The legacy of Alice and Gerald Miner will live on with the establishment of the Alice and Gerald L. Miner Scholarship.
Alice Mae Murphy Miner was the only child of John and Myrtle Murphy and the granddaughter of Dr. Joseph Pat Wilson. She grew up on West Cherry Street in Scottsburg. Gerald Lamont Miner was the son of Ervin and Cora Miner and grew up in Finley Township. He had a sister, Opal, who married Marion Broady. His children, Steve, Jim and Annalee Broady Harrison still live in Finley Township.
Both Alice and Gerald loved the people of Scott County, but Gerald wanted to go to college. It was during the time of the Great Depression and Gerald?s father donated 40 acres of land to Hanover College in exchange for two years? worth of tuition, books, room and board.
?After two years, Dad was determined to graduate so by hook or by crook he made it happen,? said Gerald?s son, Mike.
With his degree in chemistry, Gerald went to work for DuPont and later Stokely Van Camp. ?However, they never really left Scott County and the people there,? said Mike.
Mike Miner graduated from medical school and then earned a PhD and has been chairman of the Neurosurgery Department at Ohio State University. John Ronald ?Ron? Miner went on to college and received his PhD and was chairman of the Engineering Department at Oregon State University. ?Dad?s example took,? said Mike. ?We want that to be perpetuated.?
Mike and Ron established the Alice and Gerald L. Miner Scholarship before Ron?s death to help other young people from Scottsburg go to college. Applicants must be graduates of Scottsburg High School and have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.?The scholarship has assisted several students with their higher education expenses over the years, ensuring the legacy of Alice and Gerald lives on.
