Interview with John E. Reeves, April 13, 1978

Partial Transcript: The following is an unrehearsed interview with Professor John E. Reeves for the Alumni/Faculty Oral History Project of the University of Kentucky Library.

Segment Synopsis: John Reeves is introduced. He talks about why he chose to attend the University of Kentucky over any other school. He talks about his impressions of the school and his fields of interest.

Keywords: Economics; Familiarity; History; Impressions; Politics; Preachers; Scott County (Ky.); Track and field; Transylvania University

Subjects: Campus visits; College choice; College freshmen; College majors; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.

Partial Transcript: I was wondering who were some of the professors that you had that sort of stand out in your mind as being particularly influential on you, either positively or negatively.

Segment Synopsis: Reeves discusses some of his favorite and least favorite professors and how they influenced his life. He talks about the quality of his education.

Keywords: Academia; Advisors; Age; Attitudes; Dean Edward Wiest; Dr. James Tuthill; History; Lecture; Negative; Political science; Quality of education; Relationship with students

Subjects: College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Books and reading.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Rating of.; College teaching.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: Now the person who was president when you were a student was Frank McVey.

Segment Synopsis: Reeves talks about his lack of contact with President Frank McVey when he was a student. He discusses the opinions of the students and faculty about McVey.

Keywords: Acceptance; Aloof; Contact; Dr. Frank McVey; Leadership; Resentment; Retiring; Scholars; State government; Working

Subjects: College administrators--Rating of; College presidents; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Employment.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Social conditions; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: You mentioned you worked qui--worked while you were there.

Segment Synopsis: Reeves talks about working various jobs while attending the University of Kentucky. He talks about why he did not join a fraternity, and talks about the role of fraternity and sorority members as leaders in other campus organizations. He talks about why UK did not fit the stereotype of the Roaring Twenties.

Keywords: Atmosphere; Bids; Boarding houses; Dances; Dormitories; Education; Fraternities; Freshman-Sophomore Tug-of-War; Involvement; Jobs; Living situations; Loans; Roaring Twenties; Role of Greek organizations; Serious; Shaving heads; Social life; Stereotypes; Working

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College student government; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Employment.; College students--Social conditions; Greek letter societies.; Student housing; Universities and colleges--Administration.

Partial Transcript: Of course you've been in--interested in politics all your life.

Segment Synopsis: Reeves discusses why his interest in politics as a student was unusual at the time. He talks about how World War I influenced the atmosphere of the university, and discusses anti-war organizations on campus. He talks about Prohibition and how students were still able to obtain alcohol.

Keywords: Anti-war sentiment; Black neighborhoods; Democrats; Drinking; Elections; Influence; Influential; Interest; Kentucky Kernel newspaper; Lexington community; Limestone Street; Moonshine; Pacifism; Parents; Passwords; Political backlash; Political candidates; Political views; Prohibition; Republicans; Social; Speakers; Townspeople; William Funkhouser; William Jennings Bryan; World War I

Subjects: African American neighborhoods; College student newspapers and periodicals; College students--Alcohol use; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Political activity.; College students--Social conditions; Politics and government; World War, 1914-1918

Partial Transcript: What about the role of ath--athletics on campus during the time you were a student?

Segment Synopsis: Reeves discusses how the role of athletics on campus has changed since his time as a student. He talks about Albert Kirwan as an athlete and a student.

Keywords: Athletics; Dr. Albert Kirwan; Fans; Serious; Student leadership

Subjects: College athletes; College environment; College football players; College sports.; College students--Attitudes.; Kentucky Wildcats (Basketball team)

Partial Transcript: By the time you graduated from UK did--were you satisfied with your college career?

Segment Synopsis: Reeves talks about whether his education prepared him for his career. He talks about the jobs he held before deciding to return to UK to obtain his masters degree. He talks more about some of his professors.

Keywords: Changes; College courses; Graduate degree; Graduation; Great Depression; Hotel management; Masters degrees; New York; Preparation; Professors; Quality of education; Returning; Teaching

Subjects: College environment; College graduates; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Rating of.; College teaching.; Depressions--1929--Kentucky; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: Course you became a professor in political science at UK in 1940.

Segment Synopsis: Reeves talks about becoming a professor in political science at UK. He talks about Herman Donovan's selection as president of the university, and talks about how his impressions of Donovan changed over the years. He talks about how Donovan supported him during a controversial situation involving Governor Chandler's election.

Keywords: Admiration; Controversy; Disappointments; Dr. Herman Donovan; Elections; Governor Happy Chandler; Governor Keen Johnson; High school students; Impressions; Mercer County (Ky.); PhD; Polling places; Professors; Support

Subjects: College administrators--Rating of; College administrators--Selection and appointment.; College presidents; College teachers--Political activity; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Educators; Politics and government; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. Department of Political Science

Partial Transcript: President Donovan wrote in his book, "Keeping the University Free and Growing," that, uh, one of the most serious problems that he had--had to face was to keep the university free.

Segment Synopsis: Reeves talks about academic freedom in regard to political favors, McCarthyism, and the content of his courses. He talks about his role in attempting to create a state constitution, and becoming an advisor to the Young Democrats group. He talks about the controversy over the Wenner-Gren Research Laboratory.

Keywords: Academic freedom; College courses; Communism; Criticism; Dr. Herman Donovan; Independence; Kentucky state constitution; McCarthyism; Political favors; Reactions; Reputations; Support; Testifying; Wenner-Gren Research Laboratory; Young Democrats

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Political activity; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. Department of Political Science

Partial Transcript: A lot of people look at UK during the World War II period and see cutbacks and a drop in enrollment and problems.

Segment Synopsis: Reeves discusses how UK was affected by World War II, including funding, enrollment, and the demographics of the student body.

Keywords: Changes; Classrooms; Cutbacks; Enrollment; Government funding; Military troops; Student body; World War II

Subjects: College attendance; College buildings.; College environment; College facilities.; College students--Social conditions; World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: One of the issues that came up in the late '40s and continued to stay with UK as a continuing problem till it was finally resolved was the enrollment of Black students.

Segment Synopsis: Reeves talks about the attitudes of students, faculty, and society about the enrollment of Black students at UK. He talks about his interaction with Lyman Johnson, the first African American student admitted to UK, and discusses whether he thinks Lyman was the right person to begin integrating the school. He talks about why Louisville's Black community was more involved in the process than Lexington's. He discusses why the integration of UK sports teams came later than many other schools.

Keywords: Academics; Adolph Rupp; Athletics; Black community; Careful; Effectiveness; Leadership; Lexington community; Liberal; Louisville (Ky.); Lyman T. Johnson; Preachers; Republicans; Roles; Southeastern Conference (SEC); Student Center; Support; Supreme Court cases

Subjects: African American college students--Social conditions; African American college students.; African American leadership; African Americans--Education--Kentucky--Lexington; College environment; College integration; College sports--Coaching; College students, Black; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Political activity.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Political activity; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Discrimination in higher education; Educators; Kentucky Wildcats (Basketball team); Minorities in higher education; Race discrimination.; Segregation in higher education.; United States--Race relations.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. Department of Political Science

Partial Transcript: I wanna talk just for a minute, uh--well let me turn the tape recorder over--

Segment Synopsis: Reeves talks about the opposition and support for beginning the Patterson School of Diplomacy. He talks about the two candidates nominated to become president after President Donovan's retirement.

Keywords: Dr. Amry Vandenbosch; Dr. Frank Dickey; Dr. Herman Donovan; Elvis Stahr; Expectations; Funding; Internal candidates; Patterson School of Diplomacy; Politics; Provosts; Purpose; Reactions

Subjects: College administrators--Rating of; College administrators--Selection and appointment.; College presidents; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Departments; Universities and colleges--Finance; University of Kentucky. Department of Political Science

Partial Transcript: Just like Donovan, Dickey faced some problems with keeping the university free.

Segment Synopsis: Reeves talks about Gladys Kammerer, a professor at the University of Kentucky who claimed that her denial of a pay raise was due to political interference by Governor Chandler. He talks about whether the faculty supported Kammerer, and talks about whether the discrimination was also related to her being a woman. He talks about the salary limitations placed on UK faculty, and how the faculty felt about the amount of funding spent on facilities at UK. He briefly talks about his opinions on the suspension of Frank D. Peterson, Comptroller and Vice President for Business Affairs at the university.

Keywords: Academic freedom; Acceptance; American Association of University Professors (AAUP); Attitudes; Building; Combs administration; Criticism; Dr. Frank Dickey; Equal Rights Amendment (ERA); Equality; Frank Peterson; Governor Bert T. Combs; Governor Happy Chandler; Kentucky state constitution; Physical development; Political influence; Professor Gladys Kammerer; Salary limitations; Support; Suspension

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College presidents; College teachers--Political activity; College teachers--Salaries, etc.; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Educators; Politics and government; Sex discrimination in higher education.; Sexism in higher education; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. Department of Political Science; Women in education--Kentucky--Lexington; Women in higher education.; Women--Education (Higher)

Partial Transcript: In September 1963, uh, John Oswald became president. Uh, were you pleased with his selection?

Segment Synopsis: Reeves discusses his opinions of John Oswald as president of UK. He talks about the controversy surrounding Oswald's presidency, Oswald's accomplishments, and what he could have done differently to be more successful. He talks about Oswald's popularity with the students.

