The Marshall University Oral History Collection consists of over 800 transcribed interviews with residents of the Tri-State region of West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio. The majority of the interviews were conducted by students at Marshall University as class projects in the departments of History, Sociology, and Anthropology during the 1980s and 1990s. Many of the original audio recordings were done on reel-to-reel tape recorders or other cassette recording devices and are no longer audible. The oral histories contained here in Marshall Digital Scholar do have complete audio recordings available in addition to the completely transcribed interview. A complete subject listing of all available oral histories in the collection can be found in the guide to the Marshall University Oral History Collection.
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Oral History Interview: Joan Ross
Joan Ross
This interview is one of a series conducted concerning West Virginia community organizations. At the time of the interview, Mrs. Joan Ross was a member of the Southwestern Community Action Council (S.C.A.C.). She discusses: how she became involved with the organization; the purpose of the council; the Neighborhood Youth Corp (an organization that helped people who had dropped out of high school); overlap with other agencies in the area; the growth of S.C.A.C.; politics and its effect on the organization; African- Americans, integration, and discrimination in the area; as well as the President Nixon and President Reagan administrations and their attitudes towards poverty.
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Oral History Interview: Helaine Rotgin
Helaine Rotgin
This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. Helaine Rotgin was a member of the (West Virginia?) Legislature and this interview deals with Camp Washington-Carver (a 4-h Camp) as well as her experiences in the legislature, race relations, and some of her experiences as a Jew.
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Oral History Interview: Martha Griffith Rowe
Martha Griffith Rowe
This interview is one of a series conducted concerning education in West Virginia. A lifelong resident of Ceredo, West Virginia, Mrs. Rowe is a former school teacher. She discusses a variety of subjects including her years at Marshall College, teaching, the 1937 flood in Huntington, and the history of Ceredo.
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Oral History Interview: Jack Roy
Jack Roy
This document is a transcript of a statement given by Jack Roy 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. Jack Roy argues in favor of strip-mining, saying it would be good for the economy, and he gives his view on strip mining in other counties in comparison to that in Lincoln County.
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Oral History Interview: Jennifer Ruehling
Jennifer Ruehling
This interview is one of a series conducted concerning the Marshall University Society of Yeager Scholars. Jennifer Ruehling was a Yeager scholar at Marshall University. She discusses: her family; her education; how she chose to come to Marshall; her life as a student; meeting Chuck Yeager; individuals such as Joe Hunnicutt, Dale Nitzschke; her relationship with other students; pressures she and other students felt because of being Yeager Scholars; and other topics.
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Oral History Interview: Clarence S. and Mary Wilson Rule
Clarence S. Rule
This interview is one of a series conducted concerning West Virginia coal mining. Born in Fayette County, West Virginia, Mr. Rule began working in the coal mines at the age of twelve. He later worked for the railroad. Mrs. Rule, a former school teacher, was born in Doddridge County, West Virginia. In 1973, Mr. and Mrs. Rule were living in Beckley, West Virginia. Topics discussed include: childhood, their marriage, teaching, mining, and the railroad.
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Oral History Interview: John Salstrom
John Salstrom
This document is a transcript of a statement given by John Salstrom 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. John Salstrom argues against the permit, saying it would have negative impacts on the environment. He also mentions some legal problems with the permit.
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Oral History Interview: Meyer A. Saltz
Meyer A. Saltz
This interview is one of a series conducted concerning West Virginia town histories. This interview focuses on Huntington, West Virginia. Mr. Saltz moved from Cleveland, Ohio, to Huntington, West Virginia, in 1934. A former machinery salesman, he was retired in 1977 and continued to reside in Huntington. In this interview, Mr. Saltz reminisces about Huntington in the 1920's and 1930's, the 1937 flood, and his work experiences. He also reflects upon the Franklin Roosevelt administration and current welfare programs.
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Oral History Interview: Leonard Samworth
Leonard Samworth
This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. In this interview, Leonard Samworth discusses his employment and participation in numerous businesses and organizations (including the Marshall University Board of Trustees and the Huntington Symphony Orchestra). He also discusses his collections of toys, books, stamps, maps, rugs, trucks, and other items.
