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Voices of American homemakers oral history project audio recordings, 1977-1983

Overview of the Collection

Creator
National Extension Homemakers Council (U.S.)
Title
Voices of American homemakers oral history project audio recordings
Dates
1977-1983 (inclusive)
Quantity
172 audiocassette
Collection Number
A0138
Summary
The voices of American homemakers oral history project audio recordings (1977-1983) consist of interviews with 196 women throughout the United States about homemaking in the first half of the twentieth century. The National Endowment for the Humanities awarded a major grant to the National Extension Homemakers Council for a three-year nationwide project to collect, process, and disseminate representative oral histories from rural homemakers throughout the country.
Repository
University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT
84112-0860

Telephone: 8015818863
special@library.utah.edu
Access Restrictions

Materials must be used on-site; no use of original material, access copies will be made available for viewing. Five business days advanced notice required. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law, condition of the material, or by donor.

Languages
English
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Historical Note

In 1983, the National Endowment for the Humanities awarded a major grant to the National Extension Homemakers Council (NEHC) for a three-year nationwide project to collect, process, and disseminate representative oral histories from rural homemakers throughout the country. The council is a national nonprofit educational organization made up of 30,000 organized groups (or clubs) in forty-four states and two territories, with a membership of approximately 500,000. It is one of the largest women's organizations in the country with a predominantly rural and small town membership. The clubs which comprise the NEHC are the audience groups of the Home Economics Division of the Cooperative Extension Service. Typically, these clubs meet monthly or semi-monthly for educational programming in the areas of home economics and community service. The project, called "Voices of American Homemakers," combined an extensive volunteer effort with careful attention directed to the professional canons of oral history practice. Professional historians guided the effort by offering substantive perspectives on women's history and technical counsel on oral history. Under the terms of the grant, one complete set of project tapes and associated materials were to be presented to one repository in each state at no cost to the institution. The primary product of the effort was a collection of 203 oral histories. In the final edited and transcribed version there are 196 interviews by women from thirty-six states. Typically they describe homemaking, child rearing, and family management in the small towns or rural areas where they live. A seminar was held during the National Conference of Extension Homemaker's Council in 1983. It featured authorities in the fields of oral history and women's studies who presented papers based on material extracted from the tapes. Following each of the presentations, an audience of over 200 homemakers participated in discussion of the points raised in each paper. A slide/sound program was produced in 1984, using photographs and excerpts from the taped interviews. Finally, in 1985 a book was written based on material gathered from the project. Titled Voices of American Homemakers, it proved to be well received and has been reprinted. A copy of the book has been placed in the Special Collections Western Americana Department. The final dissemination of materials was completed in 1986 when the previously selected repositories in each state received the interview transcriptions. These include a subject index, cassette tapes of the interviews, and a bound volume of the paper presented at the 1983 seminar.

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Content Description

Voices of American homemakers oral history project audio recordings (1977-1983) consist of interviews with 196 women born 1887-1961 about homemaking throughout the United States.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The majority of the interviews are arranged alphabetically by American state.

Related Materials

Transcripts of the interviews are located in the Voices of American homemakers oral history project (Ms 472) in the Manuscripts Division of Special Collections.

Related Materials

Forms part of the Aileen H. Clyde 20th Century Women's Legacy Archive.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

