Val-Kill Industries - 1926

The New Deal NYA & Mrs. Roosevelt in Action

Arthurdale Homestead -1934

National Youth Administration

Woodstock Residential Work Center - 1939

Eleanor Roosevelt and Frank Landolpha at the lathe.

Photo courtesy of Woodstock School of Art

Photo courtesy of Arthurdale Heritage MuseumNPS Photo

Eleanor and her friends Nancy Cook, Marion Dickerman, and Caroline O'Day founded Val-Kill Industries in 1926. Conceived as a social experiment, Val-Kill Industries was designed to provide local farmers and their families with the necessary crafting skills to supplement their income. Eleanor's appreciation for the handicraft tradition fueled her interest in the American Colonial Revival Movement.

Val-Kill Industries

NPS Photos

Val-Kill Industries continued in operation until 1937 when Eleanor and her friends dissolved their partnership. The equipment from the furniture shop was given to Otto Berge, and the forge was given to Arnold Berge.

Photo courtesy of Arthurdale Heritage Museum

Photo courtesy of Arthurdale Heritage Museum

Photo courtesy of Arthurdale Heritage Museum

http://www.arthurdaleheritage.org/

Arthurdale Heritage, Inc.Preserving Arthurdale, WV – Eleanor Roosevelt's New Deal Community

A pet project of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and her husband, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, during the Great Depression, to the impoverished turmoil spreading across the country and an effort to stem concerns from liberals and conservatives of a communist uprising. Today, lifelong community members are working alongside newcomers to preserve what eventually became, at least for about a decade, a thriving and fully self-sufficient farm community.

Library of Congress, FSA-OWI Collection

Arthurdale, the nation’s first New Deal Homestead Community.

Arthurdale, WV, was first known as “The Reedsville Project” by the government employees who were sent here to establish the first New Deal community under the first of three Franklin Delano Roosevelt administrations.

Prior to FDR’s election in 1933, Eleanor became interested in the work of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a Quaker organization which had begun a child feeding program in Pennsylvania and West Virginia at President Hoover’s request. Clarence Pickett, secretary of the AFSC, was invited to Hyde Park, NY, FDR’s home, to discuss the AFSC’s efforts at vocational reeducation and subsistence living projects. FDR, after his 1933 inauguration, promoted a bevy of bills to address the problems of the Depression. One of these was a bill to establish a subsistence homestead fund.

This bill interested First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and she, along with Clarence Pickett, who by then had been appointed chief of the Stranded Mining and Industrial Populations Section of the Department of the Interior, became involved with The Reedsville Project. later named Arthurdale after Richard Arthur, from whom the land was purchased, was begun in 1934 as a homestead community.

Photo courtesy of Arthurdale Heritage Museum

Furniture factory, Arthurdale, West Virginia, Ben Shahn, 1937, Library of Congress, FSA-OWI Collection.

On October 22, 1935, the homesteaders in Arthurdale chartered the Arthurdale Association, a non-share corporation and branch of the Mountaineer Craftmen’s Cooperative Association operating in Scotts Run.  The association took out loans for several cooperative ventures in Arthrdale including a store, farm, inn, a barber shop, industrial factory, service station, as well as a dairy and poultry operation..

Photos courtesy of Arthurdale Heritage Museum

The forge at Reedsville, West Virginia, Edwin Locke, December 1936, Library of Congress, FSA-OWI Collection.                                                              

The ForgeThe metalworking shop for the Arthurdale Association was located in the Forge, located in the center complex.  Blacksmiths furnished fixtures, locks, and hardware for the homes built in Arthurdale as well as copper and pewter ware as well as wrought-iron items that was sold through the Craft Shop and mail-order catalog.  Arthurdale blacksmiths soon received a national reputation for the products they made.

Photo courtesy of Arthurdale Heritage Museum

Spinning and WeavingIn 1934, with five looms from Scotts Run and nine additional looms purchased by Eleanor Roosevelt, the spinning and weaving cooperative in Arthurdale began.  Mrs. Roosevelt also paid for teachers from Berea College in Kentucky to teach interested women to weave.  The cooperative produced rag rugs, coverlets, aprons, pillow tops, tablecloths, draperies, bedspreads, and clothes out of linen, cotton, and wool.  Most of these items sold commercially through the Craft Shop, but the cooperative also filled orders from all over the United States and other countries.  The women also quilted blankets and donated them to the Health Center and Nursery School.

