Tilling the Good Earth

In 1985, Reader’s Digest published A Pearl Buck Reader Volume One with condensed versions of Pearl Buck’s The Good Earth, Imperial Woman and The China I Knew.  The book jacket flap promoted the story of The Good Earth as “a powerful novel about a young Chinese farmer and his fierce love for the soil he tilled.”

As more than 180 countries recognized the importance of tending to Mother Earth’s soil with Earth Day celebrations earlier this week, I was reminded of Pearl S. Buck’s love for the Pearl S. Buck House on Green Hills Farm in Perkasie, PA where she made her home for 40 years.

The success of The Good Earth enabled her to purchase a grand piece of the “good earth”, in Bucks County, Pennsylvania in 1934. She was attracted to its country landscape commenting that some of the views were reminiscent of her time living in China.

“This morning I rose early, as is my habit, and as usual I went to the open window and looked out over the land that is to me the fairest I know.  I see these hills and fields at dawn and dark, in sunshine and moonlight, in summer green and winter snow, and yet there is always a new view before my eyes.” – Pearl S. Buck

Pearl S. Buck purchased the 48-acre –property for $4,100 when she was engaged to marry Richard J. Walsh, her publisher.  On it, a typical 1800’s shuttered structure stood a few footsteps from the original free-standing 1700’s homestead. The house was to serve as a weekend retreat from their busy lives in New York City. Within three years it became their primary residence with an added extension to the home. When it was fully sustaining her growing adoptive family, it expanded to approximately 500 acres and featured a working dairy farm. 

A National Historic Landmark site, the property currently features her 1827 barn which is renovated to house a Cultural Center. The nearly 68-acre site today is home to Pearl S. Buck International’s headquarters.   

Pearl S. Buck is buried in an east-facing gravesite near the entrance to the property. The interior of the Pearl S. Buck House is being fully restored to its original luster and will be revealed in a grand re-opening ribbon-cutting ceremony on her birthday, June 26, when we will celebrate the life that she lived, as she tilled the good earth in Bucks County and beyond. 

I hope you will join us for the community celebration. Register at www.pearlsbuck.org/opening.

Pam Carroll

Marketing Director

Tutor Strength: Pearl S. Buck International's Philippines Office Partners with Higher Education to Educate Sponsored Children

Pearl S. Buck Foundation’s sponsored children on site at the Angeles University
Foundation (AUF) in Pampanga to participate in the Tutorial Program.

Pearl S Buck International's affiliate office, The Pearl S. Buck Foundation Philippines is a true testament to what it means to carry out the Pearl S. Buck legacy.  Upholding Ms. Buck’s commitment to enabling children to receive an education, the Foundation has partnered with higher education institutions, the Angeles University Foundation (Pampanga), the Gordon College (Zambales), and the Colegio De San Gabriel Arcangel (Bulacan) to match college students with sponsored children for a personalized tutorial program.

Foundation Executive Director, Margarita Lavides gives a detailed account of the successful program:

Each sponsored child is given his or her own tutor (a college student) who prepares a specific lesson plan according to the child’s needs. The lesson plan is based on the results of pre-test, designed by the higher education teachers to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the sponsored children. After all the sessions, the children take a post-test. The outcomes of the pre-tests and post-tests are used to evaluate the program. The program culminates in a Recognition Day ceremony which highlights the hard work of the children and tutors. All children and tutors will receive certificates of participation while outstanding performers will be awarded with medals.

Aside from enhancing the sponsored children’s English proficiency, the Tutorial Program has other benefits. The tutors assist the participating sponsored children prepare letters and cards for their Sponsors. The children were also given Red Cross Accident Insurance which is valid for one year as well as their own Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus which they can use until they reach college level. Furthermore, healthy snacks are served during tutorial sessions to help address the problem of malnutrition among the children.

Integrated in the Tutorial Program is the life and works of Pearl S. Buck. A special session has been assigned wherein tutors discuss her biography and award-winning novel “The Good Earth” with the sponsored children. The tutors are required to submit their own book reviews of the novel. Afterwards, there is a Quiz Bee to test the children’s and tutors’ knowledge concerning Pearl S. Buck and “The Good Earth.”

Through the Tutorial Program, there has been an increase in the communities’ awareness regarding the mission and contributions of the Pearl S. Buck Foundation. This certainly promotes greater understanding and ensures future sustainability for the programs and projects of the Foundation as well as helps it secure more worthwhile partnerships in the near future.

Caysilyn, one of Pearl S. Buck Foundation’s sponsored children in Pampanga,
receives her Red Cross Accident Insurance Card.

Addressing the Needs of Children in Adversity

On Christmas Eve, 64 years ago, Pearl S Buck stood up for one of the world’s neediest children when she welcomed a child into her home who faced adversity and discrimination because he was biracial.

This heart-filled humanitarian act gave birth to a legacy that would impact the lives of 2 million children and families as Pearl S Buck began to create global communities through child adoption and child sponsorship. Her legacy is alive and well today as Pearl S Buck International upholds her mission and continues to bridge east and west; bringing the world closer. You may say that the mission is a personal matter for our Chairman of the Board. You see, David Yoder is the child who was welcomed into the arms of Pearl S Buck on that Christmas Eve night in 1948.

So it is in this spirit that we are celebrating today’s news that the United States Government Action Plan on Children in Adversity is being launched.

