Oral Histories

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1 interview with Daniel Jourlait, Director of the French School. Jourlait discusses the DML; the kinds of students the French school attracts; technology used in the French school; hiring faculty; the language pledge; French stereotypes; United States-France relations; history of France; reputation of SLS; diversifying faculty; summer program for teachers; Battell hall; and duties of the director.

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1 interview with Joseph Kasper. Kasper discusses faculty-student relations; Storrs Lee; student council; Mr. Hepburn; how he wanted to leave college to work; how he came back to Middlebury; Professor Stevens; Jewish discrimination; religious diversity; socio-economic breakdown; President Moody; Elbert Cole; Trustees; growth of the student body; town gown relations; World War I; hazing; pranking; his college roommate; Harvard; and President Stratton.

Scope and Contents 1 interview with Elizabeth Kelly by Ron Nief. In her interview, Kelly discusses former Deans of Women and their reputations, living in Forrest Hall with the students, leading the Student Union, getting to know the students, fraternities, working as a Red Cross psychiatrist, reuniting with her brother in Manila, receiving her degree from Mt. Holyoke, working as a library secretary at Mt. Holyoke, over-enrollment, student parties in apartments, handling noise complaints, student discipline,...

Scope and Contents 1 interview with Elizabeth Walt Baker Kelly. Kelly discusses how she started working at Middlebury; what she likes about Middlebury; the isolation of the campus; dress code; being social director; dormitories; new buildings on campus; strict regulations on women; being a veteran; characteristics of the students; sororities racial discrimination; the end of sororities; the difficulties of her job; her relationship with the students; town gown relations; keeping in touch with former students;...

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1 interview with Konrad Kenkel, Director of the German School. Kenkel discusses his job of hiring faculty; teaching German culture; what kind of students come to language schools; different approaches in teaching German; German studies; teaching German literature; how Middlebury compares to study abroad; east, west German college professors; competion for German school; dwindling interest in German; Berlin wall; German school guest speakers; total immersion; and the 5th week slump.

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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. Listen to sophomore undergraduate Shenisis Kirkland, Class of 2020, share her thoughts in her own words.

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1 interview with Alexis Klimoff, Professor of Russian at the Russian School.Klimoff dicusses what kinds of students come to Middlebury; what he likes about Middlebury; graduate students; study abroad in Moscow; Misha Fayer; Tom Bayer; limitations for Americans to study in Russian before the 80's; decline in students studying Russian; projecting the future of Russian language students; types of Russian immigrants; and immigrant faculty.

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In this oral history interview with Arielle Landau, Class of 2021, Landau discusses watching the election results come in on election night, waking up on the morning after election day, and self-care.

Scope and Contents 1 interview with Adelma Hadley Lardner, Class of 1928. Lardner discusses President Moody; Eleanor Ross; Women's College; Middlebury rules and restrictions; student government; why she chose Middlebury College; Fraternity houses; competition for colleges; working as head of Forest Hall; social activities; tea dances; McCullough gym; female male interactions; professions for women after graduation; Margret Peck; the liberalization of Middlebury rules; Middlebury traditions; intramural sports;...

Scope and Contents An interview of Peter Lavenbaum, Middlebury College Class of 1967 by Tom Alderman. Lavenbaum discusses events while he was at Middlebury; the civil right act; Vietnam war; editing the newspaper; alcohol use; marijuana use; why he chose Middlebury; English major; creative writing; fraternity; "the alibi" the mill; Delta Upsilon; student social life; rushing; peace corps; teaching; working as a counselor; graduate psychology degree; college activities; town gown relations; big brother big...

Scope and Contents 1 interview with Russell Leng (Class of 1960) by Deborah Clifford. Leng discusses student life; the difference between high school students and college students; Fraternity; administration pressure on fraternities; changes in social order of students overtime; President Stratton; how Middlebury has changed overtime; the growth of academic departments; student faculty relations; faculty relations; high faculty turnover rate; student guidance; benefits of fraternities; honors program;...

Scope and Contents 1 interview with Michael Lettieri, Director of the Italian School. Lettieri discusses his job as director; good qualities of faculty members; diversifying faculty; what kinds of students attend Italian school; DML vs PhD; future for Italian students; difficulties of SLS; balancing teaching speaking and grammar; how technology affects teaching; connecting language and culture; use of Italian in Canada; the future for Italian; what makes Middlebury stand out; research on campus to evaluate...

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 third year undergraduate Clark Lewis share her thoughts in her own words. Clark recommends various library resources including audio cd 21507 "Malibu" by Anderson Paak, use of the go.middlebury.edu/requests form that allows community members to request purchases, the use of Kanopy, a streaming service to which the library...

Scope and Contents 1 .wav file containing oral history interview with Marissa Lewis (Class of 2023.5/2024), conducted by Special Collections Oral History Intern Ambar Vasquez-Mitra, Class of 2025.Introduction. (0:20); PALANA social house. PALANA house. Safe community space for BIPOC at Midd. Creating connections through events. (1:09); PALANA house history. Preview days pre-covid 19'. International House. Palmer House (3:05); Role on the board as treasurer. SAO finance committee and allocation...

Scope and Contents 1 interview with Judith Liskin-Gasparro, Lecturer in Spanish and Assistant for Special Programs in the Language Schools. During the interview, Liskin-Gasparro discusses the proficiency movement.Liskin-Gasparro also discusses foreign language teaching methodology; proficiency guidelines; pressure on teachers; curriculum; teaching grammar; marketing; French and Spanish combined masters; what kind of students attend SLS; how much a student can improve in one summer; her dissertation on the...

