Interview with Carl B. Cone, July 23, 1981

Partial Transcript: The following is an unrehearsed interview with Dr. Carl B. Cone for the Alumni/Faculty Oral History Project.

Segment Synopsis: Dr. Carl B. Cone is introduced. He talks about growing up in Iowa, and talks about his education and employment at several universities. He talks about being offered a job at the University of Kentucky and why he accepted the offer.

Keywords: Allegheny College; Assistant professors; Davenport (Iowa); Dean Martin White; Degrees; Dr. Thomas D. Clark; English history; Fathers; Great Depression; Hiring; History department; Job interviews; Job offers; Louisiana State University (LSU); Recruitment; Telephone company

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College students--Employment.; College teachers--Selection and appointment.; College teaching.; Educators; Iowa City (Iowa); Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Iowa; University of Kentucky. Department of History

Partial Transcript: What were some of your initial impressions of UK?

Segment Synopsis: Cone talks about his impressions of the University of Kentucky and compares its students, faculty, and quality to other universities.

Keywords: Closeness; Comparisons; Deans; Impressions; Quality; Similarities; Southern Historical Association; Southern history

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

Partial Transcript: At the time that you arrived at UK it was just following word--World War Two and UK was experiencing really rapid growth--

Segment Synopsis: Cone talks about the effects of World War II on UK, including increased enrollment. He talks about the amount of work professors were expected to do, and discusses whether they ever felt pressured by outside influences regarding what they could and could not teach.

Keywords: Academic freedom; Class size; Dr. Herman Donovan; Dr. Thomas D. Clark; English history; Enrollment; G.I. Bill; Growth; Huey Long; Louisiana State University (LSU); Outside pressure; Veterans; WWII; Walter Prichard; World War II

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College presidents; College students--Attitudes.; College teachers--Social conditions; College teachers--Workload; College teaching.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. Department of History; Veterans--Education (Higher)--Kentucky; World War, 1939-1945--Veterans.

Partial Transcript: As a, as a land grant university UK put considerable emphasis on teacher education--

Segment Synopsis: Cone talks more about the expectations put on professors in regard to their workloads. He talks about the balance between teaching, research, and service. He talks about his own experiences with research and publishing several books through the university press.

Keywords: Balance; Bruce Denbo; Changes; Committee work; Committees; Department chairman; Dr. Thomas D. Clark; Edmund Burke; Emphasis; Encouragement; Faculty participation; Grants; Head of department; History department; Influence; Land grant colleges; Publishing; Ranking; Service; Stature; Support; Transitions

Subjects: College administrators; College department heads; College environment; College publications; College teachers--Workload; College teaching.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges--Research; University of Kentucky. Department of History; University of Kentucky. Press

Partial Transcript: It, uh--in doing these interviews on the history of UK, uh, especially sometimes when I've interviewed some of the former administrators, um, always--it always seems to me that...

Segment Synopsis: Cone talks about why the general attitude of Kentuckians may have resulted in less public support for the University of Kentucky than similar institutions received in other states.
[An interruption in taping occurs during this segment.]

Keywords: Anti-intellectualism; Attitudes; Contact; Donations; Dr. Herman Donovan; Endowments; Farmers; Funding; Gifts; Haggin Fund; Ivy League; John Y. Brown, Sr.; Louisiana State University (LSU); Mission; Money; Philanthropy; Pride; Public support; Salary limitations; Sales tax; Taxes; University of Iowa; Wealthy

Subjects: College administrators; College benefactors; College presidents; College teachers--Salaries, etc.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Kentucky--Politics and government; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Finance; Universities and colleges--Public relations; Universities and colleges--Ratings and rankings.

Partial Transcript: Um, you were the first Hallum Professor of History, I think--

Segment Synopsis: Cone talks about some of the recognition he has received for his work throughout his career. He talks about many of his former students who went on to become lawyers in Lexington. He talks about taking a sabbatical to study in England, and the support he received from the department for his research.

Keywords: Accomplishments; Careers; Dean Martin White; Distinguished professorship; Dr. Thomas D. Clark; Edmund Burke; England; English history; English literature; Fellowships; Former students; Hallum Award; Hallum Professor of History; Honors; Jury duty; Lawyers; Louisiana State University (LSU); Recognition; Sabbaticals; Support; Yale University

Subjects: College administrators; College students--Attitudes.; College teachers--Leaves of absence; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Alumni and alumnae.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges--Research; University of Kentucky. Department of History

Partial Transcript: In 1961 you served on the Curriculum Committee of the State Commission on Public Education.

Segment Synopsis: Cone talks about his role on the Curriculum Committee of the State Commission on Public Education which studied the quality of education in Kentucky. He talks about some of the members of the committee, the findings of the study, and the reactions their results received. He discusses the connection between the UK College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Education.

Keywords: Advisors; Apathy; Attitudes; Conclusions; Consolidation; Dean Martin White; Findings; Governor's Commission on Public Education; Harry Caudill; High schools; Hostility; Lyman Ginger; Principals; Public schools; Quality; Quality of education; Reactions; Recommendations; Reports; Social sciences; State Commission on Public Education Curriculum Committee; Teacher education

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College majors; College teachers--Leaves of absence; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Education--Kentucky; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Curricula.; Universities and colleges--Departments; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. College of Arts and Sciences; University of Kentucky. College of Education

Partial Transcript: Um, let's go back a, a--just a few years and backtrack a little bit to the time when Donovan retired and Frank Dickey became president.

