Fall Board News

Hindman Settlement School mourns the passing of former board member and advisory board member, Charlene Farrell, who passed away October 11, 2010 at age 79. Charlene and her husband, Dudley H. Farrell, have been generous supporters of the Settlement School’s dyslexia program. They have not only provided financial support but they’ve opened up their home on many occasions to Settlement School students by hosting field trips to the Cincinnati area. Charlene was a passionate volunteer and she will be greatly missed.

Board member Emeritus, Loyal Jones recently received the Folk Heritage Award as part of the 2010 Kentucky Governor’s Award in the Arts. The Commonwealth’s most prestigious arts awards honor Kentucky individuals, businesses and organizations that make significant contributions to arts in the state. The Folk Heritage award is presented to an individual or organization that has made an outstanding effort to perpetuate and promote Kentucky’s unique artistic traditions.

Debra K. Reynolds and Jack B. Combs stepped down from the board of directors in November. Reynolds is President of Forcht Group of Kentucky and cited time constraints associated with her position. She has served on the board for three years. Combs, who lives in Santa Fe, NM served on the board for 26 years and has been an avid supporter of the Settlement School’s Literacy Through Photography program during summer school. Mike Mullins expressed appreciation for their services.

New Board Members
Multidisciplinary artist Frank X Walker, a native of Danville, KY and Dr. Sherry W. Powers of Bowling Green, KY were elected to the board of directors in November.

Frank X Walker is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, and has an MFA in writing from Spalding University. He is a founding member of the Affrilachian Poets and is a well-respected writer, poet, speaker and teacher. His works have appeared in numerous publications and have been adapted for the stage. Walker has served as founder/Executive Director of the Bluegrass Black Arts Consortium, the Program Coordinator of the University of Kentucky's King Cultural Center and the Assistant Director of Purdue University’s Black Cultural Center. The University of Kentucky awarded Walker an honorary Doctorate of Humanities in 2001 for his collective community work and artistic achievements. Transylvania University awarded Walker an honorary Doctor of Letters degree in 2002.

Walker regularly teaches in writing programs like Fishtrap in Oregon and SplitRock at the University of Minnesota. He currently serves as Associate Professor in the Department of English at the University of Kentucky; and is the proud editor and publisher of PLUCK! the new Journal of Affrilachian Art & Culture.

Dr. Sherry W. Powers is Director of the School of Teacher Education and Associate Dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences at Western Kentucky University. She has an Ed.D. from the University of Kentucky in Instruction and Administration Reading Specialization with special emphasis in sociolinguistics and multicultural education. She has an M.A. from the University of Kentucky in Elementary Education with a Reading Specialization and a B.A. from Asbury College in Social Work and Elementary Education.

Powers was a teacher at Hindman Montessori School at Hindman Settlement School from 1983-1987. Her dissertation topic was “The examination of teacher discourse with four Eastern Kentucky fourth-graders during writing conferences.”