An Interview With Emily Ann Smith

An Interview With Emily Ann Smith by DELMAS W. ABBOTT This interview with Emily Ann Smith was conducted on paper—with the asking end in New York and the answering end in Berea; so it may seem to lack the spontaneity, the give and take of a face-to-face conversation. Nevertheless, much of the essence of dedicated teacher, compassionate human being, woman of special intelligence comes vividly alive in the answers to the interview questions. Much of the person is here for all to admire. I first talked to Emily Ann on the phone when she was out on Long Island spending the year-end holidays with her sister Virginia. We were not able to arrange an interview time, which would have been face-to-face with a tape recorder picking it all up. Emily Ann agreed to attempt answers to written questions which I would send to her at Berea. When she sent me the answers to my questions, Emily Ann began her accompanying letter like this: "Here it is. Everybody who ever took an assignment from me is avenged." That seems delightfully in character with the woman. Here it is: D.W.A. I know your home is in Mayfield, Graves County, Kentucky. That is flat country in the western end of the state, and it has always had for me a more southern flavor than any other part of the state. I'm wondering if there is anything in your ancestral background that relates to Southern Appalachian mountain people in a way to influence you to devote your life to a career of teaching at Berea College which draws its students mainly from the Southern Appalachian area? E.A.S. No. The area was brand new to me when I came to Berea. I think you are right about West Kentucky. It seems to have more southern flavor than other parts of the state. My people came from North Carolina and Virginia, some through Tennessee, some by barge down the Cumberland River. I had two great-grandfathers living in Mayfield during the Civil War—one Federal, the other Confederate. In private life they were friends. Why did I come to Berea? Just out of graduate school, I had to look for a job in order to pay back money I had borrowed to go to graduate school. I already knew that eventually I wanted to live somewhere in Kentucky—a sort of Br'er Rabbit preference for the briar patch. Also I wanted to move from high school teaching—which I enjoyed —to college teaching. Just to see. And I was attracted to the special differences of Berea College. I liked the idea of its Labor System, reinforcing academic training. I heard good things about the independence and strong purpose of the Berea students. I thought it would be good to work with them. It was. D.W.A. How did you happen to choose English literature and writing as your teaching discipline? Were you early exposed to good literature? Did you have some inner compulsion to read, imagine, and then to write tales of your own? 6 E.A.S. I have always liked words—mine or somebody else's—and I was inclined, when nobody was looking, to count on my fingers. I come from a big tribe, most of whom like to read and talk and write. Any sign of creativity in us children was encouraged by my parents. They praised my early third and fourth grade compositions on such subjects as the origin of the dandelion or why a beaver has a flat tail. They suggested here and there, but mostly they cheered. And writing seemed to come naturally. I read as fast and as much as possible. I learned to see and hear and feel and smell consciously and to convert my reactions into words to suit myself. D.W.A. Perhaps you'd mention something of the educational background that prepared you for teaching. E.A.S. Briefly, as remembered from old resumes, my training was as follows: 3 years of high school in Mayfield 1 year of the Louisville Girl's High School (for better college preparation in Latin...