Scope and Contents 2 audio cassette tapes containing interview with David J. Littlefield, Middlebury College Professor of English, conducted by Allison Kirk. Littlefield discusses how he got his position at Middlebury; PhD from Yale; Douglas Beers; winter term; film courses; Antioch law school; isolation of Middlebury; court system; being chairman of the division of humanities; President Armstrong; being chairman of the English department; firing staff; turning down being chairman of the English department;...

Scope and Contents 1 interview with Isabel Livosky, Professor of Spanish at the Spanish School. Livosky discusses the language pledge; the kinds of people who attend SLS; SLS facilities; the Spanish courses that she teaches; importance of teaching culture; diversity among Spanish speaking countries; the relationship between Spain and Latin America; Spanish civil war; guest speakers; Afredo Ramon; Fernando Savater; why people learn Spanish; old students vs. young students; SLS alumni visiting Middlebury; what...

Scope and Contents 1 .wav file containing oral history interview with Evelyn Magdaleno, Class of 2024, conducted by Special Collections Oral History Intern, Ambar Vasquez-Mitra, Class of 2025.Introduction. Chicago Posse Scholar 24'. JusTalks Coordinator. (0:08); Office of Education of Diversity Equity and Inclusion. Anti Racist Content Manager. Freedom Dreaming. (0:49); Covid At Middlebury. Culture shock.Rural area. Covid Restrictions. Lack of Connection in Student Body. Online Classes (1:40);...

Scope and Contents 1 interview with Mary Wisotzkey McClellan, Middlebury College Class of 1945, by Joice Pangalila.Class 1945, came to the college from Pennsylvania. She was a Home-Economics major but changed to American Literature. She loved the college and her friends (01:13); She played team sports (soccer, basketball, volleyball) and received her 1,000 AA Point Jacket. (02:20); Social life at school were gym dances on Saturday nights. Female college was separate from the men's college. Monday...

Scope and Contents 1 interview with Louise (Hubbard) McCoy, Middlebury College Class of 1936, by Tom Alderman. During the interview, McCoy discusses her Rochester home; Depression; the French major; the music minor; living in the Chateau; her career; performing arts; her Sorbonne fellowship; acquaintances; her undergraduate experience; Middlebury/MIT affiliation; student social life; academics; her status as first in her class at Middlebury; family; post-graduate Middlebury relationships; Robert Frost; meeting...

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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. Listen to Middlebury College junior Sarady Merghani talk about her background and make recommendations of library resources. Sarady highlights the works The Ideology of Slavery edited by Drew Giplin Faust, Against Slavery by Mason Lowance and An Appeal by David Walker.

Scope and Contents An oral history interview collected by Rebekah Irwin and Danielle Rougeau with Middlebury College undergraduates Alice Butler, Tricia Nelsen, and Emily Elizabeth Kelly, all Class of 2019 graduates about their political involvement in the Middlebury Sunday Night Environmental Group (formerly the Sunday Night Group). Topics include political tactics, Trustees, divestment from fossil fuels in the College's investment portfolio, and Energy 2028, the College's committment to transition to 100...

Scope and Contents 1 .mp4 and 1 .m4a file containing oral history interview conducted over Zoom with former members of the Middlebury College Women's Soccer Team, conducted by Special Collections Oral History Intern, Beatrice Donovan, Class of 2023.5. Alumni interviewed include Alissa Huntington, Class of 2018; Maddie (Morgan) McLellan, Class of 2018; and Abby Blyler, Class of 2020.Introduction. Alissa Huntington. Class of 2018. Environmental Economics Major. Spanish Minor. Middlebury Women's...

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Interview with Mike Heaney '64, conducted by Fred Stetson '65 with college archivist Danielle Rougeau at the Axinn Center Sound Booth on December 10, 2019.

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Three oral history interviews conducted by College Archivist Danielle Rougeau with Mike Schoenfeld, Chief Philanthropic Advisor, College Advancement.

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Oral history interview collected by Danielle Rougeau with Mike Schoenfeld, Chief Philanthropic Advisor, College Advancement. During the interview, Schoenfeld discusses his background and scholarships.

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Interview with Mike Schoenfeld, Senior VP and Chief Philanthropic Advisor, College Advancement, collected by Danielle Rougeau, College Archivist. During the interview, Schoenfeld discusses the complexities of the Bread Loaf lands conservation project; working with Louis Bacon, Class of 1979; working with other offices on campus; and working with donors in support of the academic mission.

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1 interview with Richard P. Mills, Middlebury College Class of 1966. During the interview, Mills discusses his undergraduate experience; the history major; Middlebury during the 1960s; his decision to attend Middlebury; academics; student social life; Bread Loaf; his career as an educator; how Middlebury has contributed to his career; Middlebury connections; changes at Middlebury; and the relationship between Middlebury College and the town of Middlebury, Vermont.

Scope and Contents 1 interview with T. Richardson Miner, Jr. (Class of 1958) by Deborah Clifford. Miner discusses Middlebury's changes over time; Middlebury's strict rules; blue key; traditions; dress code; Korean War; athletics; student activities; service organizations; campus publications; pledging fraternities; Freshman activities commitee; popularity of fraternities on campus; campus leaders; advocating for fraternities; Hepburn; the social order of Middlebury; sororities; student body size; Elizabeth...

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In this interview, Jade Moses, Class of 2020, speak about her impressions of race and ethnicity here. One of the books she references with the character "Buddy" is Richard Wright's Native Son; it was Ralph Ellison who wrote Invisible Man. Other library resources Jade recommends include Whistling Vivaldi by Claude M. Steele, works by bell hooks, Richard Wright's Black Boy, the documentary 13th directed by Ava DuVernay and The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander.