Stories of Farmington Mine Disaster Sought
Fairmont State University Department of Communication and Theatre Arts students are
looking for residents of Marion County and the surrounding area who are willing to
share their stories regarding the 1968 Farmington No. 9 Mine disaster.
As part of an undergraduate research project, students Samantha Huffman, Celi Oliveto
and Jason Young plan to turn stories of the mine disaster into a theatre performance,
which will be part of the department's theatre season next year. The interviews, on
which the performance will be based, will be archived at FSU's Frank and Jane Gabor
West Virginia Folklife Center as part of the area's cultural history.
"The purpose of this project is to preserve our collective memory and honor the stories
of the miners, their families and friends," said Dr. Francene Kirk, Associate Professor
of Communications and Theatre. "It is also our hope that by giving voice to their
stories through theatre, we will create a forum for discussion about issues that are
important to our culture and history."
Anyone who would like to be interviewed for the project can contact Dr. Francene
Kirk at (304) 367-4170.