  • Description: Alaska

    Lillian Eckert, Nancy Rowland

    Container: Cassette 1
  • Description: Alaska

    Evie Foster, L. Burgoyne

    Container: Cassette 2
  • Description: Alaska

    Gussie Mumey, Rieta Walker

    Container: Cassette 3
  • Description: Alabama

    Bertha Andrews, Nina Langley

    Container: Cassette 4
  • Description: Alabama

    Sallie Bell, Mildred Ennis

    Container: Cassette 5
  • Description: Alabama

    Ouida Harwell, Opal Price

    Container: Cassette 6
  • Description: Alabama

    Elizabeth McAdams, Miriam Watkins

    Container: Cassette 7
  • Description: Alabama

    Sue Moman, Jean Moon

    Container: Cassette 8
  • Description: Alabama

    Opal Price, Madge Beeton

    Container: Cassette 9
  • Description: Arkansas

    Opal Cypert, Katherine Skelton

    Container: Cassette 10
  • Description: Arkansas

    Vivian Jefferson, Katherine Skelton

    Container: Cassette 11
  • Description: Arkansas

    Essie Simmons, Minerva Houser

    Container: Cassette 12
  • Description: Arkansas

    Dorothy Tolley, Minerva Houser

    Container: Cassette 13
  • Description: Arkansas

    Ann Webb, Minerva Houser

    Container: Cassette 14
  • Description: Colorado

    Lois Kevan, Hazel Leininger

    Container: Cassette 15
  • Description: Colorado

    Hazel Leininger, Misaye Uno

    Container: Cassette 16
  • Description: Colorado

    Pearl Mehl, Hazel Leininger

    Container: Cassette 17
  • Description: Colorado

    Misaye Uno, Hazel Leininger

    Container: Cassette 18
  • Description: Delaware

    Dorothy Tyrawski, Jean Skibinski

    Container: Cassette 19
  • Description: Delaware

    Dorothy Tyrawski, Jean Skibinski

    Container: Cassette 20
  • Description: Florida

    Thelma Barnes, Louise Lindberg

    Container: Cassette 21
  • Description: Florida

    Eunice Cameron, Louise Lindberg

    Container: Cassette 22
  • Description: Florida

    Elsie Gould, Adelaide Moores

    Container: Cassette 23
  • Description: Florida

    Emily Harper, Louise Lindberg

    Container: Cassette 24
  • Description: Florida

    Pearl Laffite, Louise Lindberg

    Container: Cassette 25
  • Description: Florida

    Katherine Taylor, Adelaide Moores

    Container: Cassette 26
  • Description: Georgia

    Glenwood Homemakers, Mary Hartley

    Container: Cassette 27
  • Description: Georgia

    Past Presidents, Mary Hartley

    Container: Cassette 28
  • Description: Hawaii

    Kazuko Kurose, Charlotte Nakamura Mary Soon, Charlotte Nakamura Julia Souza, Bert Kikuchi

