| Creator: | Indiana University Center for the Study of History and Memory |
| Title: | Economic History of Indiana in the Twentieth Century |
| Collection No.: | ohrc041 |
| Dates: | 1976-1980 |
| Quantity: |
Quantity: 164 Interviews (Audio files, transcripts, and collateral materials ) |
| Abstract: | 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. |
| Location: | Interviews are housed in Franklin Hall, Room 0030A. Contact ohrc@indiana.edu for more information. Copies of interview transcripts are also held by the IU Libraries University Archives. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for Documentary Research and Practice office. |
| Language: | Materials are in English |
| Repository: | Center for Documentary Research and Practice Franklin Hall 0030B 601 E. Kirkwood Avenue Bloomington, Indiana 47405 Business Number: 812-855-2856 ohrc@indiana.edu URL: https://cdrp.mediaschool.indiana.edu/ |
This collection contains 164 interviews over the course of 4 years. Interviews range from about 30 minutes to 3 hours. All of the interviews consist of audio reels and most have typed transcripts.
The archive of the Center for Documentary Research and Practice 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. 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. Audio files 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 audio 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).
[interviewee first name last name] interview, by [interviewer first name last name], [interview date(s)], [call number], [project name], Center for Documentary Research and Practice, Indiana University, Bloomington, [page number(s) or tape number and side if no transcript; if digital audio and no transcript, cite time when quote occurs].
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.
No(s): 80-044
Physical Description: Not transcribed; 1 reel (missing), 1 7/8 ips, 90 minutes
Scope and Content Note: Basil Adams discusses the involvement of unions in the auto industry. Basil Adams was born on March 27, 1905. He was a laborer at Warner Gear from 1922 to 1960. He worked as an inspector and gear cutter. He was also active in the United Auto Workers (UAW), Local #287.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 77-018
Physical Description: 39 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour 50 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Corry Alcorn was born in Posey County, Indiana. His interview covers farming and livestock production in Monroe County. He has worked with the cooperative extension service for forty years. There is a major discussion on the commercialization of farming. In addition he explains how Purdue University came to be involved in agricultural research.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-011
Physical Description: 27 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 1 hour 20 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Arnold D. Altman, born on December 10, 1917 in South Bend, Indiana, provides information on the Avanti Motor Corporation and the auto industry. He provides detailed information on how the Avanti car was manufactured and sold. He draws a comparison to the Avanti process of manufacturing against how General Motors manufactures cars.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-067
Physical Description: 67 pages; 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour 45 minutes; index
Scope and Content Note: Stanley Andrew, born on November 19, 1913, provides information on raising tobacco as a cash crop. Andrew discusses the changes over the years in how tobacco is farmed. He also speaks of the effects of weather and use of equipment and fertilizers on tobacco.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-054
Physical Description: 30 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 45 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Mack A. Baker, born on June 5, 1913, explains the importance of French Lick Springs, a resort in Orange County, Indiana, to that community. Hotel labor and individual jobs is thoroughly discussed, as well as an individual's ability to perform more than one task.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-043
Physical Description: 44 pages; 2 reels, 1 7/8 ips, 2 hours 20 minutes; no index; original photograph of interviewee, biography of interviewee, newspaper article on Ball Corporation
Scope and Content Note: This interview discusses the early development of the Ball Corporation and its diversification in later years. Edmund Ball covers the modernization of the company and its association with Ball Hospital and Ball State University.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 77-015
Physical Description: 31 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour 10 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: At the time of the interview, John V. Barnett was the president of the Indiana State Chamber of Commerce. The interview covers the activities of the Chamber of Commerce and the business community of Indianapolis, Indiana.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-011
Physical Description: 27 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 45 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: This interview covers glass blowing. John Barnett also briefly discusses labor issues and explains the J.D. Adams case as it relates to gross income tax. Barnett also relates the positives about living in Indiana.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 77-010
Physical Description: 42 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour 40 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Fred Barrett is a fourth generation limestone worker. He discusses the limestone business in Indiana. He talks about the development of Matthews Brothers, Inc. and the use of skilled labor. He also covers topics such as labor unions and employee benefits.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 77-013
Physical Description: 35 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips; 1 hour 35 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Joseph Batchelor, a professor of economics at Indiana University, was born on August 2, 1909 in Randolph County. He provides an in-depth discussion on why Indiana is ranked high in industry, the important manufacturing industries, and a general overview of what the state exports.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 77-029
Physical Description: 48 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour 55 minutes; no index, Purdue Cooperative Extension Service Directory 1977, photograph of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: Bill Beach was born on August 2, 1921. He discusses the activities of Purdue University's Cooperative Extension Program, the influences of the program in rural and urban cities, the role the agent plays in the extension program, and policy development that occurred due to the influence of the program. He goes into detail regarding the first community development program along with providing detailed information regarding projects the extension program is involved with.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Restricted: Contact center staff for more information
No(s): 79-058
Physical Description: Not transcribed; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 30 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Ernest Beaty was born on December 9, 1903 in Orange County, Indiana. His interview is an overview of the historical aspects of the West Baden Springs Hotel.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-033
Physical Description: 21 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 50 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Darrell E. Bigham was born on August 12, 1942 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In this interview, he discusses the economic climate in Evansville, Indiana, the diversity of industry in the area, the growth and decline of industry, and its effects on the population of the city. He also provides a brief discussion on the African-American population of the city.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-010
Physical Description: 31 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps., 1 hour 20 minutes; no index; biography of Holten Blomgren, photograph of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: Holten E. Blomgren is a retired colonel who served over thirty years in the military. This interview provides a description of the trade association connected to the recreational vehicle and manufactured housing industry. Discussed heavily is the federal government's involvement in the industries and concerns of the organization regarding codes and standards as well as taxes.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-023
Physical Description: 36 pages; 1 reel (missing), 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour 20 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: H.J. Bobzien was born on January 10, 1935 in Louisville, Kentucky and joined the American Commercial Barge Line Company in 1958. This interview covers the time period he worked for the company and outlines the manufacturing of barges, changes in the industry, and general information regarding the river transportation industry.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-056
Physical Description: 24 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 55 minutes; no index; photograph of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: Henry F. Boxman, born June 26, 1903 and died August 29, 1991. discusses economic development in Bloomington, Indiana. He talks about his experiences as the owner of the Boxman Restaurant, and as president of the Bloomington Chamber of Commerce. He also talks about the effects of the Great Depression on the Bloomington economy, and the importance of the Showers Brothers Furniture Company in the town's growth.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-017
Physical Description: 26 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour; no index
Scope and Content Note: Born in 1919, John Brittain talks about the Westinghouse Corporation moving from East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Bloomington, Indiana. Other topis discussed include employees recruitment, the relationship of the company to Indiana University, and product development. Included in this discussion are management and marketing strategies.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-045
Physical Description: 80 pages; 2 reels, 4.7 cps, 3 hours; no index
Scope and Content Note: Mr. Broecker was born on February 7, 1907. He begins this interview with information on his education and work experience. He discusses early road construction technology in Indiana. He talks about wages, the variety of materials used in road construction, and the effects of improved road conditions.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-051
Physical Description: 23 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 45 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Robert Brookshire was born on March 12, 1916. He discusses the hiring practices of RCA in 1940, hourly wage earners, and job availability. He also discusses changes in the workforce, technology, and the influence of unions. He gives reasons for the company's move from Memphis, Tennessee to Indianapolis, Indiana.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-001
Physical Description: 22 pages; 1 reel (missing), 1 7/8 ips, 55 minutes; index
Scope and Content Note: Born 1909, Dr. Earl Butz discusses the changes in agriculture and agricultural education. He is former United States Secretary of Agriculture and talks of the political influences of agriculture industry. He speaks extensively of his career and legislation regarding agriculture.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-013
Physical Description: 71 pages; 2 reels, 4.7 cps, 3 hours 50 minutes, index; Churchill's obituary
Scope and Content Note: Born July 4, 1903, Harold Churchill discusses his interest in engineering and the manufacturing and testing of tires. The interview includes the relationship between management and hourly employees, the merger with Pierce Arrow, and the decline of the company.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-063
