Interview with Wickliffe B. Moore, April 4, 1977

Partial Transcript: The following is an unrehearsed interview with Wickliffe B. Moore, a 1924 graduate of the University of Kentucky.

Segment Synopsis: Wickliffe Moore is introduced. He talks about his decision to attend the University of Kentucky and his first impressions of the school. He talks about choosing his major, and the quality of his education. He talks about his interest in art which led to him becoming a student instructor for an art class that included university president Frank McVey as a student.

Keywords: Adequate; Alan Swisher; Art school; Artists; Brothers; Carol Sachs; Dr. Frank McVey; English; Enrollment; Fathers; Frank McVey, Jr.; High school football; Impressions; John Thomas Moore; Journalism; Pre-med program; Quality of education; Sons; Student instructors; University of Missouri; W.I. Moore

Subjects: College administrators; College choice; College environment; College freshmen; College majors; College presidents; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Employment.; College students--Social conditions; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Ratings and rankings.

Partial Transcript: Who were, uh, some of your best or favorite professors while you were at the university?

Segment Synopsis: Moore talks about some of his favorite professors at the university. He talks about several professors in the journalism department, including professor Edward "Red" Farquhar who he says often brought his dog to class. He talks about his experience taking a science class under Dr. Funkhouser.

Keywords: Class size; Dean Paul P. Boyd; Dogs; English; Marguerite McLaughlin; Personality; Professor Edward Farquhar; Professors; William Funkhouser

Subjects: College environment; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Rating of.; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. School of Journalism

Partial Transcript: You were a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, I believe. Is that correct?

Segment Synopsis: Moore talks about joining the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity during his freshman year at UK. He talks about being one of two students that returned during his sophomore year, which led to him being named president of the fraternity. He talks about their struggle to recruit more members. He discusses the opinions toward Greek organizations on campus during his time as a student.

Keywords: Abolishment; Attitudes; Changes; Charles Foley; Cost; Enrollment; Fraternities; Fraternity houses; Fraternity members; Fraternity presidents; Greater University of Kentucky Movement; Limestone Street (Lexington, Ky.); Money; Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity; Pledges; Professors

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

Partial Transcript: --(coughs)--One of your fraternity brothers was Happy Chandler.

Segment Synopsis: Moore talks about meeting Albert Chandler through his association with the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. He talks about Chandler's pursuit of an education, and how he helped Chandler attend the University of Kentucky by allowing him to live with him. He talks about how "Happy" got his nickname, and how he became coach of the UK women's basketball team. He tells a story about Chandler's singing ability and their experiences performing in a quartet together.

Keywords: Athletics; Basketball coaches; Carl Lampert; Corydon (Ky.); Cost; Curtis Haley, Jr.; Friends; Glee club; Henderson (Ky.); High school; Music; Nicknames; Parents; Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity; Quartets; Relationships; Roommates; Singing; Tenors; Transylvania University; Tuition; Voices

Subjects: Chandler, Happy, 1898-1991; College attendance; College costs.; College environment; College sports--Coaching; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Economic conditions; College students--Social conditions; Greek letter societies.; Student housing; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Now do you recall any of the, uh, what some of the big social events of the year were? Uh, in the Twenties?

Segment Synopsis: Moore talks about the types of social activities available for students, which he says were mostly dances. He talks about why the students did not go off campus to hang out very often.

Keywords: Automobiles; Bicycles; Cars; Dances; Fraternities; Lafayette Hotel; Limestone Street (Lexington, Ky.); Local hangouts; Main Street; Parties; Phoenix Hotel; Senior Ball; Social events; Social life

Subjects: College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; College students--Transportation; Greek letter societies.; University towns

Partial Transcript: Do you recall the annual tug-of-war between--

Segment Synopsis: Moore talks about participating in the Freshman-Sophomore Tug-of-War, and tells a story about one year that the Sophomore team may have cheated. He talks about the older students hazing the freshmen and discusses the faculty's opinions of these activities. He tells a story about a student that refused to have his head shaved as a freshman, and talks about the death of a student that occurred as a result of hazing.

Keywords: Attitudes; Cheating; Clifton Pond; Criticism; Death; Fraternities; Freshman-Sophomore Tug-of-War; Guns; Haircuts; Hazing; Robbery; Rose Street; Rules; Shaving heads; Shootings; Sigma Nu fraternity; Tractors

Subjects: Campus violence; College administrators; College environment; College freshmen; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Social conditions; Greek letter societies.; Universities and colleges--Administration.

Partial Transcript: What about opportunities to attend cultural activities such as concerts, plays, lectures, things of that sort?

Segment Synopsis: Moore talks about the cultural activities available for students, including concerts, lectures, and Broadway shows at the Lexington Opera House. He talks about the students' lack of interest in politics. He talks about the formation of the Men's Student Council and its relation to the Women's Self Government Association. He talks about the students' attitudes towards rebellion, and talks about the few times that students caused trouble.

Keywords: "Snake dance"; Ball games; Broadway shows; Concerts; Cost; Cultural activities; Discipline; Glee club; Ideas; Interest; Issues; Lecturers; Lexington Opera House; Men's Student Council; Merging; Opinions; Parents; Picketing; Police; Policies; Politics; Rebellion; Student council; The Strollers; University orchestra; Women's Self Government Association

Subjects: Clothing and dress.; College environment; College sports.; College student government; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Political activity.; College students--Social conditions; Fashion.; Universities and colleges--Public relations; University towns

Partial Transcript: Do you recall, uh, the evolution controversy that, uh, actually was argued in Kentucky about three years before the famous Scopes Trial of 1925?

