Interview with Jack Miller, July 29, 2010

Partial Transcript: We talked a lot about, last week, we talked about World War Two. And, and your experience there and your experience being wounded and coming back, um, to the States.

Segment Synopsis: Miller talks about life after college at Lincoln Memorial University. He talks about considering selling insurance instead of finishing school and about his first teaching job in Tennessee.

Keywords: College; First jobs; Teaching

Subjects: Career development.; Education.

Partial Transcript: Okay. And so, what did you--did you guys still have a place to live in Williamsburg, or were you--you did?

Segment Synopsis: Miller talks about moving back to Williamsburg and describes the house he lived in. He talks about coaching and discusses notable players he had, especially Elmer Patrick.

Keywords: Archie Powers; Don Stevens; Elmer Patrick; Football; Home; School sports

Subjects: Football players; Football--Coaching.; Relocation (Housing)

Partial Transcript: So, you weren't principal for Williamsburg long, right? You quickly moved from teacher to principal to superintendent, right?

Segment Synopsis: Miller talks about becoming superintendent within three years of beginning his career in education. He talks about his predecessor stealing money and leaving town. He describes the challenges of being superintendent.

Keywords: Adminstration; Attendance; Discipline; Teaching

Subjects: Career development.; School superintendents

Partial Transcript: Well let's, uh, let's talk, um, and, and, and, and, and jump up to 1954. And in 1954, with the Brown versus Board of Education, um, uh, you were responsible for desegregating the Williamsburg schools.

Segment Synopsis: Miller talks about the decision to desegregate Williamsburg schools. He describes his wife encouraging him to integrate schools after speaking with a black student. He describes the first day of desegregated school and notable black athletes.

Keywords: Addie Turner; Race relations; Racial integration

Subjects: Blacks--Segregation; School integration--Kentucky.; School management and organization.

Partial Transcript: So, um, talk about, uh, then, um, the, you know, your graduates in terms of college. Were, were your high school graduates going off to college at that point?

Segment Synopsis: Miller talks about his school's reputation for graduates attending college. He speaks of notable teachers at Williamsburg.

Keywords: College; Educators; Students

Subjects: School management and organization.; Teachers--Kentucky.

Partial Transcript: Were both, uh, white students and black students going off to college from Williamsburg?

Segment Synopsis: Miller talks about arranging for a black student to attend Berea College since Cumberland College wasn't accepting black students at the time. Miller talks about getting his master's degree. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Berea College; Cumberland College; Education; J.M. Boswell

Subjects: School superintendents; Segregation in higher education.