Physical Description: 78 pages; 2 reels, 4.7 cps, 2 hours 50 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Woodrow Clark was born on July 5, 1912. He discusses his career with U.S. Steel, the cost of making steel, accounting practices, and the variety of pay plans. He provides information on the types of mills there are and how technology has changed in the mills. He gives his opinion on the loss of profits and explains EPA regulations as they relate to steel mills.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-008
Physical Description: 83 pages; 2 reels, 4.7 cps, 3 hours 30 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Joseph Cloutier was born March 26, 1908 and begins his interview with a discussion with his career at Hulman and Company, the relationship that developed with Tony Hulman, and the many roles he had at the company. In this interview he discusses the manufacturing of baking powder, beer making, employee recruitment, and the filing of taxes.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-064
Physical Description: 38 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour 30 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Dr. Walter Compton discusses the history of Miles Laboratory, the relationship that developed between his family and Dr. Franklin Miles, and his own interest in the medical field. He provides background information on how medicines were dispensed and the development of pharmacies. He also talks about the effects of World War II and the development of new medicines.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-020
Physical Description: 46 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour 50 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Gayle Cook was born in 1934 and is the cofounder of Cook Incorporated. She provides detailed information on how she and her husband founded their business and how they developed an instrument to open up veins. Expansion and diversification is thoroughly discussed.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-052
Physical Description: 38 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 2 hours 20 minutes; index
Scope and Content Note: Born June 27, 1912 Choral W. "Coke" Coons discusses his childhood, career at Arvin, and the history of Arvin. He also discusses the employment of minorities and women, early employee benefits, and unions. He provides some detail as to how Arvin dealt with borrowing money and other financial situations.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-071
Physical Description: Not transcribed: 2 tapes (missing); 1 7/8 ips; 2 hours; no index; 3 newspaper articles; 7 promotional pamphlets; 1979 annual report; June 30, 1980 2nd quarter report
Scope and Content Note: Thomas Corson was born October 15, 1927. Coachman Industries was founded in 1964 by Corson and his brothers. The interview covers the history of Coachman and reasons why the Corson brothers chose to venture into the recreational vehicle industry. Also discussed is the declining sales of the nineteen eighties and how that impacted the city of Elkhart, Indiana.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-045
Physical Description: 63 pages; 2 reels, 1 7/8 ips, 2 hours 20 minutes; index; 1963 speech; photograph of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: Born in 1911, Mr. Cortwright had an extensive career at Warner Gear. He discusses hiring practices and the demographics of employees. He also covers the manufacturing of hydraulic systems and automatic transmissions. He goes into great detail regarding production in the nineteen forties and nineteen fifties
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-048
Physical Description: Not transcribed; 1 reel (missing), 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour
Scope and Content Note: Born March 12, 1909, Mr. Cox recounts the story of the first strike in the nation against Columbian Enameling and Stamping Company, Inc., which led to a sympathy strike in Terre Haute, Indiana. Martial law was declared. The company eventually won its case in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-062
Physical Description: 47 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 2 hours; index
Scope and Content Note: Michael Cusumano was born November 12, 1917. He begins his interview with an overview of Gary, Indiana neighborhoods and his college education. He talks about the racial mixture of the city and how his job at the steel mill. He also discusses labor unions, their influence in obtaining employee benefits, and how salaried employees were effected by unions. He provides a description of his workday and how steel is produced.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-041
Physical Description: Not transcribed; 1 reel (missing), 1 7/8 ips
Scope and Content Note: Born November 25, 1948, John Daschke has been involved in many activities. His interview is reflective of internal politics of the Paddlewheel Alliance. He discusses the structure and development of occupations at the Marble Hill nuclear site.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 81-006
Physical Description: 41 pages; 2 cassettes, 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour 30 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Born July 11, 1913, Jack DeForest began working for Servel in 1933. In this interview he talks about wages, the profession of welding, and early refrigeration manufacturing. He also discusses the advances in technology and the effects on Evansville, Indiana when Servel closed.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-034
Physical Description: 67 pages; 2 reels, 1 7/8 ips, 2 hours 40 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Mr. Deller was born July 1, 1909. He discusses the period when farmers began using tractors in place of horses. He talks about the ways farm families were able to sustain the family and how the families were self contained. He discusses the general change in farm communities as people began to sell their land to residential developers.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-069
Physical Description: 65 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 2 hours; index
Scope and Content Note: Born in 1922, Mr. Diekman begins his interview with a discussion of his work and the progression of his career. He focuses on environmental problems related to oil manufacturing and explains the difference between Standard Oil of Indiana and AMOCO Oil Company. He also talks about foreign oil manufacturing, labor, marketing strategies, and labor in Whiting, Indiana.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 77-043
Physical Description: 50 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 2 hours, no index; pamphlet- Indiana Agriculture 1980-1985
Scope and Content Note: Mr. Diesslin was born in 1921 and begins his interview with a brief background of his youth and college experience. He discusses the influences of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Earl Butz on the state of Indiana. He explains the various legislative acts that helped to create the cooperative extension program. He discusses the changes within the program, the recruiting of agents, and the philosophy of the program.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-010
Physical Description: 84 pages; 2 reels, 1 7/8 ips, 3 hours 20 minutes; index
Scope and Content Note: Born September 14, 1914, Mr. Dortch begins his interview with how he became involved in the Chamber of Commerce. He discusses the role of the Chamber of Commerce as well as community reaction to the Chamber of Commerce. He covers a wide range of subjects related to industries and city development.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-058
Physical Description: 20 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 40 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Born April 6, 1929, Betty Doty was employed at RCA for eleven and a half years. Her interview covers the employment of women in factory work. She discusses the type of work that was performed, the general treatment of women, and the benefits of working at RCA.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-057
Physical Description: 46 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour 25 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Mr. Doty was born July 12, 1920. He talks of the difficulty of finding stable employment. He discusses how he came to work at RCA and his involvement in labor organizations and labor disputes. He describes the conditions at RCA as well as the employee benefits package. He talks about women and African-Americans and the positions that they held.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 77-019
Physical Description: 66 pages; 2 reels, 1 7/8 ips, 2 hours 20 minutes; index
Scope and Content Note: Mr. Doup was born in 1911 and spent most of his life as a farmer. Along with farm work he served on many farmer associations. He talks about the technological changes in farming, such as the transition from horses to tractors. He talks about his roles in various farm associations, and more specifically why the Farm Bureau was established.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 77-042
Physical Description: 28 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 60 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Professor Robert B. Eckles, from the history department at Purdue University, discusses his current project, examining the way Purdue University has influenced the Indiana agriculture industry over the years. He outlines the technology and research Purdue developed that has benefited Indiana farmers. He discusses the importance of the 4-H Club in training and educating young people in agriculture. He also discusses the development of the discipline of agricultural science, and how agriculture departments in universities have helped advance farming techniques in the United States.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-042
Physical Description: 60 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 120 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Merle Edington, born December 28, 1916, speaks of Indiana business, especially the limestone industry. His father worked in the limestone industry, and as the Bedford Chamber of Commerce president, Mr. Edington has also worked closely with businesses in the limestone industry. Mr. Edington outlines his educations background and work history, mostly as a salesperson for several businesses. Mr. Edington also describes the purpose of the Bedford Chamber of Commerce, its operational procedures, and some of the projects it has initiated towards city development. Mr. Edington analyses the effects of the Great Depression on the limestone industry in southern Indiana. He describes his efforts to promote tourism in Bedford, Indiana and speaks of the Bedford Limestone Museum, which was still in the development stage at the time of the interview (it was ultimately abandoned). Mr. Edington also outlines how the Bedford Chamber of Commerce cooperates with out of town businesses to generate revenue for Bedford based businesses.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 81-005
Physical Description: 34 pages; 2 cassettes, 1 7/8 ips, 85 minutes; no index; photograph of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: E. Donald Elliott discusses his role as vice president for Mead Johnson and Company. He outlines the governmental regulations that control the pharmaceuticals industry. He discusses current products of the company and the products the company is currently researching. He talks about his management style and the procedures he has implemented in the factory to make manufacturing operate more smoothly. He talks about the Mead Johnson Institute and the Mead Johnson Foundation, which provides classes for the community and healthcare professionals, and provides funds for community projects, which he feels helps create goodwill in the community for Mead Johnson and Company. Finally, he describes the advantages and disadvantages of being a family-owned and family controlled business.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-066
Physical Description: 65 pages; 2 reels; 4.7 cps; 3 hours 20 minutes, no index
