American folklore and song, was invited by Raymond McLain to spend a year in the Kentucky mountains at the Hindman Settlement School in Hindman, Knott County. Staying at Hindman, Alexander would work as an extension specialist visiting a number of rural schools. In 1965, Alexander took a leave of absence from his teaching post in Surrey, to become (as set by the limits of his exchange visa) “Musicmobile Director and Folk Arts Teacher.” He worked with numerous rural schools in the Appalachian region in 1965 and 1966 and, as he had become so taken by the people and wealth of experience open to him, returned to Hindman in December of 1967 to continue his work for another year and a half.