Interview with John R. Crockett, March 1, 1976

Partial Transcript: [Unintelligible] enrollment far exceeded anything up to that point.

Segment Synopsis: John R. Crockett is introduced. He talks about why he chose to attend the University of Kentucky. He talks about choosing political science as his major, and gives his opinions on the program and the professors in the department.

Keywords: Advisors; Basketball scholarships; Dr. Amry Vandenbosch; Enrollment; Jack Reeves; John Kuiper; Motivation; Personal relationships; Political science; Professor Jasper Shannon

Subjects: College choice; College environment; College majors; College teachers.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Departments; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. Department of Political Science

Partial Transcript: Of course you were a member of the SAE fraternity while you were on campus.

Segment Synopsis: Crockett discusses his involvement with the fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon. He talks about living in the fraternity house and the attitudes towards Greek organizations on campus. He talks about his role as Student Government president, how he was elected to the position, and whether he dealt with any controversial issues during his time as president.

Keywords: Campaigning; Campus organizations; Controversy; Cooperstown; Downtown Lexington; Fraternity houses; Governing body; Greek letter organizations; High Street (Lexington, Ky.); Importance; Issues; Limestone Street (Lexington, Ky.); Responsibility; Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity; Student Government Association; Student government president; Veterans

Subjects: College environment; College student government; College student government--Elections; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Political activity.; College students--Social conditions; Greek letter societies.; Veterans--Education (Higher)--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Um, of course while you were there at UK, uh, Herman Donovan was president.

Segment Synopsis: Crockett gives his opinions on Dr. Donovan as president of the university and talks about Donovan's relationships with the students.

Keywords: Contributions; Disagreements; Dr. Herman Donovan; Funding; Personal relationships; State legislature; Support

Subjects: College administrators; College presidents; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Finance

Partial Transcript: Well how would you describe, then, the social activities on campus?

Segment Synopsis: Crockett talks about social events for students on and off campus during his time as a student. He talks about how World War II and veterans returning from the war affected social activities at the university.

Keywords: Basketball games; Big bands; Dances; Families; Football games; Fraternities; Joyland; Married; Parties; Social activities; WWII; World War II

Subjects: College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Greek letter societies.; Veterans--Education (Higher)--Kentucky; World War, 1939-1945--Veterans.

Partial Transcript: Course an--another, uh, influence from the war, uh, I mean during the years you were at UK enrollment tripled, just in--while you were there.

Segment Synopsis: Crockett talks about the number of students in his classes and how those numbers were affected by veterans returning from World War II. He talks about the reaction on campus when African American students were first admitted to the university.

Keywords: Campus political activities; Class size; Day Law; Enrollment; Federal court; Law school; Reactions; Thurgood Marshall; William Funkhouser

Subjects: African American college students--Social conditions; African American college students.; African Americans--Education--Kentucky--Lexington; College environment; College integration; College students, Black; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Discrimination in higher education; Minorities in higher education; Universities and colleges--Admission

Partial Transcript: I was curious also as to the role of, uh, uh, uh, politics on campus.

Segment Synopsis: Crockett talks about whether students were interested in state or national politics during his time at the university. He talks about Harry Truman's election and the fact that most people did not believe he would win. He talks about his own political views and whether he joined a political group on campus.

Keywords: Campaigns; Harry S. Truman; Ned Breathitt; Political views; Politics; Professor Jasper Shannon; Strom Thurmond; Student involvement; Third party; Thomas Dewey; Tobacco; Young Democrats

Subjects: College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Political activity.

Partial Transcript: Course college professors has a--have a reputation, uh, and have come under attack several times for being far to the left both politically and socially.

Segment Synopsis: Crockett discusses the claim that many college professors have liberal political views. He talks about a professor on campus that often spoke of these views. He gives a theory about why professors may have liberal viewpoints.

Keywords: Dialogue; Felix Frankfurter; Formal; Higher education; Left-leaning; Liberal; Masters degrees; Ministers; Newspaper reporters; Professor Gladys Kammerer; Professors; Relationships; Theory

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

Partial Transcript: We were talking a few minutes ago about the, uh, proximity of your fraternity house to downtown Lexington and of course, uh, UK's campus itself is near the heart of Lexington now.

Segment Synopsis: Crockett talks about the relationship between the Lexington community and the university. He talks about popular hangouts for students in town and discusses the lack of transportation during his time as a student.

Keywords: Alumni Gym; Automobiles; Cars; Community; Cordial; Fraternity houses; Hangouts; Relationships; Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity; Student Union building; Transportation; Walking

Subjects: College environment; College student mobility; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Greek letter societies.; Lexington (Ky.); Student housing; Universities and colleges--Public relations; University towns

Partial Transcript: Well I suppose you spent a lot of time in the Alumni Gymnasium.

Segment Synopsis: Crockett talks about joining the UK basketball team as a freshman. He talks about his recruitment and why he did not play often. He describes basketball practice under coach Adolph Rupp. He talks about the difficulty of maintaining good grades as an athlete. He talks about Rupp's personality and how he gave Kentucky an identity through basketball.

Keywords: Adolph Rupp; All-Americans; Alumni Gym; Athletics; Basketball games; Basketball players; Basketball practice; Basketball team; Basketball tickets; Campus life; Freshman games; Fundamentals; Grades; Identity; Jefferson County (Ky.); Offense; Personality; Psychology; Recruiting; Retirement; Road trips; Sarcasm; Size; Traveling; University of Louisville; Veterans

Subjects: College athletes; College freshmen; College sports--Coaching; College sports--Scouting; College sports.; College students--Conduct of life.; Kentucky Wildcats (Basketball team)

Partial Transcript: Well, uh, as an alumni, uh, what are the most significant changes you've seen in the university, uh, over the years since you've graduated?

Segment Synopsis: Crockett talks about how UK has changed since his time as a student. He talks about why alumni should support the improvement of the university's reputation. He talks about his involvement with the board of trustees, and discusses whether there has been any student unrest within the past few decades.

Keywords: Academics; Board of trustees; Changes; Controversy; Dr. Albert Kirwan; Dr. Frank Dickey; Dr. John Oswald; Dr. Otis A. Singletary; Freedom; Pride; Reputations; Student code; Student rights and responsibilities; Unrest; Vietnam War

Subjects: Campus size; College administrators--Rating of; College environment; College graduates; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Political activity.; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Alumni and alumnae.

Partial Transcript: Uh, you mentioned, uh, Dr. Singletary earlier.

Segment Synopsis: Crockett discusses his opinions of Dr. Singletary as president of the university.

Keywords: Communication; Dr. Otis A. Singletary; Fundraising; Philosophy; Range of interests; State legislature

Subjects: College administrators; College presidents; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Finance

Partial Transcript: Of course you've been very active too in Alumni Affairs--

Segment Synopsis: Crockett talks about his role as president of the UK Alumni Association and the types of activities the group is involved in. He talks about what he would change about his time at the university. The interview is concluded abruptly.
[An interruption in taping occurs within this segment.]

Keywords: Alumni Association president; Alumni affairs; Basketball players; Board of trustees; Education; Effort; Grades; Interest; Spring banquet; Studying

Subjects: College graduates; Universities and colleges--Alumni and alumnae.; Universities and colleges--Ratings and rankings.; University of Kentucky Alumni Association