Scope and Content Note: Daniel Fabian, born March 17, 1915, discusses family, work, and community life in East Chicago, Indiana. He discusses how he came to work at Inland Steel, hiring practices, technology changes, and the labor force. He goes on to discuss the problems that arose when women began working at the mills.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-016
Physical Description: 30 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips; 1 hour 10 minutes, no index
Scope and Content Note: Born in 1919, Mr. Fink discusses Westinghouse, located in Bloomington, Indiana on Curry Pike. He also talks about the organization of the company and the local economy. He goes on to discuss the customers of Westinghouse and the economic impact the company had on the city.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 77-046
Physical Description: 47 pages; 1 reel; 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour 50 minutes; photograph of interviewee; no index; speech "Our Agricultural Heritage"
Scope and Content Note: Born December 25, 1900, Mr. Freeman talks about early life on the farm and his educational background. He discusses the development and structure of agricultural studies along with the agricultural curriculum at Purdue University. He discusses the changes within agricultural studies at Purdue and county fairs.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-007
Physical Description: Not transcribed; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour
Scope and Content Note: Dwight Gahm, born on March 11, 1919, was the president of Kitchen Kompact, Inc. The company is known as the largest kitchen cabinet factory in the world. He discusses assembly line production, and compares traditional woodworking with the products of the assembly line.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-003
Physical Description: Not transcribed; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour
Scope and Content Note: Gary Gaiser discusses various aspects of the limestone industry.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 81-001
Physical Description: Not transcribed; 2 cassettes, 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour 15 minutes
Scope and Content Note: Rod Gardner, born July 26, 1927, discusses the history of Carpenter Body Works, a bus manufacturing company. He outlines his career with the company. He also discusses the products produced, the changes in how buses are built, and unions.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-055
Physical Description: 35 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour 15 minutes; index
Scope and Content Note: Frank and Lucille Godsey are interviewed regarding the Showers Brother Furniture Company. Frank worked in the plant, and Lucille was a secretary. This interview covers the the Great Depression and how the Showers Brothers Furniture Company survived through it, as well as describing the items Showers Brothers manufactured.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-021
Physical Description: 55 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 135 minutes; index; photograph of interveiwee
Scope and Content Note: John L. Goldthwaite discusses glass manufacturing. He was employed at the MacBeth-Evans Glass Company in Marion, Indiana for many years. He discusses the products they produced, and the different methods of making them. He discusses the techniques for producing color-tinted and clear glass. He describes the hand-blowing process and the changes in technology that lead to paste molds, despite the conservative nature of the glass industry. He also outlines the decline in business at the MacBeth-Evans Glass Company that led to its closing in the early 1930s.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-022
Physical Description: 210 pages; 6 reels, 1 7/8 ips, 9 hours; no index; photograph of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: John Goldthwaite provides an in-depth background on Allison Engine Company, Incorporated and describes the variety of engines that the company produced from 1927 to 1960. He talks a great deal about the expansion of the company and the involvement of the Allison family in the business. Other topics discussed include community relations, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and noise pollution.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-029
Physical Description: 60 pages; 1 reel; 1 7/7 ips, 2 hours 25 minutes, no index
Scope and Content Note: Mr. Gray, born on September 3, 1895, discusses his experiences in the coal mining industry in the United States and abroad. He describes the coal mining industry in Indiana, discussing the methods used to mine, the regulations that governed the companies, and the uses for the coal. He compares the coal mining industry in Indiana and the United States with mining industries internationally, in Great Britain, Wales and Australia.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-032
Physical Description: 22 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour 20 minutes; not indexed; photograph of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: Born July 26, 1945, Mr. Greenaymer talks of his early life and how his father got into farming. He also talks about his first jobs and what he did to supplement his farming income. He discusses the responsibilities and jobs that were done on the farm. He talks about reasons for staying in farming as well as the problems in farming.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-055
Physical Description: 31 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour 15 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Holbert Grigsby, born July 30, 1902, begins by discussing his early life, his parents and their occupations. He outlines the areas of French Lick, Indiana, and West Baden Springs, Indiana, emphasizing the importance of the resort hotel and gambling industries.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-065
Physical Description: Not transcribed; 2 cassettes (missing), 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour 30 minutes
Scope and Content Note: Mr. Grolimund discusses the band instrument industry in Elkhart, Indiana. The acquisition of early instrument plants is discussed, however the interview doesn't detail the actual manufacturing of instruments.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-056
Physical Description: 27 pages; 1 reel; 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour, no index
Scope and Content Note: Fred Gromer, born May 26, 1892 in Orange County, Indiana talks about his childhood and career in the railroad industry. He discusses the technical details of the routes trains travelled, their engines, and connections. He speaks of the Great Depression and the proliferation of hoboes riding the trains. He also discusses the effects of the trucking industry on the operations of railroads.
Indexed Terms:
Conditions Governing Access: Open
No(s): 78-045
Physical Description: 30 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour, no index
Scope and Content Note: Born in Bedford, Indiana in 1927, Harold Haley talks about growing up around the stone quarries. His career in the limestone industry began at the age of 14 or 15. He provides details of what a limestone sawyer does and the work that was done in limestone during World War II. He talks about the projects that he was involved in and the change in the limestone industry.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-052
Physical Description: 16 pages; 1 reel (missing), 1 7/8 ips, 45 minutes; partial video of interview, master and duplicate, no index
Scope and Content Note: Donald Hansen, born May 2, 1909, discusses the economic impact of the manufacturing industry on Bloomington. Indiana, focusing on the Showers Brothers Furniture Company and RCA. He speaks of his life and educational background that led to his employment in the banking industry. He discusses the public works the companies and other aspects of the relationship Showers Brother and RCA had with the city of Bloomington.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 81-008
Physical Description: Not transcribed; 2 cassettes (missing); 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour 15 minutes
Scope and Content Note: Mr. Hardy discusses the Delco-Remy plant in Anderson, Indiana. Major topics are war-time production, labor-management relationship, employment level, and political campaign contributions. Also discussed are the benefits and disadvantages of having the plant located in Anderson, Indiana.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-014
Physical Description: 48 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 1 hour 40 minutes, no index
Scope and Content Note: Born February 24, 1906, Mr. Harrington talks about his early employment and working conditions. He talks about the need for unions and the time that Studebaker went into receivership. There is a brief mention of the Great Depression and how the company helped families out at this time. Other topics focused on are mergers and unions.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-024
Physical Description: 44 pages; 1 reel 1 7/8, 1 hour 45 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Mr. Hartswick talks about his childhood and educational background. After graduating from Penn State he worked for the railroad, and later for Westinghouse. He provides information on the history of Westinghouse, and when and why the company moved to Bloomington, Indiana. He also gives information on the products Westinghouse manufactured. He also speaks of industrial development in general in Bloomington, Indiana
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-007
Physical Description: Not transcribed; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 45 minutes
Scope and Content Note: Lloyd Hawkins, born in 1919, discusses his experiences with the Otis Elevator Company in Bloomington, Indiana.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-068
Physical Description: 29 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 60 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Born in 1906, Alfred H. Hayes worked at Standard Oil's Whiting, Indiana, refinery for much of his career, initially as a chemical engineer in the research department. He discusses the various means of processing gasoline and the war production that went into effect at the refinery during World War II. He comments on the profitability improvement program put into effect at Standard Oil, resulting in the elimination of the candleworks and many jobs over time. Mr. Hayes also speaks extensively of the 1955 Standard Oil explosion and fire, and the increased safety measures that were enacted in the wake of the fire.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 77-025
Physical Description: 36 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour 15 minutes, indexed
Scope and Content Note: Mr. Haynes, born on January 31, 1926, discusses his career as an African-American architect. He discusses his initial difficulties in finding employment because of racial discimination. He was finally employed at Indiana University where he eventually became Assistant University Architect. He discusses the structure and procedures at the University Architect's office and describes some of the projects he worked on. He then went to work as the head architect to the CIT Financial Corporation, where he was required to travel. After a few years he settled back in Bloomington, Indiana and started his own architectural firm. He discusses some of the projects they worked on, like the Stone Belt Center and the animal shelter. He also touches upon methods of attracting clients and the costs of building materials and other contractors.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-006
Physical Description: 46 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 80 minutes; no index; interviewee's resume
Scope and Content Note: Born on February 28, 1925, Robert E. Henderson discusses his work and beliefs in the research and development of alternative fuels and sources of energy in Indiana. Extensively trained in physics, he discusses the practicality of various sources of energy, including solar and nuclear energy, and the technological developments that have emerged relating to the application of such alternatives. Mr. Henderson also speaks of his work with the Indianapolis Center For Advanced Research, or ICFAR, and the reasons why solar energy has not been widely accepted and utilized in Indiana.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-065