Photos courtesy of Arthurdale Heritage Museum

Photos courtesy of Arthurdale Heritage Museum

Photos courtesy of Arthurdale Heritage Museum

Arthurdale Today

Arthurdale Heritage, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of historic Arthurdale, WV.

Created in 1985, AH has restored five community buildings that currently comprise the New Deal Homestead Museum.  We are currently working on restoring three of the original Arthurdale School buildings.

Craft Classes are offered at the HeritageQuilt Guild MeetingsPreregistration required for most classes.Homestead Quilt Guild –Meets every Monday at 6:30pm – All skill levels welcome!

Photo courtesy of Arthurdale Heritage Museum

National Youth Administration: Woodstock Resident Work Center1939 Dedication

Photo courtesy of Woodstock School of Art

Document courtesy of Woodstock School of Art

NYA Woodstock Resident Work Center is a national historic district located at Woodstock in Ulster County, New York. The NYA - Woodstock Resident Youth Work Center 1939 Dedication. The district includes seven contributing buildings and three contributing structures. It includes three shop buildings, four shed buildings, a ca. 1900 barn, and a decorative flagpole base. It was built in 1939 by the National Youth Administration and operated until 1942 as a facility devoted to training youths in the industrial arts. The camp is currently used by the Woodstock School of Art. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

Photo courtesy of Woodstock School of Art

Beginning: NYA 1939-1942

The Woodstock School of Art was constructed in 1939 as an initiative of the National Youth Administration…part of FDR’s New Deal Works Progress Administration.

Championed by Eleanor Roosevelt, the Resident Work Experience Center was designed to help a “lost generation” of youth learn to use their hands and minds for sustainable living.

Photo courtesy of Woodstock School of Art

Document courtesy of Woodstock School of Art

The buildings were constructed using local materials by the students themselves under the tutelage of local, unemployed craftsmen, and supervised by stone sculptor Tomas Penning.

The idea, and ideal, of the project was that area youth, aged 16-24, would be taught skills which they could use throughout their lifetime, which could supplement income and help sustain a rural, agrarian lifestyle.

Photos courtesy of Woodstock School of Art

Students learned weaving, metalworking, blacksmithing, and stone carving , pen & ink drawing, woodworking, subsistence farming and other skills, like managing a household , or how to start a business and how to promote it.

Photos courtesy of Woodstock School of Art

The Woodstock Work Experience Center was designed after First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt’s experiment in cottage industry, “Val-Kill Industries” which was located near her residence in Hyde Park. Mrs. Roosevelt was an enthusiastic supporter of the Woodstock project.

She was present to dedicate the buildings in 1939 and was a visitor to the campus where she befriended many of the students. It is said that she brought some of the boys to Hyde Park in summer to swim in the family pool.Photos courtesy of Woodstock School of Art

Documents and photo courtesy of Woodstock School of Art

Wood Design Shop

Document & Photo courtesy of Woodstock School of Art

Photos courtesy of Woodstock School of Art

Document and photo courtesy of Woodstock School of Art

Documents courtesy of Woodstock School of Art

Photos courtesy of Woodstock School of Art

Eugene Caille with a spindle he designed for the Textile Unit while at the NYA Work-Training Center in Woodstock, c. 1940

Eugene Caille, Jr. holding a weaving sample made at the NYA Work-Training Center in Woodstock. Various samples of this kind were made and displayed in the Textile Unit.

Eugene Caille’s books of samples of knitting and weaving patterns taught at the NYA Work-Training Center in Woodstoc

Photos courtesy of Woodstock School of Art

“The NYA Boys” posing in front of what is likely their Lake Hill residence.

Photo courtesy of Woodstock School of Art

Eleanor Roosevelt, fourth from left, at Val-kill.

