The Pocahontas Institute 1936

 

 The Institute has a high reputation, and is more sought after than ever before. The third Annual Industrial Exposition will be held at the Institute on the 1st and 2d of September, 188, and we think it will far surpass any previous exhibition in this section. The business men of Greenbrier County should unite in congratulating the management of the Institute on the success of the school, and we hope that Mr. Patrick will be able to secure the services of a competent Instructor next year.

The Teachers' Institute. The Teachers' Institute commenced on the 25th inst., with an enrollment of 100 teachers. The Institute was a failure. The Instructors were not competent. The young ladies of Marlinton gave an ice-cream festival Wednesday, taking the greater part of the day and 'till 12 o'clock that night. They occupied the upper part of the Court-house, but the noise kept up during the entire show was so great that it was impossible to hear the Instructors.

The program for the night session (Wednesday) consisted of Recitations, select Readings, Essays and Debate. The noise was deafening. Those speaking could not be heard at the Court-house or Man-all. We hope the State Superintendent will send us an Instructor next year. Many of our teachers have been stu- dents of High Schools, Normal Schools and Colleges. We think our County should be represented in the Institute.

 

Follow Up

Sure, here is the text from the image you sent:

Pocahontas Institute Again. Editor Greenbrier Independent:

I notice that the editor of the Times takes exceptions to my description of the Marlinton Institute in your paper of the 24th ult., and in language unbe- coming a gentleman, much less an editor, condemns my criticism. In justice to myself and fellow teachers, I am compelled to ask for this further consideration.

I said in my first article that the Instructors were incompetent, and can prove it by every teacher present. I am surprised that the learned (?) editor did not notice their incompetency. I admit that they received good attention from the teachers; but, why? It was not because the teachers were being instructed, or even entertained, but because the teachers of Pocahontas are too refined and polite to be inattentive to a public speaker.

They did not advance a new idea, and at- tempted to lecture on every topic on the programme and, by so doing, really failed to lecture on any. Their language was not elegant, and much of it was not grammatical. I ask how can we expect our pupils to learn anything from such instructors?

The editor of the Times says that I am "a disappointed man," and that I am "trying to get even" with the Marlinton Institute. This is a base falsehood. I have no personal grudge against the Marlinton Institute, and I am not trying to get even with anyone. I am simply trying to do my duty as a teacher, and to protect the interests of my pupils.

The editor of the Times also says that I am "an ignorant man." This is another falsehood. I have had a good education, and I am a member of the Virginia State Teachers' Association.

I challenge the editor of the Times to a public debate on the subject of the Marlinton Institute. I am confident that I can prove that he is wrong, and that the Instructors at the Marlinton Institute are incompetent.

Yours respectfully,

A TEACHER

 

RUCKMAN REUNION 2

 

RUCKMAN REUNION

Sunday, July 3, 1932, was a glad day for the descendants of David Little Rockman and Priscilla Wade Ruckman, when they met to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of the family's removal from Highland county to Pocahontas county.

Such a gathering of the tribe made the old Ruckman homestead a happy meeting place. All of their nine children are dead, but five of their eleven grandchildren were present. These were Elick and Otho Watts Ruckman of Millpoint; Henry Overholt, Covington, Va; Andy C. Ruckman of Livesay; and Mary Elizabeth Moore of Marlinton, she being the oldest person present and carries her 77 years lightly; the youngest being Jerry Imes, Wamsley, great, great grandchild, aged four months.

The old home stands up well under its weight of more than a century. By noon a bountiful basket dinner was spread. A picture was taken of the assemblage, and one of the grand-children. An organization was perfected, and an annual reunion arranged. Alonzo Ruckman was named president; W. O. Ruckman, vice-president, Hilda Ruckman historian; Maggie Rockman, secretary treasurer. Committee on arrangements for next years gathering, Mrs. Rachel Gum, Denny and Fred Ruckman. A letter was read from Miss Julla Ann Buckman aged 90 years, who lives at Sharon, Ohio.

The following people were present at the reunion:

Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Ruckman, Millpoint Mr. and Mrs. W. O. Ruckman, Millpoint Mr. and Mrs. Elick Ruckman, Millpoint Mr. and Mrs. Otho Ruckman, Millpoint Mr. and Mrs. Henry Overholt, Covington, Va. Mr. and Mrs. Andy Ruckman, Livesay Mr. and Mrs. Mary Moore, Marlinton Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Imes, Wamsley

The image was taken in Virginia on July 14, 1932. It is a newspaper article about a reunion of the descendants of David Little Rockman and Priscilla Wade Ruckman. The reunion was held to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of the family's removal from Highland county to Pocahontas county. The article includes a list of the people who were present at the reunion.

1936 Historic News

 

Ruckman Reunion+

 

Mound Builders

 

MacCorkle taught school in Pocahontas County and then went on to a successful career in law, business, and politics.

This letter from William A. MacCorkle to Thomas H. Dennis is a fascinating glimpse into the life of a prominent West Virginian. MacCorkle recounts his early struggles in the state, including his first teaching job in Pocahontas County and his brief stay in Lewisburg. He also reflects on his political career, his writing, and his work in law and business.

MacCorkle's letter is full of warmth and gratitude for West Virginia. He describes the state as "one of the sweetest lands" he has ever known, and he praises its people, its landscape, and its climate. He also expresses his admiration for the Greenbrier Independent, which he has read for forty years.

