Interview with Carrie M. Parker, September 29, 1979

Interview Summary

Carrie Parker's mother was born in Leslie County in 1900 and went to nursing school in Philadelphia. She returned to Leslie County as a public health nurse before Mary Breckinridge began the FNS, and became acquainted with Breckinridge while working at the original hospital in Hyden. Parker herself became a junior courier for the FNS with Carlyle Carter, a cousin of Mary Breckinridge. Parker recalls her family being severely affected by union strife because of her father's involvement in the coal industry. She served as a courier in 1966 after the death of Mary Breckinridge and comments upon the change in atmosphere upon her return to the FNS. Eventually, Parker joined the city committee in Washington, D.C. She reflects upon both mountain and "outside" societies from the perspective of one who has been a part of each.

Interview Keyword

Amputations Churches Clinics Coal industry Diet Dynamite Family Home births Horses Hospital at Hyden Junior couriers Maryland Obstetrics Outposts Philedelphia (Pa.) Presbyterians Public health nurse before FNS Red Bird Clinic Sanitation Union strife

Interview LC Subject

Childhood Children--Health and hygiene--Kentucky Churches Coal miners Coal miners--Labor unions--Kentucky Coal mines and mining--Kentucky Company stores Country stores Families. Frontier Nursing Service, Inc. Laurel County (Ky.) Leslie County (Ky.) Medical care Nurses Nursing Nursing--Study and teaching Recreation

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Interview Usage

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