Oral Histories P-T

Palmer, Maurice - September 1, 1993 - early life in Iowa; education; teaching chemistry at Kent State; car accident; marriage; Mrs. Palmer; chemistry department; Palmer house; moving of house; Kent family; description of house; daughters; wife's death; John Brown; farms in Kent; presidents at Kent State; teaching during WWII; work with Standard Oil; work with Goodyear; successful students; changes in chemistry; opinion of Kent; more on Kent family; Steinway piano; daughters' careers; trips to Europe; liquid crystal institute; living alone; more about house and his moving. [transcribed]

Pearson, Rev. Carl - November 30, 1992 - no tape; bibliographic information only; background of church; Kent in 1958; university yields growth of church; ministerial duties; association with civil rights; minister association combined with federal law; Fred Thomas; segregation in Portage County; fighting discrimination in Kent and Toledo; campus life in the 1960s; SDS; May 4, 1970, Vietnam and Nixon; faculty disturbance; church and town members divided over student conduct; Reverend's impact on church and community; assist in personal counseling; high school and college effect on vocation; college life; Boston University Seminary; teaching at University of Toledo; hospital chaplain; appointment to Kent; marriage and life in Milford; living in Kent; separation of church and state; prayer in school; coalition among different churches; United Churches Women's Missionary Program; ministerial meetings and Kenwood Silver Meadows tutoring program; church and community; disenfranchisement of churches; cycle effect in church attendance; fundamental churches; future of United Methodist Church.

Peoples, Albert (tape #1) - April 16, 1991 - life in Kentucky and Kent, Ohio; black community in Kent; occupation and job description; Civil Rights Commission in Kent; Welfare Department and Lana Faust; political leaders in Kent; effects of NAACP and civil rights movement in Kent; Jackie Robinson/Albert Peoples, breaking the color barrier; changing times; acceptance of discrimination; modern times; the establishment; May 4, 1970; killing of black leaders; Rainbow Coalition; voting patterns of blacks; summary of 1960s; summary of 1970s; changes in Kent; why A. Peoples stayed in Kent; the future; the 1930s; the 1940s; the 1950s and 1960s; the 1970s; the 1980s.

Peoples, Albert (tape #2) - April 16, 1991 (continued from tape #1)

Petrella, Paul - 4/22/93 - changes in Kent over time; ethnic neighborhoods and employment; crime in Kent; loss of harmony in Kent; marriage and career; impact of KSU on community; KSU police force; police chief Thompson; preparation for May 4, 1970; composition of crowds; students and demonstrations; warnings; fires in downtown Kent; media coverage; trouble spots in downtown Kent; equipment available to police force; rumors; reaction of average citizen to May 4th; merchant's reactions; relationship between police and students; quote from security chief Swartzmiller; Dr. Glen Frank; location of residence; scapegoats; relationships with govt. officials; influence of Dr. Frank; National Guard; issues; handling of May 4 1970.

Pierce, Roy (tape #1) - April 22, 1991 - place and date of birth; description of Streetsboro in 1916; life and population in early Streetsboro; first use of electricity in Streetsboro; early refrigeration and Kent Sanitary Ice Company; Albert Waite; Indian tribes of Streetsboro region; wildlife in Streetsboro; Streetsboro School; baseball in Streetsboro; land purchase for Wise School; effects of WWI and influenza epidemic; cattle industry in Moran Township; the Depression and farming; recovery of Streetsboro and highway construction; WWII and local economy; effect of highway construction on farming; industry and business in Streetsboro; education in Streetsboro; loss and regain of Streetsboro Charter; 1962 sell out of Kent feed business; May 4, 1970; Streetsboro's growth; new businesses; analysis of city's growth; predicted future growth of city; Pierce Library; goals of library.

Pierce, Roy (tape #2) - July 16, 1991 - tape only; no bibliographic information.

Pirl, Jesse - May 2, 1990 - early background and move to Kent; work at Goodrich in Akron; work at Twin Coach; inventions at Twin Coach; relays vs. boxes in coach; developed foot switch and other inventions; colored wire development; different positions at Twin Coach; gas-electric milk wagons for Cleveland; WWII; the blimp; Fageol and being sent to Goodyear; aluminum chassis; crew broke jaws; days and hours plant was open; member of Engineers of Akron; Heinz Plant description; being laid off; courses with University of Akron teachers; complaints about job; Mr. Fageol and employees; the union; rivets; why Twin Coach went out of business; Fageol's deal with GM engineer; problem with center door; selling of patent rights; items bought by Jesse Pirl; picture of fellow employees; "The Insider"; bus picture; picture of electricians; two shifts; development of headlight; development of pad to open door; Twin Coach and Kent economy; attitude of people; the Fageol family.

