JUGORNOT JOURNAL

About the Book

Jugornot was named for a phrase used by a moonshine still patron who was having difficulty getting his brew. He replied “jug or not”, I’ll get my whiskey and thus the name of the community was born. The one-room school bearing the name “Jugornot” was built in 1926 to replace a pre-1900 log structure that was destroyed by fire. This book documents the day-to-day life and culture of this small Kentucky community. Jugornot School closed at the end of the 1966 school year, having served the community for 40 years. This documentary is about the everyday life of a community with its one-room school as its focus.

About the Author

James Irvin Phelps, Jr., also known as “Jim” or “Jimmy” was born on July 19, 1944 to James Irvin and Elsie Marie Hall Phelps of Northfield, KY. He attended Jugornot School from July 15, 1950 until graduation on May 6, 1959. He entered Pulaski County High School in August 1959 and graduated with honors on May 30, 1963. He entered Berea College on September 4, 1963 and graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture on January 16, 1968. He immediately entered University of Kentucky Graduate Studies in the College of Agriculture where he earned a Master of Science in Agronomy on July 10, 1970. He continued studies in soil science until he was hired as 4-H Agent in Knott County, Hindman, KY on February 26, 1973. He resides at the Hindman Settlement School.