Belcher Foundation Consultants
She was born in leap year, and she has achieved giant leaps
in business and education. Born in Belcher,
Kentucky, Faye Belcher has always
been extraordinary. A descendant of the Belcher pioneers who founded the
community, she began her teaching career in the two room school that was located
in Belcher. She is a leader in her profession and has herself been a pioneer for
women in the field of education. Her guiding influence was felt by a number of
aspiring young businesswomen. She helped them to organize their goals and gain
the education necessary for success. She has unselfishly given her time to
educational institutions, businesses, and individuals, and her untiring work has
made many a project a success.
She is well-educated, receiving her Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) and Master of Arts (M.A.) degrees from the University of Kentucky, where she also did graduate work in Library Science. She completed the course work required for her Doctor of Education degree. After serving in the library systems of Lexington, Kentucky and Pike County, Kentucky, she entered the field of higher education. During her distinguished career, she has been Associate Professor of Library Science at two Kentucky universities. She rose to the position of Assistant Director and then Director of Morehead State University Library, Morehead, Kentucky, and under her tenure, its collection was greatly expanded and improved.
Her honors, awards, and academic association memberships are numerous. Among her most outstanding honors are the Carnegie Whitney Award and the Names Honored Award from the American Association of University Women. Her many articles and papers include published works as well as grant proposals. She has been a report writer for numerous organizations. In addition to her work as a consultant, she was a member of the Board of Directors of the Coal Information Network of Kentucky (CINK) and was one of that organization's presidents. She was one of the writers of the membership brochure and the editor of Coalfinder, the network's publication. She has also been an editor of Coal Bibliography. She is known and highly respected throughout Kentucky and surrounding states. Presently she is a Belcher Foundation consultant.
Opal E. Belcher, writer, poet, and educational leader, started her educational career at Belcher School in Belcher, Kentucky, the community of her birth. Noted since childhood for her ability to spell even difficult words, she had the distinction of winning the first unabridged Webster's Dictionary for Belcher School in a spelling contest and of representing her county in the State Spelling Contest. After graduating number one in her high school class, Opal attended the University of Kentucky, from which she graduated with her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Master of Arts (M.A.), and Specialist of Education (Ed.S.) degrees, with a concentration in the field of Library Science and educational media.
She went on to become one of the pioneer leaders of Eastern Kentucky in the field of library science, and her influence extended to southwest Virginia, where she started the first Instructional Materials Center (IMC). The IMC's design was hand-tailored by Opal E. Belcher, and it was a first in instructional centers. In addition to being Director of the IMC, Opal initiated its microfilm and microfiche collection and its collection of tapes, slides, films, and transparencies; helped organize microfilm workshops for teachers; and experimented with closed-circuit television production and microteaching. As Director of Libraries for Kentucky and Virginia school systems, she made a major contribution to the volumes in existing libraries in the Tri-State Area--Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia.
In addition to her work in library science, she has been an educator, businesswoman, community leader, instructor for private colleges and state universities, and special library consultant to other universities. Among the subjects that she instructed on the university level were those of educational media and Children's Literature. The biographical works in which she is listed include an edition of the Directory of Libraries and Librarians in the United States and Canada and Who's Who in American Women.
A prizewinning poet, she has conducted poetry workshops in Kentucky, and in addition to her poetry, she has numerous other writings. She has written course descriptions of some of the first instructional media courses offered at universities. Opal Belcher has made a contribution that is a lasting tribute to her ability and her belief in the people of her home area of Belcher and the Tri-States. Her untiring creative efforts have directed many an instructional endeavor, and her projects show teachers, students, and the general public the panorama of education.
Currently, she is a Belcher
Foundation consultant.
Home - Policy Analysis - Christian Law Library - Christian History Library
Historical Biographies - Belcher Bulletin - Publications - Belcher History Center
About Governor Jonathan Belcher - About the Belcher Foundation - Copyright/Disclaimer - Site Index