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  Oral History Interview: Orlando Abbadini

  Orlando Abbadini

  This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. Orlando Abbadini was a World War II veteran. He discusses: his family; his experiences in World War II; his job as a bill reader in the House of Representatives in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; a brief section on the atomic bombings of Japan; helping the Japanese after the war was over; food rationing; the campaign in the Philippines; his views on war in general; a brief section on Saddam Hussein & Iran; and other topics.

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  Oral History Interview: Michael Abshire

  Michael Abshire

  This document is a transcript of a statement given by Michael Abshire at a public hearing conducted by the West Virginia Department of Energy on June 28, 1988, in Lincoln County. The purpose of the hearing was to give residents a chance to voice their opinions concerning an application by two coal companies to strip-mine at Six Mile Creek in Lincoln County. Mr. Abshire expresses a view sympathetic to the aims of the coal companies.

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  Oral History Interview: Donivan E. Adams

  Donivan E. Adams

  Mr. Adams gives a detailed history of his professional career in this interview, a career in which he has had many different responsibilities. Adams talks about how he was recruited by the West Virginia State Police early in his life, when he was making a living by teaching and driving a cream truck. Through the discussion of this part of his career, some of the history of the West Virginia State Police is revealed, including the story of the development of the statewide driver's education program. After working for several years as a police and intelligence officer, Mr. Adams was appointed warden of the West Virginia State Penitentiary at Moundsville. Mr. Adams describes what the material conditions at the prison were like when he began his post, and then discusses in detail the reforms which he personally implemented. He also describes in great detail what it was like to be a prison warden, which generates an image of the day-to-day workings of the state penitentiary. Toward the end of the interview, Mr. Adams talks about his life after leaving the warden position, describing his work with the Red Cross and his political aspirations.

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  Oral History Interview: Helen Adams

  Helen Adams

  Helen Adams was born on January 13, 1898, and was raised in Strange Creek, West Virginia. She lived on a farm with her family. She was one of seven children and her parents also raised two other boys who were orphaned. During her interview, Mrs. Adams discusses working on the farm, raising livestock, and preserving food. She discusses going to church and attending social events like box suppers and socials. She also focuses on folk medicine and the uses of alcohol for medicine and recreational purposes.

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  Oral History Interview: Maxine M. Adams

  Maxine M. Adams

  In 1977, Mrs. Adams resided in Huntington, West Virginia, where she lived for many years. She worked for the Cabell County Welfare Department during the Depression and in later years was state director of the social work division. Mrs. Adams discusses the impact of the Depression on Huntington, including banks and business closings. She also talks of the change in entertainment during the Depression. Other topics include: her welfare work, the WPA, her Junior League involvements, and FDR.

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  Oral History Interview: Sandy Adams

  Sandy Adams

  This document is a transcript of a statement given by Sandy Adams at a public hearing conducted by the West Virginia Department of Energy on June 28, 1988, in Lincoln County. The purpose of the hearing was to give residents a chance to voice their opinions concerning an application by two coal companies to strip-mine at Six Mile Creek in Lincoln County. Adams presents several reasons why the people of Lincoln County should stand in opposition to the proposed development, reasons which are derived from a review of the past conduct of the developers.

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  Oral History Interview: Beatrice M. Adkins

  Beatrice M. Adkins

  This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. Beatrice Adkins was a lifelong resident of Kanawha County (WV). She spent most of her childhood living in a coal town (Big Chimney), where her father and brother worked as loggers for the company. When her father died, she left school at age 14 and joined the older of the 12 children in the family to work. She was the only member of the family to attend school. Most of her work experience is with two meat packing companies, P.E. Holtz and Armor, neither of which remained in the area. Beatrice took an early retirement when Armor moved to North Carolina. They still have a family cemetery in the Davis Creek area. She also discusses her religion.

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  Oral History Interview: Lillie Adkins

  Lillie Adkins

  This interview is one of a series conducted concerning education in West Virginia. Mrs. Adkins is a retired school teacher who taught in a one-room school for fifty-seven years in Lincoln County. She discusses her experiences as a teacher. At the time of the interview, Mrs. Adkins was residing in Branchland, West Virginia.

