Oral history interview with Betty Kirtley, Opal Blancett, Lucile Hart, Pearl Morrison, and Mildred Stringfellow

Betty Kirtley, Opal Blancett, Lucile Hart, Pearl Morrison, and Mildred Stringfellow talk about their lives before, during, and after the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. They talk about the difficulties they faced during this time as well as how they got through the struggles and had fun from time to time. They talk about their views on Roosevelt's New Deal and how it impacted their families. They believe these hard times made them appreciate what they have and not to waste anything at all.The Dust, Drought and Dreams Gone Dry: Oklahoma Women and the Dust Bowl Collection is a series of interviews with women who lived during the period of 1932 to 1940 in the area of Oklahoma typically identified as the epicenter of the Dust Bowl

Oral history interview with Shirley Zahorsky Lane and Heath Lane

Shirley Zahorsky Lane, a 1958 graduate of Oklahoma State University (OSU), and her son, Heath Lane, share memories of the Zahorsky Centennial Farm located in Dacoma, Oklahoma. Shirley recalls her childhood where she enjoyed freedom and fresh air. She talks about her parents and the activities she and her sisters would engage in to pass the time on the farm. She discusses her education and career path and explains the strong connection she has for the homestead. Heath recalls visits to the farm as a youngster and shares his thoughts on the value of keeping it in the family going forward.The Oklahoma Centennial Farm Families Collection is comprised of interviews with farm owners and operators whose families have been involved in the farming and/or ranching business in Oklahoma for 100 years or more with properties designated an Oklahoma Centennial Farm or Ranch through the Oklahoma Historical Society

Oral history interview with Ed Mouss

Ed Mouss, a 1965 graduate of Oklahoma State University, outlines his youth and career path. He recalls his early years and fixing the cars of friends and family during high school and college. He talks about working in the glass industry and moving into tribal relations. He explains his role in the Creek Nation getting into the healthcare industry in rural areas of Oklahoma. Mouss shares how the Creek Nation was able to establish one of the first tribal conservation commissions in the state and encourages landowners to seriously consider using their land and doing so wisely.The Oklahoma's Conservation Heritage Collection is a series of interviews with people involved with conserving and preserving the natural resources of the state. This interview was conducted in partnership and sponsorship with the Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society with funding provided by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. More archival material from this history can be found at the Oklahoma Historical Society

Oral history interview with Paula Templeton

Paula Templeton, a thirty-eight-year employee of the Wagoner County Conservation District in Wagoner, Oklahoma, shares how she came to work for the district, highlights some of the programs she helped landowners and producers with through the years, and notes her involvement with the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts (OACDE). She also discusses the work environment in her position over the course of her career and notes various people she worked with as well.The Oklahoma's Conservation Heritage Collection is a series of interviews with people involved with conserving and preserving the natural resources of the state. This interview was conducted in partnership and sponsorship with the Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society with funding provided by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. More archival material from this history can be found at the Oklahoma Historical Society

Oral history interview with Rick Jeans

Rick Jeans, a 1981 graduate of Oklahoma State University with a degree in animal science, recalls learning to farm with his grandfather and father and talks about having their support as he followed in their footsteps. He talks about no-till and cover crop practices, being asked to join the board of directors for the Kay County Conservation District and consolidating the two districts in Kay County. Jeans discusses his involvement with the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts as well as the National Association of Conservation Districts. He also shares his thoughts on the future of farming.The Oklahoma's Conservation Heritage Collection is a series of interviews with people involved with conserving and preserving the natural resources of the state. This interview was conducted in partnership and sponsorship with the Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society with funding provided by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. More archival material from this history can be found at the Oklahoma Historical Society

Oral history interview with Greg Scott

Greg Scott, a 1976 and 1999 graduate of Oklahoma State University, discusses his long career as a soil scientist. He explains soil surveys and the five soil health principles. He talks about the value of regenerative agricultural practices and recalls a few highlights of his career. He also explains the role of a soil profiler and shares his thoughts on the status of the soil health movement.The Oklahoma's Conservation Heritage Collection is a series of interviews with people involved with conserving and preserving the natural resources of the state. This interview was conducted in partnership and sponsorship with the Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society with funding provided by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. More archival material from this history can be found at the Oklahoma Historical Society

Oral history interview with Najah-Amatullah Hylton

Najah-Amatullah Hylton, a high school teacher in Oklahoma City, talks about the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and the uneasiness around how long it would last. She discusses the plans implemented by her school and schools around Oklahoma as well as some of the barriers she faced as an educator. Hylton ponders the impact of the varying state responses to education on their populations as a whole and talks about which information sources she found trustworthy. She describes some of the challenges of transitioning back to in person classes and the focus on catching students up based on state standards.The COVID-19 in Oklahoma Collection is a series of interviews which document how Oklahomans were affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic. This project was made possible with support from the Institute for Museums and Library Services American Rescue Plan Grant

Oral history interview with Tina Meier

Tina Meier, a 1994 graduate of Oklahoma State University (OSU) with a bachelor's degree in management and information systems, talks about choosing a career in computer technology. She explains the foundation she received from various influential people in her life, discusses her long career in IT at OSU, and notes a few accomplishments along the way.The STEM Areas and Women Collection is a series of interviews conducted with women who have work experience in the historically predominantly male fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics

Oral history interview with Meredith Woodruff

Meredith Woodruff, Oklahoma Student University (OSU) alumna and former teacher and agent for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), describes her and her husband Freddie Woodruff's careers leading up to her recruitment and rise within the CIA. Woodruff explains how she became a head officer and recruiter and changed HR policies when women were few and far between in the agency. She shares details of her husband's assassination by the Russians in 1993 and how she continued to work missions, motived by love for her country, and she recalls raising her children in challenging times and environments all while living under cover. Woodruff shares stories of missions and of living as a CIA agent and explains how her values and motivations have deep roots in Stillwater and OSU.The History of Oklahoma Collection is a series of thematic oral history projects as well as individual-specific interviews with the common goal of documenting the cultural and intellectual history of Oklahoma

Oral history interview with Dian Nichols

Dian Nichols talks about growing up on her grandfather's homestead in Orion, Oklahoma. She describes her experience attending Liberty School, a one-room schoolhouse, and the community events hosted at the school. Nichols shares childhood memories of her family's farm and grocery store as well as how the Orion community was affected by the Second World War.The Liberty Rural School oral history project is a series of interviews documenting the experiences of students that attended the one-room schoolhouse in Major County, Oklahoma. The interviews were conducted as part of Drs. Laura Arata and Meta Flynt's HIST 4063/5063 Historic Preservation course in Spring 2022