Interview with George K. Brady, March 8, 1976

Partial Transcript: The following is an unrehearsed interview with Dr. George K. Brady for the Alumni/Faculty Oral History Project of the University of Kentucky Library.

Segment Synopsis: Dr. George Brady is introduced. He talks about his education at the University of Illinois, his first teaching job at the Municipal University of Toledo, and his reasons for accepting a position at the University of Kentucky. He talks about his interview for the position with Dr. McVey, and discusses limitations on his salary.

Keywords: Doctorate; Dr. Frank McVey; Dr. Lehre Dantzler; PhD; Politics; Religion; Salary limitations; University of Illinois

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College presidents; College teachers--Salaries, etc.; College teachers--Selection and appointment.; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. Department of English

Partial Transcript: One of the attractive features when coming here was an opportunity to teach a couple of courses that I was particularly interested in teaching.

Segment Synopsis: Brady talks about the courses he taught for the UK English department. He talks about other courses he was offered and why he chose not to teach them, including a required course in business English.

Keywords: Bibliography; Business English; Business letters; College courses; Comparative literature; Dean Edward Weist; Dean of Men; Dr. Lehre Dantzler; English department; Offices; Required courses; Whitehall building

Subjects: College department heads; College environment; College seniors; College students--Attitudes.; College teachers--Job satisfaction; College teachers--Social conditions; College teachers--Workload; College teaching.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. Department of English

Partial Transcript: Well you, uh--Dr. McVey, as you said, was president of the university when you came.

Segment Synopsis: Brady describes President McVey and tells several anecdotes which demonstrate his personality and methods of running the university.

Keywords: "Old Gym"; Compromise; Controversy; Dissatisfaction; Dr. Frank McVey; Faculty Club; Fun; Funding; Graduation exercises; Humor; Idealists; Leadership; Ovations; Personality; Political pressure; Politics; Solemn; State legislature; Unqualified; Weakness

Subjects: College administrators; College athletes; College discipline; College football players; College presidents; College teachers--Social conditions; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges--Finance

Partial Transcript: But I, I'll give you another little facet of his personality.

Segment Synopsis: Brady talks about the push at the university to offer more doctoral degrees. He talks about being on a doctoral committee, reading a student's thesis, and why he recommended that the student not pass. He gives his opinion on the doctoral programs offered by several departments.

Keywords: Dean of the Graduate School; Doctoral committees; Doctoral programs; Dr. Amry Vandenbosch; Dr. Frank McVey; Faculty meetings; French department; Library committee; Political science department; Thesis committees; Voting

Subjects: Academic libraries.; College administrators; College department heads; College presidents; College teachers--Social conditions; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Evaluation; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. Libraries

Partial Transcript: Now you, you were very active--(coughs)--in the old Romany Theater, which I think not many people know much about.

Segment Synopsis: Brady talks about the Romany Theater which used to be on UK's campus. He talks about the building, the director of the theater, and the performances that were put on there.

Keywords: "Candide"; Ann Callahan; Baptist church; Building; Carl Sachs; Frank Fowler; Paint; Plays; Romany Theater

Subjects: College buildings.; College facilities.; College teachers.; College theater; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: And I remember, this is [unintelligible] history. You can get this out of the Guignol now.

Segment Synopsis: Brady talks about the new theater that was built on campus, how the name Guignol was chosen, and the fire that occurred later. He talks more about his own theatre performances.

Keywords: Acting; Experimental theater; Fires; Gas heaters; Guignol Theater; Hearing; Stages

Subjects: College buildings.; College facilities.; College teachers.; College theater; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis: The audio in this segment is of poor quality.

Partial Transcript: I believe he also wrote that, uh, and this is a quote, that, "Kentucky's always been rather [unintelligible] in it's expenditures of classrooms, libraries, and laboratories but was comparatively easy to secure funds for a field house and for the enlargement of the stadium."

