The central concern of the present study is to determine the extent to which economic and subregional structure of the Appalchian Region affects the rate of in-migration. Previous work has centered on the massive out-migration from the Region during the forties and fifties, the economic destitution of the mountain dwellers, and the success of the stem-family structure in maintaining lines of communication between the mountain base and the urban branches. However, Appalachia is a heterogeneous and changing Region. Recently, the Appalachian Regional Commission (1977) has documented a net positive rate of in-migration to two of the Subregions, while at the same time noting the further economic development of the Region. Research by Lowry (1966) and Todaro (1976) offer the most useful economic explanations for migration for the Appalachian situation. A regression analysis was applied to Census data gathered on thirty-eight urbanized areas situated in or adjacent to the Appalchian Region. It was found that in-migration to these urbanized areas is dependent upon the availability of economic opportunity as well as subregionalization of the area. In-migration was determined in large part upon the fluctuation of employment opportunities in the form of either unemployment rates or the percent of persons employed in tertiary occupations. Adjusted income was only of secondary importance. When controlling for all other variables, location of an urbanized area in the Northern Subregion resulted in a substantial reduction in the rate of in-migration. / Master of Science

Farmers have traditionally depended on their families or paid employees to cover their extensive labor needs. Today, non-waged labor models are gaining popularity, especially among small, ecologically-oriented farms. Apprenticeships and internships can be a primary form of training for a population of new and beginning farmers, many of whom are entering the field without farming backgrounds. However, many question the sustainability and justness of these arrangements. As a new phenomenon, very little research examines the relationship between non-waged labor models like agricultural apprenticeships and alternative food movements. In this exploratory study, the author surveyed nearly 250 farmers growing for local markets in the Southern Appalachians to better understand their rationales for using waged or non-waged labor, and to explore how those decisions impact the local food movement developing within the region. The author finds that farmers using non-waged labor are smaller, less profitable, and more likely to be new to farming than their wage-paying counterparts, and that they choose to host non-waged laborers for both economic and noneconomic reasons. Ultimately, non-waged labor models create incremental steps towards changing the food system by educating new farmers and food systems advocates, increasing the transparency of agricultural labor practices, and giving small-scale farmers a chance to grow their business and get more products into the local economy. However, the non-wage labor model may not be sustainable in the long run, and it perpetuates injustices, such as the exclusion of those who can't afford to train without pay, and it should evolve as the food system evolves.

Semi-structured interviews were administered to 16 married couples in Central Appalachia. Questions addressed power relations and division of labor in marriage.

This study presents a theory of melodic creation, transmission, memory, and recall within the Anglo- and Celtic-American culture of lower Appalachia, from the time of the earliest European settlers until the present. This theory and its attendant hypotheses draw upon earlier published ideas, current theories of memory and recall, and the results of applying a computer-supported analytical system developed by the author. Sources include previous studies of folksong melody, song collections, and earlier investigations of the psychology of memory. Also important are portions of an anonymous treatise on traditional Celtic musical scales and an authoritative, modern interpretation of this document. A final body of sources is a small group of sound-recordings.

Text in English / The southern Appalachian mountain region is home to a sincere group of religious fundamentalists. They obey Jesus' last command that serpents should be taken up (Mark 16:17-18). They believe the Holy Ghost anoints them and gives them the power to handle serpents, drink poisons, handle fire, and to heal the sick. Nevertheless, they are fully aware that they may be bitten and may even die. Each church is autonomous. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M.A. (Religious Studies)

Text in English / The southern Appalachian mountain region is home to a sincere group of religious fundamentalists. They obey Jesus' last command that serpents should be taken up (Mark 16:17-18). They believe the Holy Ghost anoints them and gives them the power to handle serpents, drink poisons, handle fire, and to heal the sick. Nevertheless, they are fully aware that they may be bitten and may even die. Each church is autonomous. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M.A. (Religious Studies)

