Anna M. (Mrs. Wilmer S.) Lehman, Teacher, 1938-1839<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n
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TAGS<\/strong>: Dr and Mrs Wilmer S Lehman, Anna M. (Mrs. Wilmer S.) Lehman, physicians, teachers, Infirmary, Glyn A. Morris, Dr. Howard H. Ingling, Cameroon West Africa, Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church, teachers, The Pine Cone, Dr. Preston J. van Kolk<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n In 1938, Glyn A. Morris<\/a>, director of the Pine Mountain Settlement School, was looking for a physician for the School’s Infirmary<\/a>. When he heard from the personnel secretary at the Board of National Missions of the Presbyterian that Dr. W. S. Lehman of Cincinnati, Ohio, was interested in “doing medical work in the mountains,”<\/em> He immediately wrote to Dr. Lehman.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Dr. Lehman was indeed interested in the work that Morris described and provided Morris with information about his background. At 65 years old, he and his wife had recently returned from Cameroon, West Africa, where they had served as missionaries for the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church since 1898. His wife, Anna McLaughlan Lehman, who had been a school teacher, was open to helping at the School as well.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Each of Dr. Lehman’s two references wrote positively about him. The Executive Secretary for the Kentucky Tuberculosis Association in Louisville, Kentucky, stated<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cHe was one of our best men on the field and did as fine a piece of work as any missionary under the Presbyterian Board could have done. \u2026 many of the problems met in the mountain field are just line the problems met in Africa. \u2026 I think whatever Dr. Lehman may have lost in a way of keeping abreast of the time[s] would be amply compensated for by his other qualification. <\/em>… I had rather have a man like Dr. Lehman, who loves people and loves to serve humanity than to have a more \u2018up-to-date\u2019 man with the disposition of the more modern physician<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\r\nLetter of reference to Glyn Morris from the Executive Secretary for the Kentucky Tuberculosis Association in Louisville, Kentucky, March 7, 1938.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Glyn Morris was both relieved and pleased when Dr. Lehman decided to accept the position. The doctor and his wife and their son, Steve, arrived at the School on April 12, 1938, ready for a year of new adventures as well as challenges of “doing medical work in the mountains.”<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n While Dr. Lehman tended to patients in the Infirmary and in the surrounding community, Mrs. Lehman taught junior high school classes in Bible and History.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Lehmans easily became part of the Pine Mountain School family, joining with them in a number of extra-curricular activities. Their involvements were often described in the student publication, The Pine Cone<\/a><\/em>. A listing of School events on page 4 of the October 1938<\/a> issue reported that on October 7 “Dr. Lehman talked to the student body in assembly on ‘What we need in our communities.’ He said that moderation in eating, drinking, and smoking and more cleanliness were things needed for better health.'”<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Soon after, according to the November 1938<\/a> Pine Cone<\/em> issue, page 6, “Dr. Lehman gave an illustrated lecture in the assembly hall on Africa, showing on the screen pictures of African customs and dress<\/em>” on October 21.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In 1938, a travelogue titled “Little Journeys” <\/a>was written by Bertha Shepard<\/a> that described an excursion by car with three others that included a stop at Pine Mountain Settlement School. She wrote of this visit,<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cAn afternoon spent…in calling on the doctor and his wife in their cottage on the hill are [among] memorable incidents of the stay on Pine Mt. Mrs. Lehman, a graduate of Oberlin College[?], recalled interesting experiences of her many years at the mission stations in Africa and later the doctor showed the callers Tanganyika and other African colonies. Mrs. L. feels life is a bit too difficult in the wilds of Kentucky, but the doctor still is enthusiastic and sympathetic after 40 years as a medical missionary.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\r\nShepard, Bertha. \u201cLittle Journeys,\u201d 1938, image #26.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Pine Cone<\/em> also reported on some of Anna Lehman’s participation in School’s activities, as indicated by an article in the March 1939 <\/a>Pine Cone, page 8: Chinese week started on Monday. Impressive posters of both color and import, made by Mrs. Lehman, were displayed in the Industrial Building, School House and Laurel House. Brief classroom lectures were given on the situation in China and how we could help.<\/em> Also, she and Dr. Lehman accompanied Miss [Abbie Winch] Christensen<\/a>, Miss [Joan] Ayers<\/a> and six students to a Folk Festival in Berea, Kentucky, according to The Pine Cone<\/em>, April 1939<\/a>, page 4.