Accession Number: 44
Red Bird Mission Records
Selected Records 1921-1981
Selected Photographs 1920-1985
Online Catalog Record (BANC)

Overview
History
Series Description
Part A: Selected Records
   Series I
   Series II
   Series III
      Subseries IIIa
      Subseries IIIb
      Subseries IIIc
   Series IV
   Series V
Part B: Selected Photographs

Access and Use:

Provenance: Red Bird Mission records were collected and organized in 1982. Those having administrative, legal or historical value were microfilmed at the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives and all then returned to the Mission. The resultant microfilm master negative is owned by Berea College. A user copy is available for researchers. Selected photographs were also organized and copied. The copy negatives and a set of copy prints are owned by Berea College. A second set of copy prints and all originals were returned to Red Bird Mission.

Copyright: Berea College does not own the copyright for the manuscripts or printed documents included in this microfilm edition. Therefore, it is the researcher's responsibility to secure permission to publish from the Red Bird Mission or its successors and assigns. Permission has been granted by Red Bird Mission for Berea College to reproduce all or part of the school's photographs and to use them in slide or film presentations, display them or loan them for displays, and to allow their use by researchers for reproduction and publication.

Preferred Citation: The proper credit line for all of the above uses shall be, "Red Bird Mission Records, Berea College Special Collections & Archives, Berea, Ky."

Related Berea College Archives

Henderson Settlement School Records, 1925-1984, SAA 49

This series consists of the Mission's non-current administrative files found in the office of Joseph Davis, Director of the Red Bird Missionary Conference (1977 to present). Specifically, these are John Bischoff's records documenting the Red Bird Mission Inc. (1941-73), the Kentucky Missionary Conference (1955-68) and the Red Bird Missionary Conference (1968-77). The predominant dates of this series are 1946-76 (John Bischoff's tenure at Red Bird). Nevertheless, there are some papers and publications dating prior to and after this period. In particular, this series includes a run of the Red Bird Notes, 1933-45 (see Series I, Reel 1 for Red Bird Notes, 1968-73).

Because the Conference records are part of this series, this file includes not only information on the Red Bird Mission, but also on other agencies and churches that are Conference members (e.g. Henderson Settlement in Frakes, Kentucky). Moreover, of particular interest and importance, there is a file of speech transcripts, papers and publications dealing with the coal industry in Appalachia. This material, which dates from 1970-74, was probably collected by John Bischoff as a result of his interest and activities concerning the effects of economic development and strip mining in the region. The series is arranged alphabetically. (See Series III for other administrative files of John Bischoff.)

Reel 17

1. Administrative Committee and Superintendent's Cabinet, Minutes and Correspondence, 1964-April, 1970

Reel 18

1. Superintendent's Cabinet, May 1970-73
2. Anniversary (50th), 1970-71
3. Annual Reports, 1941-51
4. Annual Council Meetings, Minutes and Reports, 1953-74
5. Appalachian Development Committee, Minutes and Reports, 1971-74
6. Bischoff, John, Note Fragments on Role of Church in Appalachia and Needs of the Area, n.d.
7. Black Mountain, Evarts Congregational Church, 1971-79
8. Board of Directors, Minutes and Reports, 1970-76
9. Budgets and Financial Reports, 1950-71

Reel 19

1. Budgets and Financial Reports, 1971-77
2. Buildings, Chronology, 1926-69
3. By-laws, Red Bird Mission Incorporated, 1970, 1973
4. Central Area Evangelism Crusade, 1962-64
5. Commission on Religion in Appalachia, 1972-74
6. Correspondence, 1948-77
7. Cumberland Mission Ministers' Meetings, 1966-67
8. "Evangelism in Depth," 1956, 1970
9. Executive Committee, Red Bird Mission, 1944, 1948
10. Farm: Control Board and Budgets, 1959-63: Queendale Farm Center, Red Bird Mission:,
11. Leland Eyers, 1961
12. "Giving Witness," Remarks, n.d.
13. Greasy Fork, c. 1940-41, 1977-79
14. Hazel Green, Research Study, 1975
15. Henderson Settlement, Kynett Memorial Church, 1972-73
16. Hospital: Statistics, 1966-72

• "Hospital as an Agency of RBMC," 1976
• By-laws, c. 1977
• "Health Services of Red Bird Mission"

17. Norma Seaman, 1980
18. "Hospital," Jim Asher's Estate, 1971
19. Jack's Creek

• Reconstruction of Church, 1941
• Annual Reports, 1941-46

20. KMC and RBMC, Annual Session Programs, 1956-73

Reel 20

1. KMC: Establishment and Organization of , c. 1955

• Annual Reports, 1955-67
• Budgets and Financial Reports, 1955-67
• Board of Missions, Minutes, 1955-61
• Council of Administration, Minutes, 1955-68

2. RBMC: Annual Sessions, Minutes and Reports, 1968-73

• Constitution and By-laws, 1973
• Annual Sessions, Minutes and Annual Reports, 1974-78
• Budgets and Financial Reports, 1973-78
• Council on Ministries, Minutes and Reports, 1973-76
• Council on Finance and Administration, Minutes, 1973-77

3. Conference Papers, Miscellaneous, c. 1970-74
4. Merger (EUB and UMC), Questionnaire, 1967
5. Mission to the Cumberlands, Advisory Committee, 1974-76
6. Personnel

