Interview with R. Smith Park, September 9, 1976

Partial Transcript: This is a recording for University of Kentucky archives. The date is September ninth, 1976.

Segment Synopsis: Dr. Russell Smith Park is introduced. He talks about attending the University of Kentucky as a student, and discusses the social organizations he became involved with. He talks about pranks the students pulled and discusses whether students have changed over the years. He talks about working as the football manager at UK and meeting Happy Chandler. He talks about the amount of work the students were expected to do.

Keywords: Changes; County attorneys; Dean F. Paul Anderson; Engineering; Enrollment; Football managers; Fraternities; Governor Happy Chandler; Jim Park; Phi Delta Theta fraternity; Pranks; Student life; Work load; Working

Subjects: College environment; College majors; College sports.; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Employment.; College students--Social conditions; Greek letter societies.

Partial Transcript: Uh, that was of course--you started there to UK right during, uh, the war years.

Segment Synopsis: Park discusses how World War II affected the UK campus. He talks about the areas set up for military training and talks about his own involvement with both the Army ROTC and Navy SATC.

Keywords: Camp Buell; Machine shops; Mechanics; Mess sergeants; Military training; Navy; Student Army Training Corps (SATC)

Subjects: College campuses.; College environment; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; University of Kentucky. Army ROTC; World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: Uh, a little more about campus life, Dr. Park.

Segment Synopsis: Park talks about some of the professors he learned from at the University of Kentucky. He tells a story about his interaction with H.H. Downing after his final doctoral exam.

Keywords: Complaints; Dean F. Paul Anderson; Dean Paul P. Boyd; Doctoral committees; Doctoral exam; Doctorate; Flora LeStourgeon; H. H. Downing; Jokes; Professors

Subjects: College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Rating of.; College teachers--Social conditions; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. College of Engineering; University of Kentucky. College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering

Partial Transcript: Doc--Doctor, uh, Park, when did you start on your PhD work?

Segment Synopsis: Park talks about completing his masters degree and PhD at the University of Kentucky. He talks about working in Kentucky and New York before speaking to the president of Eastern Kentucky University to get a teaching job.

Keywords: Doctorate; EKU; House of Representatives; Jobs; Lafayette Phoenix Garage; Leave of absence; Legislature; Masters degrees; Mathematics; New York City (N.Y.); PhD; Thomas Coates

Subjects: College administrators; College graduates; College presidents; College teachers--Selection and appointment.; College teaching.; Eastern Kentucky University; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Well let's go back to the UK campus now, nineteen--

Segment Synopsis: Park talks more about working as the UK football manager during his time as a student. He talks about the dances held on campus, as well as the plays and shows the students attended at local theaters.

Keywords: Ada Meade Theatre; Athletic records; Ben Ali Theatre; Broadway shows; Buell Armory; Cadet hops; Dances; Dr. Albert Kirwan; Football; Football tickets; Jim Park; Lake; Lexington Opera House; Plays

Subjects: College athletes; College environment; College sports.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Lexington (Ky.); University towns

Partial Transcript: Well let's see now, back there in, uh, '15 to '20 Doctor--let's see, Dr. Barker was your president--

Segment Synopsis: Park briefly talks about the UK presidents that held office during his time as a student at the university.

Keywords: Dr. Frank McVey; Dr. Herman Donovan; Henry S. Barker; Mary Frances Jewell McVey; Maxwell Place; State University, Lexington, Kentucky; University presidents

Subjects: College administrators; College presidents; College presidents--Dwellings; Universities and colleges--Administration.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Uh, do you remember a, a student named James Anderson Yates, who was a older fellow at that time.

Segment Synopsis: Park talks more about earning his masters degree and PhD from the University of Kentucky. He talks about another PhD student who graduated at the same time. He talks about the requirements for each degree. He discusses the topics of his thesis and some of the articles he has published.

Keywords: Age; American Journal of Physiology; American Medical Association; Commencement; Credit hours; Doctorate; Dr. Latimer; Eyes; GPA; Grade point average; Graduation; James Anderson Yates; Magazines; Masters degrees; Masters thesis; Mathematics; Optics; PhD; Phi Beta Kappa fraternity; Publishing; Work load

Subjects: College credits; College publications; College students--Conduct of life.; Universities and colleges--Curricula.; Universities and colleges--Graduate work.

Partial Transcript: Okay, uh, let me talk about your family now since we brought in your brother who was a doctor, Dr. George Park.

Segment Synopsis: Park talks about his family, including his brothers, wife, and children. He talks about their educational and career backgrounds.

