Interview with Frederick W. "Rick" Bell, April 25, 2019

Partial Transcript: The following is an unrehearsed interview with Mr. Frederick Bell, who was a staff photographer for the University of Kentucky’s student newspaper…

Segment Synopsis: This is a telephone interview with Rick Bell who was a staff photographer for the University of Kentucky's student newspaper, the Kentucky Kernel (1965-1970).

Keywords: Kentucky Kernel; Newspapers; Photographers; Telephone interviews; UK

Subjects: Lexington (Ky.); Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History; Photography; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: In our last conversation, we had been talking about your childhood and your educational background, so I’d like to begin there again this morning.

Segment Synopsis: Bell mentions his parents' roles in his household and the influence they had on him to enhance his work in journalism. He explains how his high school experiences helped him acknowledge what profession he would go into and how his involvement gave him the skills needed for his role at the University of Kentucky.

Keywords: Colleges; Dad; Dating; Extroverts; Fathers; First generation college students; Girls; Journalism; Kind; Kiss; Mom; Mothers; Parents; Photo coverage; Prom; Publications; Shooting photography; Shy; Storytellers; UK; Values; Yearbooks

Subjects: College majors; College students--Attitudes.; Families.; Journalism; Parents.; Photographs; Universities and colleges.; University of Kentucky; Yearbooks.

Partial Transcript: When you were growing up, was Louisville and Jefferson County fairly safe Democratic areas politically?

Segment Synopsis: Bell explains the divide between political parties in the United States. He explains his parents' role in supporting their political party. Bell praises the leadership of some of the presidents during this time, while questioning the involvement of the United States in Vietnam, and he also shares the start of the anti-war movement in the community.

Keywords: Anti-war; Cameras; Conservative; Democratic Party; Democrats; Dwight D. Eisenhower; FDR; Franklin D. Roosevelt; JFK; John F. Kennedy; Liberal; Louisville (Ky.); Lyndon B. Johnson; Military coups; Parents; Patriotic; Political; Political party; Presidents; Richard Nixon; Southeast Asia; United States; Vietnam

Subjects: Anti-war demonstrations; Democratic Party (Ky.); Democrats; Liberals; Military; Photography; Political parties.; Presidents.; Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Protest movements; Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Public opinion

Partial Transcript: Then like, the--ye--the other d--two days ago, uh, across the street from us…

Segment Synopsis: Bell explains the importance of photography during this time. He mentions how important and demanding directing the newspaper could be and how he was not only in charge of capturing cultural moments but including versatile material.

Keywords: Anti-war; Buddhist monks; Burned; Children; Culture; Fires; Graduation; Guns; Kent State University; Kids; Little girls; Naked; Navajo; Navajo kids; Pictures; Portraits; Press; Protests; Shooting; The Family of Man; Versatility; Vietnam War

Subjects: College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Journalism; Kent State Shootings, Kent, Ohio, 1970; Kent State Shootings, Kent, Ohio, 1970.; Military; Photographs; Universities and colleges.; University of Kentucky; Victims.; Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Press coverage.; Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Public opinion; Vietnam War, 1961-1975.; War

Partial Transcript: Well, when President Johnson sent combat troops to Vietnam, uh, in March of 1965 you were what, all of sixteen years old?

Segment Synopsis: Bell remembers the time when the United States started sending troops to Vietnam. He explains how events led to the “domino effect" from the Vietnam War. Bell describes how he felt knowing there was a possibility of being drafted, and dealing with his family and friends being sent away.

Keywords: Colleges; Communism; Communists; Deferment; Domino Theory; Failing; Failure; Gulf of Tonkin; Guns; Military; Military draft; Presidents; Schools; Southeast Asia; Student deferment; TV; Television; Vietnam War; Violence; Wars

Subjects: Communists.; Draft; Military; Presidents.; Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Public opinion; Violence.; War.

Partial Transcript: Why did you choose to enroll at UK?

Segment Synopsis: Bell explains why he chose to attend the University of Kentucky. He reflects on the cost of a semester and the opportunity he was given after enrollment.

Keywords: 2S student deferment; Basketball; Big schools; Directors; Jobs; Military draft; Photography; Prices; Semesters; Tuition; UK; University of Kentucky

Subjects: College choice; College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Photography; Pricing.; Semester; Tuition.; Universities and colleges.; University of Kentucky; Western Kentucky University

Partial Transcript: Did you get any scholarships or financial aide?

Segment Synopsis: Bell talks about the new polices that were implemented in regard to the draft. Bell gives his perspective on the racial inequality of the draft and the posing threats of the war. Bell mentions some of his professors' opinions about the relevance of the war.

Keywords: African Americans; Against the Vietnam war; Colleges; Deferment; Discrimination; Draft lottery; Education; Financial aid; Funds; Inequality; Military draft; Numbers; Offensive language; Racial; Racial slurs; Scholarships; Schools; Student deferment; Threats; Wars

Subjects: African Americans--Social conditions; African Americans.; College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Draft resisters.; Draft.; Education.; Race relations; Racism.; Universities and colleges.; University of Kentucky; Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Protest movements; Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Public opinion; War.

Partial Transcript: Well you remember, remember an astronomy professor by the name of Wasley Krogdahl? He was a John Birch, uh, member.

Segment Synopsis: Bell reflects on the acceptance of the LGBTQ society in Lexington and Louisville. He also mentions the personalities accepted due to the mental institutions in Lexington.