Physical Description: 32 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 110 minutes; index; xeroxed photograph of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: Frank E. Henry, born on September 28, 1884, discusses his family and his status as an original employee of U.S. Steel. He speaks of his employment history, emphasizing his years living and working in the community of Gary, Indiana. Mr. Henry speaks of technological innovations in the creation and processing of steel, as well as the impact of labor unions, World War I, and World War II on employment in the Gary Works of U.S. Steel Corporation.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-004
Physical Description: 47 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 110 minutes; no index; interviewee's resume, Purdue University School of Agriculture pamphlet, World War II Purdue University School of Agriculture program requirements
Scope and Content Note: Born on June 1, 1924, A.R. Hilst discusses his family and youth in rural Illinois, and focuses on his career as an agronomy and agriculture professor at the Purdue University School of Agriculture. He speaks of his experiences during World War II, the public's growing concern with the possible negative effects of the practical application of chemicals, including herbicides, and the increase in research on pollution and environmental conservation. He emphasizes the growth and high quality of the program and curriculum offered at Purdue's School of Agriculture, as well as the slowly increasing diversity of students enrolled there.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-030
Physical Description: 40 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 110 minutes; index
Scope and Content Note: Clayton Holmes, born on June 8, 1924, discusses his career in the Indiana limestone industry, culminating in his position as general manager of Independent Limestone Company. He speaks of the impact of the Great Depression and World War II on the limestone industry, the cost efficiency of limestone as opposed to other building materials, and of his pride in the Washington, DC Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, which was built almost entirely of Indiana limestone. In addition, Mr. Holmes comments on the different grades of limestone, the relationship between management and labor at the quarries, and the departmental organization of the company.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-019
Physical Description: 32 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 90 minutes; no index; Citizens Gas & Coke Utility annual report and collateral information, copy of the Indiana Code of 1971
Scope and Content Note: Harry V. Huffman discusses the evolution and uniqueness of the Citizens Gas & Coke Utility in Indianapolis, Indiana. A public charitable trust, this company provided gas to Indianapolis residents at cost. Mr. Huffman also comments on the Indiana corporation legal codes that resulted in the utility company, as well as on the vagaries of coke manufacture and gas distribution, especially during the energy crisis of the nineteen seventies.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-043
Physical Description: 40 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 1 hour 15 minutes; no index; photograph of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: Born May 20, 1907, Frances Hughes discusses her forty-one years in the newspaper business. She talks about the local newspapers of Terre Haute, Indiana, how they were politically backed, and the merging of newspapers.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-015
Physical Description: 78 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 120 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Born in 1912, George C. Hupp details his years as an employee of the Studebaker Corporation in South Bend, Indiana, and as an active member and leader of the local union, United Auto Workers Local #5. After commenting on his youth, parents, and education, Mr. Hupp describes how he paid bills during the Great Depression, the steady increase of wages over time, and the slow improvement of working conditions. In addition, he talks extensively of union matters, including membership fluctuations, union strong-arming and violence, and grievance procedures. He describes the communist infiltration of the nineteen forties and nineteen fifties, as well as the entrance of female and African-American workers.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 77-031
Physical Description: 17 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 40 minutes, no index
Scope and Content Note: Mr. Hutchison, born January 5, 1925, outlines his family history and educational background. He talks about methods of mining and the reasons for strip mining versus underground mining. He provides information on the number of people working in coal mining, mining's supporting industries, and the impact of coal mining on the environment.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-047
Physical Description: 19 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour; no index
Scope and Content Note: Mr. Ira, born May 5, 1929, provides a general background apprenticeship in the limestone industry. He discusses what a limestone cutter does and the changes that had taken place in the nineteen forties and nineteen fifties He gives his opinion as to what changes should be made for the continuation of the industry and briefly discusses the involvement of unions.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-005
Physical Description: 40 pages; 1 reel; 1 7/8 ips; 1 hour 35 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Mr. Jacko discusses environmental engineering and how environmental control effects economics and the quality of life. He also discusses the economics of keeping air and water clean.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-050
Physical Description: 35 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 95 minutes; index; 20 articles by interviewee, Certificate of Recognition for Sit-Down Strike, memoir of interviewee, 2 handwritten copies of Desiderata
Scope and Content Note: Born in 1912, Jack Jourdan discusses his youth, family, employment history, and the dangers of coal mining, as evidenced by the deaths of his father and two uncles in that profession. Mr. Jourdan focuses on his personal recollections of the sit-down strike at the Guide Lamp division of the General Motors Corporation in 1937. He speaks of the surrounding violence between union and anti-union workers. He also comments on working conditions, the point system, and wages at Guide Lamp.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-071
Physical Description: 42 pages; 2 reels, 4.7 cps, 140 minutes; index
Scope and Content Note: John A. Keckich, born on January 29, 1910, describes his Yugoslav immigrant parents, his youth in Whiting, Indiana, and his participation in an industrial football league, which led to an employment offer at Inland Steel. He discusses the community of Whiting, including its ethnic diversity and segregation, discrimination against minorities, and the intensely close and generally positive relationship between local industry and the community. Mr. Keckich comments on labor relations, technological improvements over the years, and the impact of these innovations on steel production throughout the world.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-006
Physical Description: Not transcribed; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 90 minutes
Scope and Content Note: Born in 1907, Ralph Kirkman discusses the limestone industry in Indiana, as well as his experiences working in the limestone quarries.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-002
Physical Description: 38 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 90 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Born in 1921, Richard L. Kohls, the Dean of Agriculture at Purdue University, discusses agriculture in Indiana and the agriculture curriculum at Purdue University. He speaks of the teaching vs. research debate, and the equal value he places on each. Mr. Kohls comments on the increased diversity in student enrollment in the School of Agriculture, as well as the impact on the program of state politics and relations with the federal government.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-005
Physical Description: 41 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 85 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Wayne LaGrange, born on November 23, 1932, discusses his employment history, including time spent as a barber, a welder, and a steel fitter. Mr. LaGrange focuses on his years at Jeffboat, Incorporated, the building of barges, and the effects of economic fluctuations on business. He also speaks of his experiences with labor unions, including the fact that there were never cost of living clauses in his company's contracts due to the need to remain competitive while bidding for jobs.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-008
Physical Description: 67 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 130 minutes; no index; photograph of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: George W. Land, born in November of 1914, discusses his youth in Illinois and his employment as the director of market research at AMAX Coal Company. He speaks extensively about the coal industry, including mining, refining, usage, quality, and the reclamation of mined land. Mr. Land also comments on the wisdom and likely impact of various environmental legislation regarding the coal industry. He clarifies the differences in method, equipment, cost, and availability between surface and underground mining.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-039
Physical Description: Not transcribed; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 120 minutes
Scope and Content Note: Born on May 20, 1903, Ralph Landrey, a retired engineer, discusses the coal and oil industries in Indiana. He also speaks of conflict between unions and management in these industries.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-053
Physical Description: 29 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 60 minutes; partial video of interview, master and duplicate; no index
Scope and Content Note: Born on July 7, 1917, John D. Leffler discusses his years employed as an RCA merchandise traffic manager. He comments on the shipping and distribution of products, as well as the size and capacity of various warehouses with regard to inventory. Mr. Leffler also speaks of the impact the introduction of computers has had on RCA shipping and distribution.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-024
Physical Description: Not transcribed; 4 reels, 1 7/8 ips, 6 hours 30 minutes; conference schedule of events, participant questionnaire, 3 associated pamphlets, 1 slide of a Bloomington, Indiana limestone quarry
Scope and Content Note: This recording of the Limestone in the Stonebelt Conference outlines the history of the limestone industry in the areas of Bloomington and Bedford, Indiana. The local economic impact of the limestone industry, as well as its uses and the various occupations it provided to the surrounding communities, are discussed.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-003
Physical Description: 45 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 105 minutes; no index; 1976 annual report of Indiana State Agricultural Experiment Station, 1976 annual report on the service and regulatory activities of Purdue University, list of the Indiana State Agricultural Experiment Station's research accomplishments
Scope and Content Note: B.J. Liska, born on May 31, 1931, discusses his education and background in food microbiology and agronomy, which eventually led to his employment as a professor at Purdue University and the position of director of the Agricultural Experiment Station. He speaks of federal and state funding of agricultural research and of the past and possible beneficial results of such research, including increased crop yields. Dr. Liska discusses international projects and research, such as Purdue University's strong ties with Brazil, especially in the area of corn production research.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-032
