Interview with Dorthea L. Castle, October 15, 1988

Partial Transcript: Ms. Castle, tell me your whole name.

Segment Synopsis: Castle discusses her family and where her ancestors were from, and talks about what life was like growing up in Van Lear. She talks about the house she first lived in when her family moved to Van Lear, and going to school with the other children. Castle remembers not having as much freedom as her brothers when they were growing up, but says that as a teenager she was allowed to do more things and go different places. She talks about how her parents moved away from Van Lear several times but always came back, even though they talked about moving elsewhere.

Keywords: Ancestors; Childhood; Coal mining; Education; Fathers; Grandparents; Mothers; Van Lear (Ky.)

Subjects: Appalachian region; Appalachians (People)--Kentucky--Social conditions; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky--Van Lear Region; Country life; Families

Partial Transcript: What do you think your mom worried about the most?

Segment Synopsis: Castle talks about her parents' marriage and how her mother and father would always talk out their problems if they had any. She remembers what Christmases were like when she was young and talks about visiting her grandparents in Lawrence County, Kentucky, but says her family always spent Christmas day at home. Castle doesn't remember any women besides her teachers who worked for wages outside the home, but says her parents raised her to have the same expectations as her brother, and that her parents wanted the children to get an education. Castle says she was able to graduate high school.

Keywords: Christmas; Church; Education; Gender roles; Working

Subjects: Appalachian Region; Appalachians (people)--Kentucky--Social life and customs; Marriage; Women--Appalachian Region; Women--Employment

Partial Transcript: Did you have much contact with, uh, the black people that lived here in Van Lear?

Segment Synopsis: Castle talks about the black and immigrant population that lived in Van Lear, saying that she went to school with the Polish and Italian children. She says she never knew many of the black people who lived in Van Lear, but that they were all nice people. She says she never noticed any tensions between people of different socioeconomic classes, and that she was friends with everyone, even the superintendent's children. Castle talks about traveling to Paintsville, Prestonsburg, Louisa, and surrounding towns with her family once or twice a month. She remembers her father had one of the first cars in Van Lear, and says she enjoyed listening to music on their radio. She says her father was a member of the union, but neither of her parents talked about politics very much when she was growing up.

Keywords: Class; Immigrants; Labor unions; Louisa (Ky.); Money; Paintsville (Ky.); Politics; Prestonsburg (Ky.); Race; Travel; Van Lear (Ky.)

Subjects: Appalachian Region; Appalachians (people)--Kentucky--Social life and customs; Coal miners--Labor unions--Kentucky; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky--Van Lear Region; Country life

Partial Transcript: Um, did you feel free to talk to your doctor about anything, the doctor here in Van Lear?

Segment Synopsis: Castle says she always felt comfortable going to the doctors in Van Lear and telling them about any problems she was having. She talks about the marriages of her parents and grandparents, saying that they were all equal and no one person was head of the household. Castle talks about alcoholism in Van Lear, and that some of the older men drank but none of the children she went to school with were drinkers even though they would go to parties.

Keywords: Community; Education; Gender; Health

Subjects: Alcohol; Appalachian Region; Appalachians (people)--Kentucky--Social conditions; Marriage

Partial Transcript: Was, uh--it was never boring in the coal camps, or you--

Segment Synopsis: Castle talks about some of the changes she's noticed in the community, and says she wishes there were more to do in Van Lear now. She says she went to college in Huntington, West Virginia to study nursing, but had to leave when she got sick. She then studied at a business college in Ashland, Kentucky. Castle talks about what it was like when she lived in Dayton, Ohio with her husband. She says after almost 20 years they moved back to Prestonsburg so they could be close to their families, and opened up an auto parts store.

Keywords: Ashland (Ky.); Community; Dayton (Ohio); Education; Entertainment; Huntington (W. Va.); Recreation; Working

Subjects: Appalachian Region; Appalachians (kentucky)--people--Social life and customs; Women--employment

Partial Transcript: Um, Ms. Castle, I've thought of some more questions here and if you don't mind I'd like to ask them.

Segment Synopsis: Castle talks about the mine explosion that happened when she was in grade school, and says that her mother always worried about her father being hurt in the mines. She says the company and the community would come together to help people if something bad happened in the mines. Castle talks more about the changes in Van Lear, and says that there may have been people doing drugs at the parties she went to but she never knew about it. She talks about her lack of sexual education and says that she didn't know anything when she first married. She talks about her ignorance of homosexuality, saying she never knew anyone in Van Lear who was gay, and that she wasn't aware it existed until she went to New York.

Keywords: Alcohol; Drugs; Law enforcement; Mining accidents; Sex education, New York (N.Y.)

Subjects: Appalachian Region; Appalachians (people)--Kentucky--Social conditions; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky--Van Lear Region; Homosexuality; Lesbians; Sex instruction