GEOGRAPHERS ON FILM: 292 CAPSULE COMMENTS
Visual Record and Archival Resource
Maynard Weston Dow, Plymouth State University
Home Address: 44 Towne Road, Bristol, NH 03222; (603) 744-8846;
E-MAIL: MWD@MAIL.PLYMOUTH.EDU;
WEBSITE: http://oz.plymouth.edu/~mwd/
INTRODUCTION
August 1970 marked the origin of Geographers on Film (GOF).
Participants speak for the record (varying from ten to eightynine minutes) that samples of the geographical experience are
maintained on video; the ultimate concomitant goal is full
transcription. The project resulted from teaching thought and
methodology courses; students therein would pore over the
writings of cognoscenti to acquire an appreciation for the
genesis and development of geography as a field of learning.
After considering the advantage of having Aristotle on film it
was decided to secure in a permanent medium something of the more
fertile minds of modern geography. In the beginning concentration
was on elder statespersons, thus coverage spans much of 20th
Century geography.
MORPHOLOGY
545 GOF productions include 305 film and videotape GOF
interviews (149.88 hours) of the thought and reflection of 273
geographers, plus 240 GOF Additional Holdings (137.75 hours),
which feature distinctive themes (varying from 10-196 minutes)
and embody 130 supplemental geographers expanding the number to
393 geographers incorporated within GOF. Fifty-eight of the GOF
films/videos are multiple interviews of thirty selected
individuals (e.g. Richard Hartshorne, 1972, 1978, 1979, 1986A,
1986B). Supplementary productions (2.5 hours) include two 1/4"
audio tapes (George B. Cressey and Joseph E. Spencer) and a
silent film transformed to VHS. The complete visual portions of
GOF (287.63 hours) have been converted to the readily accessible
VHS format and are available for rental.
ACCESS AND AVAILABILITY
Copies of the GOF collection are deposited in the National
Gallery of the Spoken Word (NGSW) at Michigan State University.
The Gallery facilitates worldwide utilization of GOF via
digitization of the series by providing Internet access to the
audio and selected video images. The NGSW is an expansive
repository of aural resources, a NSF-funded online fully
searchable database of significant spoken word collections. It is
the first large-scale repository of its kind. Samples of holdings
include Thomas Edison's cylinder recordings, the voices of Babe
Ruth and Florence Nightingale, plus Stud Terkel's timeless
interviews. To survey links to the GOF series and an online GOF
example type: "Geographers on Film." Click on
www.lib.msu.edu.vincent/gof/ to view "Now Showing: Woman
Geographers on Film I: A Retrospective: Survival in the Maledominated Academe, 1990. For rental copies of GOF interviews
inquire at the Bristol NH and/or email address listed above.
THEMATIC PRESENTATIONS
To complement GOF, sixteen (16) thematic video presentations
have evolved. The process entails electronically splicing
segments of GOF features into productions following specific
themes: "Roots and Practice of Northwestern Geography", GOF
1
Interview Years 1971-1972 (1972): 29 min; "William Morris Davis,
Robert P. Beckinsale" (1975) Edited Banquet Address, Co-author,
The Life and Work of William Morris Davis, The History of the
Study of Landforms, vol. 2, 1973. New Haven CT, Oct 10 (1975): 32
min; “Interviews of Berkeley Students” 1932-1950 (1979): 123 min;
"Unity in Diversity, Marvin W. Mikesell" 1979, Archival Footage
of Opening Session: The AAG at 75: History and Prospect,
Philadelphia, April 22 (1979): 22 min; "Early 20th Century
Harvard Geographers" (1980): 21 min; "Wallace W. Atwood: Clark
Monadnock of the 1920s" (1980): 10 min; "Harvard in the 40s:
Recollections of the Demise" (1988): 38 min; "Mr. Sauer: Mentor
and Disciples" (1988): 60 min; "The QR: Reflections about the
Quantitative Revolution in American Geography" (1988): 59 min;
"Women Geographers on Film I - A Retrospective: Survival in the
Male-dominated Academe" (1990):; "Women Geographers on Film II"
(1991): 58 min; "The Silver Sampler: 25 years of Geographers on
Film" (1994): 36 min; “Interviews of Berkeley Faculty” 1950-1996
(1996): 122 min; "Diffusion of Geographic Education, K-PhD I"
(1996): 38 min; "Diffusion of Geographic Education, K-PhD II"
(1998): 86 min; and Anticipating the Centennial, Geographers on
Film Archival Presentations: Political and Urban Geography;
Richard Hartshorne, The Nature of Geography; J. E. Spencer;
Gilbert White, the TVA; Beyond the Glass Ceiling; and Women in
the Field, 1971-1996 (2003), 97 min.
CAPSULE COMMENTS OF 292 GOF FEATURES (April 20, 2004):
Encapsulations are presented here as Capsule Comments. Other
(available via e-mail and/or the GOF website) GOF materials
include: (1) Paper: Geographers on Film: Visual Record and
Archival Resource, (2) Listing of GOF Interviews, (3) Listing of
Additional Holdings, (4) Listing Thematic GOF Presentations, (5)
Table of GOF Necrology, (6) Table of GOF Berkeley Connections,
and (8) Table of GOF Chicago Connections.
ROBERT AANGEENBRUG (1935-2003) April 1991 - mentors at Wisconsin
- days at Kansas - relationship with George Jenks - greatest
contributions (1984-89) as Executive Director of AAG - as Chair
at South Florida - the application of GIS to Geography
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (36 minutes).
RONALD F. ABLER (b. 1939) April 1985 — Abler discusses his
graduate experiences at Minnesota, the genesis and influence of
Spatial Organization, published in 1971, and the geography of the
future — reviews the Comparative Metropolitan Analysis Project —
assesses the Penn State geography department from the late - 60s
to the present — on his assumption of the AAG presidency and the
relationship between the National Geographic Society and the AAG
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (35 minutes).
JOHNS. ADAMS (b. 1938) April 1983 — came into geography via a
master's program in economics at Minnesota — reviews his years
(mid-60s) at Penn State and collaboration with Abler and Gould on
Spatial Organization (1971 ) — his return to Minnesota and work
on the Urban Atlas—involvement with AAG affairs — the High School
Geography Project — the need to get geography back into the
secondary school curriculum — how his work at Minnesota and
within the AAG have affected his views of geography
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (10 minutes).
NIGEL J. R. ALLAN (b. 1938) April 1993 - hiking about Scotland as
a youth, learning to interpret images of the landscape Mediterranean travel as a Royal Marine Commando - going to
Virginia in 1959 - education at Berea College and Syracuse
University - formative years: Delhi, Nepal, and the Himalaya 2
changing methodology of mountain geography - shrinkage and
philosophy of foreign geographic field research - the melding of
past (Afghanistan, Himalaya) and present (N. Pakistan,
Tajikistan, Tibet, Xinjiang Province) research - environmental
devastation in changing societies - David Sopher and Aghehananda
Bharati as mentors - major geographic personalities: Donald
Meinig, Preston James, Fred Kniffen, and Bob West - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color, (50 minutes).
JAMES R. ANDERSON (1919-1980) April 1978 — an interest in
agricultural geography of the South — as the Geographer of the
U.S. Geological Survey he sketches its history with special
emphasis on John Wesley Powell — the USGS's mapping of land use
at 1:250,000 — research frontiers and job opportunities within
the Survey and other government agencies — geography's future as
a discipline and geographers' roles in it - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
ALICE ANDREWS (1928-1998) April 1992 - influence of Prunty at
Georgia and several mentors at Northwestern - five years with the
CIA - combining motherhood and a professional career - geography
re-discovered via George Washington - the growth of geography at
George Mason - the status of geography within Virginia - research
focuses upon three themes: women, education, southern Appalachia
- work with GENIP, FIPSE, and the Alliance - suggestions for
aspiring women geographers - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (23 minutes).
HOMER ASCHMANN (1920-1992) April 1981 — interest in cultural
anthropology — on research as a POW during WWII — a "fulldressed" disciple of Sauer's — Sauer's method and style in the
field — his dissertation on the historical demography of the
Indians of Baja — being frightened by the constricting world that
has perhaps 25 years to come into ecological balance
- interviewer: John Fraser Hart. Monochrome, (11 minutes).
JOHN P. AUGELLI (b. 1921) April 1988 - undergraduate days at
Clark - chose graduate study with Whittlesey at Harvard after
WWII - reflects about the demise of geography at Harvard; several
factors: negative perception of geography intensified by Kemp's
behavior, Whittlesey's lack of political acumen and sense of
public relations, the cost of a high quality faculty that would
meet Harvard's standards - as a Latin Americanist - half of
professional life devoted to administration - research primarily
concerned with cultural geography of Central America - what has
happened to regional geography - key to regional geography is
field work - concern about the splintering off within
contemporary geography - are papers in the Annals too
specialized? - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (26 minutes).
