"History is never more meaningful than when it comes from someone who lived it. Being able to interact directly with a person who witnessed an historic event or lived through a dramatic era in American history is supremely more engaging than reading a textbook account. Martin Hula’s DVD presentation “Life in a Coal Mining Town” delivers that firsthand account. Through sharing the story of his family during the 1940’s, Martin tells the story of many American families who endured the hardships of living in the Appalachian coal region in towns just like Moss Creek, PA.
His family’s experience is the experience of many immigrant families who were lured to America for a better life. Many of them traveled into the coal regions of America, but found a much different life than they perhaps had imagined for themselves. Martin describes the hard life of living in a town where the company owns everything and the company store is the only nearby place to buy tools and the essentials for living. He paints a drab picture of the places and scenes of his daily life as a young child. His use of black and white photos imprints the viewer’s mind with a sense of despair.
'Life in a Coal Mining Town' is a very personal look into an era of American history that became part of the mosaic that is the American experience."
James R. Weaver (retired history teacher and former president
of the Pennsylvania State Education Association)
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His family’s experience is the experience of many immigrant families who were lured to America for a better life. Many of them traveled into the coal regions of America, but found a much different life than they perhaps had imagined for themselves. Martin describes the hard life of living in a town where the company owns everything and the company store is the only nearby place to buy tools and the essentials for living. He paints a drab picture of the places and scenes of his daily life as a young child. His use of black and white photos imprints the viewer’s mind with a sense of despair.
'Life in a Coal Mining Town' is a very personal look into an era of American history that became part of the mosaic that is the American experience."
James R. Weaver (retired history teacher and former president
of the Pennsylvania State Education Association)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Mr. Hula
Thank you so much for bringing your presentation to our Christian Ladies meeting. We thoroughly enjoyed it, and hearing you speak of your childhood memories.
The documentary was wonderful, and it is so nice you have preserved the history of your coal mining town. I am sure a lot of time and effort went into producing it. We want you to know how much we appreciate your work.
Deb. Stackhouse and
The ladies of the Christian Ladies Group
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Thank you so much for bringing your presentation to our Christian Ladies meeting. We thoroughly enjoyed it, and hearing you speak of your childhood memories.
The documentary was wonderful, and it is so nice you have preserved the history of your coal mining town. I am sure a lot of time and effort went into producing it. We want you to know how much we appreciate your work.
Deb. Stackhouse and
The ladies of the Christian Ladies Group
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Mr. Hula’s documentary and presentation made history come alive for my 6th – 7th grade students. They were rapt by his stories from childhood and fascinating historical photos. They were motivated to ask deep questions about the life style, dangers, culture, and opportunities for individuals in coal mining towns. They were reflective about how much the United States has changed over the past century.
As well as being a wealth of information, Mr. Hula was kind and complimentary of all questions asked of him. He seemed delighted to share his experience and was a delight to have in our classroom.
Emily Johnson
Middle School Teacher
Country Lane Classroom
Eugene, OR
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Dear Mr. Hula, May 15, 2018
THANK you for the an excellent program last night at the Loyalsock Creek Men’s Club meeting. I have been a member for many years and we have NEVER had a better program. What a piece of history you have preserved for generations to come, job well done.
Sincerely,
Rob Barbour
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Dear Martin, July 29, 2018
I cannot thank you enough for your excellent presentation to our retiree group at the Country Cupboard Restaurant in Lewisburg, PA. July 28th, 2018. We all really enjoyed your talk about life during the coal mining days in Pennsylvania. Your use of visual aids and your personal anecdotes were just great.
Again, thanks for taking the time to talk to us.
Sincerely,
Ken Wagner, President
PennDOT’s District 3-0
25 - Year/Retiree Club
I cannot thank you enough for your excellent presentation to our retiree group at the Country Cupboard Restaurant in Lewisburg, PA. July 28th, 2018. We all really enjoyed your talk about life during the coal mining days in Pennsylvania. Your use of visual aids and your personal anecdotes were just great.
Again, thanks for taking the time to talk to us.
Sincerely,
Ken Wagner, President
PennDOT’s District 3-0
25 - Year/Retiree Club