Interview with Rowena F. Noe, October 19, 1977

Partial Transcript: Let's see, I thought we'd start out by--I'd ask you a couple of questions about your father, uh, Professor Cotton Noe, who as most people know as the poet, poet laureate of, uh, Kentucky and a professor at UK for many years.

Segment Synopsis: Rowena Noe discuses her father, J. T. Cotton Noe, a professor at the University of Kentucky and Poet Laureate of Kentucky. She talks about her impressions of UK when her father first began teaching there. She talks about her father's love of teaching and his relationships with the students and other faculty members.

Keywords: Enjoyment; Ezra Gillis; Fathers; Head of department; Informal; J. T. Cotton Noe; Jokes; Professors; Red hats; Registrar; Relationship with students

Subjects: Campus visits; College administrators; College department heads; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Job satisfaction; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Educators; Noe, Cotton, 1864-1953; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. College of Education

Partial Transcript: Course when your father first came to UK, uh, I guess that was still back during the time of President Patterson.

Segment Synopsis: Noe talks about her father's opinions of various presidents of the University of Kentucky. She talks about her own relationship with Dr. McVey's children. She talks about her father's feelings on being named Poet Laureate of Kentucky.

Keywords: Awards; Dr. Frank McVey; Friends; Henry S. Barker; Honors; James K. Patterson; Janet McVey; Legislature; Personality; Poet Laureates; Reserved; University High School; University School of Education; Virginia McVey

Subjects: College administrators--Rating of; College presidents; College teachers--Social conditions; Educators; Noe, Cotton, 1864-1953; Poetry; Poets.; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: Course you, you, uh, enrolled at UK.

Segment Synopsis: Noe talks about her own experiences as a student at the University of Kentucky. She talks about choosing her major, and describes some of her favorite professors. She talks about her father writing poems about various faculty members. She talks more about President McVey.

Keywords: Chicago (Ill.); Dean Sarah Blanding; Dean of Women; Dr. Frank McVey; Fathers; Favorite professors; Interest; J. T. Cotton Noe; Languages; Marguerite McLaughlin; Mary Frances Jewell McVey; Personality; Physical education; Poems; Relationship with students; Relationships; T. T. Jones; Teas; William Funkhouser

Subjects: College administrators--Rating of; College choice; College majors; College presidents; College presidents' spouses; College student parents; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Rating of.; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Educators; Noe, Cotton, 1864-1953; Poetry; Poets.; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: Were--let's see. How important were Greek organizations on the campus of UK during the period you were there?

Segment Synopsis: Noe talks about joining the Alpha Xi Delta sorority at UK. She talks more about the poems her father wrote about UK faculty members. She talks about the role of Greek organizations on campus and their importance in teaching leadership skills, and discusses the role of student government.

Keywords: "In Kentucky"; Alpha Xi Delta sorority; Fathers; Greek letter organizations; J. T. Cotton Noe; Leadership; Poems; Professors; Social aspects; Sorority houses; Sorority president; Writing

Subjects: College environment; College student government; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Social conditions; Greek letter societies.; Noe, Cotton, 1864-1953; Poetry; Poets.; Student housing; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Women in education--Kentucky--Lexington; Women in higher education.; Women--Education (Higher)

Partial Transcript: What about the social activities on campus? What were they like?

Segment Synopsis: Noe talks about the social activities available for students. She talks about whether social attitudes changed during her time as a student.

Keywords: Alumni Gym; Football; Formals; Greek letter organizations; Informal; Social attitudes; Social events; Social life; Tea dances

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

Partial Transcript: Uh, Ms. Noe, of course, we, we hear a lot recently about ERA, the women being given equal rights in society, and looking back at the history of an institution like UK I think it's interesting to find out what the role of women was at a--on UK's campus, say in the 1920s.

Segment Synopsis: Noe discusses the role of women at the University of Kentucky during the 1920s. She talks about whether the issue of discrimination was discussed at the time. She talks about the female faculty members she knew.

Keywords: Class offices; Competition; Equal rights; Equality; Leadership; Professors; Role of women; Sorority life

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

Partial Transcript: How important were local, and state, and national politics on campus?

Segment Synopsis: Noe discusses the students' interest in politics during her time as a student. She discusses the impact of controversial issues like the debate over evolution. She talks about whether any professors were seen as "too liberal". She discusses the influence of the campus newspaper, the Kentucky Kernel.

Keywords: Athletics; Dr. Frank McVey; Evolution; Fathers; Influential; Interest; J. T. Cotton Noe; Kentucky Kernel newspaper; Liberal; Political science; Politicians; Professors; Quality; Reactions; Social aspects

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College presidents; College publications; College student newspapers and periodicals; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Political activity.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Political activity; College teachers--Social conditions; Educators; Noe, Cotton, 1864-1953; Politics and government; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges--Periodicals.

Partial Transcript: You mentioned the, uh, The Strollers before.

Segment Synopsis: Noe talks about her involvement with the campus theater group, The Strollers. She talks about her father acting in a play on campus. She discusses the relationship between the University of Kentucky and the Lexington community.

Keywords: Acting; Competition; Fathers; Guignol Theater; J. T. Cotton Noe; Local hangouts; Membership; Plays; The Strollers; Theatre; Transylvania University

Subjects: College environment; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers.; College theater; Educators; Noe, Cotton, 1864-1953; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges--Public relations; University towns

Partial Transcript: I wanted to ask you a little bit about when you played on the basketball team.

Segment Synopsis: Noe talks about her participation on the UK women's basketball team coached by Sarah Blanding. She talks about future governor Happy Chandler singing on campus to make money, as well as coaching the women's basketball team. She talks about how her college experiences changed her life.
[There is silence from 30:40-30:52]

Keywords: Basketball players; College education; College experiences; Courting; Dances; Dean Sarah Blanding; Governor Happy Chandler; Maturity; Money; Relationships; Singing; Skills; Sorority houses; Talent; Women's basketball team

Subjects: College athletes; College sports for women; College sports--Coaching; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Social conditions; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Women in education--Kentucky--Lexington; Women in higher education.; Women--Education (Higher)

Partial Transcript: Uh, I wanted to ask you, your, uh--Professor Noe left UK and retired in 1934, I believe, and moved to California.

Segment Synopsis: Noe talks about why her parents moved to California after her father's retirement, and discusses how he felt about it. She talks about the groups her father joined in California and tells a story about attending a dinner banquet with him. She talks about his writing, and how he felt when a new Poet Laureate was chosen. She talks about her family's relationship with the Donovan family and other UK faculty. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: California; Contact; Correspondence; Dinners; Dr. Herman Donovan; Families; Fathers; Invitations; J. T. Cotton Noe; Jesse Hilton Stuart; Jewell Hall; L.A. Times newspaper; Leaving; Maxwell Place; Mothers; Poems; Poet Laureates; Professors; Relationships; Retirement; Speaking engagements; Writers; Writing

Subjects: College administrators; College presidents; College teachers--Job satisfaction; College teachers--Pensions; College teachers--Salaries, etc.; College teachers--Social conditions; Educators; Noe, Cotton, 1864-1953; Poetry; Poets.; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.