Remembering Indiana in the Twentieth Century, 1995-1996
A Guide to the Collection of Oral History Interviews at Indiana University
Bloomington
Finding aid prepared by the staff of the Center for
the Study of History and Memory with a grant from the National Endowment for the
Humanities Division of Preservation and Access, 2000-2002
Overview of the Collection
Repository
Indiana University Center for the Study of History and Memory
Indiana University
400 North Sunrise Drive
Weatherly Hall North, Room 122
Bloomington, IN 47405
Phone: 812/855-2856
Fax: 812/855-0002
E-mail: ohrc@indiana.edu
http://www.indiana.edu/~cshm
Creator
Indiana University Center for the
Study of History and Memory
TitleRemembering Indiana in the Twentieth Century, 1995-1996
Project No.
ohrc090
Interviews
15 interviews. Audiotapes, transcripts, and collateral
materials.
Physical Location
Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room
122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells
Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please
contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Language
Materials are in English
Abstract
This collection of interviews looks at twentieth century life in
Indiana. Topics are widely varied with emphasis based on the interviewers
particular interest. Tthe labor movement, Flanner House Homes, and the DAR are
discussed in the setting of larger events such as the Great Depression, World
War II, and segregation.
Scope and Content Note
This collection contains fifteen interviews conducted over two years. The interviews range from 39 to 180 minutes. All interviews
consist of audio tapess and typed transcripts.
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information
Oral history interviews conducted by the Indiana University Center for the
Study of History and Memory from 1968 to the present, with particular focus on the
history of twentieth-century America and the Midwest.
Usage Restrictions
The archive of the Center for the Study of History and Memory at Indiana
University is open to the use of researchers. Copies of transcript pages are
available only when such copies are permitted by the deed of gift signed by the
interviewee. Scholars must honor any restrictions the interviewee placed on the
use of the interview. Since some of our earlier (pre-computer) transcripts do
not exist in final form, any editing marks in a transcript (deletions,
additions, corrections) are to be quoted as marked. Tapes may not be copied for
patrons unless the deed of gift permits it, and a transcript is unavailable for
that interview. The same rules of use that apply to a transcript apply to the
taped interview. Interviews may not be reproduced in full for any public use,
but excerpted quotes may be used as long as researchers fully cite the data in
their research, including accession number, interview date, interviewee's and
interviewer's name, and page(s).
Preferred Citation
[interviewee first name last name] interview, by [interviewer first name last
name], [interview date(s)], [call number], [project name], Center for the Study
of History and Memory, Indiana University, Bloomington, [page number(s) or tape
number and side if no transcript].
Interview List
Interviewee
Ballman, J. Henry
June 1,
1995
Call Number
95-004
Physical Description
46 pages; 4 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 162 minutes; index
Interviewer
White, Sam
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
J. Henry Ballman, born 1910, grew up on farms in Kentucky and
Southern Indiana. He speaks about his family history, farm life, family values,
and early life, such as trapping and his courtship. Later, he speaks about his
work at Servel and how he was self-taught at most things he accomplished. After
Servel, he speaks about his post-retirement jobs and activities as well as
reflecting on how the country has changed during his life.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- AAA Canning Factory
- Arkansas-Louisiana Gas Company
- Servel Corporation
- Toastmasters International
-
-
Place Names
- Batesville, Kentucky
- Chrisney, Indiana
- Evansville, Indiana
- Henderson, Kentucky
-
-
Subjects
- air conditioners
- company minstrel shows
- family values
- farm life
- Freedom Festival
- Great Depression
- home purchasing
- labor relations
- marriage
- military draft
- politics
- religion
- trapping
- welding
- working conditions
- World War II
Interviewee
Brookins, Lawrence; Brookins, Mary
December 5,
1995
Call Number
95-008
Physical Description
55 pages; 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 103 minutes; index
Interviewer
Pierce, Richard
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Lawrence and Mary Brookins speak briefly about their family
history, religion, and growing up in Indiana. Lawrence joined the Navy during
World War II, and talks about racial segregation in the military and his
employment after his service. The last major topic they speak about is the
Flanner House Homes. They describe how they got into the program, what work was
required, the background checks, and how that experience shows when maintaining
their home.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Crispus Attucks High School
- Flanner House Homes
- Union Carbide Corporation
- United States Navy
-
-
Place Names
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Speedway, Indiana
-
-
Subjects
- African-Americans
- community changes
- courtship
- Great Depression
- housing opportunities
- military segregation
- piecework
- religion
- segregation
-
USS San Diego
Interviewee
Dorris, Ralph F.