Segment Synopsis: Brady talks about the claim that more emphasis was put on athletics than academics at the university. He talks about the facilities that were built on campus during his time there. He talks about several coaches at the university, including Kirwan, Mauer, and Rupp. He talks about the university's rivalry with Centre College.

Keywords: Academics; Administration building; Adolph Rupp; Animosity; Athletics; Basketball; Centre College; Coach Harry Gammage; Coaches; Dr. Albert Kirwan; Dr. Herman Donovan; Emphasis; Football; Funding; Higher education; John Mauer; Journalism building; McVey Hall; Politics; Priorities; Whitehall building

Subjects: College administrators; College buildings.; College facilities.; College presidents; College sports--Coaching; College sports--Economic aspects--United States.; College sports.; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Finance

Partial Transcript: I, I suspect that, uh, you never had many of the athletes in your comparative literature classes but, uh, do, do you ever recall receiving any kind of, of pressure to give, uh, favored treatment to athletes?

Segment Synopsis: Brady talks about his experiences with student athletes in his English classes and whether he ever felt pressure to give them extra help or alter their grades. He discusses several athletes specifically, including "Dopey" Phelps and Cotton Nash.

Keywords: "Dopey" Phelps; Assistant coaches; Bob Gain; Cotton Nash; Grades; Marguerite McLaughlin; Preferential treatment; Pressure; Tutors

Subjects: College athletes; College environment; College football players; College sports--Coaching; College sports--Corrupt practices; College sports.; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: Uh, following World War II one of the problems the university faced was that of, uh, holding on to faculty in the face of higher salaries paid at other institutions.

Segment Synopsis: Brady discusses whether the limitations put on salaries by the state constitution affected professors' decisions about whether to remain at UK. He talks about his hesitance to become involved in administration at the university and how he was convinced to take on the roles of acting head of the English department, head of humanities courses, and acting head of the ancient languages department simultaneously. Brady discusses whether he ever felt pressured to teach certain subjects or not teach others during his classes in the English department at UK. He tells a story about a student appealing to Dean Sarah Blanding about a grade the student received in his class.

Keywords: Academic freedom; Acting head of department; Ancient languages department; Comparative literature; Dean Martin White; Dean Paul P. Boyd; Dean Sarah Blanding; Dr. Lehre Dantzler; English department; Firing; Grades; Humanities courses; Jonah Skiles; Leaving; Pressure; Professor Hawthorne; Professor Wilbert Carr; Promotions; Responsibilities; Retirement system; Salary limitations; Sarah Gibson Blanding; Seniority; Social Security; WWII; World War II

Subjects: College administrators--Selection and appointment.; College department heads; College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College teachers--Job satisfaction; College teachers--Pensions; College teachers--Salaries, etc.; College teachers--Selection and appointment.; College teachers--Social conditions; College teachers--Workload; College teaching.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Departments; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. Department of English

Partial Transcript: Dr. Brady, the AAUP was a relatively young organization on campus, I believe, when you first came.

Segment Synopsis: Brady discusses his participation in the AAUP. He talks about his involvement with the University Senate and faculty committees, and his opinions on their effectiveness. He talks about the opportunity for faculty representation being taken away, and how it was restored by President Donovan.

Keywords: Absent; American Association of University Professors (AAUP); Bill Lord; Committee chairman; Controversy; Democracy; Dr. Frank McVey; Dr. Herman Donovan; Faculty committees; Findings; Instructors; Investigations; Opposition; Pressure; Raises; Reports; Representation; Teaching practices; Translation; University Senate

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College presidents; College teachers--Job satisfaction; College teachers--Salaries, etc.; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Auditing; Universities and colleges--Evaluation; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: Generally how well has the community of Lexington regarded university personnel and vice-versa?

Segment Synopsis: Brady talks about the university faculty's involvement with local issues, including Dr. Martin's leave of absence to work for the government in Frankfort for four years. He talks about why some people within the community were opposed to the university, and talks about others who often assisted the university.