Photo courtesy of Woodstock School of Art

Student Essay by -Kealey Viglielmo

Eleanor Roosevelt A woman before her time

As you step off the bus to observe your surroundings, you find yourself amidst a lusciously wooded area unseen by the common wanderer. The path that crests the hill in front of you adds an almost mysterious feel to your new surroundings and all the while you have yet to realize that faint sound of a babbling brook off in the distance. There are no signs nor markers, but only a field not fully visible and a walkway leading to, the unknown? You set out in the direction of the path and soon enough as you rise higher atop the hill a building becomes visible and then a bridge that crosses over the water you had just heard. As you foot plants down upon the now dirt road beyond the wooden bridge you have a understanding and you become almost one with what is around you. You feel so at ease with the serene backdrop, as you walk closer towards the undetermined building, it is as though you don't belong here. At first you feel this way because it is so peaceful, exactly the opposite of what a school day is like, but you shortly realize that no, it is because this was where our forefathers resided, where our nation's, may I say worlds's, most influential people took refuge, where our president and his highly regarded guests found comfort so as to make you feel that you were undeserving of such an experience. Finally for the first time it actually hits you, and you remember what you have come here to do, you have come to the Val-Kill estate to learn about one of the most revered women in history, Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt. We were asked upon arrival about what, if anything, did we as a group know about Mrs. Roosevelt. Personally I can say that I knew little to nothing regarding her except that she was married to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and that she was the first lady of the United States. But of course that had all changed by the end of the four hours we had spent there, and as we were asked a question on the way in, we were asked a question on the way out, the question was simply, "What did you learn today in regards to Eleanor Roosevelt." Various people raised their hand in response and all had their own answers, some simple, some complex, but for myself, I choose to examine this from a possibly less used vantage point. That is why my topic for what I learned at the Hyde Park refuge was "how, Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt was far before her time."

Being the wife of anyone of high nobility almost always ensures you a status of high regards, let alone to be the president of the United States wife, but for Mrs. Roosevelt she was unsatisfied with just a title. The un-satisfaction she felt was not in any way due to who she was bound to by marriage, but only because she was an independent woman who set her own standards, virtues and morals. This for the most part sounds completely grand, being able to set her own goals and sights, but she saw it differently. She saw not how she could be free, but how the others, not just women in general, but a majority of the world wasn't able to say the same. She wanted equal opportunity, rights and capabilities for everyone and found it hard to believe that no one else spoke out against it. She is quoted for saying something along the lines of " I have a high position already, it would be a waste for me not to use it to my advantage." and she was exactly right. Her advantage: being married to the President, her goal: to help the world in more ways than one, and that is exactly what she set out to do and succeeded in doing. Due to her firm beliefs and mindset, she emerged almost immediately with new ideas involving rights for the underprivileged , not just in the United States, but to vastly different areas and also for the woman back home, who still, despite the day and age, experienced oppression. Not believing that nothing could be done, just as the common person "woman" did in those days, she stood up unaccompanied and made an image for herself of great wisdom, courage and understanding, along with being a beacon of hope, peace and unity to those who were experiencing the burden that life brings. This and a whole slew of other attributes only proves the beginning of why and how she was a woman before her time.

Just being able to stand up for what she believed in was quite a statement to all in those days, showing that a woman was actually capable of living for herself, but she did more than just that. Having feelings towards the fact that she wanted to actually be an active help to the presidency, rather than be a simple counter part, mantle piece or figure head was another story. Rarely anyone as a woman felt as though they possessed a voice and now with Eleanor speaking freely and openly about what needed to be fixed, a new courage and ability swept the entire nation, not just the women. All people gained more of a voice and the confidence of women in the work world increased slowly but surely and as the world's eyes began to turn to our president for help through our wars and depressions, his wife became more and more prevalent, prominent and important to our society as a whole. She not only was able to stand up for human rights, but for how all forms of life are affected by the environment it is placed into. Not too many people at the time understood how a nations actions directly affected the people of fellow nations and therefore tensions grew and connection faltered due to either non-communication or world power unwariness. Eleanor, just like she did before, stood up, while no one else either had the courage or knowledge to do and spoke for everyone when she preached her message of consciousness. We all know now that to be conscious of our actions and learn to communicate with others is to stay free from conflict and in content with life, but back then to be capable of comprehending such a complex idea was amazing, let alone be constantly aware of it. This in other words just proves again how influential and ahead of her time she actually was. Lastly, from what I learned at Val-Kill, Mrs. Roosevelt was a fantastic wife in general, if you couldn't gather that already from what she already did. None-the-less she promoted her husband in every way, was a beautiful companion who was passionate about life and compassionate towards her family, a person you obviously felt comfortable around due to her light heartedness and humor and finally because of her active involvement within her husbands campaign. Eleanor Roosevelt was completely successful in not only aiding the president, but persuading and changing his mental state with new and alternative ideas, comforting news, different ways of thinking and most of all, love. Mrs. Roosevelt set the stage for the younger generation by changing the worlds views drastically in multiple different ways therefore causing, during her life time, completely new and alternative ways of understanding, thinking and education. Both before and after her death her message and calling reverberated around the world and still does to this day. Just as any major figure had come before and any that has come after, their body may be now nonexistent, but their legacy, due to the preservation of great ideals, ideas and love for humanity, will still live on. She along with billions of countless members of world change, all in their own unique way, will go down as a mark upon history in the scheme of things, but as a grand beginning to unification in the eyes of the ones who experienced her knowledge first hand. Undoubtedly, she as a woman will always be seen as an activist belonging to the future instead of the past and a shocking symbol for all those who lived through her eyes.

