Interview with R. Kenton Craven, September 27, 1985

Interview Summary

R. Kenton Craven talks about his early life in Bluefield, West Virginia and feeling partly like an outsider there. He talks about his educational career and his work as a literature teacher. Craven talks about the various groups of immigrants who lived in Bluefield, West Virginia who sent their children to Catholic school. He talks about experiencing language and accent differences and differences in cultural customs, especially regarding funerals. He talks about he and his wife deciding to move back to Kentucky and his being hired at CAP's Family Life Center of Appalachia. He talks about how there was little planning involved before beginning the Family Life Center and adapting along the way. Craven talks about the relationship between Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) and state agencies. He talks about how CAP's status as an outsider trying to solve problems in Appalachia led to a strained relationship with the communities they were in. He talks about Appalachian stereotypes versus reality. He talks about taking over "Kentucky River Soundings" newsletter from Jack Little and developing it into the "Mountain Spirit" magazine. He talks about his disagreements with Father Beiting. He talks about how some volunteers had poor attitudes about interacting with the local people they were serving, and how that affected CAP's effectiveness. Craven talks about how unusual it was for Christian Appalachian Project's direct mail campaigns to be as successful as they were. He talks about how, in the beginning, there was little separation between Christian Appalachian Project and Father Beiting's work with the Catholic Church, which later resulted in a painful separation process.

Interview Keyword

Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) Catholic schools. Childhood. Education. Immigrants Intercultural communication Family Life Center of Appalachia Cultural differences Father Ralph W. Beiting Father Beiting Funding Direct mail campaigns Stereotypes Donations The Mountain Spirit (Magazine)

Interview LC Subject

Appalachian Region Appalachian Region--Economic conditions Appalachian Region--Social conditions Christian Appalachian Project Craven, R. Kenton Craven, R. Kenton--Interviews Social service, Rural Appalachian Region--Social life and customs Catholics Regionalism--Appalachian Region Religion. Rural conditions. Lifestyles Manners and customs Culture Interpersonal relations Community involvement Nonprofit organizations. Volunteering Volunteers Voluntarism. Appalachia Appalachian Region--Economic conditions Appalachian Region--Religion Communities Community development Community-based social services

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All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.