Interview with Thomas D. Clark, March 20, 1992

Partial Transcript: --Dr. Thomas D. Clark, professor emeritus of history at the University of Kentucky.

Segment Synopsis: Clark goes in depth about which buildings were on campus during this time period and what the building he worked in looked like. Clark describes his memories of the University of Kentucky’s campus upon his earliest arrival. He describes the layout of the buildings and states the three original buildings were the Administration Building, the White Hall dormitory and the president’s home. Clark also touches on the two important janitors of this early campus.

Keywords: Administration Building; Campus; Classrooms; Faculty; Peter White; Social conditions; White Hall

Subjects: College buildings.; College campuses.; College environment; College facilities.; Universities and colleges--Administration.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: But, uh, in, in those days, uh, the president's office was where the president's office is now but they've changed it around considerably.

Segment Synopsis: Clark describes the layout of the President’s Office in detail. He says it had classrooms on the second floor and had the Stenographic Bureau on the first. He also talks about how some other rooms and the cafeteria are in the basement.

Keywords: Administrative assistants; Bureau of Secretaries; Cafeteria; Classrooms; Deans; History Department; Layout; Political Science Department; Secretary; Stenographic Bureau

Subjects: Campus size; College administrators; College buildings.; College campuses.; College department heads; College environment; College facilities.; College presidents; Universities and colleges--Administration.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Then came, uh, 1941 when Donovan became president they created the office of vice president.

Segment Synopsis: Clark describes the changes made when Herman Donovan became president of UK and how, for example, the cafeteria got moved to the third floor. He also explains how the business office replaced the cafeteria in the basement. Clark also describes the long table that President Donovan put in his office and how a lot of meetings took place there.

Keywords: Alumni Affairs; Business office; Dr. Herman Donovan; History; Long table; Power plants; Refurnishing; Vice presidents

Subjects: College administrators; College buildings.; College campuses.; College department heads; College environment; College facilities.; College presidents; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Then Donovan came along and, and Donovan didn't make any changes in the building...

Segment Synopsis: Clark describes briefly two scandals in the Political Science Building, as well as any changes within the building. Clark asked a secretary of the Political Science Department if she would type for him, and she agreed. Clark shortly heard from the Head of the Political Science Department that she was not able to. This is due to the fact that the secretary was pregnant from an affair within the department. Clark states that Donovan’s other assistant also had an affair.

Keywords: Administrative assistants; Affairs; Faculty; Political Science Building; Pregnant; Scandals; Typists

Subjects: College administrators; College buildings.; College campuses.; College department heads; College discipline; College environment; College facilities.; College presidents; Universities and colleges--Administration.; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. Department of Political Science

Partial Transcript: Um, in my personal relationship with that building...

Segment Synopsis: Clark gives background on his schooling and teaching experiences. Clark describes his interview for the job at UK. Dr. McVey told him he had to convince three people he could do the job, which Clark proceeded to do. Because Dr. McVey had bypassed the usual procedures for hiring a faculty member, Tuthill, the head of the history department, gave him a full schedule filled with classes in British history for the next two to three years. Clark also describes when Tuthill threatened to cut his salary. Clark went to Duke University for one year, as well as taught at the University of Tennessee for one year. He mentions that he worked at Duke for only one school year and part of another. Clark completed his doctorate in less than two years. Clark describes where his classes were located, as well as experiences with colleagues, and what it was like to be a professor at the University of Kentucky. He worked two summers for the university.

Keywords: Careers; Colleagues; College presidents; Courses; Dr. Frank McVey; Duke University; Edward Tuthill; Frazee Hall; Government; Graduate; Hiring; History Department; Jobs; Law schools; Salary; Teaching environment; University of Tennessee

Subjects: College department heads; College environment; College teachers--Job satisfaction; College teachers--Salaries, etc.; College teachers--Selection and appointment.; College teachers--Workload; College teaching.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: I had another anxious moment.

Segment Synopsis: Clark describes the establishment of the University Press, writing for a magazine that lambasted the Kentucky Utilities Company, and dealings with the Board of Trustees. At the time, he didn’t realize where his article would be published, later realizing when his roommate told him that the nature of the article would get him fired because it lambasted the Kentucky Utilities Company. Clark talks about how he avoided trouble.

Keywords: 1950; Articles; Fired; Kentucky Utilities Company; Magazines; Trouble; University Press

Subjects: College department heads; College environment; College publications; College teachers--Political activity; Educators; Journalism, College; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: I served on the board of trustees.

Segment Synopsis: Clark talks about serving on the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees. He talks about arguing all night long over UK joining the TIAA/CREF retirement plan. He talks about the disbanding of the faculty senate and their replacement by administrators in order to pass a vote that the faculty was not in favor of. Professors were barred from participating in politics, including voting. Clark talks about his and other professors' efforts to overturn this decision.

Keywords: Board of Trustees; Clifford Smith; Dr. Amry Vandenbosch; Dr. Frank Dickey; Dr. Herman Donovan; Frank Peterson; Ralph Angelucci; Votes

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College presidents; College teachers--Pensions; College teachers--Political activity; College teachers--Social conditions; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Um, oh yeah, one other matter I, I recall--one dramatic moment...

Segment Synopsis: Clark explains that a secret meeting was called to accept the resignation of Bear Bryant. Clark didn’t know what the meeting entailed until he arrived. Clark explains that Rupp was very selfish. There was a movement to desegregate teams, yet many were concerned that they couldn’t play in the SEC if they desegregated. Clark explained that was the least of his concerns. They voted and the team was desegregated.

Keywords: Adolph Rupp; Board of Education; Desegregation; Kentucky Wildcats (Basketball team); Kentucky basketball; Newspapers; Political Activity; Southeastern Conference (SEC); Vote

Subjects: African American college students--Social conditions; African Americans--Civil rights; African Americans--Education (Higher); African Americans--Segregation; African Americans--Social conditions.; African Americans--Southern States.; Basketball coaches--Kentucky; College administrators; College athletes; College environment; College sports; College sports--Kentucky; College sports.; College students.; Discrimination in higher education; Integration; Minorities in higher education; Race discrimination.; Race relations--Kentucky; Racism; Rupp, Adolph, 1901-1977; Segregation in education--Kentucky; Segregation in higher education.; Universities and colleges--Administration.; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky--Basketball

Partial Transcript: Uh, Dr. Clark, is it true that the, uh, the brick from the first three buildings was fired on-site there in that old clay...

Segment Synopsis: Clark tells several stories about buildings on the University of Kentucky campus. He describes an experience with a building that was set on fire by a student. The building held materials to his classes and other departments. The new building installed fire exits and elevators but the destroyed materials within the old building were not recovered. However, Clark was able to recover his materials due to minimal damage to his office.

Keywords: Attitudes; Cherry bombs; Damage; Fires; Materials; Personal property

Subjects: Campus violence; College buildings.; College campuses.; College environment; College facilities.; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Safety measures.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: During the Depression, it was a question of whether we'd have a job the next day.

Segment Synopsis: Clark describes campus during the Great Depression. He got his salary cut down so low he wouldn’t have made it without the University Extension. He taught in several different places for his extra teaching opportunities. He taught in Paris, Ashland, Salyersville, Frankfort, and Louisville for the University Extension. Clark was worn out by the end of all the extra teaching, but it was essential to stay afloat.

Keywords: Campus; Court; Economics; Great Depression; Legislature; Money; Salary; Social conditions

Subjects: College environment; College teachers--Salaries, etc.; College teachers--Workload; College teaching.; Depressions--1929--Kentucky; Economic conditions; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges--Finance; University of Kentucky