Keywords: Community; Gay; Harassment; Hospitals; John Birch Society; LGBTQ; Mental health; Mental hospitals; Mental illness; Mental institutions; Society; The Living Room; Tom Burch; University of Kentucky; Wasley Krogdahl

Subjects: Gay men--Identity.; Gay men.; Homosexuality; Homosexuality--Social aspects.; Hospitals.; Lesbianism.; Lesbians; Lexington (Ky.); Louisville (Ky.); Personality.; Sexual minorities--Identity.; Sexual minorities.; Sexual orientation.

Partial Transcript: Rick, when you entered UK as a freshman in the fall of 1965, what was the general attire worn by male and female students on campus at that time? Were you seeing a lot of khaki pants and blue button down shirts and penny loafers on the guys?

Segment Synopsis: Bell discusses the typical dress standard on campus during the time period. He talks about what being a hippie on campus looked like. Bell shares an experience he had as a result of his dress.

Keywords: Bell bottoms; Bobby Burke’s; Button down shirts; Dress; Facial hair; Greek life; Harassment; Hippies; Jeans; Khakis; Long hair; Shoes; Skirts; UK; Women; Yearbooks

Subjects: Blue jeans; Clothing and dress; College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Fashion.; Hippies.; Men.; Universities and colleges.; University of Kentucky; Women.

Partial Transcript: Did you have to declare a major as a freshman? Do you recall?

Segment Synopsis: Bell provides exclusive information about the University of Kentucky's campus during 1965. Bell talks about the rules and regulations women had to follow in comparison to men, and the different dorms campus had to offer.

Keywords: "The mushroom house"; Books; Bookstores; Communications; Dormitories; Dorms; Freshman; Home; Integration; Journalism; Lines; Overcrowded; Racial; Registering; Registration; Schools; Standing; Tower dorms; Women

Subjects: College campuses.; College environment; College majors; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Journalists.; Lexington (Ky.); Student.; Universities and colleges.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Did you want to pledge to a fraternity or were you not into the Greek thing?

Segment Synopsis: Bell discusses his encounters with fraternity leaders. He talks about the work he did with fraternities, and he shares his opinion about Greek life while being a journalist.

Keywords: Fraternities; Fraternity; Freshman; Journalism; Journalists; News coverage; Photographers; U.S. Navy

Subjects: College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Greek letter societies.; Lexington (Ky.); Photography; Student newspapers and periodicals.; Universities and colleges.

Partial Transcript: Rick, prior to enrolling at UK, had you ever been away from home before, or was this your first experience living away from mom and dad?

Segment Synopsis: Bell explains how it felt being away from home for the first time. He also mentions the requirements necessary to avoid being drafted.

Keywords: Alcohol; Colleges; Drinking; Failing; Grade point average (GPA); Home; Life on campus; Parents

Subjects: Alcohol; College campuses.; College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Meeting; Photographers; Universities and colleges.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Did you find you made friends easily?

Segment Synopsis: Bell describes his continuous relationship with his peers from college.

Keywords: Friends; Friendships; High schools; Lifelong; Musicians; Painters; Time

Subjects: College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; High school; Lexington (Ky.); Universities and colleges.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: What was your favorite subject or class besides journalism?

Segment Synopsis: Bell talks about the different classes that he took besides journalism. He also talks about the perks that he had as a journalist. Bell also mentions the places students went to socialize on campus.

Keywords: "Cramming"; Cars; Dating; German; History; Journalism; Last minute; Literature; Political science; Student hangouts; Studying; The Huddle; The Paddock; Two Keys Tavern; Women

Subjects: College campuses.; College environment; College publications; College student newspapers and periodicals; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Journalism; Photography.; Universities and colleges--Periodicals.; Universities and colleges.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: So Rick, did you just walk into the Kernel office and ask for a job or how did, how did you, how did you do that?

Segment Synopsis: Bell talks about how he got his job at the University of Kentucky. He shares his experiences on what it was like working with other people in his department and the influence their work had on him. Bell talks about how much pay he was offered and the privileges he was given because of his job.

Keywords: Associated Press; Cameras; Jobs; Kentucky Kernel; National Geographic; Newspapers; Nikon; Pay; Photography; School of Communication; Yearbooks

Subjects: College campuses.; College environment; College publications; College student newspapers and periodicals; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Employment--Kentucky; Journalism; National geographic.; Photography.; Presidents.; Press.; Universities and colleges--Periodicals.; Universities and colleges.; Yearbook

Partial Transcript: And I think you, uh, mentioned the director of sc--School of Communication. Was that Dr. Robert Murphy?

Segment Synopsis: Bell talks about the professors that were most influential in his academic career. Bell mentions how change was forced upon the Kentucky Kernel. He explains what limitations and restrictions were hindering the growth of the newspaper and what actions took place to update it.

Keywords: Administration; Colleges; Journalism; Professors; Publication board; Restrictions; School of Communication; Students

Subjects: Administration.; College campuses.; College environment; College publications; College student newspapers and periodicals; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers.; Journalism.; Photography.; Students.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges--Periodicals.; Universities and colleges.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Rick, I think we're about out of time.

Segment Synopsis: Bell concludes the interview and makes an appointment to continue it later.

Keywords: Interviews; Telephone calls

Subjects: Meeting; Telephone.