Oral Histories

Scope and Contents 1 interview with Rafael Castillo and Ion Agheana, Professors of Spanish at the Spanish School. They discussed how long they have taught at Middlebury and Madrid; how he started teaching undgraduates; extra-curricular activities; Spanish school theatre; benefits of the American environment; difficulties in teaching accelerated Spanish; how technology has affected teaching; critiquing testing methods; education industry; Summer students vs. winter students; stereotypes about Spanish people;...

Scope and Contents 1 interview with T. Richard Chi, Director of the Chinese School.Chi discusses creating the curriculum; proficiency tests; teaching Chinese language and culture; hiring new teachers; native vs. non-native teachers; what kinds of people go to Chinese School; how China is changing; Chinese politics; the significance of Mandrin; total immersion; language acquisition theory; competiton for Chinese School; tuition; teaching beginner students; Chinese cultural activities; teacher training workshop;...

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1 digitized conversation between Roman Christiaens and Amanda Reinhardt recorded at the Listening for Community booth, March 29, 2017.

Scope and Contents 1 interview with John H. Clagett, Middlebury College Professor of English. Clagett discusses the Naval academy; Yale; creative writing; size of faculty; student faculty ratio; major requirements; salary for Professors; President Stratton; President Armstrong; Walter Brooker; Armstrong's favoritism; his fiction writing courses; how he started writing; his writing inspiration; low salary; why he retired; Howard Munford; faculty administration relations; tenure; student faculty relations;...

Scope and Contents 1 audio cassette tape containing interview collected by David Stameshkin and Deborah Clifford with members of the Class of 1924 at their 50th reunion in 1974. Topics discussed include: why they chose Middlebury; tuition and economic status of students; the role of fraternities and sororities on campus; "neutrals" (students who were not members of Greek societies); sorority "rooms" in town; cars on campus; school spirit and pride; student housing; student supervision and chaperones;...

Scope and Contents 24 digital video files available at the Internet Archive. The majority of recordings used Zoom software. Automated, uncorrected transcripts exist for some recordings. Contact specialcollections@middlebury.edu for more information. Middlebury College students who interviewed alumni include: Kanyinsola Omoba; Gwen Davis; Kayden Lemee; Kimmaya Ayers; Iris Ethier; Katie Futterman; Eliane Odefey; Daisy Kulina; Roxanna Alvarado; Maggie Hannis; Tamika Samuels; Julian...

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1 10-minute interview with Deborah Clifford conducted by David Stameshkin. In the interview, Clifford discusses interviews she has conducted that pertain to President Moody; railroading students; President Armstrong; segregating the college; "Nita" Cook; Adelma Hadley Lardner; and Marion Young.

Scope and Contents 1 interview with Nicholas Clifford, Middlebury College Professor of History and Trustee. During the interview, Clifford discusses his educational background and professional experience; his recruitment by President Armstrong; research interests; his teaching philosophy and style; a comparison of Presidents Armstrong, Robison, and McCardell; problems facing higher education; the effects of the changing student population; efforts to increase diversity; decision making; the role of women at...

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1 interview with Almy Coggeshall, Middlebury College Class of 1940, by Joice Pangalila at Coggeshall's 55th reunion. Coggeshall discussed why he chose Middlebury College; fraternities; social activities; Mountain Club; camping trips; Middlebury Campus; Hepburn dormitory; chemistry; reunion; male and female relations on campus; restrictions on women; Dean of Women, Eleanor Ross; Sudetenland crisis; his writing tutor; and his life's work.

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1 interview with Elbert Charles Cole (Class of 1915) by David Stameshkin. Cole discusses athletics; dances; sororities; social life; Pearsons Hall; McCullough gym; baseball field; new chapel; President Moody; old campus; student jobs; undergroud railroad at Brainerd's house; Redfield Proctor; trustees; Mrs. Moody; Alexander Twilight; World War II; alumni events; E. Pruda Wiley; commencement; and Dwanye Robinson.

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Includes audio and text files containing interviews, interview transcripts, planning documents, to-do lists, training documents, and outreach materials.

Scope and Contents 1 interview with Lydia Juanita "Nita" Cook, Middlebury College class of 1926. During the interview, Cook discusses her return to campus in 1929 as the wife of Reginald L. Cook, Professor of English; the role of faculty wives; changes at the College while her husband was on the faculty; her husband as a teacher (lectures, reaction papers, high expectations); her husband's retirement; Bread Loaf experience; assisting her husband; Middlebury during World War II; recollections from student days;...

Scope and Contents 1 interview with Lois Craig, Middlebury College class of 1937. During the interview, she discusses why she chose Middlebury College; social rules; her introduction to scholarship; American Literature; Dr. Reginald L. Cook; women scholars; sorority life; the Depression era; post-graduate training; the job market for women; dating; class reunions; faculty wives; alumnae secretary; educational counseling; Marion Holmes; Peace Corps; the Hoover/FDR transition in Washington, D.C.; changes at...

Scope and Contents 1 interview with John V. Craven, Middlebury College Professor of Economics. Craven discusses his transition into Middlebury; economics; Eisenhower; working for Washington; Colgate; teaching graduate programs; getting his degree; President Stratton; Faculty publications; changes after Stratton; student faculty relationship; junior faculty; tenure; being invited to be chair; trying to grow the department; Marxism; capitalism; politics; running for state treasurer; comparing Stratton to other...

Scope and Contents Literatures & Cultures Librarian Katrina Spencer engages members of the community who trace their origins to the broad black diaspora(s) of the world. Listen to Middlebury College's Director of Admissions Nicole Curvin talk about her background and make recommendations of library resources. In her interview, Nicole highlights the Netflix series Dear White People directed by Justin Simien, the novel The Leavers by Lisa Ko, the film Hidden Figures directed by Theodore Melfi and Life in...