Physical Description: 28 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 60 minutes; index
Scope and Content Note: Born in 1923, Samuel Loescher discusses the development of InPIRG, the Indiana Public Interest Research Group, and its directors, funding, and the opposition it faced within the state. Also covered is InPIRG's relationship with Indiana University administration and Mr. Loescher's idea of the research group's role or purpose. He comments on the funding received from the Irwin-Sweeney-Miller Foundation, which was cancelled in 1974 due to a failing American economy.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-037
Physical Description: 40 pages; 2 reels, 4.7 cps, 160 minutes; index; xeroxed photograph of interviewee, article by interviewee, Vanderburgh Circuit Court documents
Scope and Content Note: Richard F. Lythgoe, born on April 5, 1916, discusses organized labor in Indiana from the nineteen thirties through 1979. A union representative for much of his career, Mr. Lythgoe speaks extensively of unions, union leadership, labor relations, related federal legislation, minority membership in unions, and the fear of communism in unions. He cites his father's work as a glassblower as his initial introduction to unionization. He comments on strikes and lockouts, and the increasing ineffectiveness and inefficiency of union arbitration and grievance procedures under new labor laws.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-053
Physical Description: 66 pages; 2 reels, 1 7/8 ips, 3 hours; no index; photograph of interviewee, partial list of Columbus and county gifts
Scope and Content Note: Robert J. Marshall, born on August 3, 1912, discusses the major industries Columbus, Indiana and their impact on the town. He speaks of local employers during the Great Depression, community improvement programs introduced by local businesses and businessmen, the importance of agriculture to the Indiana economy, and the small African-American community of Columbus. He comments on the increasing difficulty in retaining youth as citizens of a small community, and he speaks of the increasing diversification of the Indiana economy since World War II.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-042
Physical Description: 37 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 2 hours, no index; photograph of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: Mr. McCormick, born December 27, 1914, discusses is life long career as a farmer. He discusses the different kinds of farming he has practiced over the years, from raising poultry and hogs to growing corn crops. He discusses the business transactions involved in running a small farm. He describes the records he has kept regarding prices he has recieved for goods, weather patterns and their effects on crop yeilds, and loans and other finacial matters.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 76-071
Physical Description: 40 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 95 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Born in 1929, William H. McDonald discusses his work as the architectural services director of the Indiana Limestone Institute, emphasizing the institute's mission promoting limestone usage and sales. He speaks of the fluctuations in the Indiana limestone industry throughout the twentieth century, the accompanying rise and decline of limestone production, associated architectural standards. Mr. McDonald comments on labor-management relations within the industry, the cost of using limestone in construction as opposed to concrete, brick, or glass, and the different building requirements of domestic and commercial architecture.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-044
Physical Description: 47 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 120 minutes; no index; article regarding limestone industry
Scope and Content Note: William H. McDonald, born in November of 1929, discusses his employment history, especially his work in the limestone industry in Texas and Indiana. He speaks extensively of the purposes and accomplishments of the Indiana Limestone Institute, in concert with the Indiana Limestone Promotional Trust Fund. He speaks of his ideas about the future of the institute. Mr. McDonald also comments on the methods and benefits of using limestone in buildings. He discusses the need to educate architects about the use of limestone, and the ups and downs of the limestone industry in Indiana.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-070
Physical Description: 28 pages; 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 80 minutes; index
Scope and Content Note: Dale W. McMillen, Jr., born on January 6, 1914, discusses the Central Soya Corporation, founded by his father, of which he is a former chairman of the board. He speaks of the company's history, its transition from being Central Sugar Company to Central Soya, and the soybean industry in Indiana. He also comments on the impact of World War II on the business. Mr. McMillen discusses the growth and development of Central Soya, its expansion across the United States and into foreign markets, the federal regulations that govern business, and issues related to the transportation of soy beans.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-030
Physical Description: 48 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 1 hour 55 minutes; index; photograph of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: John F. Mee, born on July 10, 1908, begins with a discussion on his early childhood and education, leading to his current position as a business professor. He provides background and reasons for the influx of industry into Indiana. He also discusses industrial changes and the role of federal funding in educating and training skilled labor.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-006
Physical Description: 35 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 85 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Robert D. Miles, an engineering professor who was born in December of 1924, discusses his participation in the Ohio River Basin Project for the purpose of energy conversion. He speaks of the possibilities of and need for more research in the areas of nuclear power and solar energy, especially in the years of the energy crisis. In addition, he speaks of the selection of power plant locations and the resulting public outcry.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-012
Physical Description: 35 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 100 minutes; no index; biographical sketch of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: Born on July 27, 1917, Eli D. Miller, as an executive of the South Bend Chamber of Commerce, discusses the economic profile of South Bend, Indiana, from 1946 through 1980. He speaks of local industrial failures and their impact on the community, the collapse of the Studebaker Corporation, and the role of the Chamber of Commerce in South Bend. In addition, he speaks of the economic diversification that took place across the United States after World War II, the upsurge of the convention and hotel industry in the Midwest, and local labor-management relations.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-029
Physical Description: 57 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 2 hours, no index
Scope and Content Note: Robert Myers, born on July 2, 1928, begins by explaining the process of quarrying. He talks about labor unions and the need for unions in the limestone industry. He also discusses the responsibilities of union representatives and the successes and failures of unions.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-014
Physical Description: 66 pages; 2 reels, 1 7/8 ips, 160 minutes; no index; photograph of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: Born on February 6, 1895, Edward B. Newill discusses the history of the Allison Engine Division of General Motors from its origin as a family owned garage, giving particular emphasis to the high production years surrounding World War II. He speaks of the manufacture of various important aircraft engines and the federal government regulations pertaining to their production. In addition, Mr. Newill speaks of labor-management relations, the expansion and diversification of the division, and its impact on the economy of Indiana.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-015
Physical Description: 49 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 120 minutes; no index; Otis Elevator Company statistics
Scope and Content Note: Arthur J. Olsen, born on August 30, 1919, discusses the history of the Otis Elevator Company, at which he has been employed since 1937. He comments on the company's decision to build a plant in Bloomington, Indiana, on the factory planning process, and the impact of the plant on local employment and the local economy. In addition, he speaks about elevator and escalator manufacture, including the Otis employee safety program, and the effects of technological advances on production.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-073
Physical Description: 28 pages; 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 80 minutes; index
Scope and Content Note: Daniel C. Orcutt, born on April 7, 1936, discusses his employment with the Indianapolis International Airport and his part in the airport's expansion. He comments on the land acquisition necessary for expansion and the local impact of the energy crisis, Environmental Protection Agency standards for noise pollution, and airline deregulation.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 77-045
Physical Description: 152 pages; 4 reels, 1 7/8 ips, 6 hours; no index; photograph of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: Don Paarlberg, born on June 20, 1911, discusses his youth and education during the Great Depression, which contributed to his knowledge of and career in agricultural economy in both academic and federal government settings. He speaks of his experiences in and perceptions of the Eisenhower, Nixon, and Ford administrations, gleaned from years working in Washington, DC, with the United States Department of Agriculture and for the secretary of agriculture. In addition, he describes federal agricultural policy, its impact on the domestic and international economy, his impressions of and relations with various politicians, and his years as a professor at Purdue University.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-014
Physical Description: 55 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 2 hours; no index
Scope and Content Note: Born August 1, 1923, Mr. Paarlberg discusses his early farm life, education, and how he got a job as a farm manager. He provides information on what a farm manager does, as well as the economics of tenant farming. He provides a picture of how farmers interacted with the agricultural departments at Purdue University as well as discussing agricultural science.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-027
Physical Description: 29 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 70 minutes; no index; interview footnotes
Scope and Content Note: Born on July 7, 1911, Granville H. Palmer describes the freshwater pearl industry centered on the Wabash River near Vincennes, Indiana, from 1905 to 1979. He compares the act of freshwater pearling and the accompanying lifestyle to those that characterized the American gold rush in the middle of the nineteenth century. In addition, he speaks of the economic impact the industry has had on the Wabash Valley as recently as 1965 and 1966.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-054
Physical Description: 17 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 45 minutes; index
Scope and Content Note: John Oscar Pardue, born on February 4, 1900, discusses his years of employment at the Showers Brothers Furniture Company veneer mill. He comments on unions and strikes at the company, employment during the Great Depression, and his work with veneers. He profiles employees of the company. In addition, Mr. Pardue speaks of possible reasons for the successes and eventual failure of the furniture company.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-048
Physical Description: 35 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 100 minutes; index; newspaper article regarding interviewee and the United Auto Workers.