Segment Synopsis: Moore talks about attending the University of Kentucky with John Scopes, who later became involved in the controversy over the teaching of evolution in schools. Moore talks about his own involvement in the Scopes Trial, as a political cartoonist covering the event. He tells a story about a drawing he made during the trial that could not be used in the paper after William Jennings Bryan's death. He gives his own opinions on evolution and religion.

Keywords: "Scopes Monkey Trial"; Ascending; Banning; Bible; Clarence Darrow; Cross examination; Darwinian theory; Dayton (Tenn.); Dean Paul P. Boyd; Death; Drawings; Evolution; Fired; Friends; Herald-Post newspaper; Involvement; Newspapers; Opinions; Political cartoonists; Pulitzer Prize; Religion; Support; Teaching; The State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes; William Jennings Bryan; Witnesses

Subjects: Evolution (Biology)--Religious aspects.; Evolution (Biology)--Study and teaching; Evolution (Biology)--Study and teaching--Law and legislation; Evolution.; United States--Trials, litigation, etc.

Partial Transcript: You were very active in, in music, uh, musical activities while you were a student at the university.

Segment Synopsis: Moore discusses the musical organizations he was involved with, including the UK band, the glee club, and The Strollers. He talks about how the band raised money to travel to football games.

Keywords: Financial support; Football games; Funding; Glee club; Music; Musicians; The Strollers; Trains; Traveling; University band

Subjects: College administrators; College costs.; College environment; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Economic conditions; College students--Social conditions; College students--Transportation; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Public relations

Partial Transcript: --(coughs)--Mr. Moore, in November of 1923 a new campus humor magazine was launched called "The Meow".

Segment Synopsis: Moore talks about beginning a campus humor newspaper called "The Meow". He talks about owing money to the printers after the first two issues, and getting in trouble with university president Frank McVey for connecting the paper to UK. He talks about convincing the printer to publish one more issue and talks about how he raised money to pay off the debt.

Keywords: "The Meow"; Advertising; Art editor; Campus publications; Cost; Dean Columbus R. Melcher; Debt; Dr. Frank McVey; E.A. Estes; Fathers; Humor; Magazines; Money; Newspapers; Owners; Pins; Profits; Revenue; Sororities; Staff; Subscribers; Trouble

Subjects: College administrators; College discipline; College environment; College presidents; College publications; College student newspapers and periodicals; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Economic conditions; College students--Employment.; College students--Social conditions; Journalism, College; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Periodicals.

Partial Transcript: Now you, you've talked about, uh, your relationship with president McVey to an extent.

Segment Synopsis: Moore compares university presidents McVey, Oswald, and Singletary. He talks about how Frank McVey changed after marrying Frances Jewell.

Keywords: Attitudes; Changes; Dr. Frank McVey; Dr. John Oswald; Dr. Otis A. Singletary; Married; Mary Frances Jewell McVey; Personality; Relationship with students; Teas; University presidents

Subjects: College administrators--Rating of; College environment; College presidents; College presidents' spouses; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Social conditions; Universities and colleges--Administration.

Partial Transcript: The early 1920s saw a considerable amount of activity in athletics on campus, uh, I mean as far as facilities are concerned.

Segment Synopsis: Moore talks about the importance of athletics on campus during his time as a student and discusses how the emphasis on athletics has changed over the years. He talks about being a football player and discusses the lack of scholarships for athletes at the time. He talks about several athletes he knew in school, and discusses the death of a football player. He tells a story about sports announcers during his time as a football player.

Keywords: "Grid graph"; Alumni Gym; Athletes; Athletics; Attitudes; Centre College; Changes; Charles "Turkey" Hughes; Coach William Juneau ("Injun Bill"); Criticism; Curtis Sanders; Death; Emphasis; Football captains; Funding; Improvements; Injuries; Interest; Megaphones; Money; Part-time; Players; Potential; Price McLean; Quality; Recruitment; Role of athletics; Scholarships; Sports announcers; Spring practices; Stadiums; Western Union

Subjects: African American college students.; College athletes; College costs.; College environment; College facilities.; College football players; College sports--Coaching; College sports--Economic aspects--United States.; College sports--Scouting; College sports.; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Economic conditions; College students--Social conditions

Partial Transcript: You know it's often said, Mr. Moore, that a college education and experience changes a person greatly.

Segment Synopsis: Moore talks about how his education and experiences at UK changed his life. He talks about his continued ties to the university and discusses how he became involved with the executive board of the Development Council. He talks about his current concerns for the university, including the amount of freedom students have and their attitudes about discipline and gender roles.

Keywords: Changes; Co-ed dormitories; College education; College experiences; Concerns; Connections; Development Council; Donations; Dr. Otis A. Singletary; Executive boards; Freedom; Gender roles; Haircuts; Ignorance; Jobs; Knowledge; Mistakes; Opinions; Thinking; Tools

Subjects: Clothing and dress.; College benefactors; College discipline; College environment; College graduates; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Fashion.; Student housing; Universities and colleges--Alumni and alumnae.

Partial Transcript: --(coughs)--Well Mr. Moore you've been very generous with your time. I've enjoyed talking with you immensely.

Segment Synopsis: Moore talks more about his involvement with the executive board of the Development Council. He talks about realizing that the university did not owe him, but that he owed the university and the state for the education he was given. He talks about convincing others that they also owe the university and that they should make donations to UK. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Activities; Buzz Yeager; Contributions; Cost; Debt; Development Council; Donations; Dr. John Oswald; Dr. Otis A. Singletary; Ego; Football tickets; Money; Owed; State funding; Taxpayers; Wilson

Subjects: College administrators; College benefactors; College costs.; College graduates; College presidents; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Economic conditions; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Alumni and alumnae.; Universities and colleges--Finance