    Container: Cassette 29
  • Description: Hawaii

    Betty Sakate, Gladys Brown

    Container: Cassette 30
  • Description: Idaho

    Ruth Bright, unknown

    Container: Cassette 31
  • Description: Idaho

    Dorothy Carlson, Ruth Bright

    Container: Cassette 32
  • Description: Illinois

    Floy Chapman, Eleanor Ross

    Container: Cassette 33
  • Description: Illinois

    Charlene Diel, Eleanor Ross

    Container: Cassette 34
  • Description: Illinois

    Marjorie Whitney, Eunice Pagel

    Container: Cassette 35
  • Description: Illinois

    Catherine Wycoff, Eleanor Ross

    Container: Cassette 36
  • Description: Indiana

    Iva Crouse, Carol Schroeder

    Container: Cassette 37
  • Description: Indiana

    Beulah Grinstead, Wanetta Edgerly

    Container: Cassette 38
  • Description: Indiana

    Pearl McCall, Ruth Colbert

    Container: Cassette 39
  • Description: Indiana

    Masa Scheerer, Mona Harley

    Container: Cassette 40
  • Description: Indiana

    Neva Schlatter, Julia Binkley

    Container: Cassette 41
  • Description: Kansas

    Evelyn Alden, Athol Reusser

    Container: Cassette 42
  • Description: Kansas

    Sophia Bigge, Athol Reusser

    Container: Cassette 43
  • Description: Kansas

    Sophia Bigge, Athol Reusser

    Container: Cassette 44
  • Description: Kansas

    Brenda Van Meter, Athol Reusser

    Container: Cassette 45
  • Description: Kentucky

    Margie Brookshire, Mabel Bertram

    Container: Cassette 46
  • Description: Kentucky

    Mary Depew, Mabel Bertram

    Container: Cassette 47
  • Description: Kentucky

    Anna Evans, Mabel Bertram

    Container: Cassette 48
  • Description: Kentucky

    Mary Fouts, Mabel Bertram

    Container: Cassette 49
  • Description: Kentucky

    Ethel Jury, Mabel Bertram

    Container: Cassette 50
  • Description: Louisiana

    Irene Clause, Irene Clause

    Container: Cassette 51
  • Description: Louisiana

    Zilphia Edwards, Rebecca Fortenberry

    Container: Cassette 52
  • Description: Louisiana

    Billie Jones, Doris Ashley

    Container: Cassette 53
  • Description: Louisiana

    Virginia McIntyre, Doris Ashley

    Container: Cassette 54
  • Description: Louisiana

    Mabel Thompson, Elaine Vidrine

    Container: Cassette 55
  • Description: Maryland

    Eileen Moon, Jeanette Green

    Container: Cassette 56
  • Description: Michigan

    Wilma Bre, Bethel Schmidt

    Container: Cassette 57
  • Description: Michigan

    Gladys Fox, Frances Michalek

    Container: Cassette 58
  • Description: Michigan

    Rubie Gillion, unknown

    Container: Cassette 59
  • Description: Michigan

    Luelle Hamilton, Petra Swanson

    Container: Cassette 60
  • Description: Michigan

    Edith Huffman, unknown

    Container: Cassette 61
  • Description: Michigan

    Emma Jones, Joan Luerr

    Container: Cassette 62
  • Description: Michigan

    Cecilia Lamb, Rhea Thayer

    Container: Cassette 63
  • Description: Michigan

    Estella Myers, Joan Luerr

    Container: Cassette 64
  • Description: Michigan

    Arvilla Parshall, unknown

    Container: Cassette 65
  • Description: Minnesota

    Persistent Pals, Mary Meyer

    Container: Cassette 66
  • Description: Mississippi

    Ruth Irwin, Mrs. E.R. McKnight

    Container: Cassette 67
  • Description: Mississippi

    Orrie Little, Marian Carmichael

    Container: Cassette 68
  • Description: Mississippi

    Jane Morgan, Marian Carmichael

    Container: Cassette 69
  • Description: Mississippi

    Betty Newman, Mrs. E.R. McKnight

    Container: Cassette 70
  • Description: Mississippi

    Mrs. B.N. Simrall, Mrs. E.R. McKnight

    Container: Cassette 71
  • Description: Missouri

    Edith Fennel, Donna Howard

    Container: Cassette 72
  • Description: Missouri

    Nellie Frost, Betty Reynolds

    Container: Cassette 73
  • Description: Missouri

    Edith Gladden, Janet Vaughn

    Container: Cassette 74