Scope and Content Note: Walter S. Park, born on September 5, 1903, discusses his employment history, his years playing professional baseball, and playing in the industrial baseball league in and around Indianapolis, Indiana. He speaks of his years working for Guide Lamp, the special treatment he received as a company baseball player, working conditions, and his eventual membership in the United Auto Workers. In addition, Mr. Park describes his role in the 1937 sit-down strike at Guide Lamp and the resultant changes in relations between labor and management at that company.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-034
Physical Description: 46 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 110 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Warren W. Parke, born on August 16, 1924, discusses his career in the coal industry in Pike County, Indiana, from 1934 to 1979. He comments on the process of strip mining, the necessary equipment, federally mandated land reclamation, operation costs, and fluctuations in demand over the years. In addition, Mr. Parke describes union activity, strikes, relations between labor and management, and occasional outbreaks of union violence in the coal industry.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 77-003
Physical Description: 30 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 70 minutes; index
Scope and Content Note: Born in 1915, John B. Patton discusses his years of employment with the Indiana State Geological Survey, one of the main purposes of which, he emphasizes, is the dissemination of information to the public regarding Indiana's industrial mineral resources. Mr. Patton speaks of the coal and limestone industries in Indiana and the impact that protective state environmental legislation has had on these and other prominent local industries.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-028
Physical Description: 59 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 120 minutes; no index; photograph of interviewee, financial statement of City Securities Corporation, history of Merchants National Bank of Muncie, 1978 AMAX annual report, 1978 Lilly annual report, 1978 American States Insurance annual report
Scope and Content Note: J. Dwight Peterson, born on May 25, 1897, discusses his career as an investment banker with Indiana's City Securities Corporation from 1920 through 1979. He speaks of the importance of financing business and industry in Indiana with internal funds, rather than relying on outside capital such as federal aid, which could subject the state to counterproductive non-local control. Mr. Peterson also comments on the sale of stocks and bonds, the City Securities Corporation during the Great Depression and World War II, and the sale of war and government bonds. In addition, he describes the different sources of capital, both in and outside Indiana, and the changing character of finance.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-060
Physical Description: Not transcribed; 1 reel (missing), 1 7/8 ips, 110 minutes
Scope and Content Note: Edwin Petro, born on March 24, 1925, discusses the Indianapolis International Airport, also known as the Weir-Cook Airport, from 1947 through 1970. He speaks of the funding of and revenue from the airport, as well as the building and technological changes evident in the airport.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 77-044
Physical Description: Not transcribed; 2 reels, 1 7/8 ips
Scope and Content Note: David C. Pfendler traces the development of the Purdue University School of Agriculture, of which he was the dean. He speaks of the revolutionary changes in the field of agriculture in the twentieth century.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-073
Physical Description: 29 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 90 minutes; index
Scope and Content Note: Richard G. Phelps, born on June 24, 1916, discusses his employment with and the history of Inland Steel Indiana Harbor Works, from the nineteen thirties through 1979. He speaks of his efforts to improve working conditions, employee safety, and to address environmental concerns raised by the Environmental Protection Agency. Mr. Phelps comments on the methods used in the production of steel, the importance of coke batteries, unions, strikes in the steel industry, and the possible correlation between the occurrence of cancer and work in steel mills. He also assesses the consequences of federal safety and environmental regulations.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-041
Physical Description: 36 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 90 minutes; no index; curriculum vitae of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: William B. Pickett, born on March 12, 1940, discusses the economy of Terre Haute, Indiana, from the nineteen twenties through 1979. He comments on the economic diversification of the area, the problem of the lack of a land use plan, and his perspective on the economic future of the area. He speaks of fluctuations in population and of the changing character and apparent revitalization of Terre Haute in the nineteen seventies. In addition, Mr. Pickett discusses the ethnic and racial diversity of the area and its impact on community life.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-063
Physical Description: 29 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 80 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Harold D. Platt, Sr., born on September 26, 1902, discusses his business, the Platt Trailer Company, the mobile home industry, its growth, and the unionization of the industry. He describes the boom of the travel trailer industry in the nineteen sixties, attributing its cause to the huge increase in vacation travel. In addition, Mr. Platt speaks of the impact of World War II on the industry and of his thoughts on the future of the industry.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-007
Physical Description: Partially transcribed; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 95 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Born in 1912, Philip Powers describes his education and career in nuclear physics and nuclear engineering. A professor at Purdue University and head of the Energy Engineering Center there, he describes energy needs and alternate energy sources, including coal and nuclear power.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-010
Physical Description: 28 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 65 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Born in 1944, Professor A. Ravindran discusses his career in industrial engineering research, with specialties in mathematical modeling and energy optimization. He discusses his research on alternate energy sources, including solar energy and coal blending, as well as the sulfur content of coal in Indiana. In addition, Dr. Ravindran speaks of his optimism regarding new sources of energy, despite the energy and fuel shortages of the late nineteen seventies.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-074
Physical Description: 35 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 100 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: James R. Reardon, born August 14, 1928, discusses the activities and regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and Administration in Indiana from 1974 through 1979. He speaks of the impact of the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Act, the necessary qualifications of compliance inspectors, and the enforcement and priorities of the Act. In addition, he comments on the increased costs for businesses who abide by OSHA regulations and their frequent relocations to foreign countries because of high domestic production costs.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-060
Physical Description: 43 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 1 hour 45 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Mr. Reeves discusses the development and founding of Reeves Pulley Company on November 26, 1888. His interview covers manufacturing, sales, and advertising of the product. He also provides information on the organization and structure of the company.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-022
Physical Description: 26 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 1 hour 45 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Mr. Rehnstrom provides an analysis of the PSI Marble Hill Project. He discusses the economics of nuclear energy versus coal energy. He talks of the political influence that was a part of the decision to create Marble Hill and the problems of disposing nuclear waste.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-059
Physical Description: 30 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 100 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Born in 1912, Mr. Reuther discusses the participation of Sophie Reuther in the events following the Anderson, Indiana sit-down strike of 1937. He also provides insight on union activities, leadership of the strike and what led up to it. Finally, he talks about his involvement with other plants.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-066
Physical Description: 23 pages; 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 75 minutes; no index; photograph of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: Born on June 21, 1929, H. David Richmond, the director of economic development of the Columbus, Indiana, Chamber of Commerce, describes his employment history, the local economy and community in Columbus, and his forecast of the economic future of the Mideest. He speaks of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce's economic development program and of the advertising and incentives they have used to draw businesses to locate in the Columbus area. In addition, he comments on the effects of the economic recession of the late nineteen seventies and early nineteen eighties on Columbus, Indiana.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-040
Physical Description: 79 pages, 2 reels, 4.7 cps, 4 hours; partial video of interview, master--on the same tape as partial interview with Daniel Wright, 80-029; index
Scope and Content Note: Born on April 30, 1897 in Galston, Scotland, James Robb discusses beginning work in an Indiana coal mine at the age of 12 and the progression of his career into union management, culminating in the position of director of District 30, United Steelworkers. He speaks of the dangers and daily life associated with coal mining in Terre Haute, Indiana, labor organization, strikes, and the violence that often accompanied them. In addition, he comments on the effects of the Great Depression on Terre Haute, disputes and relations between steel workers and management, and his personal experiences with such people as Eugene V. Debs, John F. Kennedy, and Jimmy Hoffa.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-047
Physical Description: 26 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 120 minutes; index
Scope and Content Note: Rex E. Roberts, born on July 21, 1913, discusses his employment and working conditions at the Guide Lamp division of General Motors, as well as his activities with regard to organized labor with the United Auto Workers union. He speaks of his participation in the 1937 sit-down strike and its aftermath. In addition, Mr. Roberts comments on union violence and his memories of organized labor leader, Victor Reuther.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-043
Physical Description: 92 pages; 2 reels, 1 7/8 ips, 3 hours; no index
Scope and Content Note: Born on January 5, 1943, David L. Rodgers discusses his family, education, and the progression of his career in stone carving and sculpture. He speaks of his personal life and growth, as well as the obstacles, challenges, and triumphs in his career as a limestone sculptor. In addition, Mr. Rodgers comments on the symbolism of some of his pieces, the low prices and high costs of stone carving, and his vision of the future of stone sculpture.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-050
Physical Description: 34 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 70 minutes; partial video of interview, master; no index
Scope and Content Note: Mary Frances Roll, born on June 28, 1912, discusses the hiring practices and the composition of the workforce at RCA in Bloomington, Indiana. She describes her career, beginning in the Great Depression, and speaks of how the Great Depression affected the Bloomington community. In addition, Ms. Roll comments on the large percentage of female workers at RCA, the wages they received, RCA's government contracts and production during World War II, and becoming the center of the world's color television production.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 77-004
Physical Description: 26 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 60 minutes; index
Scope and Content Note: Mary Frances Roll, born on June 28, 1912, discusses her education and employment with RCA in Bloomington, Indiana. She speaks of RCA's early operation and production, the changing quality of the available labor force, the local impact of the Great Depression, and her association with the FBI during World War II. In addition, Ms. Roll comments on Bloomington's industrial growth and the relationship between Indiana University and the surrounding community.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-069
