The History of Sunset Gap - page 5

Elizabeth Wright came to Sunset Gap after serving 28 years with the Presbyterian Church as a teacher in a girl's boarding school in Peking, China. The Communist victory in 1948 forced her to return home with only a few years teaching left before retirement.       Miss Wright was just the person to take over after Miss Cochrane retired. Years of experience in a much larger school made her a different kind of administrator. Less willing to make all the plans, to define the goals of school clubs and other groups, she left many of these details up to the decision of the participants involved.       A new era at Sunset Gap was begun; the school became less the reflection of one personality. One of the first incidents to emphasize the change in directors to the community involved the Sunday School. Starting at nine on Sunday mornings, all members gathered in the chapel for a period of singing before breaking up into small study groups.       In the early years, this first period of fellowship was led by a man chosen as song leader or Sunday School leader. There was a secretary to keep attendance records and a treasurer who counted the offering.      After being here for awhile, Miss Wright realized that these

positions had been held by the same people for years under Sara Cochrane. One Sunday morning she handed out ballots for the election of new officers.  Later a man rushed into her office to tell her that "you really lit a bombshell under us today!  Miss Cochrane always made those decisions."      . . .you really lit a bombshell under us today!       In a mission report for 1950, Elizabeth Wright describes Sunset Gap as a "school and community center" located in the foothills of the Great Smokies. The growing list of community center type activities, separate from the daily schedule of school classes, confirmed this description. Young people used a recreation room with Ping-Pong, records and magazines each night.       A weekly family night, which alternated "socials" with movies, was attended by many from the community. The PTA was extended into a Home Demonstration Club, and the Education Department of the Southern Highlands Guild taught a weaving class for women.       Special Bible study classes were held at different times of the year. Though this was the first time the term 'community center' had been used to describe Sunset Gap, the small rural school had long been the center of social activity in the community through its clubs and holiday celebrations.

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