Keywords: Accomplishments; Alumni; Controversy; Dr. John Oswald; Institute for Public Administration; Personality; Popularity; Progressive; Reactions; Relationships; Reorganization; Resignation; Rotating deanship; State government; Support; Tact; Traveling

Subjects: College administrators--Rating of; College administrators--Selection and appointment.; College department heads; College environment; College presidents; College students--Attitudes.; College teachers--Job satisfaction; College teachers--Social conditions; Educators; Student protesters; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: Then after he left, during an interim period, Ab Kirwan was president.

Segment Synopsis: Reeves discusses Albert Kirwan's possible reasons for accepting the role as president of the university. He talks about Kirwan's reactions to student unrest. He discusses his impressions of Otis Singletary as president of the university.

Keywords: Anti-war sentiment; Arrested; Athletics; Decisiveness; Dr. Albert Kirwan; Dr. Otis A. Singletary; Duty; Emphasis; Impressions; Interim presidents; Motives; Politicians; Retirement; Sit-ins; Student unrest

Subjects: College administrators--Rating of; College administrators--Selection and appointment.; College discipline; College environment; College presidents; College sports.; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Political activity.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Social conditions; Educators; Student protesters; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: While you taught at UK you earned a reputation as an excellent teacher.

Segment Synopsis: Reeves discusses his reputation and relationship with his students. He talks about his philosophy on grading. He discusses whether there is too much emphasis on publishing in academia.

Keywords: Departments; Emphasis; Essays; Fairness; Grading; Objective; Professors; Publishing; Rapport; Relationship with students; Reputations; Subjective; Writing ability

Subjects: College environment; College publications; College students--Attitudes.; College teachers--Rating of.; College teachers--Workload; College teaching.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. Department of Political Science

Partial Transcript: From the time that you were a student at UK until the time when you retired, uh, I guess you would agree that students have become more socially and politically aware.

Segment Synopsis: Reeves discusses why he believes students have become more socially and politically conscious since his days as a student. He talks about students becoming more informed and participating in demonstrations for various causes.

Keywords: Anti-war sentiment; Awareness; Changes; Demonstrations; Informed; Organizing; Political activism; Political issues; Social activism; Social issues; Trends

Subjects: College discipline; College environment; College integration; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Political activity.; College students--Social conditions; Student protesters; Vietnam War, 1961-1975

Partial Transcript: While you were teaching at UK you were considered a liberal.

Segment Synopsis: Reeves talks about his own political views. He talks about the attempt to make faculty members a part of the university board of trustees. He talks about his role as president of the local ACLU.

Keywords: American Association of University Professors (AAUP); American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU); Board of trustees; Committees; Conservative; Dr. Amry Vandenbosch; Governor Bert T. Combs; Liberal; Membership; Neville Chamberlain; Points of view; President; Professor Gladys Kammerer; Support

Subjects: College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College teachers--Political activity; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: The biggest uproar of the anti-war demonstrations at UK was when the National Guard was brought in and the whole thing.

Segment Synopsis: Reeves talks about why he bailed sixteen students out of jail who had been arrested during anti-war protests at UK. He talks about how this incident affected his career and talks about members of the faculty that were opposed to the students' activities. He talks about the leader of the student groups, Steve Bright.

Keywords: Anti-war sentiment; Arrested; Bail; Faculty Club; Jack Hall; Jail; Legislature; National Guard; Opposition; Professor Holman Hamilton; Reasons; Relationship with students; Steve Bright; Student government president; Student leadership; Support

Subjects: College discipline; College environment; 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; Student protesters; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: One thing I wanted to get into and, uh, uh, a little bit away from controversy and conflict but, in your teaching career you taught many future Kentucky politicians.

Segment Synopsis: Reeves talks about some of his students who went on to become politicians, including Bill Kenton, Mitch Mead, and governors Julian Carroll and Ned Breathitt, among others.

Keywords: Ambitious; Bill Kenton; Conservative; Governor Bert T. Combs; Governor Edward T. Breathitt; Governor Julian Carroll; Influence; Legislature; Mitch Mead; Points of view; Politicians; Responsibility; Terry McBrayer; Working

Subjects: College environment; College graduates; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Educators; Politics and government; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. Department of Political Science

Partial Transcript: Looking back over your teaching career what were some of your most satisfying moments as a professor?

Segment Synopsis: Reeves talks about some of his most satisfying moments as a professor and discusses whether there were any disappointments in his career. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: American Association of University Professors (AAUP); American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU); Challenges; Student representation

Subjects: College environment; College integration; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Job satisfaction; College teachers--Social conditions; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. Department of Political Science