Keywords: Chicago (Ill.); Children; Curtis Park; Daniel R. Dean; Dr. George Park; Dr. George R. Park; Jim Park; Jobs; Joel Park; Nancy Richardson Park; Peggy Grant Park; Phi Beta Kappa fraternity; Professors; Shirley Park Dean; Wife

Subjects: College graduates; Family history.; Genealogy

Partial Transcript: Were you born in Madison County?

Segment Synopsis: Park discusses the United States Army forcing his family to sell their land in order to build the Bluegrass Ordinance Depot during World War II. He describes the process his family went through, and their struggle to keep their land. He talks about the farm they purchased after the sale of their original land.

Keywords: Bluegrass Ordinance Depot; Cattle; Court; Farmers; Fathers; Green Clay; Lincoln County (Ky.); Prices; Selling; Speedwell Road (Richmond, Ky.); Surveying; United States Army; World War II

Subjects: Family farms; Family history.; Genealogy; World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: Uh, our news director wanted me to ask you what you thought about the new math.

Segment Synopsis: Park discusses his opinion on "new" or modern mathematics. He talks more about the work required to earn his masters degree and PhD.

Keywords: "New math"; Changes; Credit hours; Dean Paul P. Boyd; Graduation requirements; Historic Record Association; Masters degrees; Masters thesis; Modern math; PhD; Work load

Subjects: College credits; College students--Conduct of life.; College teachers.; College teaching.; College textbooks; Educators; Universities and colleges--Curricula.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges--Graduate work.

Partial Transcript: Well just a light note or two now. Uh, we had pretty good football team, as I recall, back in '29 and '30.

Segment Synopsis: Park talks more about UK football and his job as football manager. He talks abut the first UK football game he attended, when his brother Jim Park was on the team.

Keywords: Assistant managers; Coach Harry Gammage; Football managers; Football teams; Football tickets; Jim Park

Subjects: College athletes; College football players; College sports.; College students--Employment.

Partial Transcript: By the way, you know, we didn't record who your father and mother were, I don't believe, Dr. Park.

Segment Synopsis: Park discusses his parents and names his ancestors on each side of the family. He talks about their connections with Captain Billy Bush and Daniel Boone.

Keywords: Captain Billy Bush; Curtis F. Park; Daniel Boone; Ebenezer Park; Eli Park; Fathers; George W. Park; Julia Rice Park; Mothers

Subjects: Family history.; Genealogy

Partial Transcript: What organizations do you belong to?

Segment Synopsis: Park discusses which social and academic organizations he has been affiliated with over the years.

Keywords: Civic organizations; First Christian Church; Honorary fraternities; Honorary organizations; Mathematical Association of America; Phi Beta Kappa fraternity; Social organizations; Tau Beta Pi fraternity

Subjects: College graduates; College students--Social conditions; Universities and colleges--Alumni and alumnae.

Partial Transcript: But I want to tell you about these ancestors over there, great uncles.

Segment Synopsis: Park talks more about his family. He discusses his great uncles on both sides of his family who were involved in a battle at Fort Estill.

Keywords: Battles; Captain Billy Bush; Fort Estill (Ky.); Great uncles; Native Americans; Pioneers

Subjects: Family history.; Genealogy

Partial Transcript: What was it like to, to teach back, uh, in 1930?

Segment Synopsis: Park discusses what it was like to teach mathematics during the 1930s. He talks about how much he was paid, the subjects he taught, and the name changes that Eastern Kentucky University underwent during his time there.

Keywords: Eastern Kentucky State Normal School and Teachers College; Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College; Lafayette Phoenix Garage; Name changes; New York Telephone Company; Subjects; Wages

Subjects: College teachers--Salaries, etc.; College teaching.; Eastern Kentucky University; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: Well we won't go into detail on this but some well-remembered people, let's see.

Segment Synopsis: Park talks about the presidents of the University of Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky University that he knew. He talks about some of his former students that went on to become well-known in their fields.

Keywords: Bevins; Deans; Dr. Frank McVey; Dr. Herman Donovan; Dr. Martin; EKU; Former students; Garvis Kinkead; Head of department; Henry S. Barker; Hospital visits; John Crabbe; Mary Roark; Personality; Salyers; Smiley; Thomas Coates; University presidents

Subjects: College administrators; College department heads; College graduates; College presidents; College teachers--Social conditions; Eastern Kentucky University; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: I hope I'm not asking too complicated a question but what is the key to teaching math?

Segment Synopsis: Park talks more about teaching, including his strategy for teaching math. He talks about his retirement from teaching. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Learning; Mathematics; Progress; Retirement

Subjects: College students--Attitudes.; College teachers.; College teaching.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.