, 1934-12-02
Saves the Tradition

The Tennessee mOuntaineers were
pioneer weavers and basket makers
of America. Then they lost the art.
That Is. all Of them lost ii except
Grandma Lou M. McCarter whose
loom still was running in 1912 when
She was discovered by the sorority
girls. Grandma Lou died soon after,
but before she passed on the girls
prevailed on Aunt Lizzie tLydia)
Whaley to learn the early art OF
weaving. She Is now rs year old
and Is one Of the teachers. Grandma
LOUIS masterpiece. a bed cover which
she called IA Gentleman's Fancy,
still hangs on the school wall As a
model for scores Of mountain girls
who are learning the craft.
The ri Beta Phi settlement school
started III 1914 with l3 pupils In a
room that was rented for a dollar
and a half a month, has grown un-
I'll 1t has $50 pupils and nine artis-
tic buildings pleasantly grouped on
100 acres Of mountain land border
ing the gurgling Little Pigeon river.
But IL Is not in the school alone
that the lost arts are being revived
Weaving, under the supervision Of
the teachers. Is also being taught in
hundreds Of mountain cabin homes.
we are delighted that iva has
recognized work and placed our
school on a cooperative basis" says
Miss Mary Alice Chaffee. resident
head OF the school.
People Reap Benefits
This assures our work Is growing
success III Is a guarantee that prof
iteerS shall not fatten on the home
work OF these mountain people. that
the artisans shall have world mar
ketS for their products and reap all
the benefits OF their work. This puts
our work on the same basis with
electric power. agriculture and
dairying which are all dictated by
iva for the benefit OF producers
and consumers against the selfish
interests Of holding companies and
prOfiteering middlemen.
In the past u school has been
the market for the articles these
people made, but Ii was beginning
To attract the attention OF EraspinE
dealers. Last year these articles
sold for $4,000 which was paid into
the homes. making some Of them
self supporting. That Is a good
record. considering the obstacles we
had TO overcome to encourage these
people 70 take IT'D the crafts or their
ancestors"
Aunt Lizzie Is likewise elated. She
saws.
il am proud the success OF the
IS guaranteed. especially since
4 was TIE link through which these
arts were revived
Uncle Tom Reagan. champion
basket maker az the mountains.
danced a Jig when the action Of
IVA was explained To him and he
realized that his handiwork NAV
spread beyond the mountains and
across the sea.
Expert Divides Work
Great granddaughter III women
who grew and spun their cotton. who
carded and combed their wool. or
who prepared their blue pots for
dipping, are o busy IN their own
homes, weaving with surprising ease
modern handmade looms or the
rebuilt ones. An expert weaver
from the school s~upervises the work
on scores OF looms In various homes
and divides 1t to help the largest
number Of families.
Similar assistance Is given To men
In basket and furniture making.
For miles around women are re-
turning 70 the loom to weave the
things their grandmothers made
towels, lunch cloths. curtains. cover
lets-with artistic plaid designs that
are memories in Scotland.
There are few homes hereabouts
today where the thud OF the loom
Is not making q revived art profita-
bic. Women are learning that the
Of their articles brings many
new comforts and Injuries.