The Action Plan on Children in Adversity is particularly significant as it is the first-ever strategic guidance for U.S. Government international assistance for children 0 to 18 years of age who are affected by HIV/AIDS, orphans, trafficked, exploited for child labor, in disasters, recruited as soldiers, neglected, or in other vulnerable states. It is also unique in that seven agencies and departments have agreed to align funding in pursuit of common goals that address the needs of vulnerable children.

Hurricane Sandy blew through our PA property two weeks ago and left many downed trees in its wake. Fallen trees mixed with electrical wires and cables across our driveway forced the closure of The Pearl S. Buck House for five days. Our offices were closed Monday and Tuesday. Fortunately, staff was able to enter the building using a private driveway at the back of the property.  Telephone service was restored Thursday evening, but our electric provider was not able to send out a crew to address the trees in the driveway until mid morning Friday.  Once the trees were removed from the driveway, our Internet service was restored Friday evening.  On Saturday evening, the electric company established lighting along our driveway just in time for the “Welcome Home,” the play we hosted from West Virginia the weekend after the storm.    

Most importantly, all of our buildings on the property, especially the Pearl S. Buck House, are safe and sound. Sadly, the gravesite of Pearl S. Buck was devastated by the storm.  A strong gust of wind knocked out 8 or more trees in the area of the gravesite area, and the headstone on the grave was flipped over along with movement in the surrounding cement columns surrounding the grave when a tree behind the headstone fell. There is a significant amount of cleanup work needed to bring the area back to its original beauty.  In addition to the losing a number of trees along the drive way, what was once the wooded area next to the gravesite, now looks like a clearing with fallen trees.

Given all of the above, we are happy to be back to our daily routine and look forward to our Festival of Trees Exhibit opening tomorrow for our daily tours to conclude at the end of the year.  Our 7^th annual members event, a holiday reception, and candlelight tour of the Pearl Buck House, is also Tuesday 11/13 at 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, and our Juried Craft Show begins November 23^rd for 10 days.  You can find more information about all of these events on our website.  The holidays are a family tradition at Pearl S. Buck International, and I hope you will share them with us. 

Warmest regards,

Janet L. Mintzer
President & CEO

The Pearl S. Buck Grave Site After Hurricane Sandy
(The headstone was flipped over by large tree behind it)

Inspiring Fundraising Breakfast

Yesterday was incredible at Pearl S. Buck International.  We held our second annual fundraising breakfast in the garden tent with more than 210 people in attendance. The morning was all about mission - and how our programs are making a difference.  It started with cardboard testimonials featuring people whose lives have been changed by the legacy and dreams of Pearl S. Buck. I honestly had tears in my eyes when I saw the messages on the cards.  We were all inspired and touched by the presentation by Saowalack. She was in our child sponsorship program in Thailand and is now a director at a top fashion design company in NYC.  She told the story of how her life was changed by her amazing sponsors. We were all inspired by a new video shown at the breakfast too.  (you can watch the video using the link below)  Special thanks to Anexinet, Local Living, Barrie Audio Video, Open Aire Affairs, Comcast, Aaron Mitchell Photography, Crystal Rose Catering, and Video Gold Productions for your sponsorship. In total, we raised $168,000 to date plus six new child sponsors. What an inspiring event!

Cardboard Testimonials

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8xBumYZqKg&feature=youtu.be

Janet Mintzer

President/CEO

Pearl S. Buck International

www.pearlsbuck.org

Pearl S. Buck Museum in Zhenjiang (Jiangsu) China is Amazing

Timeline display of books written by Pearl S. Buck

Replication of the living room in the Pearl S. Buck House in PA

Bust of Pearl S. Buck a gift from Pearl S. Buck International donated by Bucks County Sculptor Madeline Smith

I had the honor of traveling to Zhenjiang (Jiangsu Province) China this past June for the 120th Birth Year Memorial Celebration of Pearl S. Buck. Zhenjiang is the area where Pearl S. Buck lived as a child and returned to teach after graduating from college. In total, Pearl Buck lived 18 years in Zhenjiang. The City of Zhenjiang embraced Pearl Buck and her legacy by renovating her former home and designating it as a National Historic Attraction. More recently, they renovated the beautiful Pearl S. Buck Museum which was built directly across from her historic home. Donna Rhodes, the Curator of the Pearl S. Buck House in Bucks County, PA, provided her expertise in the renovation, and our small group of twenty people were deeply impressed with the attention to detail and accurate transcriptions throughout the museum. I was most impressed with the timeline of books written by Pearl S. Buck, as I have never seen such a wonderful visual display of her books in one place. I could have spent the entire day in the museum looking at the displays, and I look forward to my return visit to Zhenjiang.  I encourage everyone visiting China to visit Zhenjiang and the Pearl S. Buck Musuem and Historic House there.  You will be amazed at the continuing legacy of Pearl S. Buck in China.

Janet L. Mintzer
President & CEO
Pearl S. Buck International
www.pearlsbuck.org

Pearl S. Buck Museum in Zhenjiang China Receives Gift from Pearl S. Buck International

Helen Wolf, of Bucks County, PA, a volunteer at Pearl S. Buck International and wonderful quilter, donated this beautiful quilt for me to take as a gift to the Pearl S. Buck Memorial Museum in Zhenjiang (Jiangsu Province China), in celebration of its grand reopening on the occasion of the 120th Birth Year Anniversary of Pearl S. Buck. The quilt is being received by the Li Jinfu, Curator of the Pearl S. Buck Memorial Museum.

Janet L. Mintzer
President & CEO
Pearl S. Buck International
www.pearlsbuck.org