  • Description: Missouri

    Verna Lefman, Betty Reynolds

    Container: Cassette 75
  • Description: Missouri

    Lillie Stuery, Betty Reynolds

    Container: Cassette 76
  • Description: Montana

    Marie Carlile, Arlene Stoner Lora Foster

    Container: Cassette 77
  • Description: Montana

    Lillie Badgeley, Arlene Stoner Myra Daniel, Arlene Stoner

    Container: Cassette 78
  • Description: Montana

    Luella Hardie, Arlene Stoner

    Container: Cassette 79
  • Description: Montana

    Pearl Herndon, Gayle Muggli

    Container: Cassette 80
  • Description: Montana

    Elsie Rieger, Arlene Stoner

    Container: Cassette 81
  • Description: Montana

    Daisy Taylor, Arlene Stoner

    Container: Cassette 82
  • Description: Nebraska

    Anna Coburn, Selma Stevens

    Container: Cassette 83
  • Description: Nebraska

    Eva Gill, Norma Schneemeyer

    Container: Cassette 84
  • Description: Nebraska

    Nellie Yost, Sandra Hansen

    Container: Cassette 85
  • Description: Nebraska

    Nellie Yost, Sandra Hansen

    Container: Cassette 86
  • Description: New Hampshire

    Carolyn Dame, Goldie Roscoe

    Container: Cassette 87
  • Description: New Hampshire

    Priscilla Lloyd, Goldie Roscoe

    Container: Cassette 88
  • Description: New Hampshire

    Helen Merrill, Goldie Roscoe

    Container: Cassette 89
  • Description: New Hampshire

    Lora Tosey, Goldie Roscoe

    Container: Cassette 90
  • Description: New Hampshire

    Eleanor Whittemore, Goldie Roscoe

    Container: Cassette 91
  • Description: New Hampshire

    H. Barnstead, Goldie Roscoe

    Container: Cassette 92
  • Description: New Mexico

    Marie Cauhape, Beatrice Stagl

    Container: Cassette 93
  • Description: New Mexico

    Marie Cauhape, Beatrice Stagl

    Container: Cassette 94
  • Description: New Mexico

    Nona Berry, Mary Popejoy

    Container: Cassette 95
  • Description: New Mexico

    Ima Fairly, Beatrice Stagl

    Container: Cassette 96
  • Description: New Mexico

    Jessie Halsell, Beatrice Stagl

    Container: Cassette 97
  • Description: New Mexico

    Jessie Halsell, Beatrice Stagl

    Container: Cassette 98
  • Description: New Mexico

    Jessie Halsell, Beatrice Stagl

    Container: Cassette 99
  • Description: New Mexico

    Jessie Halsell, Beatrice Stagl

    Container: Cassette 100
  • Description: New Mexico

    Ruth James, Mary Popejoy

    Container: Cassette 101
  • Description: New Mexico

    Florence McDonald, Beatrice Stagl

    Container: Cassette 102
  • Description: New Mexico

    Florence McDonald, Beatrice Stagl

    Container: Cassette 103
  • Description: New Mexico

    Jalie Martin, Mary Popejoy

    Container: Cassette 104
  • Description: New Mexico

    Frances Matthews, Mary Popejoy

    Container: Cassette 105
  • Description: New Mexico

    Mary lMoore, Mary Popejoy

    Container: Cassette 106
  • Description: North Carolina

    Theo Hammond, Virginia Harris

    Container: Cassette 107
  • Description: North Carolina

    Nancy Madre, Virginia Harris

    Container: Cassette 108
  • Description: North Carolina

    Letha McCall, Virginia Harris

    Container: Cassette 109
  • Description: North Carolina

    Henrietta Phillips, Virginia Harris

    Container: Cassette 110
  • Description: North Carolina

    Lucy Wilson, Virginia Harris

    Container: Cassette 111
  • Description: North Dakota

    Margaret Lien, Arlene Sagness

    Container: Cassette 112
  • Description: North Dakota

    Cora Lykken, Maryadele Knudson

    Container: Cassette 113
  • Description: North Dakota

    Mary Mootz, Maryadele Knudsen

    Container: Cassette 114
  • Description: North Dakota

    Minnie Ness, Arlene Sagness

    Container: Cassette 115
  • Description: North Dakota

    Karen Retzlaff, Maryadele Knudsen

    Container: Cassette 116
  • Description: Ohio

    Sarah Atkins, Eva Barger Jeanette Stratton, Eva Barger Nellie Stratton, Eva Barger

