Collections : [Center for Documentary Research and Practice]

This project is a compilation of interviews of subjects with strong ties to and memories of Indiana University, primarily at the Bloomington campus. The interviewees include former students, faculty, and staff, among others. The information contained in the interviews generally spans a little more than the first half of the twentieth century and often deals with the administrations under presidents William Lowe Bryan and Herman B Wells. The project is a survey of Indiana University's history as a whole including information about various academic departments, athletics, student organizations, campus growth, university development, living conditions, segregation and the treatment of African-Americans, the administration, and the importance of jazz at Indiana University. In addition, the impact of specific events, such as the Great Depression, World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War, and water shortages, is detailed in many of the interviews in this project.

The interviews in this project discuss Indiana politics from the nineteen thirties to the nineteen seventies. Presidential elections and Republican conventions are topics of major importance. Also included, however, are discussions about House committees and legislative bills as well as a description of important agricultural events during the time period.

This collection of interviews primarily delves into the Republican view of Indiana politics from the nineteen twenties to the early nineteen sixties. Major emphasis is placed on both state and national elections and conventions from 1940-1948. The project contains discussions of political campaigns (including finances), the patronage system, and legislation battles. The interviews also reflect on William Jenner by describing his character, beliefs, and influence on Republican politics in Indiana.

This project interviews people living in Spencer, Indiana. The interviewees include a variety of ages and the time period of their experiences span the 1910s-1970s. The interviews include discussion of small town life and changes throughout the past sixty years. The education system, religious beliefs, and economic conditions of the town and surrounding county are discussed. Many interviewees discuss the Great Depression and its effect on the business owners and farmers of the area. Changing moral standards and generational differences are themes throughout the project.

This project contains information about local, state, national, and international economic enterprises, focusing mainly on businesses and industries located in and/or originating in the state of Indiana. Some of the industries discussed are the Indiana limestone industry, the local oil industry, coal mining, agriculture, railroads, the automobile industry, banking, insurance, steel production, and supermarkets. The local economic impact of industry and business on a community, unionization, and the workforces of each industry are also discussed.

Interviewees discuss the history of forestry in Indiana. Acquisition of land, harvesting, and forest land management are discussed. Many of the interviewees worked in the Hoosier-Wayne National Forest, and they describe the history and growth of that forest.

This collection of interviews provides an overview of economic development in the state of Indiana between the nineteen twenties and the nineteen eighties. A variety of prominent business leaders discuss topics such as farming, state planning, the steel industry, manufacturing, and banking. Several former governors of Indiana are interviewed as well, providing a political perspective on the acceptance of federal aid, tax reform, the effects of recession on farming and industry, and such projects as the Burns Harbor and the Indiana Toll Road.

These interviews discuss the construction of the Kitt Peak Observatory in Arizona and the negotiations that took place with the Papagos Indian Tribe in order to obtain the lease of the land. The issues of mineral rights and university and community relations are discussed in these interviews.

This collection of interviews focuses on the political career of John E. Hurt. The bulk of the collection consists of Mr. Hurt's interviews where he speaks about his role as a leading Democratic fundraiser and political advisor to several gubernatorial candidates and governors in Indiana from the late nineteen forties through the early nineteen sixties. The other interviews offer background and specifics about Hurt's political career and actions.

This collection of interviews presents the life histories and impressions of a variety of residents from or near Paoli, Indiana. The interviewees range in age from early twenties to senior citizens and represent diverse professions, educational levels, and interests. This collection highlights some of the major changes in Orange County over the twentieth century and provides insight into the rich community life experienced by its residents.