Keywords: Anti-university; Community; Cooperation; Dr. Martin; Evolution; Frankfort (Ky.); Fundamentalists; Help; Local issues; Ministers; Political issues; Resentment; Retirement; William Funkhouser

Subjects: College environment; College teachers--Leaves of absence; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Educators; Lexington (Ky.); Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges--Public relations; University towns

Partial Transcript: Uh, generally how did the--(coughs)--service and the holdings of the university library improve during the years that you were there?

Segment Synopsis: Brady discusses the quality of the libraries at the university, specifically in regard to the doctoral programs being created at the time, and how they have improved over the years. He talks about the first library, the Carnegie Library, and the building of the M. I. King Library. He talks about the speech he gave at the dedication of the new library.

Keywords: Acquisitions; Budgets; Building dedication; Carnegie Library; Dr. Frank McVey; Dr. Thomas D. Clark; English PhD program; Francis Galloway; Grant Knight; Improvements; Library board; M. I. King Library; Margaret I. King; Resources; State documents

Subjects: Academic librarians; Academic libraries.; College administrators; College environment; College facilities.; College presidents; College teachers--Social conditions; Universities and colleges--Evaluation; Universities and colleges--Finance; University of Kentucky. Department of English; University of Kentucky. Libraries

Partial Transcript: How effective was the creation of the University Press as a stimulant to increasing faculty research and writing?

Segment Synopsis: Brady gives his opinion on the University Press, and talks about the publication of his own book on Japanese folklore.

Keywords: Bruce Denbo; Japanese folklore dictionary; Manuscripts; Publication; Publishing; Reputations

Subjects: College publications; College teachers--Workload; University of Kentucky. Press

Partial Transcript: When you attended professional meetings and things of that sort, what opinions did you hear voiced about the reputation of the university in general as an academic institution?

Segment Synopsis: Brady discusses what he heard of UK's reputation among other scholars at meetings he attended.

Keywords: Atomic physics; Columbia University; Meetings; Opinions; Reputations

Subjects: College teachers--Rating of.; Universities and colleges--Evaluation; Universities and colleges--Ratings and rankings.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: There's a, of course today, a considerable controversy on the campuses, uh, not only here but, uh, most places, uh, concerning the status of professional women.

Segment Synopsis: Brady discusses the role of women on campus, specifically in the English department. He says that there was a line of demarcation between men and women and that he never knew of a woman that became a full professor during his time at the university. He describes several women in the English department and their teaching styles. He talks about whether discrimination against women has decreased over the years.

Keywords: Associate professors; Changes; Dr. Herman Donovan; Expansion; Full professors; G.I. Bill; Honey Smith; Instructors; Line of demarcation; Mrs. Harris; Political science; Rank; Role of women; Veterans

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College presidents; College teachers--Selection and appointment.; College teachers--Social conditions; Educators; Sex discrimination in higher education.; Sexism in higher education; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. Department of English; Women in education--Kentucky--Lexington; Women in higher education.; Women--Education (Higher)

Partial Transcript: Well now I'd like to, to focus again on the English department itself, uh, uh, a little more.

Segment Synopsis: Brady compares the University of Kentucky English department to other schools he attended or taught at. He discusses the quality of the professors and students within the department, and talks more about his opinions on the PhD program that was introduced during his time there.

Keywords: Arthur Moore; Changes; Comparison; Dean Herman Spivey; Degrees; Grant Knight; Impressions; Improvements; Lehre Dantzler; Municipal University of Toledo; PhD programs; Professor Edward Farquhar; Quality of education; University of Illinois

Subjects: College administrators; College teachers--Rating of.; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Evaluation; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges--Ratings and rankings.; University of Kentucky. Department of English

Partial Transcript: Could you compare a little bit the different department heads that, uh, uh, served during the time, uh, you were there?