Legume establishment is difficult on many moderately acid, infertile soils in the humid northeastern United States. Legume seedling vigor as influence by P, S, and Mo fertilization was studied in order to determine fertilizer needs for improved establishment. A Gilpin silt loam was fertilized with 0, 22, 67, and 201 mg P kg⁻¹ in combination with 0, 22, 67, and 201 μg Mo kg⁻¹ in a greenhouse experiment in 1983. Legumes studied in this experiment were red clover (<i>Trifolium pratense</i>), white clover (<i>T. repens</i>), and birdsfoot trefoil (<i>Lotus corniculatus</i>). Field experiments with red clover, birdsfoot trefoil, and flatpea (<i>Lathyrus sylvestris</i>) were initiated in the spring of 1983 and 1984 using 0, 50, 150, and 450 kg P ha⁻¹, 0 and 60 kg S ha⁻¹, and 0 and 874 g Mo ha⁻¹. Seedling vigor as measured by plant height, trifoliate leaf count, dry weight, and trifoliate leaf area increased the greatest in the greenhouse using 22 mg P kg⁻¹ relative to the higher rates of P fertilization. Seedling vigor without applied P was poor, which clearly indicated the essential need for P in the early stages of legume growth. Molybdenum applied at 201 μg kg⁻¹ increased the growth of the greenhouse grown legumes the greatest above the 0 μg Mo kg⁻¹ rate within each added P treatment. Seedling vigor however, was not enhanced with Mo fertilization until the P deficiency was corrected. Field established legumes increased in height and dry matter yield the most using 50 kg P ha⁻¹ with respect to the additional increments of applied P, but the increase was not as great as that obtained in the greenhouse using 22 mg P kg⁻¹, This was attributed to a higher extractable P level before fertilization within the field experiments. Sulfur fertilization generally did not enhance seedling vigor in the field studies; although, red clover yield was increased using 60 kg S ha⁻¹ in the 1984 field experiment, Molybdenum applied at 874 g ha⁻¹ increased seedling vigor as measured by plant height and yield in the field experiments with or without P or S fertilization. Phosphorus uptake and Mo concentrations were increased in the plant tissues with either P or Mo fertilization. / Master of Science / incomplete_metadata

Rural West Virginia has a very high percentage of older adults. The age-related disease of Alzheimer’s threatens the health of older Appalachians, yet research on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in this population is scarce. In order to improve screening rates for cognitive impairment, Appalachians need to understand their vulnerability. The first step would be to assess their knowledge about AD but a suitable AD knowledge test has not been developed. The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of a new measure of knowledge about AD that is culturally congruent, and to examine factors that may predict AD knowledge in this rural population. A correlational descriptive study was conducted with 240 participants from four samples of older adults in south central rural Appalachian West Virginia using surveys and face-to-face interviews. Results from tests for stability, reliability including Rasch modeling, discrimination and point biserial indices, and concurrent, divergent, and construct validity were favorable. Findings were that although more diversity in test item difficulty is needed, the test discriminated well between persons with higher and lower levels of education [F(2, 226) = 170.51, p = .001]. Using multiple regression, the predictors of AD knowledge included caregiver status, miles from a healthcare provider, gender, and education; (R2=.05, F(4,187) = 2.65, p =. 04). Only years of education accounted for a significant proportion of unique variance in predicting the total BKAD score (t = 2.14, p =. 03). Implications include the need for further tool refinement, testing for health literacy, coordination with recent statewide efforts to educate the public regarding AD, and community based participatory research in designing culturally effective education programs that will ultimately increase screening and detection of Alzheimer’s disease in rural populations. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013.

The Appalachian Land Ownership Study was a participatory action research project in one of our nation’s poorest regions suffering from absenteeism, poverty, powerlessness, and improper taxation. In discovering who owned the region’s land, the participants sought to organize against the social, economic and environmental injustices imposed on the Appalachian land and people. Most sociological and historical accounts of the Land Study focus on the process of participatory action research and the work of the project’s Task Force. However, over 50 citizen researchers also participated in the study. These citizen researchers encountered rich learning experiences as they struggled against scientific, corporate, and governmental power. The purpose of this oral history study was to discover the learning and experiences of citizen researchers involved with the Appalachian Land Ownership Study of 1979-1981. Significant themes emerged which contribute to understanding the complex personal, cultural, and social framework for environmental adult education. First, the Appalachian backdrop was a critical context for informal and experiential learning from the land and its people. Second, the Appalachian Ownership Task Force leaders were critical environmental adult educators who facilitated the learning of citizen researchers through dialogue. Third, agency was fostered as citizen researchers were moved to act in defense of a threatened lifeworld, and thus also became critical environmental adult educators. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013.

A stand-level growth and yield model was developed to predict future diameter distributions of thinned stands of mixed Appalachian hardwoods. The model allows prediction by species groups and diameter classes. Stand attributes ( basal area per acre, trees per acre, minimum stand diameter, and arithmetic mean dbh) were projected through time for the whole stand and for individual species groups. Future diameter distributions were obtained using the three-parameter Weibull probability density function and parameter recovery method. The recovery method used employed the first two non-central moments of dbh (arithmetic mean dbh and quadratic mean dbh squared) to generate Weibull parameters. Future diameter distributions were generated for the whole stand and every species group but one; the diameter distribution of the remaining species group was obtained by subtraction from whole stand values. A system of tree volume equations which allow the user t o obtain total tree volume or merchantable volume to any top height or diameter completes the model. Volumes can be calculated by species group and summed to get whole stand volume. / M.S.