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  Oral History Interview: Mabel Adkins

  Mabel Adkins

  This interview is one of a series conducted with former employees of the Huntington Owens-Illinois, Inc. glass bottle factory. Mrs. Mabel Adkins, born September 2, 1909, began working at the Owens glass plant in the early 1930's as a selector packing bottles. In this interview, Mrs. Adkins tells stories about how she was hired, working conditions in the 1930's, the absences of blacks, discrimination against women, and the absence of a union for the workers. Furthermore, Mrs. Adkins talks about her life during the Great Depression and how the Owens factory was a great job opportunity at that time. Mrs. Adkins talks about her family, friends, worker-management relations, social activities, and the "personal touch" that used to be a part of the plant management.

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  Oral History Interview: Mary E. Adkins

  Mary E. Adkins

  Born in Christ Church, Great Britain, Mrs. Adkins came to the United States with her husband in 1946. At the time of the interview, she was residing in Hinton, West Virginia. Mrs. Adkins was eighteen when England went to war in 1939. She discusses life in Britain during World War II, focusing on the effects of the bombings and rationing. Mrs. Adkins also reflects on the English school system.

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  Oral History Interview: Mattie Adkins

  Mattie Adkins

  This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. In this interview, Mattie Adkins discusses: growing up in Southern West Virginia; the roles of men, women, and children in the community and in the family; the work her family did; education in her community in the early 1900s; the geography of the area she grew up in; brief sections on marriage and burial customs within her family; a brief section on race relations; community life; religion (including her beliefs in witches & demonic possession); bandaging wounds; cooking; a few stories about murder, accidents, death, and giving to the poor; as well as other topics.

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  Oral History Interview: Melanie Adkins

  Melanie Adkins

  These are a part of a series of interviews which Diana Parnicza conducted in the course of her project concerning Appalachian caregivers. These interviews with Mrs. Adkins consist of a description of how she and her extended family manages to take care of her mother, a victim of Alzheimers disease. They deliver this care strictly from within the home. Mrs. Adkins describes in detail what such a pursuit is like, thus providing specific insight into how Appalachians care for their ill and elderly kin.

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  Oral History Interview: Nellie G. Adkins

  Nellie G. Adkins

  This interview is one of a series conducted concerning West Virginia Vietnam veterans. In this interview, Nellie Adkins discusses: her marriage and her life before marriage; dating; detailed information about her husband serving in the Vietnam War; a brief mention of Robert C. Byrd; the Christmas before her husband left for Vietnam; her husband returning home; a small section on cultural perceptions of Vietnam veterans; her family life during the war; letters to and from home during the war; a small amount of information about Operation Iraqi Freedom; a brief section on her perceptions of the Vietnam War; and other topics.

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  Oral History Interview: Reverend Raymond Adkins

  Raymond Adkins

  Reverend Raymond Adkins was born on May 15, 1910, in Louisa, Kentucky. His family moved to West Virginia in 1911. Rev. Adkins had many vocations including working in coal mining, teaching, school administration as a principal, participating in politics, and being a member of the clergy. In his interview, Rev. Adkins discusses the characteristics of Appalachia and Appalachian people and culture. He focuses on one room school houses, Marshall College, Kermit, West Virginia, and Mingo County, West Virginia. In the audio clip provided, Rev. Adkins discusses classroom organization and education in a one room school.

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  Oral History Interview: Colonel Ralph Q. Albertazzie

  Ralph Q. Albertazzie

  This interview is one of a series conducted concerning the Marshall University Society of Yeager Scholars. This interview deals with Colonel Albertazzie's position as President of the Board of Directors of the Society of Yeager Scholars and his friendship with Joe Hunnicutt. Colonel Albertazzie touches on his early life in a coal mining town near Morgantown, West Virginia, his love for flying, his tour of V.I.P. pilot flying, and his position as a pilot for Air Force One. He makes firm statements about leadership and the need for Americans to have "heroes."

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  Oral History Interview: Clive Alderman

  Clive Alderman

  Mr. Alderman was born in Huntersville, West Virginia. He worked the greater part of his life as a lumberman in Lobelia, West Virginia. The bulk of this interview concerns Mr. Aldermans work as a supervisor with the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Depression. Other topics include his lumber work before the Depression and FDR.

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  Oral History Interview: Larry Alt

  Larry Alt

  This document is a transcript of a statement given by Larry Alt at a public hearing conducted by the West Virginia Department of Energy on June 28, 1988, in Lincoln County. The purpose of the hearing was to give residents a chance to voice their opinions concerning an application by two coal companies to strip-mine at Six Mile Creek in Lincoln County. Larry Alt was the hearing officer for the W.Va. Department of Energy and the commissioner to conduct this informal conference. He describes rules and procedures for the conference. This folder also includes a brief statement from Ken Pollatin, who was chairperson for the MPDS.