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Subject File in the PMSS Archives contains a file titled “Report on Weaving – 1939” that contains a two-page report on weaving at Pine Mountain prepared by Alice J. Keith<\/a>, John A. Spelman<\/a>, and A.[Anna] M. Lehman.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Almost two years after the Lehmans left Pine Mountain, The April 1941<\/a> issue of The Pine Cone<\/em> reported on page 1 that Dr. Lehman had returned to temporarily replace Dr. Preston J. van Kolken who left for a new position. Records in the PMSS Archives do not indicate how long Lehman stayed this second time nor whether Mrs. Lehman accompanied him.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Lehman family left Pine Mountain in June 1939 to live in Wooster, Ohio. Dr. Lehman was replaced by Dr. Howard H. Ingling<\/a> in the Infirmary (July-December 1939), who was then followed for a year by Preston J. van Kolken (1940-1941) and Dr. Emma And Dr. Francis Tucker<\/a>, who arrived at PMSS in 1942 and served until 1945, then off and on until 1950.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Dr. and Mrs. Lehman continued to keep in touch with the School for many years, sending donations and fondly remembering their activities and friends at the School. Soon after leaving Pine Mountain, Mrs. Lehman wrote<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cWe shall never forget the beauty<\/em> of the Valley & the mountains \u2018round about. We cherish the memory of the friendships made during those fourteen months and we wish it were possible to follow the life-story of many of the students.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\r\nLetter to \u201cFriends at Pine Mt.\u201d from Anna M. Lehman in Wooster, OH, December 11, 1939.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In January 1939, Dr. and Mrs. Lehman left Wooster for Pasadena, California, to live near their son while he studied dentistry at the University of Southern California. Apparently, they continued to live in California for the rest of their lives.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Dr. Wilmer Sanford Lehman, an 1898 graduate of the University of Michigan, was born on July 1, 1873, in Yates City, Illinois. His parents were Henry Lehman from Ohio and Elizabeth Griffin from Canada.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Anna Thome McLaughlan Lehman, also a graduate (in 1897) of the University of Michigan, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on July 8, 1874.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Anna and Wilmer Lehman were married on November 25, 1899, on the steamship “Niger” off Batanga, a coastal village in West Africa, according to the publication, Herald and Presbyter<\/em>, January 3, 1900.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n They had the following children: a son, Stephen McLauchlan Lehman, born in Cameroon, West Africa, on June 8, 1916, Mary Alice Lehman, born on January 22, 1908, in Illinois, and Elizabeth J. Lehman. (Lt. (jg.) Stephen M. Lehman was killed in action at Saipan on July 4, 1944, while serving as an officer of the U.S. Naval Dental Corps in WWII).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Dr. Lehman died on September 18, 1950, in Pasadena. His wife, Anna, died on February 6, 1960.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n When their daughter Elizabeth wrote PMSS director, Burton Rogers<\/a>, from Pasadena concerning the death of her mother, he sent his condolences and stated<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “We appreciate your informing us of the death of Mrs. Anna Lehman, as we also appreciate the services of Mrs. Lehman and Dr. Lehman here. They were at Pine Mountain years ago, before the time of most of us now here, but their names have been well known to us and we know of their wonderful careers abroad as well as here.”<\/em><\/p>\r\nLetter to Miss Elizabeth J. Lehman, South Pasadena, California, from Burton Rogers, PMSS Director, May 13, 1960.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n See Also:<\/strong> Return to: BIOGRAPHY – A-Z<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n Title<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n Dr. & Mrs. Wilmer S. Lehman<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n Alt. Title<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n Dr. Wilmer S. Lehman ; Dr. Wilmer Sanford Lehman ; Anna M. Lehman ;\u00a0 Mrs. Wilmer S. Lehman ; Anna McLaughlan Lehman ;\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n Identifier<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n
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Dr and Mrs Wilmer S Lehman: AT PINE MOUNTAIN<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Dr. & Mrs. Wilmer S. Lehman, Staff: AFTER PINE MOUNTAIN<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Dr. & Mrs. Wilmer S. Lehman, Staff: BACKGROUND<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Dr. & Mrs. WILMER S. LEHMAN Correspondence<\/a><\/strong>
MEDICAL, HEALTH and HYGIENE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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