Segment Synopsis: Brady discusses his opinions of Dr. Dantzler as the head of the English department at UK. He gives his opinion on how Dantlzer handled a situation with another instructor. He tells a story about Dantzler's opinion of Brady creating a schedule for his classes, and another story about Dantlzer's concern that Brady's classes were too popular among the students.

Keywords: Authority; Comparative literature; Ethics; Friends; Instructors; Issues; Lawrence Yates; Leadership; Lehre Dantzler; Popularity; Promotions; Schedules; Sophomore English; Syllabus

Subjects: College administrators; College department heads; College teachers--Salaries, etc.; College teachers--Selection and appointment.; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. Department of English

Partial Transcript: After Dantzler retired, uh, the next acting head of the department, uh, that I had contact with, uh, unfortunately was myself.

Segment Synopsis: Brady discusses other people who have been head of the English department over the years, including Bill Ward and himself. He talks about why he was not offered the position permanently. He discusses the increasing amount of administrative work involved in the position. He talks about the politics involved in hiring new instructors for the department.
[This segment ends abruptly.]

Keywords: Acting head of department; Alfred Crabb Jr.; Anger; Appointments; Bill Ward; Dean Herman Spivey; Dean Martin White; Dr. Herman Donovan; Former students; Hiring; Introverted; Paperwork; Power; Raintree

Subjects: College administrators; College department heads; College teachers--Selection and appointment.; College teachers--Social conditions; College teachers--Workload; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. Department of English

Partial Transcript: The following is an unrehearsed interview with Dr. George K. Brady for the Alumni/Faculty Oral History Project.

Segment Synopsis: Brady talks about the effects of increased enrollment after WWII, including overcrowded classrooms, lack of student housing, and the need for more instructors. He talks about taking in a student as a boarder at the encouragement of the university. He talks about the struggle to maintain the quality of a class when trying to evaluate a larger number of students' work, and discusses the reason he does not use graduate students to assist with his grading. He compares the students that were veterans of WWII with the more traditional students, and describes their attitudes towards university classes and education.

Keywords: Age; Bibliography; Boarders; Building; Caliber; Changes; Class size; Classrooms; Dean Sarah Holmes; Dean of Women; Dormitories; Economic success; Enrollment; Expansion; Fraternity houses; G.I.s; Graduate students; Growth; Justification; Living space; Materialistic; McVey Hall; Overcrowding; Paternalistic; Practical; Pressure; Quality of education; Relationships; Required courses; Sacrifices; Serious; Standards; Strains; Student aides; Value; WWII; Women; World War II

Subjects: Campus size; College attendance; College buildings.; College campuses.; College environment; College facilities.; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Social conditions; College teachers--Workload; College teaching.; Educators; Sex discrimination in higher education.; Sexism in higher education; Student housing; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Evaluation; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Veterans--Education (Higher)--Kentucky; World War, 1939-1945--Veterans.

Partial Transcript: Black students were first admitted to the university graduate school, I believe, about 1949.

Segment Synopsis: Brady talks about the integration of the University of Kentucky and the reactions of students and faculty. He talks about how his opinions as someone from the north differed from opinions at the university, and tells stories about Dr. Dantzler, Dr. Vandenbosch, and Adolph Rupp in particular. He talks about the first African American student in one of his classes.

Keywords: Adolph Rupp; Athletics; Color barrier; Community; Dr. Amry Vandenbosch; Fairness; Graduate students; High school basketball; Intelligence; Julius Berry; Lehre Dantzler; Municipal University of Toledo; Political science department; Prejudice; Pressure; Puerto Rican; Qualifications; Reactions; Segregation; Serious; Talent; Tension

Subjects: African American college students--Social conditions; African American college students.; African Americans--Education--Kentucky--Lexington; College environment; College sports--Coaching; College students, Black; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Discrimination in higher education; Educators; Minorities in higher education; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: In, uh, 1951 you were the Director of Orientation for Foreign Students at the university.