-Kealey Viglielmo

The New Deal for Youth Program

&Onteora High School Students

NPS Photo’s by Susanne Norris

Student art work summary on human rights, after visit to Val-

Kill

New Deal for Youth Program Day 2 at the Woodstock School

of Art

NPS Photo’s by Susanne Norris

New Deal for Youth Teachers Workshop Oct.

2011

NPS Photo’s by Susanne Norris

The Woodstock School of Art

Kate McGloughlin, President & Teacher

Executive Director Nancy Campbell & Paula Nelson, Secretary

Photo courtesy of Woodstock School of Art

NPS Photo’s by Susanne Norris

Photo courtesy of Woodstock School of Art

The Art Students League of NY: 1947-1979

The Art Students League of New York opened in Woodstock in 1906 where it established its Summer School of Landscape Painting. The school flourished in that incarnation until 1922.

After WWII, in 1947, the League wished to renew its presence in Woodstock, purchased the NYA buildings and leased the 38 acre land parcel from the City of Kingston Water Department where art classes were held until 1979.

With expenses outpacing student enrollment, a lack of affordable student housing, and an unsuccessful attempt to purchase the land from the City of Kingston, the ASL abandoned their summer school at the end of the 1979 summer session.

The local artist community, on hearing rumors that the historic buildings and wooded grounds would become an industrial site, formed an Ad Hoc committee, led by Robert Angeloch, who had been both student and instructor at the ASL, and with broad community support, the school reopened as The Woodstock School of Art, Inc. in 1980.

The Woodstock School of Art: 1980 - present

Robert Angeloch class at Big Deep, Woodstock, circa 1984 John Kleinhans photo

Robert Angeloch and student, circa 1984, at Magic Meadow in Woodstock.

The Woodstock School of Art was incorporated in 1980 as a not-for-profit corporation. The WSA took possession of the NYA site in Oct. of 1980, and by May of 1981 a fully functioning instructional center opened.

Led by instructors Robert Angeloch, who taught landscape painting, and Frank Alexander, who taught an evening class in life drawing, and four more artists who started teaching by June, registration reached 60 students that August and doubled for the first six month session.

John Kleinhans photo

Today The WSA offers a wide variety of instruction in fine arts disciplines in classes and workshops . Drawing; painting in oils, pastel, acrylic and watercolor; printmaking, such as linoleum block cutting, lithography and monotype; sculpture of the figure in clay; collage

Students are taught individually, according to their own levels of experience. Beginners are welcome –no experience required! WSA students range in age from 15 to 90!

Student Gale Brownlee & Instructor Eric Angeloch

Photo album: 1980s to present

Horses in

Buhalis’ class

—hold still!

Jean Wrolsen’s, “young people’s class”

John Kleinhans photos

Art imitates lifeZhang-Woolley class

Painting a portrait -Woolley class

The art of still-life-Angeloch class

An afternoon idyll…Painting under the pineswith Zhang/Woolley class

An exhibit opening in the gallery

A sampling of instructor’s works

Staats Fasoldt, Watercolor Painting

Eric Angeloch, Painting & Composition

Karen O’NeilSeeing Color & Light

Paul Abrams,The Poetic Still Life

Christie ScheeleInterpreting the Landscape

Tricia Cline,Figurative Cla y Sculpture

Winter Beauty

The WSA site comprises 38 acres of woodland, with a bluestone sculpture park. Work has been created by artists from Japan, Ireland and the Netherlands as well as regional artists.

The Woodstock School of Art, Inc. is a not-for-profit, 501 (c) 3 Educational Institution chartered under the laws of the State of New York. There are no admission requirements, and all are welcome. Scholarships and work exchange scholarships are available.

The End

We hope you’ve enjoyed

your visit!

PowerPoint developed by Susanne Norris, NPS Education Specialist &Nancy Campbell, WSA

Executive Director