RG-37 Faculty Papers Acc. 2004-011 LOC: P/2

Hollandsworth, James G. “Pop”

Title: James G. “Pop” Hollandsworth (1915- ) Papers

Dates: 1942-1946

Biographical Information:

Born: 4 October 1915

Education: Berea College (Berea, KY) – A.B. (1933-37). One source said his degree was in geology.

George Peabody College for Teachers (Nashville, TN—now Vanderbilt University’s College of Education)—MA in education (1937-38)

Member of Kappa Delta Pi and Phi Delta Kappa –national education fraternities

American Camping Association (1957- )—received Distinguished Service Award (2001);

ACA, Southeastern Region—Regional Honor Award (?)

Previous positions: Berwind Junior High School (WV); Bellevue High School (KY); Darlington School (Rome, GA); U. S. Army, 1943-46; College of William & Mary-V.P.I. (VA) Assistant Professor of Physics, 1946-47; Summer camp counselor and camp director, Camp Sequoyah (Weaverville, NC), 1934-67 (33 summers)

Founding Director, North Carolina Outward Bound School, 1967-68

Asheville School, 1947-51, 1954-66, 1968-85: Master of First Form and Physics Laboratory, director of Woodcraft program (predecessor to the camping/mountaineering program); Chair of Science Department; Dean of Students; Assistant to the Headmaster; Director of Moutaineering Program

(during 1951-53, Pop served in the Army Reserves)

Started a summer travel camp (1978)

Personal: Married Willie Lee Hearn, “Housekeeper of the School” (deceased, November 1982); married Marjorie McDonald (29 December 1984 in Huntington, WV)

Son: James G. Hollandsworth, Jr ’62 (January 1944- )

General—Lived in the Carriage House; played the cornet

Scope & Content Note: This collection of letters from Pop to his wife Willie Lee document his time of service in the U.S. Army from 22 September 1943 until his final letter at discharge in February 1946. For the first seven month, the letters tell of his time in basic training at different camps. He returned home to his family, now including an infant son, in March 1944 and he remained with them until August. At that time he went to New York City and then shipped out to England with his battalion. He was stationed in England, France, Belgium and Germany for much of the war. He remained after the war ended with 178^th Engineer Combat Battalion and then after a promotion to lieutenant on July 1, 1945, transferred to the 245^th Engineer to assist with the reconstruction of roads and bridges in Germany.

The letters reveal much about his concern for his family, what he’s doing personally, mostly in his off-time, some about his companions. He includes some details about his work, what they do, where they are, and the progress of the war from the soldier’s perspective. He makes comments about being up all night on watch or putting in long hours doing his job or traveling around to explain why he hasn’t written in several days or weeks. He also comments on news items he read in the “Stars and Stripes.”

The first letter that mentions any real combat comes in March 1945. He was stationed in Germany and describes some of the destruction of battle.

There are some drawings in the body of letters and as inserts to some letters. Some of the whimsical drawings were made by Pop; others were drawn by Bill Idell, who was stationed with him from very early in his service. There are some newspaper articles and photographs from the Stars and Stripes, the “178^th Engineer Combat Battalion” newsletter. There are some hand-drawn maps showing the progress of the war.

Sometime during and perhaps after the war, he wrote a travel journal that recorded by date where he went with his companies during the war and made a map that graphically shows those places.

Arrangement: The letters are arranged chronologically and by the numbering Pop used for the letters so that his wife could read them in the order that he wrote them. Often times he wrote several before the mail could be sent out.

Container List:

Box File Description

1 1 Letters, September 1943

2 Letters, October 1943

3 Letters, November 1943

4 Letters, December 1943

5 Letters, January 1944

6 Letters, February 1944, 2 drawings

7 Letters, from JGH to others, 2944

8 Letters, August 1944 (1-26), 3 pencil sketches

9 Letters, September 1944 (29-38, and unnumbered)

10 Letters, October 1944 (unnumbered), one postcard)

11 Letters, November 1944 (21-41)

12 Letters, December 1944 (42-59), Christmas card, pen sketches

2 1 Letters, January 1945(60-78), drawings, newspaper clippings

2 Letters, February 1945 (79-98), drawings, newspaper clipping

3 Letters, March 1945 (98-99, 101-112), drawings,

178^th newsletter (v. 1, n. 16, 19 March 1945)

“ (v. 1, n. 19, 27 March 1945)

“ (v. 1, n. 20, 29 March 1945)

4 Letters, April 1945 (115-134), drawing

5 Letters, May 1945 (135-160), drawings

178^th newsletter (special ed., 7 May 1945)

“ (v. 1, n. 50, 10 May 1945)

6 Letters, June 1945 (161-184), newspaper clippings, 2 postcards, drawings, concert programmes, museum guide

“Munich Champagne Putsch,” 3 June 1945

American Red Cross, “London Light,” v.3, n. 36, 9 June 1945)

7 Letters, July 1945 (185-210), drawings, newspaper clippings, postcard

8 Letters, August 1945 (211-232), drawings

9 Letters, September 1945 (233-257), map of Paris, programme, drawing

10 Letters, October 1945 (258-279), drawing

11 Letters, November 1945 (280-300),

12 Letters, December 1945 (301-04, unnumbered items)

13 Letters, January 1946-8 February 1946 (unnumbered)

first letter is dated 2 Jan. 1945 (sic)

14 Map, “Beaver Trails: History of the 178^th Engineer Combat Battalion, 23 July 1943-23 Sept. 1945”

15 Log/Journal: “I Wonder as I Wander” August 1944-March 1946

16 Map of Europe—companion to the log/journal

17 Letters, to Jimmy (1945), most with drawings or pictures attached.

18 Newspaper clippings/articles about Pop, n.d., 1979

3 1 Personnel file, Correspondence, 1947-68

2 Personnel file, Correspondence, 1972-87

3 Personnel file, Correspondence, 1990-2002

4 Correspondence & articles,

5 Personal information—RESTRICTED

6 Letters of tribute, 1985

7 “Pop’s Map”