Segment Synopsis: Cone discusses the changes that occurred during the Dickey administration, including the completion of the university's medical center. He gives his opinion on the medical center and talks about other faculty members' opinions. He talks about Dickey's abilities as president.
[An interruption in taping occurs during this segment.]

Keywords: Abilities; Attitudes; Building; Changes; Coal; Controversy; Cost; Dr. Frank Dickey; Dr. Herman Donovan; Funding; Growth; Leadership; Opposition; Power plants; Stature; Universities; University of Kentucky Medical Center

Subjects: College administrators--Rating of; College administrators--Selection and appointment.; College facilities--Planning.; College presidents; College teachers--Salaries, etc.; College teachers--Social conditions; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges--Finance

Partial Transcript: Uh, now were you involved in the creation of the UKRF? The Research Foundation?

Segment Synopsis: Cone talks about his role as Chairman of the University of Kentucky Research Foundation. He talks about when the organization began, the purpose of the group, and the changes that occurred when each new university president's administration began.

Keywords: Changes; Committee chairman; Committee members; Committees; Dr. Frank Dickey; Dr. John Oswald; England; Funding; Grants; Kirwan; Leo Chamberlain; Quality; Reactions; Recommendations; Reports; University of Kentucky Research Foundation (UKRF)

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College presidents; College teachers--Salaries, etc.; College teachers.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges--Finance; Universities and colleges--Ratings and rankings.; Universities and colleges--Research

Partial Transcript: Well as you mentioned, Dr. Oswald came in '63 and, uh, some people would say, I guess, that this began a new era for the university in terms of, uh, its outlook and its--

Segment Synopsis: Cone talks about the changes that occurred during the Oswald administration, including the rotation of department chairmen, and a new retirement system. He talks about the increased emphasis on research at the time.

Keywords: A. D. Albright; Accomplishments; Change of work; Changes; Controversy; Dr. John Oswald; Emphasis; Implementation; Merit evaluations; Opposition; Recommendations; Retirement system; Rotating chairmanship; Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association – College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA-CREF); University Senate

Subjects: College administrators--Rating of; College environment; College presidents; College teachers--Social conditions; College teachers--Workload; College teaching.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges--Research

Partial Transcript: Um, of course you became chairman in '65--

Segment Synopsis: Cone talks about becoming the chairman of the history department at UK, and discusses some of his faculty members. He talks about the changing role of graduate students as teaching assistants. He talks about the quality of graduate students from the University of Kentucky compared to those from other similar institutions.

Keywords: Awards; Changes; Competition; Department chairman; Dissertations; Dr. Albert Kirwan; Enrollment; Expansion; Fellowships; Graduate students; Graduation requirements; Growth; Honors; Instructors; Ivy League; John Scarborough; PhD programs; Quality of education; Support; Teachers training; Teaching assistants

Subjects: College administrators; College department heads; College students--Employment.; College teachers.; College teaching.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges--Graduate work.; University of Kentucky. Department of History

Partial Transcript: Well, you mentioned placing the graduate students. One of the problems that Dean White, in looking through his files and his clippings...

Segment Synopsis: Cone talks about why he never accepted an offer to leave UK. He talks briefly about the integration of the school during the Donovan administration, and discusses reactions, particularly among the history department.

Keywords: Academia; Acceptance; Attitudes; Cafeteria; Funding; Job offers; Leaving; Lyman T. Johnson; Mobility; Moving; Student Center

Subjects: African American college students--Social conditions; African Americans--Education--Kentucky--Lexington; African Americans--Segregation; College environment; College integration; College teachers--Salaries, etc.; College teaching.; Discrimination in higher education; Educators; Minorities in higher education; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: What about another issue that surrounds university histories: the, the role of athletics in the development of the university?

Segment Synopsis: Cone talks about the role of athletics at the University of Kentucky and at colleges in general. He talks about the corruption he sees in athletics programs, and talks about funding for athletics versus academics.
[An interruption in taping occurs during this segment.]

Keywords: Allegheny College; Big Ten; College towns; Dr. Herman Donovan; Emphasis; Football; Funding; Hamlin College; Integrity; Louisiana State University (LSU); State legislature; Support; University of Iowa; Varsity sports

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College presidents; College sports--Corrupt practices; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Finance; Universities and colleges--Public relations; University towns

Partial Transcript: I want to go back for just a minute in trying to, to close here and talk a little about the, the departure of Oswald.

Segment Synopsis: Cone talks about reactions to Oswald's resignation as president. He talks about how Albert Kirwan's year as acting president eased the transition to Singletary's administration. He discusses what he sees as the failure of universities to focus on their original purpose. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Accomplishments; Bud Cochran; Changes; Committees; Demonstrations; Dr. Albert Kirwan; Dr. John Oswald; Dr. Otis A. Singletary; Education; Entertainment; Funding; Goals; Kentucky; Knowledge; Leadership; Leaving; Mission; Money; Personality; Power; Purpose; Stabilization; Style; Understanding; University founders

Subjects: Academic libraries.; College administrators--Rating of; College administrators--Selection and appointment.; College environment; College presidents; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Social conditions; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Finance