Segment Synopsis: Brady discusses his job as Director of Orientation for Foreign Students and his continued correspondence with the students from the program, even many years later. He talks about the acceptance of the students by families in Lexington, taking the students on tours around the state, and helping them adjust to customs and life in America.

Keywords: American families; Attitudes; Catholic nuns; Community; Correspondence; Customs; Drinking; Entertaining; Fort Harrod (Ky.); Harrodsburg (Ky.); Impressions; Japanese students; Lexington (Ky.); Opinions; Reception; Sweden; Tours

Subjects: College students--Alcohol use; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Workload; College teaching.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University towns

Partial Transcript: Frank Dickey became president of the university in 1956. How would you assess his presidency?

Segment Synopsis: Brady describes Dr. Frank Dickey and his abilities as president of the university. He talks about why Dickey was chosen over another candidate. He tells a story about Dickey giving his opinion of Brady's bibliography class.

Keywords: Bibliography; Cautious; Dr. Frank Dickey; Dr. Herman Donovan; Elvis Stahr; Incompetence; Leadership; Politicians; Politics; Professor Wilbert Carr; Required courses; Unqualified

Subjects: College administrators--Rating of; College administrators--Selection and appointment.; College presidents; College teachers.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. Department of English

Partial Transcript: President Dickey retired, uh, I believe, uh, the same year you did. Is that correct?

Segment Synopsis: Brady gives his opinion on Dr. Oswald as president of the university. He tells a story demonstrating Oswald's regard for the university faculty.

Keywords: Belligerent; Dr. Albert Kirwan; Dr. John Oswald; Dr. Martin; Parking spaces; Retired

Subjects: College administrators--Rating of; College administrators--Selection and appointment.; College presidents; College teachers.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: Were fraternities and sororities positive or negative forces in making UK a better university?

Segment Synopsis: Brady discusses his experiences with fraternities and gives his opinions of their activities. He tells a story about attending a fraternity senior banquet which influenced his opinions.

Keywords: Dean Martin White; Fraternities; Grades; Greek letter organizations; Negative experiences; Opinions; Parties; Phoenix Hotel; Senior banquets; Sororities; Stories

Subjects: College environment; College students--Alcohol use; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers.; College teaching.; Educators; Greek letter societies.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: Now I wanted to ask you specifically if you recall the publication called the "Kampus Kat"?

Segment Synopsis: Brady discusses his lack of knowledge about a university paper called the Kampus Kat. He briefly talks about the campus newspaper the Kentucky Kernel. He talks about the English department's literary magazine, and the people involved in journalism on campus.

Keywords: Banning; Campus publications; Dr. Frank McVey; Influence; Kampus Kat newspaper; Kentucky Kernel newspaper; Literary magazines; Marguerite McLaughlin; Professor Edward Farquhar; Professor Enoch Grehan; Risque; Victor Portmann

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College presidents; College publications; College student newspapers and periodicals; College teachers--Social conditions; Educators; Journalism, College; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges--Periodicals.; University of Kentucky. School of Journalism

Partial Transcript: Many people believe that too much emphasis is placed upon research and publication now as major criteria for promotion and tenure at the university.

Segment Synopsis: Brady talks about the change at the university which made research and publication the most important criteria for tenure and promotion. He says that in earlier years very few people in the English department published and talks about when this began to change. The interview concludes abruptly.

Keywords: Acting head of department; Arthur Moore; Criteria; Dean Herman Spivey; Distinguished professorship; Emphasis; Grant Knight; Jacobs; Japanese folklore dictionary; John Kuiper; Lehre Dantzler; Professor Edward Farquhar; Promotion; Publication; Publishing; Talent; Tom Stroop

Subjects: College environment; College publications; College teachers--Salaries, etc.; College teachers--Social conditions; College teachers--Tenure.; College teachers--Workload; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges--Research; University of Kentucky. Department of English