May 11,
1995
Call Number
95-001
Physical Description
31 pages 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 105 minutes; index
Interviewer
White, Sam
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Ralph Dorris, born 1929, speaks about his family history and the
values his parents instilled while growing up. He worked several jobs,
primarily as an electrician, during his life and he discusses many of them. He
also speaks about the local electricians union, the local union leadership, and
the changes not only in the union, but also the country since he was born.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Alcoa, Incorporated
- Althoff-Howard
- E.C. Ernst Company
- International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers local
16
- Mathis Electric
- Swanson and Nunn's Signs
-
-
Occupation Names
- superintendant
-
-
Personal Names
- Harp, Ralph
- Nance, Mac
-
-
Place Names
- Evansville, Indiana
- Surinam
-
-
Subjects
- community changes
- electric business
- electricians union
- family values
- labor movement
- labor strikes
- paper route
- union leadership
- World War II
Interviewee
Edelen, Ida
December 5,
1995
Call Number
95-009
Physical Description
27 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 60 minutes; index
Interviewer
Pierce, Richard
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Ida Edelen grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and moved to
Indianapolis, Indiana just after she got married in the nineteen fifties. She
originally went to work for the Flanner House Homes where she speaks about her
duties as personnel director, such as recruiting new couples, educational
programs, and helping obtain mortgages. Later, she speaks about the changes in
Indianapolis, particularly the relocation of families when IUPUI came in and
the way the city has expanded.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Central State University
- Flanner House Homes
- IUPUI
- Redevelopment Commission
-
-
Occupation Names
- personnel director
-
-
Personal Names
- Bruen, Ken
-
-
Place Names
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Indianapolis, Indiana
-
-
Subjects
- African-Americans
- family values
- Flanner selection criteria
- integrated schools
- mortgages
- segregation
Interviewee
Hayden, Walter; Hayden, Hazel
May 18,
1995
Call Number
95-002
Physical Description
19 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 60 minutes; index
Interviewer
White, Sam
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Walter Hayden, born 1913, speaks about his family history,
family values, and the influence of his family's religion and politics. As he
states, he has always been for the CIO, and got into unions very early after
leaving home. He discusses some of his early jobs before becoming chairman of
the Education Committee for the CIO where he has worked since.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- AFL-CIO
- Congress of Industrial Organizations
- DaimlerChrysler
- F.W. Cook Brewery
- United Way of America
-
-
Personal Names
- Butler, Hobart
- Horner, Carlton
- Lugar, Richard G.
- Sells, Dallas
- Welsh, Matthew V.
-
-
Place Names
- Evansville, Indiana
-
-
Subjects
- CIO newspaper
- Communists
- credit union
- family values
- labor decline
- labor leaders
- politics
Interviewee
Hottenstein, Alice
August 18,
1996
Call Number
95-011
Physical Description
53 pages, 3 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 150 minutes; index
Interviewer
Truesdell, Barbara
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Alice Hottenstein, born 1918, speaks about her memories growing
up and living in the Evansville area. She talks about her childhood, including
school and family history, the organizations she belongs to, particularly the
Daughters of the American Revolution and the Colonial Dames of the 17th
Century, and the employment out look for the area. She also discusses some of
her important memories, and how Evansville, especially downtown, has
changed.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Colonial Dames of the Seventeenth Century
- Ku Klux Klan
- McCutchanville Methodist Church
- Mead Johnson and Company
- Optimists Club
- Philanthropic Educational Organization
- Reitz High School
- Servel Corporation
-
-
Place Names
- Evansville, Indiana
- Pigeon Creek, Indiana
- Vanderburgh County, Indiana
-
-
Subjects
- community changes
- corrupt politicians
- farming
- Great Depression
- hobbies
- job outlook
- school system
- social organizations
Interviewee
Koch, Mary Jane
July 24, 1996
Call Number
95-012
Physical Description
68 pages 3 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 180 minutes; index
Interviewer
Truesdell, Barbara
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Mary Jane Koch, born 1907, grew up in the Evansville area and
speaks about her family history, education, and courtship. After college, she
worked as a librarian, and continued intermittently in various places for
several more years. She was also quite active in various organizations such as
the League of Women Voters and the Daughters of the American Revolution which
she discusses in some detail as well as her best and worst memories through the
Great Depression and World War II.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Daughters of the American Revolution
- Indiana University
- League of Women Voters
- Louisville and Nashville Railroad
- Mead Johnson and Company
- Phi Mu
- University of Evansville
- University of Southern Indiana
- Whirlpool Corporation
-
-
Occupation Names
- school librarian
-
-
Personal Names
- Abbott, Edith
- Audubon, John James
- Foster, John W.