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  Oral History Interview: Larry Alt

  Larry Alt

  This document is a transcript of the closing statement given by Larry Alt at a public hearing conducted by the West Virginia Department of Energy on June 28, 1988, in Lincoln County. The purpose of the hearing was to give residents a chance to voice their opinions concerning an application by two coal companies to strip mine at Six Mile Creek in Lincoln County.

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  Oral History Interview: Bruno Aluise

  Bruno Aluise

  This interview is one of a series conducted concerning the history of various businesses in West Virginia. In this interview, Bruno Aluise, the owner of the Newberry Cable Splicing Company, discusses the origin and history of this long-standing Huntington business. He talks about the company's founder, John Newberry, and the nature and use of the products which the company has been producing since 1918.

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  Oral History Interview: Amanda Anderson

  Amanda Anderson

  This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. Amanda Anderson was a 4-H extension agent in West Virginia (involved with Camp Washington Carver?). She discusses: her personal history and education (including at Bluefield State College); her job and duties at the camp; information about the 4-H camp she worked at, including classes and activities at the camp; children who attended the camp; an anecdote about the Bluestone Dam; camps for older people; racial integration at the camp; and other topics.

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  Oral History Interview: Louise Anderson

  Louise Anderson

  This interview is one of series conducted concerning Oral Histories of African-American women who taught in West Virginia public schools. Mrs. Louise Anderson taught at Washington High School, Cedar Grove High School, and East Bank. One of the main topics of this interview is her family, which she discusses in detail throughout the interview; this includes her immediate family, grandparents and relatives, her children, and her husband (his death is discussed as well). Another topic is her education, both grade school and college, and teachers she admired. Some of the schools she attended were Washington High School (an African-American school in London, West Virginia, which was a community center at the time of the interview), Knoxville College, and Bluefield State College. She also played basketball in high school. She also discusses her childhood, including a brief section on Christmas, families she knew, community life and communities she lived in (including a coal mining town named Cannelton Hollow, in Fayette and Kanawha County, and also Cedar Grove, WV). Education in general is another emphasis, including memories of the desegregation of schools, the West Virginia Education Association, and a state- wide contest for business students (held at Bluefield State College). Other topics she discusses are: the Civil Rights Movement and her feelings on feminism; religion and churches; segregation and the racial integration of a department store; a brief section on politics and politicians such as Bill Clinton; the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; reflections on her life; a very brief section on Jesse Jackson; the educational situation with African-Americans; her views on young people; as well as several other topics.

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  Oral History Interview: James Anness

  James Anness

  This interview is one of a series conducted with former employees of the Huntington Owens-Illinois, Inc. glass bottle factory. Mr. James Anness, born August 8, 1940, began working at Owens- Illinois, Inc. in 1960 in the shipping department. He performed a number of different jobs, obtained additional training and education, and eventually became a skilled laborer in the maintenance department. In this interview, Mr. Anness discusses the details of his work, the decline in working conditions and poor management-worker relations that came about in the later years of his employment. He attributes the tense atmosphere and relations to new plant owners and management changes from quality to quantity. Mr. Anness also talks at length about his family, friends he made at the plant, and the serious injuries he suffered while on the job.

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  Oral History Interview: Dr. Wade Armstrong

  Wade Armstrong

  This interview is one of a series conducted concerning West Virginia communities, focusing on Ceredo. At the time of the interview, Dr. Wade Armstrong was the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Ceredo. He discusses: his personal history; his education; his methods of converting people to the church; anecdotes about the church; Bible reading and study (including a Bible guide called "Survival Kit for New Christians"); fund raising; churches with different missions and methods; as well as different social, economic, and ethnic classes of people in the church.

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  Oral History Interview: Jesse Arnold

  Jesse Arnold

  This interview is one of a series conducted concerning West Virginia business history. This short interview explores the history of Arnold Aluminum Building Products, a building company located in Huntington, WV. The interviewee, Mr. Jesse Arnold, is the owner and originator of the company, and he discusses many of the social and economic aspects relating to running a business, such as employment concerns, contributions to the community and the state of the market for aluminum building products (i.e. siding and gutters) in Huntington through the years.

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  Oral History Interview: Medley Arnold

  Medley Arnold

  This interview entails a rather frank account of a bootlegger. Mr. Arnold bootlegged for twelve years and discusses the making and selling of his moonshine. He also talks about his competition, pay-offs, and trouble with the authorities.