MacCorkle's letter is a reminder of the importance of community newspapers. The Independent has been a fixture in Greenbrier County for over a century, and it has played a vital role in informing and connecting the community. MacCorkle's letter is a testament to the power of the press to shape our lives and our understanding of the world around us.

Here are some of the key points from the letter:

• MacCorkle arrived in West Virginia in 1876 with $25 in his pocket.
• He taught school in Pocahontas County and then went on to a successful career in law, business, and politics.
• He served as governor of West Virginia from 1893 to 1897.
• He is a strong supporter of the Greenbrier Independent and believes that it has played a vital role in the community.
• He is grateful for the opportunity to have lived in West Virginia and considers it his home.

The letter is a valuable historical document that provides insight into the life of a prominent West Virginian. It is also a reminder of the importance of community newspapers and the power of the press to shape our lives.

Straight line to the top of the Alleghaney Mountain

 “Beginning at the line of Greenbrier County on top of the Alleghaney Mountain, thence with the said line to the head of Spice Run, thence with said line to the end of the Droop Mountain, thence with said line to Fryer’s Knob, thence with said line to where it intersects the line of Bath and Randolph, thence with the line divid¬ ing Randolph and Greenbrier Counties to the mountain opposite the junction of the Bannock Shoals Run with Williams River, thence a straight line to the mouth of the Dry Fork of Elk River, thence a straight line to the top of the mountain between the head of the Valley River and the point last aforesaid, where the road leading from Clover Lick to Randolph courthouse crosses said mountain, thence a straight line to where the line of Pendleton County inter¬ sects the line of Bath and Randolph Counties on top of the mountain between Cheat and Greenbrier Rivers, thence with the top of said mountain to where the road* leading from Slaven’s to Randolph courthouse crosses it, thence a straight line to the top of the Alleghaney Mountain opposite the head of the east fork of the Greenbrier River, thence with the top of said mountain to the Pendleton line, thence with the top of said mountain to the beginning.

State Route No. 56, also known as the Staunton and Parkersburg Pike

State Route No. 56, also known as the Staunton and Parkersburg Pike, enters Pocahontas County from Staunton, Virginia, by way of Monterey, 2.5 miles east of Top of Allegheny. It then descends this slope to Bartow on the East Fork of Greenbrier River, thence following the north side of this stream to Durbin, here crossing the West Fork of Greenbrier River and ascending Back Allegheny Mountain by the best possible grade and leaving Pocahontas and entering Randolph on the saddle between Back Allegheny and Shavers Mountains

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. The narrow gravel back road sections within Pocahontas County are from the Top of Allegheny to Bartow (Camp Allegheny Backway), a short section over Cheat Mountain, and from the Greenbrier River at Durbin to the Randolph County line

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State Route No. 56, also known as the Staunton and Parkersburg Pike, is a state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs 60.87 miles (97.96 km) from U.S. Route 11 (US 11) at Steeles Tavern east to US 60 near Buckingham. SR 56 is the main east–west highway of Nelson County. The state highway connects the county seat of Lovingston with Buckingham to the east and the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah Valley to the west.

The Staunton and Parkersburg Pike was originally constructed in the early 1800s as a private toll road. The road was named for the two cities it connected, Staunton and Parkersburg, West Virginia. The toll road was eventually purchased by the state of Virginia and became a state highway in 1923.

SR 56 is a two-lane highway for most of its length. The highway is mostly rural, but it does pass through the town of Lovingston. SR 56 is a popular route for scenic driving and for access to the Blue Ridge Mountains.

A portion of the Greenbrier, Cheat and Elk Railroad Company

 In 1928, the Western Maryland Railway Company purchased a portion of the Greenbrier, Cheat and Elk Railroad Company, which extended south along Shavers Fork to Spruce, where it turned west, crossing through the mountain passes between the headwaters of Tygart, Cheat, and Elk Rivers, and then down Big Spring Fork of Elk to Slaty Fork. From this point, it extended northwestward down the main Elk, passing into Randolph County at the mouth of Douglas Fork, and entering Webster County at the Whitaker Falls, and thence proceeding down the south side of the river to Bergoo at the mouth of Leatherwood Creek

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. The section to Spruce (8 miles) featured very stiff grades, requiring the use of Shay geared steam locomotives

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. Spruce was once a ghost town that hosted a logging camp and a railroad maintenance facility

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. The Western Maryland Railway was primarily a coal hauling and freight railroad, with a small passenger train operation

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The Huntersville Chert Beds

The Huntersville Chert Beds (Oriskany) are a geologic formation in the Appalachian region of the United States. They are composed primarily of chert, a hard, siliceous rock that is often used in surfacing roads. The Huntersville Chert Beds are found on the farm of Howard Barlow at Huntersville, West Virginia. They were used in surfacing State route 42 between Marlinton and Green Bank.

The Huntersville Chert Beds were deposited during the Middle Devonian Period, about 385 million years ago. They are part of the Onesquethaw Group, which also includes the Needmore Shale and the Bobs Ridge Sandstone. The Huntersville Chert Beds are about 15 to 100 feet thick. They are composed of a variety of chert, including gray, black, and yellow chert. The chert is often brecciated, meaning that it is broken into pieces and cemented together with silica.

The Huntersville Chert Beds are a valuable resource for road surfacing. They are durable and resistant to weathering. They are also relatively easy to quarry and transport. The Huntersville Chert Beds have been used in surfacing roads in West Virginia, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.