PHILLIP BACON (b. 1922) October 1995 - childhood experience
relates to interest in geography -WW II service - undergraduate
training - early interest in teaching - influence of George
Peabody College and J. Russell Whitaker, past President of both
the NCGE and AAG - writing and publishing as a graduate student impact of Teachers College, Columbia University - writing
children's books and texts - activity with NDEA while at the
University of Washington - on moving to the University of
Houston; geography there? - activities within the AAG - role with
The Geographic Alliances - contributions to NCGE; President
(1966) - observed changes within NCGE - stimulating continued
interest in our discipline - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (42 minutes).
W. G. V. BALCHIN (b. 1916) May 1982 — how he first became
interested in geography — geographers who have influenced him the
3
most — utilization of geographic training during WWII — the
Department of Geography at Swansea as a pioneer in the post-war
development of geography in Britain — unfulfilled geographical
ambitions - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (8 minutes).
DAVID G. BASILE (b. 1914) April 1984 — graduate school at
Columbia and the lure of J. Russell Smith — association with and
memories of D.W. Johnson and J.R. Smith — interest in Ecuador and
the cinchona (quinine) trade during WWII — the establishment in
Latin America of an information disseminating organization (the
precursor to the USIS) under the aegis of Nelson Rockefeller
during WWII — the department at UNC-Chapel Hill — suggests that
departments should"show the flag" in order to gain prestige on
campuses — the Southeastern Division of the AAG and the
Southeastern Geographer - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (18 minutes).
ROBERT P. BECKINSALE (1975-1998) October 1975 — his work prior to
and during WWII — the four volumes on the history of landforms
— the influence of Davis, "the greatest geomorphologist who ever
lived" — how the Madingley Lectures assisted in freeing modern
geography from environmental determinism and culminated with
Frontiers in Geographical Teaching — suggests how geography
should fit into the general stream of science - interviewer:
Geoffrey J. Martin. Monochrome, (11 minutes).
ROBERT S. BEDNARZ (b. 1946) October 1997 - undergraduate days at
Dartmouth - Northwestern in the late 1960s - on to Chicago for
the PhD; Department described - majors influences concerning
ideas about geography - graduated in 1974 with the largest cadre
of geography PhDs ever produced - after spending ten years as an
urban geographer how interest developed in geographic education as editor of the Journal of Geography; how geographic education
changed during tenure as editor, and how Journal changed - why
geographic education is important to geography and geographers is geographic education "geography or "education"? - how
geographers can contribute to, and advance the field of
geographic education - changes or issues on the geographic
education horizon - contributions to geographic education
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (56 minutes).
SARAH W. BEDNARZ (b. 1951) November 1996 - Mount Holyoke
undergraduate days - on to Chicago for an MA degree; influence of
Bill Pattison et al - experiences as a geography-trained educator
(1970s and 1980s) in Illinois and Texas - effect of first Summer
Geography Institute at National Geographic Society - impact of
the Institute nationwide - changing nature of NCGE as result of
the NGS Alliance movement - involvement with the writing of the
National Standards; memories and lessons learned - evolution of
GENIP; successes/failures - PhD from Texas A&M - research needs
within geography education? - contributions of geography
education to the discipline? - PhD programs in geography
education - geography education and modern technologies (GIS, the
Internet, etc.) a good match for a research frontier - challenges
and prospects for geography education heading into the 21st
century - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (36 minutes).
ELIZABETH BEETSCHEN (b. 1933) April 1996 - background prior to
going to AAG as Executive Assistant - circumstances under which
she was employed by the AAG - briefly describes service with
seven Executive Directors: Hahn (1964), Cohen (1965), Hart
(1966), Nystrom (1967-1979), McWethy (1979-1984), Aangeenbrug
(1984-1989), and Abler (1989-present) - highlights changes during
her tenure - operational mechanics of running the office - unsung
heroes and volunteers who assist with AAG affairs - organization
of annual meetings: role of the staff, original computerized
4
planning done in 1984 by Goodchild and Janelle - contribution
during her thirty-odd years - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (48 minutes).
ROBERT BENNETT (b. 1948) May 1982 — training at Cambridge,
especially with Caesar and Chorley — relationship with Alan
Wilson — the American influences of Berkeley and Brookings
Institution—differences between public policy research in Britain
and the United States — work with public financing and allocation
of resources within the economy — the role of a geographer when
working with other social scientists — geography's future
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (10 minutes).
MILDRED BERMAN (1926-2000) April 1989 - mentors Verna B. Flanders
(Salem State), Raymond Murphy (Clark) and Samuel Van Valkenburg
(Clark) - contrasts Clark during the late 40s, early 50s, and
mid-80s - career research interests focus upon the Negev of
Israel and the cultural and historical geography of Salem,
Massachusetts - among the first to publish (1977) on sex
discrimination in geography - as a woman in a male dominated
discipline - the non-role of the AAG in women’s tenure disputes the 1989 settlement on sex discrimination demonstrating that the
greatest difference in salaries at Salem was between difference
in salaries at Salem was between her and the male geographer
comparators within her department - Semple’s impeccable
scholarship - changes within NESTVAL - current research on
federal architecture and Nathaniel Bowditch - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color, (37 minutes).
BRIAN J. L. BERRY (b. 1934) April 1971 — influence of Darby, the
historical geographer — the graduate group at Washington, who
thought they had a cause and therefore fought the battle —
Garrison's relationship with his students — Berry's interest in
central place theory - interviewer: John Fraser Hart.
Monochrome, (10 minutes).
MARY LYNNE BIRD (b. 1934) April 1997 - background and training
not in geography - exposed to geography at Syracuse - career
unplanned - professional trajectory suitable for position as
Director - state of the American Geographical Society (AGS) upon
arrival - changes that have taken place during her administration
- those who have been instrumental in assisting with the
Society's development - new surroundings at 156 Fifth Avenue
(NYC) - the AGS library collection at the University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and the AGS archives - geographers who have
had the most influence upon career as Director - major
achievements as Director - the future for the Society
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (59 minutes).
STEPHEN S. BIRDSALL (b. 1940) April 1996 - childhood days;
development of interest in geography - as an undergraduate at
Antioch - two degrees from Michigan State: mentors and fellow
graduate students - original research interests - on becoming
involved with administration at Chapel Hill - reaction of faculty
being led by a geographer Dean of Arts and Sciences - time for
research as a chief administrator? - reviews days on the Council
prior to assuming Presidency of the AAG - major contributions as
President and the discipline - within context of higher
education, what lies ahead for geography as we approach the 21st
century - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (55 minutes).
BARRY C. BISHOP (1932-1994) May 1986 — development of interests
in cultural ecology, the polar regions and mountain environments
— on 27 years with the National Geographic Society including
present duties as Assistant to the President and Vice Chair of
the Committee for Research and Exploration — outlines the N.G.S.
5
internship program — Society's interest in geographic education —
academic background of the Society's 2350 employees — geographic
outreach within N.G.S. - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (26 minutes).
JAMES M. BLAUT (1927-2000) April 1975 — Kniffen, the mentor
and his method — impact of colonialism and neo-colonialism —
ethno-science — Blaut as an anthropologist working on geographic
problems — the geographic perceptions of young children —
geography should revolutionize to cope with contemporary society
- interviewer: Louis Seig. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
BRIAN W. BLOUET (b. 1936) October 1998 - first interest in
geographical analysis - impact of “A level” examinations in the
UK - consequence of National Service in the Royal Air Force,
mostly on Malta - undergraduate study at Hull; mentors: David
Brachi, Harry Wilkinson, George de Boer - power of W. G. Hoskins’
The Making of the English Landscape, 1955 - remains at Hull for
graduate work - first research/teaching post at Sheffield;
influence of colleagues: Alice Garner, Charles Fisher, David
Grigg, Brian Coates, and Malcolm Lewis - to Nebraska (1966-67) as
exchange professor; Leslie Hewes, Dean Rugg, Robert Bowman - back
to Sheffield, returns as permanent faculty at Nebraska (19691983) - origin of research on Mackinder; lead to this work by
Alice Garner - Mackinder anecdotes: workaholic at Oxford,
Extension work, hypotheses concerning the origin the “heartland
theory” in “The Geographical Pivot of History,” 1904 Mackinder’s influence upon Hitler - among other duties at
Nebraska serves as Department Chair, Director of Center for Great
Plains, and host of conference (1979) and subsequent book, The
Origins of Academic Geography in the United States (1981) association with Jean Gottmann at School of Geography, Oxford
(1974 and 1981) - moves to Texas A&M (1983-1989) as Head; brief
review - involvement with NCGE; commends Robert Bednarz as ten
year Editor of Journal of Geography - presently at William and
Mary as Huby Chair of Geography and International Education, a
joint appointment within the School of Education and Department
of Government; primarily a teaching position - role of geography
at William and Mary - present research focus: new Europe, new
world orders - most satisfying contributions - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color, (68 minutes).
