Jack Batts was a violin maker in Southern Illinois, who, until his death in 1988, made fine quality instruments for members of some major American symphony orchestras. He is believed to have made up to 150 fine violins and 5 violas. He was very generous with his time, and dedicated to his craft. He thus assisted to prepare this work in 1975, but time, and the vagaries of the publishing world did not permit its publication until now. The work tells how this master made the sound of his instruments, not simply "the wooden box" that produces those sounds. It includes copies of his detailed hand made records of about 20 instruments made till the date of research. The author also discusses the context of the man, and of the shop within the history of his region, the southern highlands - coal country - of Southern Illinois.