PSU Schuylkill professors discuss coal culture at Minersville Historical Society

Mar. 24—MINERSVILLE — The intricate relationship between coal and culture was explored at a recent meeting of the Minersville Area Historical Society in the Mountaineer Hose Company Hall.

Drs. Harold Aurand Jr. and Nicole Andel lectured on "Anthracite and the Culture of Coal Towns: Minersville."

Aurand teaches history, and Andel teaches English and Humanities at Penn State Schuylkill.

They have collaborated on a lengthy research project into the relationship between the mines and immigrant miners who settled in Minersville and other communities in Schuylkill County during the 19th century.

Andel, 49, who's been teaching at the Schuylkill campus since 2001, said Thursday that the danger miners faced daily introduced a hardy streak of independence into the culture.

"The miners were danger-tolerant," she said. "They were not adverse to taking risks."

With little philanthropy and no meaningful safety net, miners and their families had to fend for themselves.

Through churches, volunteer fire companies and civic organizations, they forged strong communities that still endure.

"People feel very connected here," said Andel, who holds a doctorate in English language and literature. "You don't see that in many places outside the coal region."

Aurand, a historian, moderated a slideshow on the aspects of the coal industry.

Photos of the Schuylkill Canal, early railroads and trolleys chronicled progress in the region's communities when coal was king.

A slide of the Pottsville Maroons historic marker highlighted the resilience of a small-town team that won the 1925 National Football League championship — only to have it taken away on a technicality.

"From the late 19th Century on, amateur and semi-professional coal town teams found sponsorship in their towns, local businesses and even volunteer fire companies," said the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, which placed the marker in front of the Schuylkill County Historical Society in December 1999. "They packed the stands with passionate fans, and a good team was an immeasurable source of pride. It forged a unified community from a diverse ethnic stew."

The Maroons played their games in Minersville Park, now Kings Village Plaza.

The meeting was presided over by Irvil Kear, Minersville Area Historical Society president.

Dora Santarelli, secretary, said about 35 people attended the lecture.

"Their approach was very interesting," she said. "There was a lot of questions and discussion."

The society's next program deals with the role of chaplains during the Civil War. It is scheduled for 7 p.m. May 18 in the Mountaineer Hose Company.

Contact the writer: rdevlin@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6007