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1 audio cassette tape containing interview with Janice (Eldredge) Day, Middlebury College Class of 1941, conducted by Tom Alderman at Hadley House. The interview was conducted for Day's 55th reunion. Day discusses reunion; her experience as an English major; what Middlebury students do after graduation; her sales experience; her husband's donation to the school; scholarships; and Middlebury's tuition.

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1 digitized conversation between Katharine DeLorenzo and Shawna Shapiro, recorded at the Listening for Community booth, April 10, 2017.

Scope and Contents 1 interview with Jim Douglas, Middlebury College Class of 1972 and Governor of Vermont by Tom Alderman. During the interview, Douglas discusses alumni relations; political activism; young Republicans; WRMC news director; student strike; moratorium; the burning of Recitation Hall; the break-in at ROTC; the Russian major; the status of Middlebury College; 1970 Nixon rally; Douglas' political career; the 1972 Vermont House of Representatives; his time as Executive Assistant to the Governor in...

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Literatures & Cultures Librarian Katrina Spencer engages members of the community who trace their origins to the broad black diaspora(s) of the world. Here, Spencer interview Kyle Dudley, Class of 2009 and Assistant Head Men's Basketball Coach (2013-).

Scope and Contents 1 interview with Natalie H. Dunsmoor, Middlebury College Class of 1935, by Joice Pangalila at Dunsmoor's 60th reunion. Dunsmoor discusses reunions; why she went to Middlebury; her academic challenges; Mountain club; Alumni college; the Moodys; winter carnival; scholarships; working as a waitress; what she did in her free time; sociology trips; being a teacher; Chateau; French; customs and traditions; tea dances; formals; sororities; sigma kappa; tennis; Dr. Reginald Cook; co-ed dorms;...

Scope and Contents Interview with Gordie Eaton, Class of 1962, and Michael Schoenfeld, conducted by College Archivist Danielle Rougeau at Davis Family Library. Eaton discusses skiing; John Bower; Hall of Famers; types of skiing; jumpers; when they started being competitive; World War II; slalom races; championship events every two years; qualifying for the national team; Olympics in the 1960s; NCAA National Championships; Buddy Warner; how he broke his leg; getting a concussion; skiing movies; how Buddy died...

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1 interview with Ruth Mercer (Brown) Ells-Crane, Middlebury College Class of 1934. During the interview, Ells-Crane discusses the Mountain Club; why she came to Middlebury; President Moody; life at Middlebury for women; environmental issues; war; Depression; sororities and fraternities; academics; life after Middlebury; motion pictures in the 1930s; travel and Alaska; family; and the future of Middlebury College.

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1 interview with Henry "Pete" Erbe, Jr., Middlebury College Class of 1959. During the interview, Erbe discusses why he chose to go to Middlebury; academics; his role as class president for three years; Judicial Council; Chi Psi; his role as president of Chi Psi at Middlebury; views on the world then and now; military - ROTC; skiing; politics; and changes in student life.

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1 interview with Paul Sigurd Eriksson, Middlebury College class of 1940. During the interview, Eriksson discusses why he chose Middlebury College; college sports; academic challenges; the financial cost of college; fraternity rush; serving as Campus business manager, fraternity steward, and chapel janitor; and student social life.

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1 interview with Peggy Eriksson, Middlebury College class of 1942. During the interview, Eriksson discusses married women at Middlebury; chapel and choir; being married by President Moody; why she chose Middlebury College; the French major; military service; turmoil under President Stratton; racial issues; petitions and protests; and committee reports.

Scope and Contents 1 interview with Ruth Wheaton Evans, Middlebury College Class of 1944. During the interview, Evans discusses a scout leader who introduced her to Middlebury and encouraged her in her application to the College; the English major; teaching; restrictions on behavior as a student; her role as first woman editor of the Campus newspaper; women making up the majority of the student body during the war; World War II; Middlebury College presidents; Stephen Freeman; and the impact Middlebury has had...

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1 interview with Jane Howard Fiske (Class of 1939) by Deborah Clifford. Fiske discusses prohibition; having students living with her family; President Moody; coeducation; careers for women after graduation; town gown relations; V12; UVM; leaving college to get married; the Great Depression; student jobs; Professor Richard Brown; Eleanor Ross; restrictions on women; living off campus; and compulsory chapel.

Scope and Contents 1 interview with S. Fleming, H. Domizio, and K. Li, Professors of Chinese at the Chinese School.They discuss how long they have been teaching; what they like about teaching; methods of evaluation; why students study Chinese; audiolingual language teaching; real world needs of students; pedagogical techniques; types of students; jobs of current Chinese School students; teaching culture in the classroom; teaching social behavior and norms; raising student to teacher ratio; salary;...

Scope and Contents 1 interview with Jackie Flickinger, former Director of Student Activities at Middlebury College. Flickinger discusses moving to Middlebury; how she got her position at Middlebury; fraternities; winter carnival; winter term; student organizations; student social events; the campus; student information center; gender segregation on campus; the start of co-ed dorms; changing of the drinking age; gender discrimination; John Bowker; WRMC; Environmental quality club; school dances; Middlebury's...

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1 interview with Wendell F. Forbes, Middlebury College class of 1951. During the interview, Forbes discusses his graduating class, sports, professional and minor league baseball, his coaching career at Middlebury, football, hockey, golf, baseball, scholar-athletes, as well as the relationship between Middlebury College and the town of Middlebury, Vermont.