Physical Description: 17 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 60 minutes; no index; biographical sketch of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: Born on June 3, 1933, Ian M. Rolland was the president, director, and chief executive officer of the Lincoln National Corporation and its affiliates. He discusses the emphasis placed on management planning in a constantly changing business environment, the greater efficiency and productivity achieved by the Lincoln National Corporation, and company growth from 1956 through 1980. In addition, Mr. Rolland speaks of the number of females in the insurance business, specifically those in management positions.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-068
Physical Description: 72 pages; 3 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 3 hours; no index; photograph of interviewee, interviewee's curriculum vitae
Scope and Content Note: Born on September 14, 1906, Henry F. Rood describes his career in the insurance business, culminating in the positions of director, president, and chief executive officer of the Lincoln National Corporation. He discusses the insurance business, including reinsurance, group insurance, life insurance, and health insurance, and details how the Lincoln National Life Insurance Company weathered the Great Depression through the use of innovative bookkeeping practices. Mr. Rood also discusses the impact of economic and interest rate fluctuations on the insurance business.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-049
Physical Description: 29 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 75 minutes; index
Scope and Content Note: Born July 12, 1915, Ms. Rose talks about her educational background and he work for the Guide Lamp Division of General Motors Corporation. She discusses the jobs held by women in the plant and the jobs they were not allowed to do. She describes the part women played in the sit-down strike of 1937.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-064
Physical Description: 31 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 120 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Born in Chicago, November 21, 1911, Mr. Rosenak discusses the process of making steel and the expansion of Inland Steel Company from an engineer's perspective, and programs to control air pollution. He also discusses the availability of labor, the of recruitment of women, and the problems involved with women working in the plant.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-003
Physical Description: 27 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 80 minutes; index
Scope and Content Note: Born on December 12, 1913, J. Kirk Rowell, Jr. describes his career as a mechanical engineer, and later director of purchasing at Jeffboat, Incorporated. He speaks of the company's growth, the methods of barge and boat construction, and the use of assembly line production. He also comments on the company's conversion to wartime production, mainly the building of LSTs, during World War II, and the labor shortage that occurred at this time.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-023
Physical Description: 47 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 110 minutes; no index, pamphlet
Scope and Content Note: Dennis Rude, born in 1943, discusses his role in building the Washington, DC National Cathedral. He provides an overview of the project and the creation of the Cathedral Stone Works Company. He also details the main components of the limestone trade: stonemason, stonecutter, and stonecarver. He offers information about his apprenticeship in Maryland and his current job as superintendent of the company. Mr. Rude also recalls some high and low points during construction and the importance of his union in assisting workers. He ends by speculating on the future of the limestone industry.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-025
Physical Description: 71 pages; 2 reels, 1 7/8 ips, 150 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Born in 1915, Neil B. Schmeltekop describes his varied employment history, especially the years spent in the employ of Monon Railroad as a railroad station agent. He comments on the living and employment conditions in Indianapolis, Indiana, during the Great Depression. He speaks of his ownership of and work at the Shepherd Machine and Tool Company during World War II, and the war production of parts for the atomic bomb at that time. Mr. Schmeltekop also describes the impact of the Monon Railroad on the Indiana economy, its quality and later termination of passenger service, and his opinion regarding the future of railroads in the United States.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-016
Physical Description: Not transcribed; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 120 minutes
Scope and Content Note: Jack Schneider, born 1931, talks about the wood products industry.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-024
Physical Description: 34 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 75 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Ralph Schneider, born 1917, retired and superintendent at the Indiana Chair Company in Jasper, Indiana. He discusses the woodworking industry from his early years during the Great Depression through his retirement in the nineteen seventies. He gives a brief description of the manufacturing process, including the mill room and piecework are first given attention. He recalls the changes in worker dedication to the job, recession effects, the energy crisis, and the duties of being plant superintendent, such as purchasing and worker assignment.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-031
Physical Description: Not transcribed; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 35 minutes
Scope and Content Note: Marilyn Schultz, born 1944, speaks about consumerism and consumer rights legislation in Indiana. She discusses her attempts to start a consumer advocacy group in Indiana.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-040
Physical Description: 74 pages; 3 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 180 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Milton Sebree, born 1890, was active in organized labor and the socialist movement in Terre Haute, Indiana during the early twentieth century. He describes his employment in a wide variety of industries and some of the attempts to unionize them. He also discusses housing, poverty, transportation, and politics in Terre Haute through the Great Depression. Prominent socialists such as Eugene V. Debs, and crooked politicians such as Mayor Don Roberts, are also remembered.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-018
Physical Description: 58 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 120 minutes; index; xeroxed photograph of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: Dallas Wood Sells, Jr., born on October 3, 1919, discusses his experiences as an employee of the Delco-Remy Division of General Motors from 1937 through 1949, and his experiences as an active leader of organized labor in Indiana from 1937 through 1979. He speaks extensively of the struggle between organized labor and its opposition in the nineteen fifties and nineteen sixties. He also discusses war production and government contracts during World War II, women in the labor force, wage and price controls, and how discrimination is addressed by unions.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-009
Physical Description: 45 pages; 1 reel (missing), 1 7/8 ips, 90 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Elizabeth Shelton, born in 1931, discusses her thirty-year career with RCA (Radio Corporation of America) in Bloomington, Indiana. She provides insight into the changes she has witnessed since 1949, including differences in the attitudes of the workers, questionable job security, and the effects of automation. She addresses the role of the woman worker at RCA making it clear that women made up the majority of the line workers, but were not represented in the administration. She discusses the effects of foreign competition on RCA and the company's production moving to Mexico. She also contemplates the future of the Bloomington plant.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-021
Physical Description: Not transcribed; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 60 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Seth William Shields, vice president of electrical systems at PSI and director of the Marble Hill Nuclear Power Plant project, discusses the development of the plant. He discusses the decision to base the design of the plant on existing ones rather than design a completely new one. He outlines the quality control issues the plant's designers are concerned about. He also discusses the fact that there are not yet plans in place to dispose of nuclear wastes generated by the plant or for the eventual decommission of the plant after its operating life.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-025
Physical Description: Not transcribed; 1 tape (missing), 1 7/8 ips, 60 minutes
Scope and Content Note: Henry Smith, born 1892, describes the coal industry and his position as president in the coal companies his family owned.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-046
Physical Description: 46 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 80 minutes; no index; photograph of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: David F. Somers, born on December 11, 1913, discusses his longtime employment with Marsh Supermarkets, from 1949 through 1980, mainly in the position of vice president of operations. He speaks of the corporation's growth and expansion from a small family business to a large statewide chain, under the guidance of its founder, Ermal Marsh. He speaks of the marketing and financing of Marsh Supermarkets and its subsidiaries, and he describes how store locations and sizes were determined.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-062
Physical Description: 28 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 70 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Fred Sommer, born in Germany in 1902, discusses his experience as a board member of the Indianapolis Airport Authority. He speaks of the airport's initial development and growth, concentrating on the numerous events that have influenced its existence, including Charles Lindbergh's visit in the 1920s and financial support from the government. He mentions the airport's decision to reject military intervention during World War II and details efforts to elicit business from international air carriers.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-072
Physical Description: 27 pages; 2 reels, 4.7 cps, 140 minutes; no index; photograph of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: Charles M. Squarcy, born on March 12, 1913, discusses his years working for Inland Steel Company. He speaks of methods and the quantity of steel production from the nineteen thirties through 1979, including changes in technology, working conditions, world steel market, and equipment safety. He also comments on the 1959 strike at Inland and the relations between Inland Steel Company and the surrounding community.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-057
Physical Description: 55 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 120 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Loren E. "Toby" Stanfield, born on October 30, 1911, discusses the resort and gambling industries in French Lick, Indiana, and West Baden, Indiana. He speaks of the most prominent hotels, the hot springs, and the impact of these businesses on local employment and prosperity. In addition, Mr. Stanfield comments on his career in show business as a traveling comedian in vaudeville and burlesque shows.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-036
Physical Description: 51 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 120 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Frank L. Stanonis, born in 1931, discusses the petroleum industry in southwestern Indiana from the nineteen thirties through 1979. He speaks of the benefits of using the seismograph to locate oil wells, the quality of the oil found in Indiana, and domestic and international oil production and prices. Mr. Stanonis comments on oil companies leasing farms to drill for oil, several methods of drilling and pumping oil from the ground, and the environmental regulations that began to emerge in the nineteen sixties.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 77-023
Physical Description: 29 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 70 minutes; no index; table of contents
Scope and Content Note: Born in 1926, James Philip Stansfield discusses agriculture in Indiana, particularly in Greene County. He speaks of the benefits of various agricultural advances, including improved fertilizers and the process of artificial insemination for cattle, and reveals how many conservative farmers were slow to recognize and adopt such improvements. In addition, Mr. Stansfield differentiates between corporate and family farming.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-046
