"Mid Purple Mountain Majesty" - Part 1

"Mid Purple Mountain Majesty" is a creation of the Presbyterian National Missions to be used as a student recruitment tool and a fund raising message for the Asheville Farm School, which evolved into present-day Warren Wilson College.

Part 2 of the film was based on the experience of Paul James from Newport, Tennessee. Paul is a member of the Asheville Farm School class 1937 and still lives in Newport. Being from rural Appalachia and used to farming, he was chosen because he represented many of the boys who attended the Farm School. A portion of the film used actors to portray Paul's parents and girlfriend, but most of the people are Farm School employees and students from the 1930s. Paul says the film was produced by a man from New York driving a big Packard car with a trailer full of cameras.

After leaving school, Mr. James started a career with the A.C. Lawrence Leather Co. and eventually managed several of the company's facilities. In addition to his business career, Paul went on to be a community and church leader as well as a strong supporter of Warren Wilson College. He credits his time at the Farm School for giving him the work and leadership skills that made him a success in life.

Paul received a copy of the original 16 mm film after its completion and has kept it for many years. Warren Wilson College Director of Development Don Harris visited Mr. James at his home and learned of the film. What you see here is a digital version made from the original 16 mm.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Warren
• Wilson
• College
• National
• Missions
• Mid
• Purple
• Mountain
• Majesty