BSCTC PLAYS HOST TO APPALACHIAN DAYS
More than 200 students from Floyd County schools visited the third-annual Appalachian
Days on the Prestonsburg campus of Big Sandy Community and Technical College on April
22-23.
Sponsored by the BSCTC Office of Regional and Cultural Diversity, the event was a
celebration of Appalachian culture, said event organizers Lisa Stumbo, director of
ECHO (Enhancing Cultural Heritage Opportunities) and Tina Terry, director of cultural
diversity.
We want our children to understand the important role of tradition and culture in
Appalachia, said Stumbo. This was a unique opportunity to learn firsthand about our
regions history and the traditions that have been carried down from generations.
Jim Bordwine, of Saltville, Va., showed students how to manufacture salt. Bordwine,
whose great-great grandfather fought in the Civil War, uses brine from wells in his
hometown to make salt, using the same process as Daniel Boone described when making
salt at Blue Licks.
Michael Warrix, a student at BSCTC, and Giselle Smith and Arabella Smith demonstrated
life in a Civil War camp. This included a discussion on the Battle of Middle Creek
and the everyday life and weaponry used by soldiers during the war.
Debi Beatty-Manuel, with Friends of the May House, gave students and educators a living
history tour of the May House. Built in 1817 by Samuel May, the house is the oldest
structure in Prestonsburg. It was constructed by bricks built on site and the one-time
350-acre farm featured a grist mill and was a recruitment and supply post for the
Confederate Army during the Civil War.
All participants were also treated to a show at the East Kentucky Science Center and
Planetarium.