CenterNET brings Kentucky history to Life for Corbin Students
SOMERSET, KY - From the Underground Railroad to the Coal and Labor Union days of the Depression Era, students in Corbin are learning more about their Kentucky roots thanks to CenterNET. On February 22nd, Corbin High School hosted middle school students at their CenterNET site for a connection called “The Underground Railroad: Communication through Song.” "The program had really good facts," student Bobbi Stewart said. "It was fun talking into the microphone to the other schools." This program explained Kentuckians' roles in the Underground Railroad and examined the way songs reflected themes of determination and hope. The program featured Alicestyne Adams, director of Georgetown College's Underground Railroad Research Institute, and a video of the Georgetown College Chorale performing songs of the Underground Railroad. Teacher Linda Tate said, "Having a guest speaker that had so much knowledge on the Underground Railroad was great. I think that's great (videoconference offering)." Students from Corbin also participated in “Which Side Are You On? Coal and Labor Unions in Depression-era Kentucky.” Students explored how living and working conditions caused unrest in Kentucky coal towns in the 1930s. Students experienced speeches and protest songs from the era and viewed a theatre performance that invited students to travel through a Kentucky coal company town as a cast of characters depicts their way of life above and below ground. The students “met” Willie Blanton, a 14-year-old boy who, along with his family, had just arrived in Lynch, Kentucky; Vincent Scopa, an Italian immigrant miner who works in the company store; and Billie Donaldson, a native Kentuckian and a staunch Unionist fighting for better working conditions for the miners.