Paolucci, David - November 28, 1990 - background; work on Hunsicker Farm; work at Battaglia's; muck farming; hard dirt farming; Kent City streets and mill; watering stops in Kent; Armstrong store and watering hole; Comfort Station; Williams Brothers Mill; flour mill; Lowblind's Furniture Factory; first job at Lowblind's; Judge Robinson and quitting school; supporting family and father's search for work; work day shortened; John L. Lewis organizes coal mines with safety features; father's work in West Virginia coal mine; mine deaths; father trapped in cave; move back to Ohio; father not an American citizen; father's citizenship and work at Fire Yards; muck and dairy farming; marriage to Hunsicker granddaughter; joins National Guard; children; WWII breaks out; service in WWII; African campaign; Italy; Stars and Stripes; England; invasion of France; Fred Apsharp; Battle of the Bulge; Darlene Apsharp; race horses; first house built by Mr. Paolucci; excavating service; plumbing business; builds thirteen gas stations in one year; East School Street house moved for McDonald's; jobs in service; medals in war; wife's community service; Ethel Bancroft and Woman's Auxiliary; African American Quartermasters; tank movements by Patton; five battle stars; return to states after WWII; first wife's affair; life in Germany after war; looting; working at Kimse hospital; move back to U.S.; divorce; remarriage to first wife; larger population in Kent; "4 F'ers" and propaganda; disability from service; rights of our country; May 4, 1970; Persian Gulf Crisis; growth of KSU; hobbies; student activities; fire at Huckleberry Swamp.

Porthouse, Cyrl R. - December 4, 1989 - early life, family background, and first job; start of career at Pyramid Rubber Company; progression from General Manager to President; early days and struggles at Pyramid Rubber; company products; effect of WWII on company; Mr. Porthouse's role on home front; technology in baby bottling field; transition of company; business competition in 1940s and 1950s; move from Akron to Twin Lakes; purchase of Pyramid Company; Evenflo trade name; purchase of Spaulding Co. by Questor; roles as president of various company divisions; Goodyear Chemical; Postwar society; union and labor relations; today's business attitudes towards consumers; bankruptcy of Questor Corp. and retirement; present day Porthouse family; business climate of today; children; European Economic Community and U.S. trade policies.

Porthouse, Mrs. Cyrl R. - April 25, 1991 - background of early life and move to Kent; early married life; purchase of Evenflo; enrollment of children at University School; closing of University School and its effect on community; May 4, 1970 and its effect; involvement and contributions to Porthouse Theater; charitable involvement with area hospitals; building of Robinson Memorial Hospital; volunteer work at hospitals; fundraisers; Athenus Society; history of Evenflo Company in Ravenna; the Red Cross; building of Rockwell Library; description of Kent State campus; growth of Kent State; the Kent State Museum; President Olds' role in getting the museum; museum growth and collections; first museum curator, Stella Blum; impressions of KSU presidents; impression of Carol Cartwright; renovation of Curtiss House; President White; President Olds; Vice President Roskins; President Schwartz; Kent State athletics; Dick Crum; history of Church of Christ of Kent; church's ministers; church charities.

Pownall, Roscoe - March 30, 1992 - background and early life in Highland County, Ohio; move to Kent; purpose of the roundhouse; kids tricks and train engines; beginning of mill in 1927; work as a miller; electricity in the mill; employees of the mill; jute sacks; railroad man at the mill; impressions of Mr. Kent; impressions of Mr. Miller and combination lock; mill work during Depression; railroad work during WWII; beagles and the Beagle Club; unions at the mill; May 4, 1970; reactions to May 4th; New York lawyer who defended students; soaping car tires in 1930s; trading material; ride with bootleggers.

Read, Gerald - April 10, 1996 - background in Akron; educational background; hiring at Kent State and development of workshops; interests in international education and development of seminars on international education; visits to Europe and Soviet Union in the 1950s; problems at Kent State due to visits to Communist countries; development of Center for the Study of Socialist Education; return to Soviet Union and teacher exchanges with Poland and Hungary; obtaining research grants; trips the third world countries; vouchers and public education and socialist education; relationships between students and professors; introduction of Graduate and Doctoral programs at Kent State; Mona Fletcher; pressures to publish, tenure, and pensions; international education; Meritocracy and Kent in 1936; Kent during Vietnam and changes in admissions requirements; City of Kent during May 4th killings; future of Kent State; development of Kent State's Doctoral programs and being a professor.

