Interview with Katherine Eichelberger, Josephine Young, May 31, 1977

Partial Transcript: --is an unrehearsed interview with Mrs. Katherine Herring Eichelberger, a 1921 graduate of the University of Kentucky.

Segment Synopsis: Katherine Eichelberger and Josephine Young are introduced. Eichelberger talks about attending Hollins College in Virginia before coming to the University of Kentucky. She talks about her relationship with professor Edward Farquhar. She talks about an incident which nearly resulted in a riot.

Keywords: Camps; Guns; Hollins College; Home; Lynching; Mothers; Patterson Hall; Professor Edward Farquhar; Virginia; Women's college

Subjects: College choice; College students--Conduct of life.; Lexington (Ky.); University of Kentucky; University towns

Partial Transcript: Do you recall any first impressions of, of the campus, and the students, and the faculty?

Segment Synopsis: Eichelberger talks about some of the faculty members at UK, including Dr. Farquhar, Marguerite McLaughlin, Enoch Grehan, and President and Mrs. McVey. She tells a story about receiving a bad grade because another person was using her paper to cheat.

Keywords: Arnold College; Cheating; Dean Sarah Blanding; Dean of Women; Dr. Frank McVey; Dr. Glanville Terrell; Dr. James Tuthill; English; Grades; Impressions; Journalism; Marguerite McLaughlin; Mary Frances Jewell McVey; Phi Beta Kappa; Professor Edward Farquhar; Professor Enoch Grehan; Quality; Relationship with students

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

Partial Transcript: And what sorority were you a--

Segment Synopsis: Eichelberger talks about joining the Chi Omega sorority and discusses their relationships with other sororities on campus. She talks about the administration and faculty's opinions of the Greek organizations. She talks about some of the social activities the students participated in.

Keywords: Advisors; Attitudes; Bands; Chi Omega sorority; Fraternities; Greek letter organizations; Gymnasium; Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority; Leadership; Orchestras; Panhellenic Association; Presidents; Professor Edward Farquhar; Relationships; Social events; Social life; Sororities; Tea dances

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

Partial Transcript: Now you--before you were a member of--did, did your sorority have its own house then?

Segment Synopsis: Eichelberger talks about living in the dormitories before the Chi Omega sorority house was built. She talks about the food, her roommate, and the house mothers.

Keywords: "Leaning trees"; Dormitories; Food; Fraternity houses; High Street (Lexington, Ky.); House mothers; John Marsh; Living conditions; Margaret Mitchell; Off-campus living; Patterson Hall; Roommates; Sorority houses

Subjects: College campuses.; College environment; College facilities.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Greek letter societies.; Student housing

Partial Transcript: Do you recall the annual tug-of-war between the freshmen and the sophomores, it was held at Clifton Pond?

Segment Synopsis: Eichelberger talks about the Freshman-Sophomore Tug-of-War, which she says was affected by the 1918 Flu Epidemic. She talks about incidents of misconduct by the students, including sneaking in to the opera house, and graffitiing university property. She talks about the freshmen students being required to attend football games.

Keywords: Cancelled; Clifton Pond; Dr. James Tuthill; Enforcement; Football games; Fraternities; Freshman-Sophomore Tug-of-War; Hamilton College; Hazing; Infirmary; Initiations; Lexington Opera House; Mandatory; Missing classes; Peanut gallery; ROTC barracks; Requirements; Rowdyism; Rules; Shaving heads; Stadium; Streetcars; Vandalism

Subjects: College buildings.; College campuses.; College discipline; College environment; College facilities.; College sports.; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Greek letter societies.; Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919; Universities and colleges--Public relations; University towns

Partial Transcript: What about opportunities to attend cultural activities on campus such as concerts, and plays, and lectures?

Segment Synopsis: Eichelberger talks about the cultural events available for students, including plays at the Lexington Opera House and the Romany Theater (later called the Guignol). She talks about the construction of the campus playhouse.

Keywords: Church; Cultural activities; Guignol Theater; Hollins College; Lexington Opera House; Memorial Hall; Painting; Plays; Romany Theater

Subjects: College buildings.; College campuses.; College environment; College facilities.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; College theater

Partial Transcript: Now what about--were, were the students at that time very much interested in politics?