RICHARD G. BOEHM (b. 1937) March 1994 - major figures of
influence at Missouri and Texas - the 1984 Guidelines for
Geographic Education and the origin of the five themes of
geography - honors received - the status of K-12 geographic
education - the national reform movement in geographic education
as it relates to professional geography and societal needs - 505
majors and 134 Masters Candidates at Southwest Texas; keys to its
success - will applied geography experience a recession? - the
answer to "What can I do with geography?" - prejudice in
geography - the impact of national standards in geography interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (50 minutes).
JOHN R. BORCHERT (1918-2001) April 1975 — into geography from
meteorology and geology — the Wisconsin department in the late
1940s — physical geography's application to resource management
and planning — applied geography for Minnesota — interest in
urban problems and planning developed by participating in public
hearings on issues to which geographers could contribute
- interviewer: Louis Seig. Monochrome, (11 minutes).
BARBARA BOROWIECKI (b. 1924) May 1986 — background (born and
raised in Warsaw, Poland) that molded first interest in geography
— early training as engineer — migrated to the United States in
late'40s — undergraduate and graduate days at Indiana — although
6
hesitant to enroll obtains PhD at Wisconsin — difficulties in
finding a position as a woman PhD geographer — prejudice against
women during her career development — various positions within
the AAG Council — the problems of establishing a balance between
family life and a professional career — women as field
geomorphologists — two major research concerns: (1) eolian and
Plesitocene geomorphology and (2) European regional geography —
students should adapt the spatial and historical perspective in
their geomorphological studies — the most satisfying aspects of
her career — important for all full professors to teach at least
one freshman course a year - interviewer: Janice Monk.
Color, (27 minutes).
KENNETH BOULDING (1910-1993) April 1983 — interest in location
theory — how the costs of transport of people, commodities, and
weaponry is an important element in understanding the spatial
patterns of the human race — the sad plight of geographic
ignorance within the United States — work on the image and its
relationship to cognitive geography — how he came to see the
landscape with new feeling through the genius of Gilbert White —
the significance of geography as a cross-disciplinary system
— to describe the image of this world as a whole should be
geography's mission - interviewer: Geoffrey J. Martin.
Color, (15 minutes).
ANTHONY J. BRAZEL (b. 1941) April 1996 - early background
reflects incipient interest in geography - other influences on
becoming a geographer - Rutgers (mid-60s) and Michigan (early
70s) years: mentors and fellow graduate students - principal
research interests - as Director of the Laboratory of Climatology
at ASU - history and objectives of the Lab - important ideas in
climatology - as Chair of the Department at Tempe; history and
development over the past 25-30 years - strengths of the
Department - contributions to Department and the discipline - a
sample of research problems that lie ahead for climatologists interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (40 minutes).
JAN O. M. BROEK (1904-1974) August 1970 — the Santa Clara Valley
Study — does historical geography belong to a less sophisticated
age of geographers? — quantification as a method of inquiry —
geography's interest in unique places — the mathematical approach
appeals if little is known about countries and cultures
- interviewer: Preston E. James. Monochrome, (9 minutes).
LAWRENCE A. BROWN (b. 1935) April 1981 — undergraduate degree was
a B.S. in economics at University of Pennsylvania with a business
emphasis — by chance he read James' Latin America, found it
exciting and was propelled into geography for a Ph.D. at
Northwestern — for the dissertation he worked with Hagerstrand at
Lund, and wrote about innovation, diffusion, and migration — has
recently come back to a Latin American interest — methodological
procedures are a product of his unique background — regional
specialties and sense of place are a very important part of
geographic training — to really understand the diffusion process
one needs to understand how decisions are based - interviewer:
Geoffrey J. Martin. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
LAWRENCE A. BROWN (b. 1935) March 1995 - first GOF interview in
1981 - background - undergraduate training at U. of Pennsylvania
- introduction to geography - graduate days at Northwestern in
early 1960s - period at Lund with Torsten Hagerstrand - research
at Lund - Latin American interests - works during the 1970s and
early 1980s on innovation diffusion - role for regional geography
- focus of current research - objectives upon assuming Presidency
of the AAG in 1996 - greatest challenge for contemporary
geographers - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (31 minutes).
7
STANLEY BRUNN (b. 1939) April 1991 - graduate students and
mentors at Wisconsin (M.A) - why he went to Ohio State for the
PhD, and how it differed from Madison - years at Florida and
Michigan State during the 1960s - appearing on NBC's Today Show
in 1971 - deciding upon research subjects and topical frameworks
- merging personal and professional interests - as Editor of the
Professional Geographer and Annals - his varying view of
Geography while serving as Editor - changes within the profession
during last three decades - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (41 minutes).
JOHN E. BRUSH (b. 1919) May 1986 — childhood in India —
undergraduate days at Chicago — graduate experience at Wisconsin
— descriptions of the "triumvirate": Finch, Trewartha, and
Hartshorne — the first to do an empirical study of Central Place
Theory in the United States — reaction to Berry's involvement
with Central Place — does Central Place Theory have significance
today? — an interest in urban India — geography as an
idiographic/nomothetic science — can one integrate all phenomena
into one region? — once regions are generalized are predictions
possible? — the balance between physical and human geography —
the origin (1949) and development of the department at Rutgers —
thoughts on serving as Chair for thirteen years - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color, (23 minutes).
WILLIAM W. BUNGE (b. 1928) November 1976 — the undergraduate days
and individuals at Wisconsin— contemporary mentors — his
agreement with Hartshorne on the uniqueness of geography —
contrasting Schaefer and Hartshorne — the milieu at the U. of
Washington and the influence of Garrison — reflects on the
academy as an anti-intellectual institution — suggests
alternative ways of teaching geography — the trauma of the Ph.D.
dissertation — reviews the role of social involvement in
geography - interviewer: Donald Janelle.
Monochrome, (22 minutes).
MEREDITH F. BURRILL (1902-1997) April 1972 — how he obtained his
first job with the government — early days with Land
Classification and Land Office — genesis and development of the
Board of Geographic Names — his early morning television
geography course in Washington, D.C. - interviewer: Preston E.
James. Monochrome, (9 minutes).
IAN BURTON (b. 1935) April 1973 — lack of a theoretical base in
resource management — updates "The Quantitative Revolution and
Theoretical Geography" (1963) — computer use and geography —
geographers' role in alleviating global disparities of wealth
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Monochrome, (12 minutes).
ANNE BUTTIMER (b. 1938) April 1978 — the continuity of her
research interests — our lives as professionals and alternatives
to normal university department roles — her perception of the
humanistic tradition in geography — suggests making a home for
the splintered ways of thinking within the discipline while
seeking a central core - interviewer: Marvin Mikesell.
Monochrome, (10 minutes).
KARL W. BUTZER (b. 1934) April 1980 — discovered geography as a
senior at McGill after majoring in mathematics — work in Egypt,
the hydraulic civilization — on the advantage of being a
non-specialist who may see the uniqueness of working in
historical time range — upon discovering the often simplistic
interpretations of archaeologists — the geographer observes great
complexity in the environment and sees patterns and
configurations that escape the eye of the average social
8
scientist — based upon environmental reconstructions he has a
pessimistic view of American resource distributions in the
mid-21st century - interviewer: William Pattison.
Monochrome, (10 minutes).
GEORGE O. CARNEY (b. 1942) March 1998 - undergraduate days at
Central Missouri; discovering geography - Oklahoma State for the
PhD - a “traditional” or “new” cultural geographer? geomusicological interests - choosing to delve into popular
culture - major accomplishments in teaching; greatest influence affect of those from outside of geography on career - influence
upon career of being a trained historian - difference between
history and geography - geography’s advantage over history - role
in SNACS (NACS) - regional interest in Oklahoma; contribution to
knowledge of region - accomplishments in historic preservation the department (past and present) at Stillwater - origins of
latest anthology on the geography of American folklore - most
rewarding publishing and research projects - on pursuing the
geographical study of popular culture - research frontiers in
popular culture. - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (56 minutes).
GEORGE F. CARTER (b. 1912) August 1970 — AB degree in
Anthropology under Lowie and Kroeber — Curator of Anthropology at
the San Diego Museum of Man — anecdotes about working with Sauer
— research on corn, beans, and squash in the Southwest — on man
first entering North America — research on chickens interviewer: Preston E. James. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
MICHAEL CHISHOLM (b. 1931) May 1982 — reviews his education and
career as a geographer over the last thirty years — the influence
of specific geographers upon his development — research has
shifted from agricultural - rural to urban problems — work with
the Social Science Research Council and other commissions — his
response to "What are his most remembered works and
accomplishments?" — changes in attitude toward geography that
have occurred during the last decade - interviewer: D. Kebble.