Richards, Richard - April 27, 1995 - Richards family history from 1888 to present; purchase of Standing Rock Greenhouse; change business name to Richards Flowers and become member of F.T.D.A.; death of Richard Mann Richards; F.T.D.A.'s history and purpose; changes in uses of flowers; physical changes made to Richards Flowers; gift shop added; James Arthur Richards in WWII; Richards brothers reorganize business; Richard Richards quits school in ninth grade; Richards Flowers ranks in top 200 florists in country; Richard Richards buys out store; changes in Kent community; use of delivery truck; gift shop enhances business; family business; wife's work for business; labeling business; competition of large florist chains; key to successful business; floral designers; community requests for donations; joint business ventures; taxes; technological changes in business; Men's Gardening Club and Lion's Club; boss of the year award; government regulation of florists; becoming a florist; traveling with the F.T.D.A.

Rinaldi, Joseph - November 5, 1990 - position at Gougler Industries; war production at Gougler Industries; Mason Tire and Rubber Company; Davey Tree and Gougler Industries; type of work of Gougler Industries; other Kent industries and war production; railroad in Kent; Kent "flats"; industry brought by railroad; effect of KSU on Kent; glass factory in Kent; Joe Rinaldi's teaching; schooling at KSU; dealing with prejudice; labor movement in Kent; Lamb Electric strike; Depression years in Kent; growth of KSU; athletics in Kent in the 20s and 30s; May 4, 1970; Cleveland Browns and Northeast Ohio; sports at Kent State; Joe Begala; Joe Rinaldi - Hall of Fame.

Sapp, Ted - April 30, 1990 - birth information; family roots and Indian story; occupations and Kent College background; the Depression in Kent; govt. programs in Kent during the Depression; FDR; Ronald Reagan and George Bush; Kent's reaction to Pearl Harbor; WWII military exemption; women working during WWII; war rationing in Kent; citizens' victory expectations in WWII; the 1950s and Mccarthy; Erie Railroad and Kent's first blacks; acts of racism in Kent; political beliefs after WWII; voting in Kent after WWII; influences for party affiliation; Portage County voter registration; Governor Davey; reaction to JFK's assassination; voter sympathies after assassination; Kent reaction to Kennedy; Vietnam War and Vietnam veterans; Sapp's role on May 4th committee; committee's review of first May 4th memorial; Bush and Panama; Kent Roosevelt High School; Sapp's political positions; political conflicts on Kent City Council; Kent Bog; reflections on Kent.

Sapp, Ted - May 1990 (?)- background in Kent; childhood neighborhood; livestock kept at current address; Kent's beginning as an agricultural college; President McGilvery's hobby; self-sufficiency of the neighborhoods; swinging bridge to railroad center; building of a box car home; railroads effects on Kent boarding houses; dangers and hazards of railroads; railroad strike and blacks as strike breakers; Kent flats and ethnic groups; grocery stores out of homes; Mason Tire; Gougler Machine; grandfather's store; other neighborhood industries; ice shops; Davey Compressor Company; effects of Depression on Kent economy; garden products in neighborhoods; Kent livestock; from neighborhood shops to large industries; decline of neighborhood industry and agriculture; effects of the university; effects of losing Erie Railroad; graduating from KSU during Depression; B.F. Goodrich fails to reinvest in its factories; unions and the tire industry; towns and gowns; carpetbaggers; KSU and Twin Lakes; KSU employees; history under Dr. Roberts; KSU as a research university.

Satrom, Leroy - April 19, 1992 - campaigning for office in Kent; May 4, 1970; media coverage of May 4, 1970; citizens' reaction to events of May 4th; campus protests and rallies; Kent's image after May 4th incident; optional action of mayor concerning May 4th; roots in community; changes in politics in Kent; campaign issues; Kent's school system; Vietnam War; army service in WWII; work on Panama Canal; family life; life in Kent; Robert White; meeting JFK and John Glenn; meeting other govt. officials; changes in Kent community; fire in downtown Kent; bridges collapsing in Kent; retirement.

Scherer, Donald C. - December 3, 1996 - history of Kent family and how the Masons acquired Kent home; public access to Masonic Temple; principles of Masons; lodge diversity and levels; minorities and Masonic membership; Masonic activities; founding of Kent Masonic Lodge; personal involvement with Masonic Lodge; declining membership; memories as a Mason; changes in Kent; growth of KSU; WWI effects on Masonic Temple; WWII effects on Masonic Temple; May 4, 1970; meetings; teaching career.

