Interview with Thomas D. Clark, June 15, 1981

Partial Transcript: You came here in '36.

Segment Synopsis: Lewis W. Cochran talks about how he came to the University of Kentucky in 1936. He talks about his first impressions of the university, mentioning Dr. Thomas D. Clark's academic debates with other faculty in the Arts & Sciences Department. He talks about living in a boarding house, which he says was common for students at the time. He talks about the social reputation of the university.

Keywords: Academic debates; Animosity; Appointments; Bill Ward; Boarding houses; Committees; Costs; Debates; Dedication; Dormitories; Faculty meetings; Food; Fun; Grading; Graduate students; Indiana University; Lewis W. Cochran; Mathematics; McVey Hall; Morehead State University; Opinions; Physics; Positions; Rent; Social life; The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina

Subjects: College campuses.; College environment; College facilities.; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Selection and appointment.; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educators; Universities and colleges--Departments; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. College of Arts and Sciences; University of Kentucky. Department of Mathematics; University of Kentucky. Department of Physics and Astronomy

Partial Transcript: We were awfully short on, uh, on equipment in those days.

Segment Synopsis: Cochran talks about the quality of equipment and facilities for the physics and microbiology departments when he arrived in the 1930s. Clark talks about the quality of the university's library when he arrived and how he had been hired to improve the library. Clark and Cochran discuss some of the buildings on campus, the anthropology department, and the improvements to campus made under Frank McVey's leadership.

Keywords: "Jake leg"; Anthropology departments; Budgets; Carnegie Library; Critiques; Custodians; Development; Emphasis; Equipment; Focus; Frank McVey; Hiring; Improvements; Libraries; Library collections; Master's thesis; Microbiology departments; Organophosphate-induced delayed neuropathy (OPIDN); Paralysis; Research

Subjects: College buildings.; College campuses.; College environment; College facilities.; College teachers--Selection and appointment.; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educators; Universities and colleges--Departments; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. Department of Physics and Astronomy; University of Kentucky. Libraries

Partial Transcript: You know, there's a fundamental question came up in connection with physics.

Segment Synopsis: Cochran talks about the quality of the physics department at the University of Kentucky when he arrived. He talks about a particular course taught by William Snyder Webb, called "Physics 51" or "Football Physics," which was aimed at non-science majors.

Keywords: "Football physics"; Classes; Courses; Equipment; Instructors; Laboratories; Laboratory; Laboratory instruction; Learning; Lecture demonstrations; Lectures; Major William Snyder Webb; Merry Lewis Pence; Non-science majors; Physics 51; Professors; Quality; Reputations; Research; William Snyder Webb; X-rays

Subjects: College campuses.; College environment; College teachers--Rating of.; College teachers--Selection and appointment.; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educators; Universities and colleges--Departments; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. Department of Physics and Astronomy

Partial Transcript: Uh, Webb was a master of timing, wasn't he?

Segment Synopsis: Clark and Cochran describe William Snyder Webb's personality and his quality as a teacher. They discuss how, although Webb taught in the physics department at the University of Kentucky, his reputation was made in the field of archaeology.

Keywords: Anthropology; Archaeological excavations; Archaeological sites; Archaeology; Injury; Instructors; Integrity; Intelligence; Lectures; Major William Snyder Webb; Mounds; Native American mounds; Personality; Professors; Reputations; Smithsonian; Techniques; Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA); Timing; William D. Funkhouser; William Snyder Webb; Woodworking

Subjects: College campuses.; College environment; College teachers--Rating of.; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educators; Universities and colleges--Departments; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. Department of Anthropology; University of Kentucky. Department of Physics and Astronomy

Partial Transcript: Let's turn back to the field of mathematics, uh, which you knew very well.

Segment Synopsis: Cochran discusses the quality of the instructors in the mathematics department at the University of Kentucky when he arrived.