• Policies, c. 1960s
• Staff Salaries and Benefits, 1952-73

7. Preachers' Meetings, Minutes, 1956, 1974-75
8. Program Expansion and Relocation, 1947-53
9. Publications

• Red Bird Notes, 1933-45
• Red Bird Notes, 1946-52
• "The Story of Red Bird", Sunday School Messenger, September 1936
• "The Kentucky Red Bird Mission," Carol Mead, 1948
• "The Poor Whites in Eastern Tennessee and Kentucky", (author unknown), n.d.
• Our Kentucky Highland Missions, 1952
• Articles on Red Bird, Telescope Messenger, (EUB publication), August, June 1952
• Kentucky Messenger (KMC Newsletter), 1956, 1967
• That They May Know Him, c. 1959
• The Wing (Red Bird Mission Newsletter), 1960-68
• Song of the Cardinal (Conference Sharing Sheet), 1974

10. Rules and Regulations, 1940s-60s
11. Staff Memos and Meeting Minutes, 1947-60
12. Stoney Fork, Reports and School Questionnaire, 1953-64
13. Strikes: Publications, re, Methodist Hospital of Kentucky
14. (CWA) 1972-73; Brookside Mine (UMW), 1974
15. Strip Mining Information, 1970-74:Article Reprints by Barry Barkan, Tom Bethell, M.J. Clark, Helen Lewis, and R. Baldwin Lloyd, 1970-72

Reel 21

1. "Consensus on Strip Mining", Kentucky League of Women Voters, c. 1970
2. Statements and Papers by R. Baldwin Lloyd, 1971-74
3. CORA Information Packet, c. 1972, Includes: Data Sheets and a "Dialogue Foccusser" on Strip Mining
4. The Stripping of Appalachia: A Citizen's Reference Book
5. People Speaking Out on Strip Mining (CSM pamphlet)
6. Stripping the Land for Coal - Only the Beginning( State and County Projections)
7. Congressional Testimony of Donald Whitehead (co-chairman ARC)
8. CORA Publications, 1972-74
9. Statements/Publications on Strip Mining in Virginia / W. Virginia, 1972-74
10. Moid U. Ahmad (Ohio University) Congressional Testimony, 1973
11. Girard Krebs (Ohio University) Congressional Testimony, 1973; "The Ecological Perspective on Strip Mining", c. 1973
12. Statements/Publications on Federal Laws, 1973-74
13. Ralph Nader Letter to American Association Ltd., 1973
14. Newspaper Clippings and Articles, 1973-75
15. Statements and Resolutions by UMC, 1973-74

Reel 22

1. Strip Mining in Appalachia, Study Conducted for Appalachian Development Committee, 1973
2. Report to Henderson Settlement Board, 1973
3. The Ugly Mark of Strip Mining, William Greenburg, 1974
4. Feulish, For God's Sake, Richard K. Harmon, 1974
5. Pamphlet (Save Our Cumberland Mountains), 1974
6. National Church Panel on Strip Mining and the Energy Crisis March 14-16, 1974 in Wise, Virginia, Papers and Publications.

This series consists of the non-current administrative and operational records found in the office of Douglas Webb, Mission Hospital Administrator (1977 to 1981ff). This file of ledgers, minutes, correspondence and reports offers information on the hospital, clinics, and hospital staff members. Staff documented include, Lydia B. Rice, the first Mission nurse; Dr. Harlan Heim, first permanent doctor; Dr. E.W. Schaeffer; Dr. E.F. Slothour; and Leonard F. Stuart, the first non-medical hospital administrator (1973).

The series is divided into two chronological periods, c. 1927-40, and 1940-77. The records of the early years include 16 ledgers that detail the hospital and clinic activities,1922-42. Included are records of illness and treatments, immunizations, other health care activities (such as talks on child care), and documentation of the expenses incurred by the Mission and the costs charged to the patient. The later period material (c. 1940-77) consists of annual reports, budgets and minutes of hospital staff and various committee meetings. For additional information on the Red Bird Hospital see:

• Series I, Reel 1, "The Red Bird Doctor of the Cumberlands," (Dr. Harlan Heim), c. 1927.
• Series II, Reels 2-4, yearly meetings of workers include hospital reports.
• Series III, Reel 15 and Series IV, Reel 19

Reel 9

1. Gifts and Donations, 1927-29, 1935-41
2. School Health Records, 1927-34, n.d.
3. Clinic and Hospital Records, 1928-42 (Ledgers #1-4)

Reel 10

1. Clinic and Hospital Records, 1928-42 (Ledgers #5-16)
2. Red Bird Evangelical Hospital Guest Register, 1935-40
3. UMWA (United Mine Workers) Card Files, A-C, R-W, n.d. (2 card files)
4. Annual Reports, Hospital Health Department, 1951-62
5. Budgets, 1953-76
6. Correspondence and Memos, 1951-73
7. Histories of Red Bird Hospital, 1981, n.d.

Reel 11

1. Hospital Surveys by Outside Agencies, 1954-72
2. Lease, Restaurant at Queendale, 1975
3. Minutes: Staff Meetings, 1940-69

• Administrative Committee, 1961-64
• Advisory Board, 1961-64
• Local Board, 1966
• Chaplaincy Committee, 1963-66
• Committee of the Whole, 1966-68
• Executive Committee, 1963-66
• Medical Needs Survey Committee, 1963-65
• Medical Record Committee, 1966-68
• Utilization Committee, 1966-68
• Dental Committee, 1973
• Department Head Meetings, 1974-76

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