Roscoe "Ross" Penley

Ross Penley was the farm manager (or often called the Superintendent of the Farm) from fall of 1940 to winter of 1946. Ross was accompanied by his wife, Stella, and their three children.

Asheville Art Museum Collection

Writings about Ross can be seen in digitized college bulletins on Asheville Art Museum's collection website: collection.ashevilleart.org. They can be found by searching these accession numbers:

2017.40.104 May 1942 bulletin, "Proof of the often-mentioned gap existing between our way of life and the way of the outside world is the immediate return last week, along the rocky road from the concrete highway to Lake Eden, of one of our farmer charges. In spite of repeated warnings to females not to use this road, after dark, Angelica returned by foot, disillusioned by what she had seen beyond the campus. Of course, we have no class prejudice at Black Mountain College; but it must be stated here that Angelica is no thoroughbred. That may account for her return to the simple life. Angelica was granted the right by her former adviser, Ross Penley, to spend several days in the area of the milking parlor, then she was returned to her now owners at the Moore General Hospital."

2017.40.024 September 1943 bulletin, "Six milking cows produced all the milk the community needed and an average of fourteen pounds of butter a week as well as enough milk and butter for the Penley family. Three of them also produced three calves and milk for these calves."

2017.40.025 January 1944 bulletin, "Roger Banks, formerly a student at the nearby Farm School, has been appointed assistant to Ross Penley, Superintendent of the College Farm. Continuous miscellaneous jobs were carried on during the Quarter. Drainage ditches were dug, plumbing and electrical facilities were maintained, general campus clean-ups periodically made, the milk was cooled, work slips were checked, repairs of all kinds were made; and, for a time before the holidays, the furnaces were attended by students. During the vacation Ross Penley kept the fires going, but student responsibility was resumed at the beginning of the new Quarter."

2017.40.138 January 1944 bulletin, "Bas Allen has been appointed Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds. Ross Penley has been appointed Superintendent of the Farm. Roger Banks, formerly a student at the nearby Farm School, has taken up his work as assistant to Ross Penley. He and his wife are now living in the top floor apartment in the Studies Building."

2017.40.208 July 1945 bulletin, "July 4- The College took a holiday from classes. A group under Dr Dehn’s guidance hiked to Brown’s Pasture and returned in time for the afternoon baseball game. Students, faculty and staff divided into two teams. The Red Team, starring Ross Penley, triumphed over the Blues- the score: 34-18.

The farm is past the June rush season and caught up. Twenty-seven acres of soybeans are planted for hay. Late vegetables are in and the silage corn has been worked twice. A veal calf, hog and beef have been slaughtered for the kitchen. We are now harvesting our own potatoes and some vegetables. Most of the credit for all this should go to Ross Penley and Gordon Runyon, who have worked steadily till after dark without much help while everyone was rushing to get the College ready to open. They deserve and will need more help now."

There are MANY more mentions of Ross in college bulletins, in nearly every update on the farm in his six years at the college. Search "Penley" on Asheville's collection site to find more.