Color, (10 minutes).
RICHARD J. CHORLEY (1927-2002) May l982 — those who have
influenced him the most: Beckinsale, Garrison, Hagerstrand,
Haggett, Krumbein, Schumm, and Strahler — his major contributions
to geography — reviews the main problems with geography in 1982
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (10 minutes).
ANDREW. CLARK (1911-1975) April 1971 — influence of Griffith
Taylor and Harold Innis, an economic historian, at Toronto —
study under Sauer — Berkeley in the mid-1930s — learning from
fellow graduate students — contribution to graduate students as a
critic, editor and irritant, rather than imparting profound
intellectual truths - interviewer: John Fraser Hart.
Monochrome, (11 minutes).
WILLIAM A. V. CLARK (b. 1938) March 1998 - childhood and
background in New Zealand - days at Canterbury - impact of Mayer
and Kohn - Illinois for the PhD, the Department during the mid1960s - geography in the Midwest during the early 1960s connections with Chicago and Northwestern - impact of Iowa during
summer of 1964 - Spatial Analysis Summer Institute at
Northwestern in 1964; lecturers and fellow attendees - Bristol
and Cambridge; fall of 1964 - return to New Zealand (1965-1967) on to Wisconsin (1967-1970); major interests/issues among the
faculty and visitors - faculty and students during early years at
UCLA; his principal research interests - evolvement from an urban
emphasis to population geography - intra urban migration and
population relocation - early 1980s in The Netherlands - nature
of white flight and neighborhood change as forces which impede
9
school desegregation; major influences of research rediscovering geography and geography as science - greatest
contributions - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (65 minutes).
SAUL B. COHEN (b. 1925) October 1977 — his career in geography is
summarized — the influence of Whittlesey and Stephen B. Jones —
review of the roles of the various Directors of the Graduate
School of Geography at Clark — the systematic approach to
geography at Clark — comments on the Arab-Israeli conflict and
the geopolitical organization of the 20th century world — how
those outside the discipline can influence geographers
- interviewer: Howard Hirt. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
SAUL COHEN (b. 1925) April 1992 - first interviewed for GOF in
October 1977 - reviews career since leaving Clark in 1978,
(1978-1985): President of Queens College, (1986-present): Hunter
College, numerous committee assignments in public service for
N.Y.C. and New York state - keeping one's hand in geography
within this milieu - the influence of N.Y.C. on his research returns to active role within AAG (1988-1992); five major
contributions - changing theoretical and methodological
approaches to political geography - gateway and entropy countries
- the need for application in geography - geography's prospects
in the next decade - future plans - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (44 minutes).
MARY M. COLBY (1899-1985) April 1972 - re: CHARLES C. COLBY
(1884-1965) — Charles Colby as a generalist, rather than an
economic geographer — great ability to summarize advantageous in
securing government grants — experiences on the Shipping Board
and Land Committee — Land Classification work in the 1930s —
circuit riding professor days after retirement from Chicago in
1951 - interviewer: Preston E. James. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
ALICE M. COLEMAN (b. 1923) April l982 — an outline of her
education — geographers who have influenced her career — the
objectives of the Second Land Utilization Survey — presents a
model that summarizes all her maps of the Second Land Utilization
Survey — a discussion of a chain of land - use dislocations —
inner-city work with land use and social malaise - interviewer:
J. C. Pugh. Color, (11 minutes).
MICHAEL P. CONZEN (b. 1944) March 1995 - childhood days in
Britain; son of a geographer - early geographical training in
Germany - key undergraduate influences at Cambridge - influences
and experiences at Wisconsin - interest in historical geography Boston University in the early 1960s - the appeal of the U of
Chicago - personal cartographic skills - special research
interests - origins of The Making of the American Landscape forthcoming Prospects of Plenty - pressing issues in geographical
research - learned from teaching students - enjoy most about
geography - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (26 minutes).
J. T. COPPOCK (1921-2000) August 1992 - early career influences;
anecdotes re: days at Cambridge (Margaret Anderson, Alfred
Steers) and UC-London (H. C. Darby) - evolving interest in rural
land use (1951) - work of Dudley Stamp and Alice Coleman importance of evaluating sources - problems with land use surveys
- impact and result of incipient UK recreation & tourism research
- academic geographers involvement in public agency contract work
- geography in the study of conservation - place of cartography
in the study of geography - as Editor of the International
Journal of Geographical Information Systems discusses the role of
geography in GIS - how geographers should contribute to global
studies - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color (38 minutes).
10
GEORGE B. CRESSEY (1896-1963) Sigma Xi Lecture at American
University: Beirut: "Brown, White, Green and Black" - Spring
1958, audio only: definitions and description of deserts geography concerned with man - man must make special adjustments
in deserts - deserts expand and contract, cites examples in China
- dust bowls - water problems of the desert: e. g. Egypt and
Sudan, Texas and Mexico, Pakistan and India - problems in humid
lands - irrigation in the Tigris and Euphrates, evaporation from
Baghdad to Basra - the water budget - salinization within the
Indus Valley, biggest irrigation project in the world irrigation schemes must provice for drainage to minimize
salinization - future of the deserts - no where in this world is
there good land left; none left for pioneers, it's all used up This tape was donated to GOF by J. Rowland Illick of Middlebury
College. Audio Only 43 minutes).
RAYMOND E. CRIST (1904-1993) April 1973 — geology, weather, and
climate an important basis for the cultural geographer — changing
patterns of land use and settlement in Latin America — importance
of field work — significance of the solidarity of ethnic and
religious cohesiveness for people's coping with a new environment
— the Peace Corps—developing an agricultural base vs. an
industrial base in emerging countries - interviewer: Orin C.
Patton. Monochrome, (11 minutes).
SUSAN L. CUTTER (b. 1950) April 1997 - undergraduate days at
California State: Hayward - graduate study at Chicago; major
influences - early work in technological hazards - interest in
the field of nature/society interactions - origin of conservation
text, now in its 3rd Edition - 16 years at Rutgers - moves to
South Carolina to assume Chair; the Department at Columbia philosophy that guides her work - innovative techniques in
undergraduate conservation class - hobby to which many former
students contribute - why students should be concerned with
nature/society interactions generally, and hazards, more
specifically - significance of Hazards Research Lab at South
Carolina - major accomplishments to date - where hazards
geography is going - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (55 minutes).
DONALD C. DAHMANN (b. 1946) March 2003 - early years in
Cincinnati, attended city-wide college-preparatory high school
and neighborhood college: the University of Cincinnati with
courses in everything from philosophy to civil engineering —
first geography ever was a physical course followed by a
captivating Human Geography, 5 days a week, during the summer faculty included Larry Wolf, Bruce Ryan, Bob McNee, Howard
Stafford, Wolf Roder - captivated by analytic quantitative
geography as exemplified by Haggett’s Locational Analysis in
Human Geography and Isard’s Methods of Regional Analysis - knew
by completion of college he would pursue graduate study in
geography - took ROTC and became Captain of the Corps of Cadets military service in Corps of Engineers — two years with LiberiaU.S. Mapping Mission, conducted fieldwork for the initial
topographic mapping of Liberia - first opportunity to teach
geography at University of Liberia, plus research on detecting
land use change with remote sensing imagery - the Liberian
experience, an introduction to life, no better opportunity to
learn ‘in the field’ about a true ‘other world’ - visited eight
departments and chose the University of Chicago for graduate
study (MA and PhD) - mentors: Peter Goheen (social aspects),
Berry Berry (economic), Ed Shils and Paul Wheatley in social
theory - the "locality assumption" - took statistics/quantitative
techniques - fellow graduate students: Bob Lake, Ken Foote, Don
Jones, Bob and Sarah Bednarz - interest in social theory Doctoral dissertation dealt with schooling and where one enters
the labor force: Locals and Cosmopolitans: Patterns of Spatial
11
Mobility during the Transition from Youth to Early Adulthood met his wife, Marry Judith Soisson, at the University the Department demise: relatively few faculty seemingly going in
different directions; in the larger University politics the Dean,
a sociologist, thought some of the geographers were competition
for him, he didn't take that well; (Note: the sociologists
thought geography , esp. Brain Berry, had won out in terms of the
geography, community, sociology realm) so in terms of the larger
University finances the Dean found it a convenient time to call
the question to eliminate a department and everybody, the
vultures elsewhere, gained positions - 20 years as a statistician
with the U.S. Bureau of the Census managing statistical programs
and conducting research on geographic aspects of housing,
migration, and settlement - the Bureau, essentially a white
collar factory cranking out data, lacks analytical emphasis anecdotes, philosophy, and tasks at the Bureau - data presented
as isotropic plane masking regional patterns - leaving
bureaucracies to the bureaucrats left the Bureau (1997) to pursue
independent research and teach at George Washington University
(adjunct professor) - Washington DC, a stimulating place to work
and live - present research: (1) biography of Henry Gannett,
tentatively titled, America’s Transition from Geography as
Exploration to Geography as Information and Explanation, and (2)
preparation of the Geography in America Timeline, a resource for
the AAG Centennial (2004), an enterprise unto itself - the
Timeline, a continuing project, is a record of geography's
accomplishments; it says: "geographers have done significant
things for a long time and here is the record" - overview of
Library of Congress internet presence - geography lacks the web
presence of other disciplines - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
(86 minutes).
MICHAEL J. DEAR (b. 1944) April 1997 - early influences in Wales,
and with David Linton at the University of Birmingham -impact of
Chorley and Haggett - focus and mentors (Allen Scott and Alan
Wilson) at University College London - University of
Pennsylvania; interests and faculty (special reference to Isard
and Wolpert) - review of research trajectory: geography of mental
health, state & welfare state, homelessness, and social theory interest in Postmodernism - important collaborators: Martin
Taylor, Gordon Clark, Allen Scott, Jennifer Wolch - as founder of
Society and Space: birth, focus, and impact; collaborators:
Gregory, Thrift et al - the move to USC; emphases at USC - Los
Angeles as the postmodern city - Stanford's Center for Advanced
Study in the Behavioral Sciences - current research agenda assessment of the 1965-1995 renaissance in Human Geography: The
QR, Neo-Marxism, Social Theory, and The Postmodern Turn contemporary and future trends in Human Geography
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (53 minutes).
HARM J. DE BLIJ (b. 1935) April l976 — how he came into the field
of geography — Northwestern in the 1950s — role as editor of the
Journal of Geography — contrasts the Journal with the Annals and
the Geographical Review — what an introductory text should
accomplish — sees a need for more regional texts at the
introductory level — lets not waste time on defining geography,
but place more time on doing what we think geography is
- interviewer: Louis Seig. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
HARM J. DE BLIJ (b. 1935) April 1985 — discusses National
Geographic Research as editor —geography of wine — experience
with a Semester at Sea program — reviews contemporary South
African affairs — the state of regional and physical geography —
geographic illiteracy - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (24 minutes).
12
ANTHONY R. de SOUZA (b. 1943) April 1993 - training at Reading:
early interest in physical, then urban geography - anecdotes re:
Peter Hall, Peter Haggett, and Yi-Fu Tuan - relationship with the
University of Minnesota - work at Dar es Salaam - East African
experience influences thinking - the Wisconsin-Eau Claire days as Editor (1983-87) of the Journal of Geography - five year
service as Secretary General of the 27th International
Geographical Congress (1992): challenges and retrospective difference between regional and international meetings of the IGU
-as Executive Director of The Geography Education Standards
Project: objectives, structure, and plans - as Editor of the
National Geographic Society's Research and Exploration: how the
journal differs from other research journals; relatively few
geographers submit articles - what Americans need and expect of
geography - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (45 minutes).
GEORGE J. DEMKO (b. 1933) April 1983 — origins of his geographic
interests include such people as S.S. Visher, Charles Colby,
Robert Harper, George Deasy, Allan Rodgers — research interests
in spatial demographics, mobility migration circulation, and
population policy—the utilization of population studies by
national governments — about Third World and Hong Kong population
studies — involvement with the IGU — the relationship between
U.S. and Soviet geographers, i.e. the emphasis on methodology and
technology versus applied and practical geography — trends in
international interchange and cooperation within geography — as a
program director at NSF he comments about opportunities for
research support — how he anticipates NSF experience will broaden
his view - interviewer: Geoffrey J. Martin. Color, (13 minutes).
WILLIAM M. DENEVAN (b. 1931) April 1988 - being predisposed
toward geography - undergraduate and graduate days at Berkeley in
the 1950s; the influences of Rostlund, Parsons, and Sauer Berkeley's emphasis upon field geography, indigenous societies
and regional geography - lessons derived from studying
traditional agricultural societies - schools and individuals that
specialize in cultural ecology: Wisconsin (Denevan), Texas
(Butzer), Minnesota (Porter) and Clark (Turner) - contemporary
work on Peruvian terraces - collaborative (Wm. Turner and Wm.
Doolittle) NEH sponsored 3 volume five year project on indigenous
agriculture in the Americas - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (22 minutes).
DONALD R. DESKINS, JR. (b. 1932) April 1975 — residential
mobility of occupational groups—stages of ghetto morphology —
social geography: the social consequences of human impact upon
the environment — journey-to-work research—delivery systems of
urban services — no such thing as "Black Geography" interviewer: M. W. Dow. Monochrome, (11 minutes).
SAMUEL N. DICKEN (1901-1989) April 1978 — educational background
including graduate days at Berkeley — several anecdotes about
Sauer — association with Hartshorne at Minnesota - interviewer:
John Fraser Hart. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
MAYNARD WESTON DOW (b. 1929) June 1998 - childhood and early
experiences in Brunswick, Maine - induced to graduate from US
Naval Academy - trajectory that led to ten years as Faculty
member at US Air Force Academy - discovering geography at
Rutgers; Department characterized during late 1950s: Guido
Weigend and John Brush - Syracuse for the PhD in early 1960s;
Department described: George Cressey, Preston James, Don Meinig,
Doug Carter, John Thompson; other influences: anthropologists
Donn Hart and Eduardo Mondlane; fellow graduate students 13
Geography Department at the Air Force Academy (1960-62, 1964-72);
primary teaching and research interests: East Asia and Southeast
Asia, Geographic Thought, Political Geography - origins,
specifics, and structure of Geographers on Film (GOF); criteria
for selecting interviewees - career at Plymouth State College
(1972-present); developed and taught 12 courses - difficulties of
maintaining primary research activity and 12 hour teaching load
per semester - challenges establishing geography as recognized
program on a state college campus - service to geography:
NESTVAL, AAG, 27th IGC - most rewarding aspects of career honors received - future and maintenance of GOF - suggestions
for those pursuing geography as a career - interviewer:
Geoffrey J. Martin. Color, (76 minutes).
ROGER M. DOWNS (b. 1944) April 1993 - undergraduate and graduate
training at Bristol in the late 1960s - influence of Allan Frey,
David Harvey, Peter Haggett - how geography and psychology are
related - early experience at Johns Hopkins - the decision to go
to Penn State - British geographers at American universities research interests in child development and how it relates to
geography - linking geography with K-12 education - National
Geographic's impact upon public awareness of geography - role of
geography in mass media, including newspapers and television the geography of Sesame Street - how the media view and promote
geography - Carmen Sandiego reviewed - future research will
involve media and graphics in children's understanding; seeing
the world in the eyes of children - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (40 minutes).
CHRIS DRAKE (b. 1943) October 1998 - early years in Seven Oaks,
Kent - first interest in geography prompted by stamps - best
features of an Oxford education: tutorial system and depth (one
subject at a time); most contact with M. M. Sweeting, only female
Don within geography during the early 1960s - meets American
husband in Khartoum, then settles in Princeton and enters
graduate school at Rutgers (late 1960s) with faculty of Guido
Weigend, John Brush and Arthur Getis - spends five years in
Sulawesi prior to completing PhD (1977) - upon return from
Indonesia, Getis is thesis advisor: a quantitative analysis of
national integration of Indonesia - Fulbright experience in
Indonesia (1996); comparison of differences after 20 years currently examining national integration of Senegal - enriched by
travel in 45 countries; mostly in Africa, Southwest Asia and
Europe - Director of NEH-sponsored Francophone Summer Institutes,
wherein high school French teachers study Senegalese literature
and geography at Old Dominion University prior to visiting Dakar
to meet authors, poets, and observe interaction of physical and
cultural environment in which writers perform - service for the
NCGE, AAG, and the Virginia Social Science Association particular research interest is the seminal idea of what
integrates and helps develop a country? - core of geography? important contributions - why is geography important?
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (28 minutes).
DOROTHY W. DRUMMOND (b. 1928) October 1997 - on becoming a
geographer - undergraduate days at Valparaiso - Northwestern (c.
1950) described - influences in early professional life - the AGS
during early 1950s - married another geographer, Robert Drummond;
as married geographers, did it limit job opportunities? juggling family life with professional responsibilities - not a
teacher, yet always involved in education - review of
professional commitments - year in Burma as a Fulbright Scholar;
specific research interests - service with the NCGE; President in
1990 - busy contemporary professional career - success in grant
writing in recent years - important contributions to geography 14
evolvement of discipline since graduate school - sanguine
regarding outlook for geography? - future of geography in public
education - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (51 minutes).
ASHOK K. DUTT (b. 1931) April 1997 - background in India - three
degrees from Patna University -early interest in urban geography
- Indian geographers who shaped his early views of the discipline
- on going to the States for first teaching position in the US the move to Akron; the Department - city regional delineation
concepts: conurbation, Randstad Metropolitan Region, urban
corridors and edge cities - New Towns concept still applicable? Burgess, Hoyt, and Ullman/Harris models applicable to India? contrasts urbanization of 20th century Asia with 19th century
Europe and United States - how Indian city forms differ from
those of China - recent process of urbanization in India comparison of American geography with that of India and Europe leading contemporary Indian geographers - global diffusion of
AIDS and prospects for the eradication of malaria - distinct
regionalization of India based upon religion? - north-central
India as a sub-culture of violence - future of Indian
urbanization compared to that of the rest of Asia and the world interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (73 minutes).
W. GORDON EAST (1902-1998) April 1982 — geographic training
learned from colleagues — experiences at Birkbeck College,
University of London — a sample of students and colleagues who
went from Birkbeck to distinguished careers in geography — early
interest and work in political geography — the origin of East and
Moodie's The Changing World, 1956 — association with S.W.
Wooldridge - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (10 minutes).
EDWARD B. ESPENSHADE, JR. (b. 1910) April 1972 — Foreign Map
Editor of Army Map Service during WWII — editor of Goode's World
Atlas — small geography department's philosophy: sharp focus and
specialization on research; systematic emphasis and elimination
of most regional courses - interviewer: Preston E. James.
Monochrome, (11 minutes).
EDWARD B. ESPENSHADE, JR. (b. 1910) April 1993 - choosing
geography as a profession - the intellectual climate at Chicago
in the 1930s and early 1940s: mentors (Barrows, Colby, Goode, W.
Jones, Leppard, E. Parker, and Platt) and fellow graduate
students (N. Ginsburg, C. Harris, Ullman, and G. White) - as
Curator of Maps at Chicago - beginning of teaching career status of War College map collection in 1941 - Map Editor of Army
Map Service (1942-45) - acquisition of maps for A.M.S during
WWII, e.g. maps of China (G. Cressey) and Japan (detainees at
relocation camps) - Edith Parker's role at A.M.S. - early
association with, becoming editor (1947) and impact of Goode's
World Atlas - the Hough Team (Corp of Engineers Intelligence);
thirteen months following the Allies advance in Europe during
WWII: unraveling German maps, aerial photography, and stereo
planigraphs - early days (1940s and 1950s) at Northwestern - the
importance of field courses - as Chairman (1958-75) at
Northwestern - what happened to geography at Northwestern, and
present status - qualities one needs to edit an atlas interaction with cartographers and geographers as Editor of
Goode's Atlas - recent developments in cartography and affect on
producing the Atlas - reflecting about a career with maps interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (80 minutes).
JOHN E. ESTES (1939-2001) March 1995 - San Diego State College
(early 60s) and UCLA (late 60s) influences - early involvement
with remotesensing and GIS - association with Dave Simonett 15
the UC-Santa Barbara department how work in both government and
private industry helps academic geographers - research funding
success - response to: remote sensing and GIS not really
geography - the role of the National Center for Geographic
Information and Analysis - leaders within remote sensing and GIS
- most significant publications and honors major challenges
facing geography - disciplinary trends what they portend definition of luck - advice for aspiring geographers interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (36 minutes).
WILMA B. FAIRCHILD (1915-1983) April 1971 — association with the
American Geographical Society — editor of the Geographical Review
— Isaiah Bowman anecdote — comments about the Review — what she
looks for in a manuscript - interviewer: John Fraser Hart.
Monochrome, (10 minutes).
EDWARD A. FERNALD (b. 1932) October 1995 - B.S. and M.S. degrees
from Florida State University; mentors and fellow graduate
students during mid-1950s - influences at Michigan State for the
PhD - geographers who most influenced career - the move into
academic affairs - interest in resource management - Institute
of Science and Public Affairs at F.S.U. - basic and applied
research in geography - applied research; an effective tool to
advance geography education - important steps to strengthen
geography education - geographic methodology and geography
education - the role of strong dynamic academic geography
departments in contemporary geographic education - new technology
in geography education changing how we teach our subject;
potential problems - as present President of the NCGE the most
important contribution, and greatest problems facing the
discipline as we strive to advance and upgrade geography as a
K-12 subject - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (41 minutes).
T. WALTER FREEMAN (1908-1988) May 1982 — his work on Ireland —
concern for planning and applied geography while at Manchester —
how he developed an interest in the history of geography —
working with the International Geographical Union — geographers
who have influenced him the most — feelings about his A Hundred
Years of Geography, 1961 - interviewer: Robert P. Beckinsale.
Color, (11 minutes).
ROLAND J. FUCHS (b. 1933) April 1983 — reviews educational
background at Columbia, Clark, and Moscow U. — the influence of
Bill Hance, Samuel Van Valkenburg, Edward Higbee, and Raymond
Murphy — the unifying theory that holds his research interests
(population distribution, settlement, regional development
policy, the USSR, and Asia) together — service to international
scientific organizations most important as modern science has
superseded national interests — American geography needs
leadership from within to improve its image — advice for younger
geographers — advocates a new type of regional geography
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (10 minutes).
WILLIAM L. GARRISON (b. 1924) April 1972 — influence of J.
Russell Whitaker — Hudson, Ullman and Garrison at Washington —
the quantitative revolution and changes since the 1950s — work as
meteorologist helps him with statistics — quantification surfaces
at Washington with economists and engineers working on
transportation systems — the NSF summer institutes at
Northwestern in the early 1960s—graduate students disperse
quantifying techniques — current research interests
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
16
NORTON S. GINSBURG (b. 1921) April 1971 — took all degrees at
Chicago — the influence of Wellington Jones — WWII experiences
and how they affected his interest in Asia - interviewer:
John Fraser Hart. Monochrome, (11 minutes).
NORTON GINSBURG (b. 1921) March 1995 - first GOF interview in
1971 - all degrees from Chicago - how geography became chosen
field - influence of Wellington Jones - varied experiences during
WW II: Dept. of State, Tsingtao, and Shanghai - in 1945-46 was
Mao's ultimate influence apparent? - Chicago in the late 1940s expansion of research into Southeast Asia - in the 1970s called
to Santa Barbara by Robert Maynard Hutchins - Chair at Chicago
(1978-1984); Department strengths - interest in political
geography and Ocean Yearbooks - as East-West Center Director of
the Environment and Policy Institute (1986 to 1991) - how
geographers contribute to committees of international
significance - most valuable contributions and personally
gratifying honors - most rewarding aspect of career interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (52 minutes).
CLARENCE J. GLACKEN (1909-1989) July 1980 — growing up in
Sacramento and its influences upon his interest in geography — no
geography course work during undergraduate work at Berkeley — a
review of twenty years of post-graduate non-academic work — field
work in Okinawa — the incubation and development of Traces on the
Rhodian Shore and its three main ideas: (1) environmental
determinism, (2) human beings as geographical agents in
transforming the natural world, and (3) the Creator as the
Designer of a perfectly harmonious cosmos — the themes and the
ideas of his forth coming sequel: (1) the history of ecological
ideas of the historians and evolutionists, (2) the development of
the subjective, emotional, and aesthetic attitudes toward the
natural world in the 18th and 19th centuries, (3) the blossoming
of environmental determinism in the 19th century and (4) the
human transformation of the environment in the 19th and early
20th centuries — why he's pleased to be called a geographer
- interviewer: David Hooson. Color, (21 minutes).
REGINALD G. GOLLEDGE (b. 1937) April 1988 - interest in geography
began in Australian elementary schools - formal education in
Australia at New England (B.A. and M.A.) - association with L.
King, W. Clark, and J. Rayner at Canterbury in New Zealand graduate days at Iowa (Ph.D.'66) and the influence of McCarty,
who stressed the scientific method - compares Ohio State, Iowa
and UC-Santa Barbara - application of educational psychology and
learning theory to understanding spatial processes - follows
Simonett to UCSB during the mid 1970s and participates in the
expansion of the department - how loss of sight influences
present research: the differences among the sighted, blind and
vision-impaired in experiencing, understanding and using space envisions portable geographic data bases as an aid for the blind
in determining correct location prior to locomotion without the
aid of dogs - how research for the benefit of the disabled
impacts upon cartography - interviewer: John Raynor.
Color, (20 minutes).
MICHAEL GOODCHILD (b. 1944) April 1991 - as an undergraduate
physics major (Cambridge), what drew him to Canada? - graduate
study at McMaster - his days at Western Ontario - on the
possibility of being a generalist in 1991 - linking research on
human and physical geography - the origin of, and affiliation
with NCGIA - is GIS deserving of special status as a separate
discipline? - the impact of NCGIA upon Geography - vision of GIS
in the early 21st century - interviewer: Donald Janelle.
Color, (37 minutes).
17
JEAN GOTTMANN (1915-1994) May 1982 — reviews the diverse aspects
of his career as a geographer — discusses the contexts within
which Megalopolis developed — the origin of the concept of
"megalopolis" — Robert Oppenheimer's role in coining
"megalopolis" — current research interest in Japan — most
important contributions to geography - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (10 minutes).
PETER R. GOULD (1932-2000) April 1971 — how to deal with genuine
problems in geography today — the relevance of good theory —
thoughts on behavioral geography — the macro-geographic approach—
geography in the 1920s and 1930s — Spatial Organization,
coauthored with Abler and Adams - interviewer: John Fraser Hart.
Monochrome, (10 minutes).
WILLIAM GRAF (b. 1947) April 1991 - on choosing geography as a
career - graduate students and mentors at Wisconsin - what
constitutes the Big 10 School of Geography? - the role of
geographers during the Vietnam War - mission of a newly emerging
graduate department (Arizona State) - impact of Geomorphology
Specialty Group - as Associate Editor of Annals and Bulletin of
the Geological Society of America - significance of his research
on dryland and desert geomorphology - published research on land
policy and wilderness preservation - geographers influence upon
public policy - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (37 minutes).
DEREK GREGORY (b. 1951) April 1984 — training at Cambridge — the
origins of his interest in historical geography — the influence
of Chorley, Baker, Fox and Langdon — reaction to spatial science
as an outgrowth of the quantitative revolution — on Hartshorne's
The Nature of Geography — statistics vs. ordinary language
systems — the impact of a Regional Geography of Europe course at
Cambridge — Darby's statement about the problem of geographical
description — the construction of more dynamic models in
historical geography — description in historical geography and
questions of transformation — the role for regional geography in
the 1980s as the center of the social sciences — need more than
theoretical templates in geography — contributions to date: (1)
teaching and (2) Ideology, Science and Human Geography — future
research to explore social transformation and senses of place as
well as the people who live in places - interviewer:
Geoffrey J. Martin. Color, (17 minutes).
STANLEY GREGORY (b. 1926) May 1982 — mentors who have influenced
him the most — on being the first to publish a text about
statistical techniques for geographers — research interest in
climatology — work in Africa—involvement with pressure groups
throughout various organizations — is the quantifier's view of
the world too narrow? - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (10 minutes).
CHARLES F. GRITZNER (b. 1936) November 1996 - undergraduate
degree from Arizona State - circumstances that led to LSU for MA
and PhD; influence of mentors, especially Kniffen, Russell et al
- first teaching appointment - on going to South Dakota; academic
environment at Brookings - primary teaching and research
interests - the geography of paranormal phenomena - service and
projects involvement in NCGE - factors that contribute to the
improved visibility of geography - role within the Geographic
Alliance - the unique "friend" who helps to promote geographic
awareness among young and old - advice for young geographers
beginning graduate studies - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (51 minutes).
18
GILBERT M. GROSVENOR (b. 1931) July 1987 — his family's impact
upon the history of the National Geographic Society — reviews
four principal NGS publications — the Alliances and the role of
the NGS— support and strategies for geography being integrated
into K-12 curricula — the International Geographical Union
(1992), Washington, D.C. — NGS employment profile: distribution
and needs — the ultimate objective of his NGS presidency
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (31 minutes).
JEANNE KAY GUELKE (b. 1949) April 1991 - the attraction of
Geography and mentors at Mount Holyoke - graduate days at
Wisconsin - research interests in historical geography and
environmental studies - people of the past reflecting upon their
environments - humans understanding themselves in relation to
nature - sharing a dual career with husband, Paul - philosophy
and accomplishments as Co-editor of Professional Geographer ways of measuring success other than the standard markers - on
Geography needing more women and research on women "suggestions/rules" for women chairs of male-oriented departments
- interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (32 minutes).
PETER HAGGETT (b. 1933) May 1982 — having previously declined to
participate in Geographers on Film he recounts why he has changed
his mind — incipient geographic influences — Cambridge in the
early 1950s—the origins of Locational Analysis in Human
Geography, 1965 and Geography: A Modern Synthesis, 1972 — current
research on diffusion models of disease - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (10 minutes).
PETER HAGGETT (b. 1933) April 2000 – 1st GOF interview in 1982 childhood in Somerset; a country boy with non-conformist
Methodist background – serious introduction to geography (age 16)
via Charles Cotton’s Geomorphology of New Zealand, read while
laying in hospital for extended period - directed (Harold Storey)
toward a university career at Cambridge to study geomorphology early influences at St. Catherine’s; mentors (Gus Caesar, Alfred
Steers, visitors Charles Cotton, Glenn Trewartha et al) and
fellow students (Michael Chisholm, Peter Hall, Gerald Manners,
and Ken Warren) – rumination re: Harriet Wanklyn – introduction
to Richard Chorley; early work with him re: The Madingley
Lectures (summer of 1963) culminates in Frontiers in Geographical
Teaching, 1965 - teaching geomorphology at Berkeley (1962); David
Stoddart prank re: Haggett & Jim Parsons – two years at UC-London
with Clifford Darby – back to Cambridge for 8 years – on writing
Locational Analysis in Human Geography, 1966 - brief experience
at Northwestern - circumstances that led to position at Bristol Geography, A Modern Synthesis (4 editions, 175,000 copies); 5th
Edition, Geography: A Global Synthesis (2001) forthcoming –
involvement with administration (Dean, Vice President, President)
at Bristol - when administrative duties are performed well by
geographers it is an important contribution for the discipline,
e.g. David Ward at Wisconsin - origins/purpose of The
Geographer’s Art, 1990 (reflections on enjoying geography);
process began at Wisconsin (several months leave in 1983) with
Glenn Trewartha, Dick Hartshorne, Arthur Robinson, and Henry
Sterling – focus/significance of epidemiological research (Brian
Berry anecdote); influences of Torsten Hägerstrand and Andy
Cliff, – Iceland’s remarkable medical records – medics share
pragmatic view of scientific contributions by geographers by
accepting offerings with little or no attention to “What is
geography?” - apropos: size of the contribution doesn’t matter,
it’s actually making it for if one doesn’t advance a notion it
19
may never be made - Island Epidemics, 1990, mostly by Cliff Measles: Historical Geography of a Major Human Viral Disease
(1993) wraps up two decades of epidemiological research - all
papers (12,700) on measles were checked looking for geography
within them - 2 million children die each year from measles,
mostly from Africa – atlas on the pandemic of aids – Center for
Disease Control - World Health Organization - public service: UK
National Radiological Protection Board; The Wellcome Trust,
world’s largest medical charity; and Review of Research in Human
Geography in Sweden - implications of retirement; 2nd Clifford
Darby reference – career of serendipity, a series of happy
accidents – quotes Winston Churchill: we worry too much about
making the right decision, we should worry about making the
decision right - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (68 minutes).
PETER HALL (b. 1932) May 1982 — his interest in urban geography
has shifted —contributions as an applied urban geographer — how
the traditions of British and American geography have nourished
each other — cross-fertilization between the two traditions — the
relationship between British geography and planning about the
future of cities — an optimistic view of the New Towns — reasons
for urban malaise in Britain and the United States — the "new"
political geography - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (11 minutes).
EDWIN H. HAMMOND (b. 1919) April 1973 — undergraduate days at
Missouri — the influence of Kesseli at Berkeley — landforms field
work & data collection vis a vis remote sensing techniques —
dealing with research questions — the Davis system and its effect
upon work in geomorphology — the Vicksburg model — physical
geography and contemporary ecological problems - interviewer:
Preston E. James. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
SUSAN HANSON (b. 1943) October 1990 - experiences that lead into
geography - days at Middlebury - events that influenced the
decision to attend Northwestern - as a women in a male-dominated
discipline - Clark University: her faculty appointment, as
Director of the Graduate School of Geography, an institution that
is supportive of women - on being Editor of Professional
Geographer and Annals - evolution of the feminine perspective in
research subjects: urban, transportation, travel behavior, and
gender - role of space in occupational segregation - more on
feminine segregation and questions about gender - the most
rewarding aspect of her professional life - interviewer:
Mildred Berman. Color, (33 minutes).