Physical Description: 42 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 90 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Born in 1919, Charles Starr discusses his career as a planerman in the Bedford, Indiana, limestone industry for over thirty years. He briefly comments on his service in the United States Army Air Force during World War II, the limestone industry's conversion to war production, changes in wages over time, and the lack of financial compensation for experience on the job. In addition, Mr. Starr speaks of the positive and more informal labor-management relations at smaller limestone companies.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 81-007
Physical Description: 31 pages; 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 75 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Dudley F. Starr, born on June 21, 1915, discusses his career in advertising at the Wayne Transportation Division in Richmond, Indiana, focusing on the development, marketing, and success of the Lifeguard school bus in the nineteen seventies. He discusses the company's history and growth, its expansion into the commercial bus and van industry, and its move into an international market. Mr. Starr speaks about the safety of school buses, the need to meet the specifications mandated by federal and state standards, and how the company's products often go beyond these minimum safety regulations.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-012
Physical Description: 39 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 75 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Eva M. Steinhagen, born in Monroe County, Indiana on January 3, 1917 and died in Florida on February 19, 2002, discusses her time working for RCA in Bloomington, Indiana in this interview. She talks about the early days at the factory and wartime production and security procedures. She speaks of switching the factory over to make radios and then televisions after the war. She talks about being promoted to foreman, and subsequently being demoted in the 1960s by management who brought in male college education foremen, and the subsequent loss in efficiency the factory experienced. The factory hired new management who fired the foremen, and she regained her position as foreman, and remained at RCA until she retired. Ms. Steinhagen talks about the influence of labor unions over factory life, working conditions, wages, and benefits. She also talks about RCA's corporate relocation of some manufacturing to foreign locations, where the factory experiences less absenteeism and saves costs in labor.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-026
Physical Description: 44 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 90 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Mildred Stephenson, born in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1901, begins her interview with her move to Indianapolis, Indiana in 1922. She later married and moved to Bloomington, Indiana. She speaks about her various jobs, including a position as a bookkeeper before her marriage and her role in assisting with her husband's freight business and later, his hardware store. She moves on to discuss her position as a bank trust officer for First National Bank before her retirement in 1966. Throughout her interview, she reflects on changes in Bloomington.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-067
Physical Description: 57 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 120 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Joseph G. Stepich, born on March 14, 1942, discusses hiring and employment practices, minority employees, and the character of the workforce at the AMOCO refinery in Whiting, Indiana. He comments on the huge reduction in the labor force at AMOCO in the early nineteen sixties and on the general streamlining that occurred, aimed at increasing efficiency. In addition, Mr. Stepich speaks of the age gap in the refinery's workforce, particularly in management positions.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-038
Physical Description: 17 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 80 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: James Strickland, born in 1909, discusses his role as state director of the Indiana Office of Price Administration during World War II. He provides a short history of the development of the office. He reflects on the reaction to gasoline rationing, price controls, and the black market in Indiana.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-004
Physical Description: 25 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 105 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Harry Sussman, born 1909, discusses the shipbuilding industry beginning from the nineteen twenties through his retirement in 1977. He describes production for Navy contracts during World War II, the effects of technology on production, and the steel strikes of the fifties and sixties. Sussman also discusses the organization of labor, and the general decline of worker ambition associated with unions.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-012
Physical Description: 29 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 60 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: George Tsao, born, 1931, is a professor of chemical engineering at Purdue University. He discusses his research into the use of gasohol, more specifically cellulose material, for use in automobiles. His department has also been given several grants to study the feasibility of turning cellulose into fuel on a large-scale basis. He describes the results to date.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-015
Physical Description: 59 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 140 minutes; articles on agriculture
Scope and Content Note: Born September 14, 1923, Mr. Tyler gives a brief description of his childhood. He discusses the role of agriculture county agents. He speaks about the publications produced by the Agricultural Information Department. He discusses the benefits of information in publications and the costs involved.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-013
Physical Description: 46 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 110 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Wallace Tyner, born 1945, is an economics professor at Purdue University. He speaks about the energy crisis in terms of being a security problem rather than a crisis. He asserts that United States dependence on imported or dwindling energy sources infringes on national security. He also discusses energy conservation, and criticizes many points in President Carter's 1977 energy message, preferring a simple tax on oil rather than on petroleum products.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-033
Physical Description: 34 pages; 2 reels, 1 7/8 ips, 140 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Eugene Van Meter, born on March 14, 1912, discusses the problem of erosion, its effects on agriculture, and some measures that may be taken in the interest of soil conservation in Steuben County, Indiana. He comments on different farming techniques and advances that effect the soil and the productivity of the land. Mr. Van Meter speaks of the management of the local deer population and the interest that local farmers take in wildlife.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-049
Physical Description: Not transcribed; 1 reel (missing), 1 7/8 ips, 60 minutes
Scope and Content Note: Wayne Warden, born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1916, discusses his involvement in the Seward Company between 1947 and 1980. Seward and Company was founded in 1821, in Bloomington, Indiana. Although it began as a industrial machinery manufacturer, during the twentieth century it began a new business of industrial supplies distribution center. In the nineteen fifties it finally closed it's machine shop and switched completely to industrial supplies distribution.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-031
Physical Description: 11 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 25 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: James Washburn, born in Gary, Indiana in 1949, discusses his experience with the family owned company, Washburn Realty. He addresses rising mortgage interest rates and some of the company's responses to this situation. Mr. Washburn also reflects on the future of housing in Indiana, acknowledging that economic and societal factors are forcing individuals to reconsider the possibility of owning a single-family home on a private lot.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-072
Physical Description: Not transcribed; 1 tape (missing), 1 7/8 ips, 40 minutes
Scope and Content Note: Walter Wells speaks about the mobile home industry.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-023
Physical Description: 46 pages; 1 tapes, 1 7/8 ips; no index
Scope and Content Note: Fred Whaley, born 1901, talks about his employment in Bloomington, Indiana before the Great Depression and in the seventies when he moved back. His many jobs include working as a teamster hauling lumber, farming, cab driving, making furniture, and housekeeping for Indiana University. He discusses his duties at each job.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-051
Physical Description: 57 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 120 minutes; no index; photograph of interviewee
Scope and Content Note: Elmer Winkler, born in Wichita, Kansas in 1930, discusses his experience with the Rock Island Refining Corporation, of which he was president at the time of this interview. He speaks of a variety of issues relating to the production of fuel oil and details the development of the company and the effect it had on the community. He mentions the company's relationship with its union OCAW, and steps taken to abide by EPA regulations. Finally, he provides an overview of the technological innovations he has witnessed in the company and considers options for alternative energy sources.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-008
Physical Description: 25 pages; 1 reel, 1 7/8 ips, 60 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Eugene H. Wolfe, born on October 29, 1922, discusses his career in the railroad industry, focusing on his employment with Monon Railroad in southern Indiana. He speaks of the Monon Railroad's role as a connector railroad, carrying tonnage from other railroads outside of the state, and he shares his opinion that the future of railroads in America lies in increased freight hauling. Mr. Wolfe also comments on the change from steam to diesel train engines in the post-World War II era.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 78-011
Physical Description: 70 pages; 2 reels, 1 7/8 ips, 170 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Born in 1938, Arthur Wright discusses energy economics, focusing mainly on petroleum, oil, and natural gas, consumption, imports, and price controls. He speaks of the United States' current lack of economic and energy efficiency with regard to the use of natural resources and the so-called energy crisis of the late nineteen seventies. Professor Wright also comments on alternative energy sources, such as solar and nuclear power, and emphasizes the need for the United States and the world to create a comprehensive, economically efficient energy policy.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 80-029
Physical Description: not transcribed; three video masters of interview--part one with the interviewee, part two on the same tape with James Robb 79-40, and a third tape lacking audio, 80 minutes
Language: English .
Scope Note: Daniel Wright, born in 1918, speaks about the communal living settlement, God's Valley or Padanaram that he co-founded in September 1966. He recalls several jobs he had prior to the founding as well as aspirations of becoming a medical missionary during his youth. Particular focus is on the struggles of the first few years and on the establishment of a saw mill at the settlement in 1968. He discusses his religious philosophy and the founding principles, which the settlement adopted.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-044
Physical Description: 36 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 120 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Charles Yeager, born in 1918 and raised on a farm, discusses his successful career as a farmer in Carroll County. He elaborates on acquiring farm land and details the significant rise in the price of land and equipment. He speaks extensively about technological advances in agriculture and the various changes he has seen throughout his life. Mr. Yeager talks about his business and explains his primary interests in farming: hog and poultry production and feed manufacturing. Finally, he speaks about the success of Carroll County as a farming community and expresses some complaints about regulations from organizations like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open
No(s): 79-038
Physical Description: 34 pages; 1 reel, 4.7 cps, 120 minutes; no index
Scope and Content Note: Bernard Youngs, born on June 19, 1928, traces his family's history in the Indiana coal industry, beginning in 1934. He discusses changes in mining technology, the effects of World War II on the industry, the quality or grade of Indiana coal, and what the process of coal beneficiation entails. Mr. Youngs also describes the federal government taking over many coal mines during and just after World War II.
Indexed Terms:
Access Status: Open