Published: June 21, 2009 01:20 am      

Author Arnow celebrated by new commission

One of Pulaski County’s most well-known contributors to the arts has a new champion for her accomplishments.

This week, Pulaski County Judge-Executive Barty Bullock issued an executive order creating the "Arnow/Casada Legacy Commission," to preserve the local legacy of prize-winning author Harriette Simpson Arnow.

Arnow was born in Wayne County and spent her childhood in Burnside. For a time, Arnow and her family lived on a farm located south of Somerset in the Keno Community. During the 1940-41 school year, Arnow taught in the one-room Casada School. The building is sometimes referred to as the Indian Creek School.

Arnow was the author of the award-winning novel, “The Dollmaker,” which was made into a Hollywood film starring Jane Fonda. Some of her other novels include “Hunter's Horn” and “The Kentucky Trace.” She also wrote several social histories including the popular Seedtime in the Cumberlands.

"Arnow's stories and novels are filled with the culture of Pulaski and Wayne Counties in the early part of the 20th Century," said local attorney Bruce Singleton, who will chair the new commission. "I don't think anyone wants to let the last remnants of her life in Pulaski County disappear. With the community's help, we can make sure that doesn't happen. Increasing numbers of people are visiting historic sites, like the Casada School, so this is an opportunity to add another reason for tourists to visit Pulaski County."

One of the first orders of business for the new commission will be to help preserve the Casada School. The building is located on U.S. Forest Service property near the Arnow farm in Keno.

Recently, the U.S. Forest Service had become concerned about the deteriorating condition of the old school building and the danger to people who might visit the location. One option was to create a photographic record of the site and tear the building down.

The building has been visited annually by those attending the 7th Annual Arnow Conference on Appalachian Literature and Culture sponsored by Somerset Community College. This year, one session at the conference, focused on the condition of the Casada School and its possible loss. During that session, those in attendance decided to take action.

Bullock, who attended the Arnow Conference, offered to form the commission in an attempt to save the old building, which is a potential cultural tourism site, from destruction.

The local Forest Service Ranger Fred Noack and local Forest Service Archeologist Randy Boedy, who also attended the conference, reported that they had applied for a portion of the federal stimulus money to "weatherize" and "warehouse" the Casada School until funds could be found to bring it back to its original state and/or move it to another location. That option did not materialize.

The new Arnow/Casada Legacy Commission has contacted Fifth District Congressman Harold "Hal" Rogers (R) and asked for his assistance in obtaining other federal funds for the project. Chris Girdler with Rogers' Somerset Office contacted the U.S. Forest Service and expressed the congressman's support for the project.

The chair of the commission is Somerset Attorney Bruce Singleton, while the vice-chair is Somerset Community College Director of Public Relations Dave Cazalet. Other members of the commission are: Somerset/Pulaski County Tourism Director Carolyn Mounce, Cindy Thrasher, Debbie Jones, SCC English Professor Lynn Crabtree, Wanda Worley, U.S. Forest Service Archeologist Randy Boedy, Pulaski County Judge-Executive Barty Bullock and Bullock's Administrative Assistant Tiffany Finley.

Singleton is in the process of gaining federal non-profit status for the commission so that donations to the project would be considered deductable charitable contributions.

The commission plans to meet on the first Tuesday of each month. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 7, in the fiscal court room located in the Pulaski County Courthouse.

Anyone interested in assisting with the project or in obtaining more information can contact any member of the commission. Singleton can be reached at (606) 679-9261. Cazalet can be reached at (606) 451-6756 or by e-mail at cazalet@windstream.net.