Interview with W. Russell Cox, January 15, 1976

Partial Transcript: The following is an unrehearsed interview with Russell Cox for the Alumni/Faculty Oral History Project of the University of Kentucky Library.

Segment Synopsis: Cox says he selected the University of Kentucky because of the quality of education and possibility of working through school. He says during the Great Depression the mood on campus was one of freedom, with a close rapport between students and faculty.

Keywords: Dr. Frank McVey; Football; Great Depression; Lexington Herald-Leader; Lindsey Wilson College; School spirit

Subjects: College choice; College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Depressions--1929--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: I've noticed from talking to some that when, uh, students first came to university they would sometimes live in a house off campus.

Segment Synopsis: Cox talks about initially living in a rooming house on East Maxwell Street and later moving into an apartment with his brother on Harrison, with their mother keeping house. He talks about his academic interests in political science and history. He discusses several professors and talks about students' relationships with professors.

Keywords: Dormitories; Dr. Amry Vandenbosch; Dr. Thomas D. Clark; History; Political science; Rooming houses; Sarah Gibson Blanding; Tuition

Subjects: College costs.; College environment; College students--Conduct of life.; College teachers--Social conditions; Educators; Student housing; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: You know that I think it would have been interesting, uh, you can comment on this, uh, studying political science at the time you were there from 1935 to '39, I believe.

Segment Synopsis: Cox says the late 1930s was a good time to be in college studying political science because of events in Europe and Asia which eventually lead to war. Cox talks about his employment as journalist.

Keywords: Boycotts; Democracy; England; Europe; Fascism; France; Governor Earle C. Clements; Huntley Dupree; Japan; John Manning; Pacifism; Spanish Civil War; Student Union Building; World War II

Subjects: College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Journalism; Journalists--Kentucky; Spain--History--Civil War, 1936-1939.; World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: You mentioned before we started the interview that you, uh, remained an independent, uh, during your time at UK.

Segment Synopsis: Cox talks about joining the political science society instead of a social fraternity. He says student government was not particularly active. He discusses fads and student social activities.

Keywords: Bus; Bus fare; Canary Cottage; Dance marathons; Dances; Fraternities; Goldfish; Independent; Movies; Panty raids; Spindletop Farm; Stirrup Cup; Student government; Trends

Subjects: College environment; College student government; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; College students--Social networks; Greek letter societies.

Partial Transcript: During the years that you were at the university, did you detect any changes in social attitudes, uh, just in the time you were there as a student? Uh, or did it remain just about the same?

Segment Synopsis: Cox talks about an increasing interest in ROTC during his undergraduate years as a response to global political developments. He says ROTC was mandatory because UK was a land grant college. He describes the role of women at UK as important and increasing, without discrimination. He also notes that fewer women in graduate school at the time resulted in fewer qualified women candidates.

Subjects: College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Political activity.; College students--Social conditions; Sex discrimination in higher education.; Sexism in higher education; University of Kentucky. Army ROTC; Women in education--Kentucky--Lexington; Women in higher education.; Women--Education (Higher); World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: Of course you working in a newspaper office you were--had a lot of contact with day to day events happening in the state and things like that.

Segment Synopsis: Cox describes some political campaigning by state candidates on campus, which was limited because the voting age was 21. He describes Convocation as an assembly at Memorial Hall required for freshmen every Monday featuring important speakers. Cox talks about relationships between campus and national leadership, as well as political views of the professorship.

Keywords: A.B. Chandler; Alben Barkley; Boycotts; Campaign buttons; Convocation; Dean Thomas Cooper; Dr. Frank McVey; Franklin Roosevelt; Governor Happy Chandler; J.C.W. Beckham; James Hiram Graham; Japanese; John Y. Brown, Sr.; Liberal; Maxwell Place; Pearl Harbor; Primaries

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College presidents; College student government; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Political activity.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Political activity; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: Course the library is supposed to be the center of the campus, more or less, in terms of intellectual development. Was the University of Kentucky Library important to the students and was it adequate for their needs and for your needs at the time?

Segment Synopsis: Cox talks about communication through books and the library or newspapers compared to television and radio media. He lists several people who work at the student newspaper.

Keywords: Campus radio; Helen King; Kentucky Kernel newspaper; M. I. King Library; Margaret I. King; Television

Subjects: Academic libraries.; College publications; College radio stations; College student newspapers and periodicals; College students--Books and reading.; Universities and colleges--Periodicals.; University of Kentucky Alumni Association; University of Kentucky. Libraries

Partial Transcript: Uh, I thought we could talk for just a minute about the role of athletics on campus. Uh, did you participate in any--

Segment Synopsis: Cox describes campus sports and academics, and states there is not too much emphasis on athletics. He expresses the opinion that there is a balance between athletics and academics. Cox says the current-day student is better trained than in the past due to a better trained faculty.

Keywords: Adolph Rupp; Basketball; Dr. Frank McVey; Dr. Herman Donovan; Football; New York Times Infobank; Season tickets; Stoll Field; Touch football

Subjects: College environment; College sports.; College students.; College teachers--Rating of.; College teachers--Training of.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: Course you've been an active alumni for the university. Uh, how would you assess the relations between the university and the alumni over the years?

Segment Synopsis: Cox expresses the wish that correspondence sent to alumni would not always solicit money. He says the University of Kentucky Washington D.C. alumni chapter is the oldest, and serves as a valuable resource for the university. Cox talks about Jay Brumfield, who was the Director of the UK Alumni Association, as well as several university presidents. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Clyde Harrison; Dr. Albert Kirwan; Dr. Frank Dickey; Dr. Frank McVey; Dr. Herman Donovan; Dr. John Oswald; Dr. Otis A. Singletary; Jay Brumfield; Lewis Berkley Davis; Paul Keene; Virgil Couch

Subjects: College administrators; College graduates; College presidents; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Alumni and alumnae.; University of Kentucky Alumni Association