Sellman, Paul - May 7, 1992 - tape only; no bibliographic information.

Sitler, Ruth - December 12, 1996 - reasons for involvement in flying; Powder Puff Derby in 1969; member of the 99th Organization of Women Pilots; registration for Kent State flight program; preparation for Powder Puff Derby; problems encountered during race; first female chief at KSU Airport; treatment by men in Federal Aviation Association; FAA investigation into university flight schools; increase in women in aviation; Ruby Menching; Carol Cartwright; President and Mrs. White; President White and May 4, 1970; University presidents' support of Powder Puff Derby; university presidents' view on flying program; learning to fly; discriminatory practices in flight industry; male students; teaching aviation; university vs. private flight schools; tea with Mrs. Nixon; education and Master's degree; Ph.D. and people's perception of pilots; contributions to the flight program.

Smith, Evangeline - May 4, 1984 - West Main Street homes and residents of the 1900s; childhood memories; West Main Street neighborhood and neighbors; family background; grandfather's occupation as a veterinarian; childhood games; WWI memories; experiences at Central School; Cuyahoga House; flour mill and ghost; Carnegie Library; war bond drive for WWI; Dr. Emily Whiticome as family doctor; the Kent family; early beauty shops and Mrs. Mary Kent's wigs; family funeral customs; diptheria; calling and calling cards; scouting; East Main Street families and residences; Disciples of Christ revivals; brother's birth; community clean-up and grandfather's movie camera; Peg Leg Brooks; women as cleaners, "helpers", and nurses; Dr. Brown; graduation from Roosevelt High.

Smouse, Frank - November 27, 1995 - family background; East Liverpool and East Liverpool High School; high school football and coach Morbito; football scholarship at Youngstown State; experience in the Merchant Marine during WWII; most interesting journey in WWII (Murmansk and North Africa); marriage and separation at sea; most traumatic wartime experience at Anzio Beach Head; Merchant Marines' Veteran status; effect of WWII and return to YSU; college football career and coach Deedy; interest in coaching and teaching; coaching at Hubbard Junior High, Coshocton High, and East Liverpool High; Lou Holtz; head coach at Ravenna and its challenges; changes in high school football since 1950s; pressures to win games; KSU assistant coaching job and coach Reese; duties as assistant coach; high school vs. college players; changes in KSU football program; education from 1956-1979; May 4, 1970 and peace movement; first meeting with Paul Brown; job as Cincinnati Bengal's summer coach; part-time scout for Bengals; retirement from KSU and working full-time for Bengals; rising pro-player salaries and the salary cap; effect of free agency on Bengals; opinion of Browns' proposed move; characteristics of a good coach; biggest changes in football.

Spellman, Comfort (tape #3) - date unknown

Spellman, Comfort (tape #4) - date unknown

Starr, Greg - December 6, 1996 - record of actual May 4, 1970 incident; reasons for choosing Kent State; campus life before May 4th; recollection of days leading up to May 4th; May 4th incident; life on campus after May 4th; record of weekend prior to May 4th.

Steinert, Mary Lou - April 11, 1992 - early childhood experience; parochial schooling; relationships with blacks and feelings regarding race; Depression years and father's work for W.P.A.; welfare, rationing, and Monday night dinners; Mrs. Steinert's children; Women's Patrons Group; effects of Vatican II on the mass; importance of Misel and fondness for Latin mass; feelings about JFK; lack of sincerity in today's youth and religion; Catholicism today vs. in the past; family, marriage, and the church; views on priesthood; views on youth today.

Stevenson, Carrie - April 13, 1993 - Oscar Meeker buys house at sheriff's sale; purchase of home; renovation of home; Mr. Bumphrey; children's families; family members in Kent; home life; daughter at Hiram College; occupations; marriage; downtown location; neighborhood and religion; backyard parties; 1947-1948 Kent housing shortage for college students; roomer Hellen Pelleschi; student roomers; other places Mrs. Stevenson lived; rough economic times; social life; WWII and jobs; raising children; working for a dentist; tour of house; life on a farm while growing up; siblings in Kent; opera house; house next door. (90 minutes)

Stevenson, Mabel - May 3, 1990 - arrival in Kent, Ohio; involvement with music; West End Music Club; Cleveland Orchestra; Daly Owen; concerts; solo career; Interurban Line; watering trough; residences; the Daveys; KSU changes; 1930s and Depression; Demitasse; golf at Twin Lakes Country Club; golf course on Rt. 59; on being the wife of a doctor; Robinson Memorial; automobiles; entertainment; the community; Cleveland night life; drinking; changes caused by the Depression; size of Kent; involvement at KSU; Pi Beta Phi; Robert Louis Stevenson; teaching English and music; downtown Kent; transportation in Kent; air transportation; WWII; after the war; friends; typical evening in Kent; May 4 1970; favorite era in Kent; education. (60 minutes)

Strimple, Reed - August 4, 1992 - tape only; no bibliographic information.