- Koch, Ashburn
- Roosevelt, Franklin Delano
- Thom, James Alexander
-
-
Place Names
- Evansville, Indiana
- Huntington, Indiana
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Santa Claus, Indiana
- Tennessee
- Vicksburg, Mississippi
-
-
Subjects
- child-rearing
- courtship
- DAR Congress
- ethnic divisions
- Evansville public schools
- genealogy
- Great Depression
- job outlook
- politics
- religion
- unions
- vote buying
- welfare
- work ethic
- World War II
Interviewee
Kuhlenschmidt, Delbert; Kuhlenschmidt, Mildred
June 2,
1995
Call Number
95-005
Physical Description
35 pages; 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 87 minutes; index
Interviewer
White, Sam
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Delbert and Mildred Kuhlenschmidt speak briefly about their
family history and early life before delving into their employment particularly
at Faultless Caster Company and Berman's which became Zenith. They speak about
production during World War II, the labor organization and struggles, and the
1948 Congressional hearings that accuses several Faultless workers of being
communists.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Briggs Chrysler
- Faultless Caster Company
- International Union of Electronic, Electrical, Salaried,
Machine, and Furniture Workers
- Servel Corporation
- Sunbeam Corporation
- United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America,
Local 813
- Zenith Electronics Corporation
-
-
Personal Names
- Bell, Catherine
- Mitchell, Ed
- Sentner, William
- Upton, Ernest
- Wright, Charles
-
-
Place Names
- Evansville, Indiana
- Stringtown, Indiana
-
-
Subjects
- caster polishing
- Communists
- deer overpopulation
- employment outlook
- farm life
- Great Depression
- labor strikes
- television cabinets
- World War II production
Interviewee
Labhart, Henry
May 31,
1995
Call Number
95-003
Physical Description
16 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 39 minutes; index
Interviewer
White, Sam
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Henry Labhart speaks about his family history, the difference in
the home when women did not work, and some of his experiences during World War
II. He was trained to be an electrician while in the military which led to his
job at General Electric after the war. He talks a little about the local unions
and its leaders, before he speaks about his move to management.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- General Electric Company
- United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of
America
- United States Navy
-
-
Occupation Names
- electrician supervisor
- union steward
-
-
Personal Names
- Fick, James
- Sentner, William
-
-
Place Names
- Evansville, Indiana
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Tell City, Indiana
-
-
Subjects
-
USS Boise
- vacuum tubes
- working mothers
- World War II
Interviewee
Margadant, Dee
September 14,
1996
Call Number
95-014
Physical Description
31 pages; 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 75 minutes; index
Interviewer
Truesdell, Barbara
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Dee Margadant, born 1908, grew up mostly around Cincinnati,
Ohio, where her father was a physician. She moved along with her husband to
Evansville, Indiana just after she was married, where he worked for the
Evansville Press. She speaks briefly about her
family history and belonging to the Daughters of the American Revolution before
discussing the Great Depression, 1937 Flood, and World War II. She also speaks
about volunteering for the Red Cross, Gray ladies, and the Woodmere Asylum.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- American Red Cross
- Daughters of the American Revolution
-
Evansville
Press
- Gray Ladies
- Lane Seminary Grounds
- Woodmere Asylum
-
-
Personal Names
- Peters, William Wesley
- Wright, Frank Lloyd
-
-
Place Names
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Evansville, Indiana
- Hamilton, Ohio
-
-
Subjects
- 1937 Flood
- Great Depression
- politics
- ration stamp books
- World War II
Interviewee
Massey, Marcella
July 24,
1996
Call Number
95-013
Physical Description
41 pages; 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 90 minutes; index
Interviewer
Truesdell, Barbara
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Marcella Massey, born 1921, grew up in Evansville, and
eventually taught school for thirty two years. She speaks about growing up
living above the restaurant her parents owned, her education, and the changes
in Evansville, during the Great Depression, world War II, and later. She also
has been highly involved in genealogy organizations, especially the Daughters
of the American Revolution, which she talks about extensively.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Central High School
- Chi Omega
- Christian Fellowship Church
- Colonial Dames of the Seventeenth Century
- Daughters of the American Revolution
- Fraternal Order of Eagles
- Reitz High School
- Wellborn Hospital Auxiliary
-
-
Occupation Names
- home economics teacher
-
-
Personal Names
- Foster, Mary Park McPherson
- Horny, Richard
-
-
Place Names
- Evansville, Indiana
- Germany
- Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
- Princeton, Indiana
-
-
Subjects
- business district
- child discipline
- DAR chapter projects
- DAR library
- genealogy
- Great Depression
- hobbies
- religion
- restaurant business
- shipyards
- women workers
- World War II
Interviewee
Murphy, Alberta
July 20,
1995
Call Number
95-006
Physical Description
43 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 60 minutes; index
Interviewer
Pierce, Richard
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Alberta Murphy, born 1918, grew up in Arkansas and moved to
Indianapolis, Indiana during the nineteen fifties. She discusses her family
history, her early life, picking cotton, and the disrespect from white students
who would spit on her on the way to school. After her second marriage, she
moved to Indianapolis where she speaks about getting and living in a Flanner
House Home, going to night school, working at Crispus Attucks High School, and
the importance of unions in her husband's employment.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Crispus Attucks High School
- Flanner House Homes
- General Motors Corporation
- IUPUI
- Peters High School
-
-
Place Names
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Marion, Arkansas
- Memphis, Tennessee
-
-
Subjects
- African-Americans
- cotton harvesting
- family values
- farm life
- integration
- night school
- religion
- unions
Interviewee
Taylor, William
February 14,
1996
Call Number
95-010
Physical Description
42 pages, 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 83 minutes; index
Interviewer
Pierce, Richard
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
William Taylor grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana and eventually
attended Indiana University majoring in art. He speaks about job opportunities
for blacks during the fifties, and describes his experiences at IU especially
in regard to the group he became associated with. He knew racial segregation
existed, but only dawned on him in a few instances while in the military.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Army ROTC
- Crispus Attucks High School
- Flanner House Homes
- Indianapolis Clowns
- Levi Strauss and Company
- Shiloh Baptist Church
- Victory Field
-
-
Occupation Names
- elevator operator
- professor
-
-
Personal Names
- Blackburn, Cleo
-
-
Place Names
- Bloomington, Indiana
- Indianapolis, Indiana
-
-
Subjects
- African-Americans
- art classes
- church
- Indiana University segregation
- job opportunities
- redlining
- segregation
Interviewee
Trabits, Mary E.
September 14,
1996
Call Number
95-015
Physical Description
37 pages, 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 85 minutes; index
Interviewer
Truesdell, Barbara
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Mary Trabits, born 1918, grew up on a farm in the Evansville
Area before becoming a teacher. She speaks about teaching and the demands put
on the youth of today, especially compared with earlier in her career. She
discusses some details about the World War II era, such as the dances with
soldiers in Kentucky, and the role of teachers in handing out the various
rationing stamps. After retirement, she became interested in genealogy and
discusses joining the Daughters of the American Revolution, Colonial Dames of
the 17th Century, and other organizations that have kept her busy.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Colonial Dames of the Seventeenth Century
- Daughters of the American Revolution
-
-
Occupation Names
- elementary school teacher
-
-
Place Names
- Evansville, Indiana
- Fort Campbell, Kentucky
-
-
Subjects
- 1937 Flood
- courtship
- DAR Congress
- farm life
- genealogy
- Great Depression
- ration stamp books
- recreational activities
- teaching
- World War II
Interviewee
Wood, Clarence
November 28,
1995
Call Number
95-007
Physical Description
43 pages; 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 105 minutes; index
Interviewer
Pierre, Richard
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Clarence Wood, born 1925, grew up in Pike Township in
Indianapolis. He speaks about his family history, the importance of religion,
and his education at Indiana University as a result of the GI Bill. He
describes the operations and goals of Flanner House Homes, where he worked
almost thirteen years, before describing his employment in the banking
industry.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Alpha Phi Alpha
- American Fletcher National Bank
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
- Flanner House Homes
- Indiana University
- Indianapolis Redevelopment Commission
- Mount Pleasant Baptist Church
- New York Central Railroad
- Witherspoon Presbyterian Church
-
-
Occupation Names
- bank manager
-
-
Personal Names
- Book, William F.
-
-
Place Names
- Indianapolis, Indiana
-
-
Subjects
- 1944 GI Bill
- African-Americans
- house construction
- Interstate 65 effects
- military integration
- politics
- racial inequities
- religion
- segregation
- Unigov
