12/19/00
Parthenia Fountain Edmonds has come a long way. The granddaughter of slaves and the daughter of sharecropping farmers, the 85-year-old is a college graduate, a former school teacher and business owner, and a prominent member of the Beckley community. Her long and colorful life is detailed in the current issue of GOLDENSEAL magazine.
In the article, “A Dream Fulfilled: The Life and Times of Parthenia Edmonds,” author Pauline Haga of Crab Orchard tells about Edmonds’ childhood in the coal camps of Eckman and Tams, including a devastating school bus wreck that turned out to be the key to Edmonds’ college education. Haga’s article also details Edmonds’ teaching career and her experience running two Beckley-area grocery stores.
This issue of GOLDENSEAL also includes several stories about coon hunting and coondogs, an article on Slovene immigrants in Richwood and a profile of Lewis County woodturner Paul Weinberger, who is sharing his knowledge and artistry through an apprenticeship program.
GOLDENSEAL is West Virginia’s magazine of traditional life and is a quarterly publication of the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History. It is available for $4.95 from Tamarack, Kroger stores, Drug Emporium and Bookland or by calling (304) 558-0220, ext. 153.
Visit the Division’s website at www.wvculture.org. The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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