Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

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Helen Brooks, Luane Adams, and June Sampson with January the mule

  • wcu_picturing-5553.jpg
  • This 1941 image of (L to R) Helen Brooks (1921-2016), Luane Adams, and June Sampson giving January the mule a Coca-Cola is part of the Stearns-Grueninger collection. Helen Brooks is from Bryson City and the girls met at Duke University where they went to school. January worked at Carolina Wood Turning Company. Irving Kip Stearns (1895-1942) was president of Carolina Wood Turning Company from 1928 until his death in 1942. Stearns’ grandfather, Jeremiah Shank, started the company in 1903 as Bryson City Pump Works and it grew to be a thriving industry for the community. In 1911, Stearns was in the first graduating class of Bryson City High School. He had one son, Joseph Pease Stearns (1917-1948). In 1935, I. K. married Betty Grueninger (1896-1971).