    Container: Cassette 117
  • Description: Ohio

    Lura Hess, Eva Barger

    Container: Cassette 118
  • Description: Ohio

    Mary Jonas, Eva Barger

    Container: Cassette 119
  • Description: Ohio

    Mary Shultz, Eva Barger Winifred Thrush, Eva Barger

    Container: Cassette 120
  • Description: Ohio

    Betty Wenig, Eva Barger

    Container: Cassette 121
  • Description: Oklahoma

    Sarah Bell, Hester Sickles

    Container: Cassette 122
  • Description: Oklahoma

    Elba Johnston, Hester Sickles

    Container: Cassette 123
  • Description: Oklahoma

    Mary Skelley, Hester Sickles

    Container: Cassette 124
  • Description: Oklahoma

    Zelma Wood, Hester Sickles

    Container: Cassette 125
  • Description: Oregon

    Marie Brown, Dorothy Klock

    Container: Cassette 126
  • Description: Oregon

    Dorris Graves, Dorthy Klock

    Container: Cassette 127
  • Description: Oregon

    Dorothy Personnette, Dorothy Klock

    Container: Cassette 128
  • Description: Oregon

    Alice Wand, Dorothy Klock

    Container: Cassette 129
  • Description: Oregon

    Saundra Zook, Dorothy Klock

    Container: Cassette 130
  • Description: South Carolina

    Pat Gates, Bee Cochran

    Container: Cassette 131
  • Description: South Carolina

    Nona Jennings, Bee Cochran

    Container: Cassette 132
  • Description: South Carolina

    Hazel Johnson, Bee Cochran

    Container: Cassette 133
  • Description: South Carolina

    Etta Sellers, Bee Cochran

    Container: Cassette 134
  • Description: South Carolina

    Etta Sellers, Bee Cochran

    Container: Cassette 135
  • Description: South Dakota

    Marge and Carla Kleinjan, Linda Svec

    Container: Cassette 136
  • Description: South Dakota

    Christine Gaffin, Arlene Erickson

    Container: Cassette 137
  • Description: South Dakota

    Byrdie Johnson, Evelyn Beug

    Container: Cassette 138
  • Description: South Dakota

    Minnie Murphey, Laura Grubl

    Container: Cassette 139
  • Description: South Dakota

    Florence Phillips, Arlene Erickson

    Container: Cassette 140
  • Description: South Dakota

    Marjorie Pontius, Linda Svec

    Container: Cassette 141
  • Description: South Dakota

    Irska Stroschein, Linda Svec

    Container: Cassette 142
  • Description: South Dakota

    Ina Tate, Linda Svec

    Container: Cassette 143
  • Description: South Dakota

    Cleo Tyler, unknown

    Container: Cassette 144
  • Description: South Dakota

    F. Jenson, unknown

    Container: Cassette 145
  • Description: Tennessee

    Aileen Cole, Marian Mariner

    Container: Cassette 146
  • Description: Tennessee

    Hautie Nelson, Alpha Worrell

    Container: Cassette 147
  • Description: Tennessee

    Tressa Waters, Marian Mariner

    Container: Cassette 148
  • Description: Tennessee

    Julia White, Marian Mariner

    Container: Cassette 149
  • Description: Virginia

    Mrs. Irby Arnette, Mildred Reeves

    Container: Cassette 150
  • Description: Virginia

    Janet Cassell, Mildred Reeves

    Container: Cassette 151
  • Description: Virginia

    Mrs. Ray Cassell, Mildred Reeves

    Container: Cassette 152
  • Description: Virginia

    Corria Ratliff, Mildred Reeves

    Container: Cassette 153
  • Description: Washington

    Violet Cottrell, Esther Pogorele

    Container: Cassette 154
  • Description: Washington

    Violet Cottrell, Esther Pogorele

    Container: Cassette 155
  • Description: Washington

    Edna Dagnen, Esther Pogorele

    Container: Cassette 156
  • Description: Washington

    Edna Dagnen, Esther Pogorele

    Container: Cassette 157
  • Description: Washington

    Elsa Skiles, Esther Pogorele

    Container: Cassette 158
  • Description: West Virginia

    Diana Barton, Margaret Lewis

    Container: Cassette 159
  • Description: West Virginia

    Deanna Cook, Margaret McKenzie

    Container: Cassette 160
  • Description: West Virginia

    Pearl Faulkner, Margaret McKenzie

    Container: Cassette 161
  • Description: West Virginia

    Margaret Hill, Margaret McKenzie

    Container: Cassette 162
  • Description: West Virginia

    Gertrtude Humphries, Margaret McKenzie

    Container: Cassette 163
  • Description: West Virginia

    Beatrice McCann, Margaret McKenzie

    Container: Cassette 164
  • Description: West Virginia

    Ansel Peterson, Margaret Lewis

    Container: Cassette 165
  • Description: West Virginia

    Phyllis Sullivan, Margaret McKenzie

    Container: Cassette 166
  • Description: Wisconsin

    Lillian Blonien, Georgia Hoberg

    Container: Cassette 167
  • Description: Wisconsin

    Celia Lausted, Georgia Hoberg

    Container: Cassette 168
  • Description: Wisconsin

    Josephine Nixon, Georgia Hoberg

    Container: Cassette 169
  • Description: Wyoming

    Mary Raymond, Dianna Cosner

    Container: Cassette 170
  • Description: Wyoming

    Jennie Williams, Katherine Martini

    Container: Cassette 171
  • Description: Wyoming

    Jennie Williams, Katherine Martini

    Container: Cassette 172

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Family--United States
  • Home economics--United States
  • Housewives--United States--Interviews
  • Rural conditions

Geographical Names

  • United States--Rural conditions

Form or Genre Terms

  • Oral histories
  • Sound recordings


2004

CC0

About Creative Commons Licenses in Archives West

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