ASC/NAU Oral History Project:
Dr. Gary Emanuel, Associate Professor in Educational Leadership has established an Oral
History Project. This oral history project is focused on collecting oral histories from graduates
and faculty of Arizona State College/Northern Arizona University. The target audience includes
graduates and faculty of the College of Education from 1960-1969. As the project has grown, the
oral histories of the graduates and faculty have come from all faculty and graduates during the
years 1934-1979. As of May 27, 2010, 73 interviews were completed with 53 housed on the web
site, ascnauoralhistoryproject.pbworks.com
Preliminary findings from the research project are emerging: the graduates tend to remember
someone who made a difference in their lives. This person is often a key teacher or administrator
on campus. They also remember the teachers that were hard, and that challenged them. These are
the people that are still fresh in their memories even after forty or more years. Do you want to
know the difference that Max Spilsbury made in a student athlete’s life, then listen to Monte
Harris’s story from 1963.
Each person’s story is different. Alumni memories tend to focus on what they were most
involved in. Other things fade over the years, but if you were a student athlete, if you were a
member of a Greek fraternity or Sorority, if you were part of an active group such as the hiking
club, or an arts group, these memories stay fresh with you. If you want to hear the impact that the
hiking club made on graduates, then listen to Sue Sisson’s story from 1967.
All graduates have certain memories that stand out. If you were a female, and lived on campus,
your memories of dorm life, the restrictions on women and rules that governed your life are still
fresh. If you want to hear about these rules and restrictions, then listen to Roberta Dawson’s
story from 1963.
If you were involved in the campus social life, then certain activities stayed with you: Snow
Carnival, Ice Sculptures, Mums for your date that you bought from the Mum Girls, The Chain
Gang and Freshman initiation, special dances and concerts, all of these memories and many more
were all part of the social fabric of growing up and living at Arizona State College and Northern
Arizona University. More recent interviews begin to address faculty and staff members who
have retired from Northern Arizona University. Listen to Ray and Peggy Vervelde for an
example.
If you would like to hear the stories of these graduates, they can be viewed at
ascnauoralhistoryproject.pbwiki.com or if you are a graduate or a faculty member from the years
1950-1979 and wish to be interviewed for the project, contact Dr. Gary Emanuel at
gary.emanuel@nau.edu or mail the form below to Northern Arizona University 145 N.
Centennial Drive, Mesa, Az. 85201: Attn: Dr. Gary Emanuel
Name:_________________ Years at ASC/NAU___________ Date Retired:_____________
Best way to be contacted?
Phone_______________________
E-Mail________________________ Address_____________________________________
If you are interested in participating in this project, send it back along with your reunion
registration and I will mail it to Gary Emanuel. Beth