Strimple, Reed - April 22, 1993 - Home Savings building; W.W. Reed Insurance; Strimple and Son Insurance; changes in insurance business; computers in insurance; banking in Kent; Navy experience-Tokyo after WWII; Admiral Halsey's task force; damage in Japan; Navy officers training; schooling associated with the Navy; Harvard Business School; Proctor and Gamble; trouble at Reed and Son; family history; Kent Post Office; early jobs in Kent; W.W. Reed and Kent community; Kent State and insurance business; Kent State and Kent; attitude of community toward university; education at Miami University; Depression in Kent; Kent State's development vs. Miami's; industry and small business in Kent; Kent Mall proposal; civic organizations and duties; churches in Kent; religion in Kent; university and community working together; May 4, 1970. (45 minutes)

Sullivan, Nadine - May 6, 1997 - background, family, and University School; changes in University School's campus; classes taken at KSU; professors and deans; dining halls; Kent in the past; changes in the city; sports competition: Roosevelt vs. Kent; teaching career and George Bowman; teaching, marriage, and the Depression; President White; May 4, 1970 and the war in Vietnam. (30 minutes)

Theiss, Ernest - April 28, 1992 - educational background and employment background; publications; development work with brush chipper; employment at Davey Compressor; description of Davey Compressor components; advantages of Davey Compressor; Davey machining facilities; location of Davey facilities; employees; breakdown of employees; welding and fabrication; parts production; rate of production; markets for compressors; military use; officers and management; where parts came from; generator sets; research and development; compressor production lines; stocking of parts; quality control; pay scale; summary of involvement with Davey Compressor; National Rubber Machine Co.; tire press development and engineering; extrusion process; retirement; DST Associates formed in 1982; living in City of Kent; Davey Compressor now called Davey Kent. (40 minutes)

Thomas, Gus - December 5, 1989 - coming to America and Kent; New York and Ellis Island; conditions on boat; arrival in Kent; Normal School in Kent; employment with railroad; language barriers; Twin Coach employment; changes in Kent; story about President Grant (1880); Italians in Kent-not welcome; feelings change about Italians; wife and marriage; buying first house in Kent; building houses in Kent; children; family left in Italy; attitudes toward of Italians toward America; money-cost to come to America; leaving Italy; memories about Italy; Mussolini; visiting Italy; hometown in Italy; meeting wife in Youngstown; buying first car; becoming an American citizen; learning English at night school; education in Kent; former residences; university growth and changes; sports at KSU; ownership of property in Kent; railroads; marriage and family; medicine in the old days; American citizenship; Mrs. Thomas' family; feelings on smoking; "Meals on Wheels." (60 minutes)

Thompson, Roy - November 27, 1991 - early life and early occupations; life during the Depression and move to Kent, Ohio; the Depression and employment; early years with the police force; apathy towards police department; police department size; crimes of the past; community feelings toward WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam War; summary of police role in May 4, 1970; early negativism toward Vietnam; events surrounding May 4, 1970; May 4th's effect on Thompson family; police department anticipated possible conflict with students; demonstrations increase from 1968-1970; threats to family and downtown; ROTC building; introduction of National Guard and its implications; community volunteers; student marches in town; threats to Mr. Thompson; Kent, Ohio in weeks after May 4th; leaders of demonstrations; community-campus relations; actual shooting by National Guard; other injuries during early May 1970; lasting effects of May 4th; retirement years. (60 minutes)

Troyer, Loris - January 17, 1992 - no tape; bibliographic information only; the Dix family; Dix Enterprises; civic contributions of Dix family; early years at Record Courier; majors at Kent State University; decision to go into journalism; changes in Record Courier since 1936; first stories; legendary stories; attitudes about the Ravenna arsenal; Ravenna in the 1930s and 1940s; arsenal workers; becoming editor; May 4, 1970; competitors; Record Courier vs. Beacon Journal; personalities involved with Record Courier; anniversary dates of Record Courier; other editors; growth of newspaper; "Along the Way" column; lessons; historical incidents; history of Kent; favorite journalistic era; views on Vietnam and May 4th; changes in journalism.