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Oral History Interview: Alice Hattie Sanders
Alice Hattie Sanders
This interview is one of a series conducted with West Virginia farmers about growing up on farms and about the farming business. Born in Montgrove, Virginia, Mrs. Sanders has spent most of her life in Lewisburg, West Virginia, where she was residing in 1974. Mrs. Sanders discusses a variety of topics including her early education, family life, farm crops and food, and childhood entertainment. She also talks about medical care and home remedies.
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Oral History Interview: Roger Sanford
Roger Sanford
This interview is one of a series conducted concerning West Virginia Vietnam veterans. In this interview, Mr. Sanford discusses: his personal and educational background; his military training; his father's reaction to him going into the war; his travel to Vietnam; his experiences in the war; his experiences after the war; books written about the war; wounded soldiers; veterans committing suicide; drug abuse during and after the war; health problems after the war; and Vietnam veterans in general.
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Oral History Interview: Ron Sayre and Edna Sayre
Ron Sayre
This interview is one of a series conducted with West Virginia farmers about growing up on farms and about the farming business. Mr. Sayre was reared on a farm near Cottageville, West Virginia. He worked a variety of jobs in the Fairmont area before returning to farm life in Jackson County. Mrs. Sayre taught school for several years. In 1976, Mr. and Mrs. Sayre resided on a farm outside of Cottageville. Mr. and Mrs. Sayre do not discuss any subject at length. Those mentioned include: family life, work experiences, fairs and World War II.
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Oral History Interview: Edward Schlegel
Edward Schlegel
This interview is one of a series conducted concerning West Virginia business history. At the time of the interview, Edward Schlegel was the owner and operator of Dominic's Pizza in Huntington, West Virginia. He discusses: a short history of his business; the pizza business in general; employee hiring; and some Marshall events.
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Oral History Interview: Grace Effie Schiltz and Lenora Eloise Stewart
Grace Effie Schlitz
This interview is one of a series conducted with West Virginia farmers about growing up on farms and about the farming business. Mrs. Schiltz was born on Lick Creek in Boone County, West Virginia. Mrs. Stewart, born on Lick Creek, is the eldest child of Mrs. Schlitz. She and her mother discuss the preservation of food by farmers' wives sixty to eighty years ago. At the time of the interview, both women were residing in South Charleston, West Virginia.
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Oral History Interview: Ercel Scott
Ercel Scott
This interview is one of several in the Oral History of Appalachia collection in which the primary focus of conversation is national and world history. Brought up in Kentucky near the Cumberland Gap, Mrs. Scott described her life there and in Milton, West Virginia, where she has lived since 1917. Travel, "moonlight" schools, and the original brick construction of route 60 are discussed. She remembers the First and Second World Wars on the home front, as well as conditions during the Depression. Church activities and those of childhood, such as skating on the Big Sandy River are discussed, as are the making of clothes, food preservation, and special activities for women in the church.
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Oral History Interview: Dr. Keith Scott
Keith Scott
This interview is one of a series conducted concerning the Marshall University Society of Yeager Scholars. At the time of the interview, Dr. Keith Scott was vice-president for institutional advancement at Marshall University and the executive director of the Marshall University Foundation, Inc. He discusses: his educational and employment background; the Marshall University Foundation; the Society of Yeager Scholars (its history, background, development, and mission); individuals such as Chuck Yeager, Joe Hunnicutt, Dale Nitzschke, Carolyn Hunter, Alan Gould, Bill Denman, Judy Thomas, & Governor Moore; a general discussion of the Yeager students and their leadership potential; as well as other topics.
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Oral History Interview: Coach Barry Scraggs
Barry Scraggs
This interview is one of a series conducted concerning West Virginia communities, focusing on Ceredo. At the time of the interview, Barry Scraggs was a coach at Ceredo-Kenova High School. The focus of the interview is Coach Carl Kenneth Ward. He also discusses Coach Kenneth Dale Craycraft, coaching tactics, and teaching moral values.
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Oral History Interview: Cal Scraggs
Cal Scraggs
This document is a transcript of a statement given by Cal Scraggs 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. Cal Scraggs worked in strip mining before and he argues in favor of the permit.
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Oral History Interview: Mary Ellen Scrivner
Mary Ellen Scrivner
This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. Mary Ellen Scrivner discusses: her personal history and childhood; detailed information about her family; her education; childhood punishments; farm life and farming; clothes and shoes; church; a brief mention of an alcohol still; some memories of Huntington (WV); World War II and the GI Bill; medicine; the Huntington flood of 1937; memories of playing board games; stories about her family and about relationship courting (and an eloping); as well as other topics.
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Oral History Interview: Lorraine K. Seay
Lorraine K. Seay
This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. The subject of this interview is Camp Washington Carver in Clifftop, WV. Mrs. Seay discusses: her family and personal history; her employment history as a teacher; her experiences attending the camp and as a camp counselor; activities at the camp; individuals such as Mrs. Mildred Jones, Maxine Howard, James Warren, Bernice Henry, Margaret Hill, Norma Johnson Stevens, & John Jones; music at the camp; and other topics.
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Oral History Interview: Michele Shank
Michele Shank
This interview is one of a series conducted concerning the Marshall University Society of Yeager Scholars. At the time of the interview, Michele Shank was Administrative Assistant to the Society of Yeager Scholars at Marshall University. She discusses: her education; her personal history; how she came to work at Marshall; fund raising; individuals such as Dale Nitzschke, Joe Hunnicutt, Chuck Yeager Dr. [Bill?] Denman; her involvement in the Society of Yeager Scholars; improvements she thinks could be made in the program; some controversy over building an expensive Yeager Scholar's Suite for the program; the Yeager Program in general; and other topics.
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Oral History Interview: Geneva Shepherd
Geneva Shepherd
This interview is one of a series conducted with former employees of the Huntington Owens-Illinois, Inc. glass bottle factory. This is a short but very interesting interview. Topics of discussion include the differing treatment of men and women at Owens by management and Shepherd's friendship with Opal Mann, the woman who successfully sued Owens-Illinois for sexual discrimination in the 1960's. Mrs. Shepherd also describes socialization inside and outside of the plant, her involvement in various labor strikes at Owens, and changes in the machinery which she observed during her career at the factory.
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Oral History Interview: Lessie Shively
Lessie Shively
This interview is one of a series conducted concerning rural life in West Virginia. Mrs. Lessie Shively was born in Richard Hollow, north of Charleston, West Virginia. In 1950, she and her husband moved to Charleston to take care of her mother. At the time of the interview, they were still living there. Subjects discussed in this interview include: the Depression, politics, coal mining, cooking on wood stoves, and coon hunting.
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Oral History Interview: Albert B. Shock
Albert B. Shock
This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. Note, this contains 2 separate interviews, dated February 24, March 8, and March 15, 1980. In the first interview, Mr. Shock discusses his family and childhood, education, community life, preachers and religion, as well as dental practices. In the second interview, he discusses his education, World War I, his experiences as a teacher, horse trading, and "Big Andy" Boggs, and mineral deposits in the Falls Mill area. In the third interview, he discusses education, religion, the WPA, the Great Depression, and being force off his property when a dam was built.
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Oral History Interview: Steve Shuklian
Steve Shuklian
This interview is one of a series conducted with former employees of the Huntington Owens-Illinois, Inc. glass bottle factory. Dr. Steve Shuklian, professor of economics at Marshall University, discusses trends in American industry over the past two decades and how those economic trends relate to the shutdown of the Huntington Owens-Illinois glass plant. Dr. Shuklian describes five major tendencies that took place during the 1970's and 1980's; globalization, technological innovation, anti-union political positions, mergers and aquisitions and a shift from manufacturing to a service economy. Dr. Shuklian defines the term leverage buyout, discusses the North American Free Trade Agreement, management styles, and corporate strategies. Finally, Dr. Shuklian relates his economic theory and terms to the closing of Huntington's Owens-Illinois glass plant.