Interview with Dale Johnson, November 16, 2006

Partial Transcript: Okay, good. So we're recording.

Segment Synopsis: Johnson describes the positive changes he has witnessed in terms of roadside cleanliness and illegal waste disposal in the eight years he has been involved with Letcher County, Kentucky. He answers a question about what he thinks needs to be done to continue this positive change.

Keywords: Changes; Cleanups; Country Music Highway; Dumping trash; Future; Garbage; Generations; Highways; Illegal dumping; Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE); Roads; Schools; Tourism

Subjects: Environmental issues; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Kentucky Arts Council; Letcher County (Ky.); Litter (Trash); Pollution.; Refuse and refuse disposal.; Waste disposal

Partial Transcript: What about, uh--how do you think that's impacted, uh, water quality here?

Segment Synopsis: Johnson briefly explains what mountain top removal is and talks about the history of mineral rights and broad form deeds. He also discusses straight pipes and septic systems and talks about how these both contribute to water quality issues.

Keywords: Broad form deeds; Coal; Contour mining; Eastern Kentucky; Mineral rights; Peat moss filter system; Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE); Septic tanks; Straight pipes; Strip Mine Act of 1977

Subjects: Letcher County (Ky.); Mountaintop removal mining; Plumbing.; Sewerage.; Water quality.

Partial Transcript: Now what did I say would be a good question to ask after you found out where I--where and when I was born?

Segment Synopsis: Johnson gives advice to the schoolchildren about good questions to ask when conducting an interview.

Keywords: Elderly; Houses; Questions

Subjects: Children; Interviews; Oral history.; Schools; Teaching

Partial Transcript: So when you ask somebody about their first house a lot of times you get really good descriptions of their childhood.

Segment Synopsis: Johnson describes the farm he grew up on and talks about his current occupation.

Keywords: Barns; Chickens; Corn; Cows; Electricity; Folklorists; Fruit trees; Gardens; Indoor plumbing; Jobs; Musicians; Soybeans

Subjects: Childhood; Employment--Kentucky; Farmhouses; Farms; Folklore; Indiana; Occupations; Traditional farming

Partial Transcript: Okay, good Jordan. I like the way--

Segment Synopsis: Johnson talks about the changes in waste management and trash disposal from his childhood to now.

Keywords: Changes; Clothes; Farms; Garbage; Quilts; Reuse

Subjects: Childhood; Environmental issues; Litter (Trash); Recycling (Waste); Refuse and refuse disposal.; Waste disposal.

Partial Transcript: What'd you do for fun?

Segment Synopsis: Johnson answers questions about what he did for fun as a child, about his family, and his role models.

Keywords: Brothers; Cats; Dodge all; Farming; Fireflies; Fun; Games; Hide and seek; Jobs; Music; Pets; Schools; Sisters; Tag

Subjects: Beatles.; Bicycles; Childhood; Families; Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963.; Occupations; Parents; Recreation; Role models; Siblings