Segment Synopsis: Eichelberger talks about the lack of interest in politics on campus until the 1920 election, the first in which women could vote. She talks about campus politics and the role of student government. She talks about the administration's opinion of student government.

Keywords: Community service; Interest; Organizations; Policies; Presidential elections; Representation; Volunteering; Woman's Self Government Association; Women's suffrage

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College student government; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Educators; Politics and government; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Women in education--Kentucky--Lexington; Women in higher education.; Women--Education (Higher)

Partial Transcript: Dr. Frank McVey was president of the university when you were there.

Segment Synopsis: Eichelberger talks about president McVey and how he changed after marrying Frances Jewell. The interviewer discusses president Patterson's continuing role at the university after his retirement. She talks briefly about her continued contact with the university after graduation.

Keywords: Board of trustees; Contact; Dignified; Dr. Frank McVey; James K. Patterson; Married; Mary Frances Jewell McVey; Parties; Personality; Popularity; President's house; Representatives; Sorority houses; Visiting

Subjects: Campus visits; College administrators--Rating of; College presidents; College presidents' spouses; College presidents--Dwellings; College students--Social conditions; Universities and colleges--Administration.

Partial Transcript: Do you recall much about the, the university library when you were a student?

Segment Synopsis: Eichelberger talks about the quality of the library during her time as a student. She talks about the female faculty members she was aware of, and discusses whether there were female cheerleaders at the time.

Keywords: Cheerleaders; Lexington Public Library; Marguerite McLaughlin; Mary Frances Jewell McVey; Professors; Quality; Role of women

Subjects: Academic libraries.; College environment; College facilities.; College teachers--Social conditions; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. Libraries; Women in education--Kentucky--Lexington; Women in higher education.; Women--Education (Higher)

Partial Transcript: Now of course World War I must have had a tremendous impact on the university.

Segment Synopsis: Eichelberger talks about the impact of WWI on the university. She talks more about the 1918 Influenza Epidemic, which she says affected the Armistice celebration. She talks about anti-German sentiment on campus. Young tells a story about John Philip Sousa refusing to play the "Star Spangled Banner".

Keywords: Anti-German sentiment; Armistice; Enrollment; Flu epidemic; Impact; John Philip Sousa; Music; Opinions; Parades; Professors; Star Spangled Banner; Tea dances; WWI; World War I

Subjects: College attendance; College environment; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Political activity; College teachers--Social conditions; Educators; Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; World War, 1914-1918

Partial Transcript: What about the Kentucky Kernel, the campus newspaper?

Segment Synopsis: Eichelberger talks about the popularity of the campus newspaper the Kentucky Kernel. She talks about the role of athletics on campus and about UK winning the 1921 Southern Championship. She discusses the attitudes of students during World War I and the 1920s.

Keywords: Athletes; Athletics; Basketball; Dances; Dr. Frank McVey; Drinking; Flappers; Generations; Grades; Kentucky Kernel newspaper; Newspaper staff; Roaring Twenties; Southern Championship; Student body; Support; Winning; World War I

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College presidents; College publications; College sports.; College student newspapers and periodicals; College students--Alcohol use; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Journalism, College; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Periodicals.; University of Kentucky. School of Journalism; World War, 1914-1918

Partial Transcript: It is often said that the college education and experience changes a person greatly.

Segment Synopsis: Eichelberger discusses whether her life was affected by her college experiences. She talks about what she would change about the university, saying that the honor system did not work at UK because the students often cheated.

Keywords: Changes; Cheating; College education; College experiences; Honor system; Virginia

Subjects: Campus size; College discipline; College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Universities and colleges--Examinations; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Now have you maintained very close ties with the university since graduation?

Segment Synopsis: Eichelberger talks about her continued connection with the university after graduation. She talks about how the university could improve its relationship with the alumni. She tells a story about Frances Jewell, and talks about her own relationship with Helen King. Young tells a story about a student majoring in metallurgy. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Castleton Farm; Connections; Contact; Dean F. Paul Anderson; Engineering; Festivals; Helen King; Horses; Jobs; Margaret I. King; Mary Frances Jewell McVey; Memorial Hall; Metallurgy; Publications; Visiting

Subjects: Academic librarians; Campus visits; College graduates; College presidents' spouses; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Social conditions; Educators; Universities and colleges--Alumni and alumnae.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.