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| Founder’s Cabin at Alice Lloyd College, Pippa Passes, Ky. |
This a rarity here folks – a No Destination post by Mr. Kentucky120.
My wife is a proud graduate of June Buchanan School – a K-12 school located on the campus of Alice Lloyd College in Pippa Passes, Ky.
I certainly knew that June Buchanan School was small; my wife was in a graduating class of nine. But for some reason I don’t know what I was expecting when I finally made the trip over to Pippa Passes. Alice Lloyd College is quite a wonderful little place. The school was founded in 1923 by Lloyd and Buchanan, who travelled to Kentucky trying to improve the educational system of those in Appalachia. What began as a model Appalachian community transformed into the Caney Junior College. The school became a four-year college in 1982, the same year that June Buchanan School was founded.
Interestingly, all students, regardless of how much they pay to go to school, are required to perform some job at the school. They may work as janitors, tutors or do some other work study, but all of them must have a job. The school averages around 500 students.
The origin of the name Pippa Passes is among the more interesting stories I’ve heard. I always assumed it had something to do with a mountain “pass.” The real story is more interesting though. The name comes from one of Alice Lloyd’s favorite poems – “Pippa Passes” – by Robert Browning. The poem is famous for the line – “God’s in his heaven – all’s right with the world.” The name Pippa Passes actually relates to the unknown goodwill and happiness that the title character Pippa brings to those that she passes.