MIDDLESBORO — The Bowling Family History Project, a project designed to research the history of Middlesboro and Bell County, was the feature topic at the Bell County Chamber of Commerce Soup & Sandwich luncheon on Thursday afternoon.
The Bowling Family History Project is a project that began nearly a year ago at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College (SKCTC) in Middlesboro. The project consists of five classes at SKCTC in which students do research based projects focusing on the four major eras of Middlesboro’s history.
Amy Kreiter, a SKCTC professor whose Composition II class is involved in the project, was first to speak to the lunchtime crowd. Kreiter read a monologue from a one-act play that was written about the life of Ben Harney. Harney, who spent a three very important years of his life in Middlesboro, is known as a pioneer of “ragtime” music.
It is reported that Harney credits the city of Middlesboro for inspiring him to develop his ragtime style.
After Kreiter spoke, Judith Leonard, Director of Advancement at SKCTC, addressed the audience.
“I want to tell you about a gift that brought the word community to life here in Middlesboro,” she said.
The “gift” Leonard was referring to was a $112,500 donation made by Jeff Bowling, of Middlesboro, in honor of his father who most people knew as “Big” Jim Bowling.
Leonard went on to say that this donation is what made the project possible. The donation, which was designated for the Bowling History Project, was split three ways “with part being used to develop four endowment scholarships, part being used for a $2,500 annual scholarship and the remaining is to be used for the Bowling History Project,” said Leonard.
Leonard said the monologue Kreiter had just performed was just one example of what had come out of the project over the past year. Other examples of the students’ work will be featured during the 2008 Evening of One-Acts coming up this summer. There will be eight performances during the Evening of One-Acts and four will be one-act plays that were written by students participating in the Bowling History Project.
Bob Vaughn, the Bell County Campaign Chair and best friend of “Big” Jim Bowling, also spoke at the luncheon. Vaughn gave a brief description of Jim Bowling’s life saying “Jim did not grow up here, he chose to live here.”
Vaughn noted that he noticed over half the people in the audience were from “Jim’s Middlesboro Little Theatre (MLT) days.” He went on to say, “Jim loved to sing and act.”
“We talked about one day creating a summertime play depicting the history of Bell County, “ said Vaughn. Now, thanks to the donation from Bowling’s son this dream will become a reality.
All the work the students are doing in each of the participating classes is being archived and will be used as information for a full-length play depicting the history of Bell County and Middlesboro.
Vaughn said in the near future, “I can see a time where we will have a summertime play and reenactment.” He said, “There are so many things that could come out of this project, but most of all we get community pride.”
Leonard addressed the crowd a final time quoting a Chinese Proverb that she felt summed up the experience of the project. “Tell me, I’ll forget. Show me, I may remember. But involve me, and I’ll understand.”
In closing Jeff Bowling, who was present at the luncheon with his mother Betty, said he “appreciates all the support people have given” to the project.
He said when he was approached by Vaughn about making the donation he did not quite know what he was getting into, but was ”excited about the opportunities the project would provide.” He said he is proud of the involvement of the students and community with the project and feels his father would be honored by all their hard work.
Andrea Schneider is a Staff Writer for the Daily News. She can be contacted via e-mail at aschneider@middlesborodailynews.com
Photo: The Bowling Family History Project was the feature of the Bell County Chamber of Commerce Soup & Sandwich Thursday at J. Milton’s. Jeff Bowling and Betty Bowling were present as representatives from SKCTC and the Bowling History Project discussed the project and honored it’s name sake, “Big” Jim Bowling. From left: Judy Leonard, Bob Vaughn, Betty Bowling, Jeff Bowling, Angie Weaver, Amy Kreiter. (BRANDY CALVERT/Daily News)
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