Keywords: Applied mathematics; Changes; Claiborne Latimer; College majors; Dudley South; Fritz John; Grades; Instructors; Lectures; Leon Cohen; Mathematics majors; Professors; Quality; Richard Courant

Subjects: College campuses.; College environment; College teachers--Rating of.; College teachers--Selection and appointment.; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educators; Universities and colleges--Departments; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. Department of Mathematics

Partial Transcript: You know, there was a period that after you came to the university and then you were gone. You were in military service.

Segment Synopsis: Cochran talks about how he came to join the Signal Corps during World War II due to his research in ultra high frequency radio.

Keywords: Civilians; Engineers; Lexington Signal Depot (Avon); Master's thesis; Military service; Signal schools; Ultra high frequency radio; United States Army Signal Corps (USASC); World War II

Subjects: College teachers--Social conditions; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; World War, 1939-1945; World War, 1939-1945--Veterans.

Partial Transcript: We were talking earlier about the beginning of the Donovan period.

Segment Synopsis: Clark and Cochran discuss the appointment of Herman Donovan as president of the University of Kentucky in 1940. Clark mentions that William S. Taylor had possibly been promised the position and talks about Taylor's attitude after Donovan was chosen. Clark and Cochran discuss the faculty's fears and expectations when Donovan became president and how he ultimately affected the university.

Keywords: 1940; 1946; Attitudes; Authoritarianism; Criticism; Deans; Decisions; Enrollment; Freedom; Herbert Riley; Herman Donovan; Indiscreet; Insiders; Joseph Schwendeman; Male students; Men students; Opposition; Outsiders; Promises; Teachers colleges; Thomas D. Clark; University presidents; William S. Taylor; World War II

Subjects: College administrators; College administrators--Rating of; College administrators--Selection and appointment.; College campuses.; College department heads; College environment; College presidents; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Selection and appointment.; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Departments; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. Department of Chemistry; University of Kentucky. Department of Geography; World War, 1939-1945; World War, 1939-1945--Veterans.

Partial Transcript: Of course now, we still had that constitutional limitation on salaries.

Segment Synopsis: Clark and Cochran talk about an article within the Kentucky state constitution that placed limitations on faculty salaries and raises at the University of Kentucky. They talk about loopholes that were used to pay some faculty members more.

Keywords: Constitutional limitations; Court rulings; Funds; Instructors; Keeneland Foundation; Legality; Loopholes; Professors; Quality; Supplemental income; Votes; Voting

Subjects: College environment; College teachers--Rating of.; College teachers--Salaries, etc.; College teachers--Selection and appointment.; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: We had all kinds of specialized services here.

Segment Synopsis: Clark and Cochran talk about the changes on campus during World War II to train military personnel. They briefly mention Major William Snyder Webb's military service.

Keywords: Air Force; Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP); Dormitories; Engineering; Female students; Major William Snyder Webb; Military service; Phoenix Hotel; Soldiers; Transylvania University; William Snyder Webb; Women students; World War II

Subjects: College campuses.; College environment; College facilities.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. Department of Physics and Astronomy; World War, 1939-1945; World War, 1939-1945--Veterans.

Partial Transcript: But you know, you came back here in a dramatic moment: when the G.I.s came.

Segment Synopsis: Clark and Cochran talk about the quality of the military veteran students who were returning to the University of Kentucky after World War II and how they impacted the university.

Keywords: Changes; Financial support; Hard working; Impact; Instructors; Motivation; Opportunity; PhDs; Professors; Quality; Success

Subjects: College campuses.; College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Rating of.; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky; World War, 1939-1945; World War, 1939-1945--Veterans.

Partial Transcript: That period was pretty well finished out by what, uh, '52? '53?

Segment Synopsis: Clark and Cochran talk about how the university changed after the military veteran students graduated. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: 1952; 1953; Doldrums; Graduate students; Growth; Momentum; Research

Subjects: College campuses.; College environment; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educators; Universities and colleges--Departments; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. College of Arts and Sciences; University of Kentucky. Department of History; University of Kentucky. Department of Physics and Astronomy; World War, 1939-1945; World War, 1939-1945--Veterans.