Old scrapbook brings local PTA history to life

By Betty B. Chandler

Several months ago, we found a scrap book of great local importance and we thought it was worthy of being shared with our readers. The scrapbook is entitled, “Unicoi County High School P.T.A., Erwin 1st District Unicoi, Tennessee.�
On the first page of the 3� binder, held together with baling twine, are the dates, June 1, 1940 to June 1, 1941.
Thumbing on through the volume, there is a list indicating that there were 652 students, 23 teachers, 437 families, 178 mothers and 35 fathers involved in the membership, which totaled 213. The school paper was named, “The Erwin Hi-Lites.� Daily papers included The Johnson City Press, The Johnson City Press Chronicle, and the Knoxville Journal, Knoxville. Weekly papers included The Erwin Record and The Erwin Observer. The organization’s magazine was the Tennessee Parent-Teacher, and the only local radio station was WJHL, now the call letters for the television station in Johnson City. (No mention of television at that point in time – how strange.) Following that, there is a badly foxed (stained) photograph of the Unicoi County High School with three vehicles parked in front.
A photograph of Clifford Cobb, long time educator in Erwin, along with an inscription:
“In Appreciation of our High School Parent-Teacher Association President – Clifford Cobb, who by her untiring efforts, has made our unit an outstanding success this year. This our first Publicity Book is Affectionately Dedicated.
The theme of the “publicity book� was, “National Security through Education.
P.T.A. officers for 1940 – 1941 included: Mrs. E. P. (Clifford) Cobb, President; Mrs. B. W. Head, First Vice President; Mrs. C. D. Hillman, Second Vice President; Mrs. Claude King, Secretary; Mrs. Carl McInturff, Treasurer; Mrs. M. G. Young, Historian; Mrs. W. E. Prince, Devotional Chairman; Mrs. A. C. Penry and Miss Mary Vaught, Membership Co-Chairmen; Mrs. C. D. Hillman, Program Chairman; Mrs. L. G. Hendrix, Publicity Chairman; Mrs. S. O. Redacre, Hospitality Chairman; Mrs. C. W. Britton, Finance Chairman; Mrs. F. E. Surface, Publication; Mr. Albert Price, Budget; Mrs. L. A. Wynne, Corresp. Course; Mrs. J. S. Headrick, Study Group Course; Miss Thelma Bergendahl, Recreation; Mrs. B. W. Head, Safety; Mr. A. H. Charles, ByLaws; Founders Day, Miss Anne Bryant; Miss Clarice Ingram, Home Education; Mrs. G. Woodward and Mrs. Callahan, Rural Service; Mrs. Whitlock, Student Aid; Mr. Bobbitt, Music; and Mrs. R. T. Talley, Parliamentarian. In addition to another picture of Mrs. E. P. Cobb, there are photographs of Mrs. Claude King, and Mrs. M. G. Young.
There were poems, objectives, beliefs, and other tenets which the P.T.A. stood for that year.
Thumbing along, there is a copy of the 1940 – 1941 Budget, which lists the following expenses: Lavatory Supplies, $83.19; Dues to P.T.A. Council, $43.75; Prizes, $3.50; Refreshments for Meetings, $5.00; P.T.A. Magazine Subscriptions, $6.25; Red Cross, $1.00; Delegates to State Convention, $10.00; Library Aid, $10.00; Miscellaneous Expense, $50.00, for a total annual budget of $212.60. Members of the Budget Committee were Mrs. W. E. Prince, Mrs. C. W. Britton, Miss Lois Hale, and Albert Price.

The scrapbook thereafter is divided by months and contains a myriad of news articles from various papers about assorted P.T.A. events. One article noted a county P.T.A. meeting with Clearbranch School serving as host.

In November of 1940, a quota of 175 members was set by the state for the high school P.T.A. A total of 211 members had already been secured, exceeding the number of patrons expected to join. Also that month, a “Patriotic Program� was given at City Hall. The program was sponsored by various Erwin civic groups, including Kiwanis, Mothers,
Woman’s, Business and Professional Women, Y’s Men’s Phalanx, Erwin Music Study, American Legion, the various Parent Teacher organizations, and the Boy and Girl Scouts. Armistice Day was celebrated that year, and a fashion show was put on for P.T.A. members by the “Home Ec Girls.�

In the “Gold Leaf Honor Roll for January 1941, the Unicoi County Council of P.T.A.’s listed the following membership numbers: Elm Street, 96; Unicoi High, 211; Love Street, 120; Martin’s Creek, 25; Love Chapel, 15; Temple Hill, 19; Clear Branch, 11; Unicoi 17; Cahan Chapel (Canah), 9; Limestone Cove, 8; Flag Pond, 11; Rossville, 8; Rice Creek, 16; Sweetwater, 8; and Higgins’ Chapel, 20 members. In the case of each school, the anticipated goal was met or exceeded.
There was even a “Publicity Book� contest held in April, 1941, which was judged in Nashville.

A page of the old book had come loose, carrying the following pronouncement: M R. W. Lawson and sons. Mrs. Lawson was one of the organizers of P.T.A. in Unicoi County and its first President in 1915.� On the page is a photo of Mrs. Lawson and two of her sons. A page or two later is a photo of Mrs. Frank T. Gentry and three children. Also pictured in the book is a photo of Albert Price and his wife, Elna, with their son; a photo of Mrs. Kate Willis Edwards; a photo of Mrs. L. A. Wynne.
The book in and of itself, is wonderful, but far too large to cover in one article. The next segment of this great book will be entitled, “P.T.A.: a History from 1915 to 1941.�

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