SUSAN W. HARDWICK (b. 1945) November 1999 - early background,
schooling outside Pittsburgh - undergraduate days at Slippery
Rock; commuting student, memories of Dr. Ball, 1st NCGE meeting
in 1964 - to Cal State-Chico for graduate training; nurtured
three sons, Department described, mentors: B. Bechtol, M.
Trussell, J. Williams, L. Mihalyi, A. Karinen; fellow graduate
student J. Peterson – taught at small Sacramento community
college (Consumnes River College) for 13 years - Cal State-Davis
for PhD; influence of D. Dingemans, D. Elliott-Fiske, M. Shelton,
continued to teach full-time at Consumnes; Davis anecdotes – back
to Chico (Fall 1986) for first post-doctoral job; 10 years as
faculty member - opportunity at Southwest Texas State;
responsibilities and mission of Department - new PhD program at
San Marcos - principal courses taught; outline for MA course:
“Intro to Geographic Education” – 1st book, Russian Refuge
(1993), Chicago Press – co-author (with Donald Holtgrieve) of
20
leading university level textbook on geographic education
content, Geography for Educators (1996), Prentice Hall; use and
origin - involvement in reform movement in geographic education
(NAEP & National Standards) - role of women in geographic
education; work of Susan Hume - service with the NCGE: Curriculum
and Instruction Division, member of the National Board: origin
(1993) of Finding a Way project, role of Janice Monk and Ricky
Sanders; VP of Research and External Relations – term as Regional
Councillor of AAG - research with distance learning –
experimental (with Brock Brown) Master’s degree: Step Up to
Geography Through Distance Learning, a program for about sixty
Rio Grande Valley (mostly Hispanic) High School Social Science
teachers; feedback – future of geography in public education? most important contribution - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (70 minutes).
F. KENNETH HARE (1919-2002) April 1985 — early geographic
interests and the evolution of the discipline — evaluates
climatology as a division of geography — the challenges of
solving environmental and social problems - interviewer: Geoffrey
J. Martin. Color, (14 minutes).
ROBERT A. HARPER (b. 1924) April 1996 - early background in
Illinois - all degrees from Chicago: mentors and fellow graduate
students during late 1940s - primary research interests during
early years - career progression upon graduation from Chicago origin of interest in geography as general education distinctive view of geography as general education - long
association with AAG and NCGE: commitments with both involved
geography as general education - Between Two Worlds (early
1970s), co-authored with Scmudde, intended use was for general
education courses - in 1980s critical of the National Geographic
Society's underwritten five themes as basis for "new school
geography" - essence and result of argument with National
Geographic - his "conceptual framework" the only one? - if
writing a contemporary Between Two Worlds would same approach be
utilized? - dimensions of the geography of today's world interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (39 minutes).
CHAUNCY D. HARRIS (b. 1914) April 1971 — the program at Chicago
in the 1930s — how he developed his classification of cities —
international geography — as Secretary General of the
International Geographical Union — international communication
among geographers - interviewer: John Fraser Hart.
Monochrome, (10 minutes).
CHAUNCY D. HARRIS (b. 1919) May 1986 — childhood and
undergraduate work (BYU) in Utah —graduate student at Chicago —
Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar — the University of London — long
association with the International Geographical Union —
impressions of Barrows, Colby, Platt, Ullman, Berry, and White —
the typological collaboration with Ullman on “The Nature of
Cities" (1945) — AAG activities, the "Young Geographers" and the
ASPG — S. Poole's and O. Starkey’s role within the ASPG —
interests in Soviet geography — Director (1966-1984) of the
Center for International Studies at Chicago — Editor-in-Chief of
A Geographical Bibliography for American Libraries, AAG (1985)
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (30 minutes).
JOHN FRASER HART (b. 1924) April l972 — influence of Merle Prunty
and Malcolm Proudfoot—departments at Northwestern (late 1940s),
Georgia (early 1950s), and Indiana (early 1960s) — early research
on the South — Sauer retools Hart in 1963 — how "Geographers on
21
Film" originated and the criteria for selection of interviewees —
what he looks for in a manuscript as editor of the Annals
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
JOHN FRASER HART (b. 1924) April 1987 — interest in geography
occurred during WWII — influence of Merle Prunty at Georgia and
Malcolm Proudfoot at Northwestern — origins of an interest in the
changing South and rural areas of the United States — "The
Geography of Manure," co-authored with Cotton Mather — upon
leaving the South for Indiana University — relationship with
Sauer during the latter's spring semester residency at Indiana in
1963 — describes Minnesota as a department of permissiveness and
mutual respect for quality scholarship — impact of Darrel Davis
at Minnesota (1925-1948) — pleasures and style of being the
editor of the Annals — J. E. Spencer's mode as Annals editor —
suggestions for aspiring editors — membership on the AAG Council
— philosophy of research — regional geography as a unifying theme
for geography - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (33 minutes).
RICHARD HARTSHORNE (1899-1992) April 1972 — early interest in
Ellsworth Huntington — air reconnaissance of Minneapolis inl930;
a form of field geography — the origins and development of The
Nature of Geography (1939) — the difficulty of translating Ritter
and Haushofer — Perspective on the Nature of Geography (1959);
answers some questions on the Natureof Geography — reflections
about Isaiah Bowman — geography not pure description, nor a study
of the unique - interviewer: Preston E. James.
Monochrome, (30 minutes).
RICHARD HARTSHORNE (1899-1992) March 1978 — this tape is added
to GOF through the kindness of Peter Nash, University of Waterloo
— why the Nature of Geography was unpopular in the USSR —
anecdotal references to a Military Geography session at the 1947
Charlottesville AAG/ASPG annual meeting — The Nature of
Geography, origins, how to digest and Whittlesey's interest and
enthusiasm for — differences between The Nature of Geography,
1939 and Perspectives on the Nature of Geography, 1959 — cites
Preston James and Glenn Trewartha as examples of those he
considers "heroes" of American geography — the influence of
Hettner on Hartshorne's writing - interviewer: Peter Nash.
Color, (27 minutes).
RICHARD HARTSHORNE (1899-1992) April 1979 — the sources of
inspiration for the writing of the Nature of Geography (1939) and
Perspective on the Nature of Geography (1959) — after numerous
discussions at AAG meetings about "geography," the editor of the
Annals, Derwent Whittlcsey, asked him for a brief bibliographic
reference — 200 pages were completed in the mid-1930s before
leaving for Europe and 400 more were added while there — the
impact of Schaefer and the view of generic ideas vs. individual
cases — what might be said if he were to write a sequel to these
two volumes - interviewer: Geoffrey J. Martin.
Monochrome, (13 minutes).
RICHARD HARTSHORNE (1899-1992) May l986A — review of Hartshorne's
methodological writings — preparation for the study and history
of geography — what drew him into such work — what he hoped to
accomplish in writing The Nature of Geography, 1939 — why
Perspectives on the Nature of Geography, 1959? — were only the
historical parts of Schaefer's argument considered and not the
logical basis? — sections in Perspectives that represent changes
from Nature — the revisions that might be made if Nature could be
redone - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (60 minutes).
22
RICHARD HARTSHORNE (1899-1992) May 1986B — personal relations in
the Schaefer-Hartshorne variance over "Exceptionalism in
Geography," 1953 — is this topic appropriate or necessary for an
understanding of such a dispute? — the nature and extent of the
personal relationship between Schaefer and Hartshorne — critical
review and opposition to the publishing of "Exceptionalism" — was
the Schaefer paper interpreted as a personal attack? — Clavell's
view of Hartshorne's response — the main objection to Schaefer's
"Exceptionalism" - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (60 minutes).
DAVID W. HARVEY (b. 1935) April 1972 — how Explanation in
Geography evolved — considers a similar work on the philosophy of
geography as too abstract — opts for consideration of moral
philosophy with respect to urban problems — reconceptualization
of urbanism — Karl Marx on geography and urban space economy —
Marx critical of van Thunen — Paul Wheatley's ideas on urbanism —
concept of surplus and its importance to urbanism — geographers
too "slot conscious;" not encouraged to move around within the
field - interviewer: John Fraser Hart. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
DAVID W. HARVEY (b. 1935) April 1983 — his Cambridge years — the
Bristol years: working on the implications of the seeds that
Chorley and Haggett had planted — how Explanation in Geography
(1969) came about and its impact upon the discipline — his
evolution as a Marxist geographer: felt restrained by positivism
and saw Marx as a way of breaking away — an underlying discontent
with the inability to express conscience and conscious ness
behind the "positivist shield" — the influence of Reclus — why we
need an historical geography of capitalism — on the development
of the Marxist view within geography — where Marxist geography is
going - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (16 minutes).
R. LESLIE HEATHCOTE (b. 1934) August 1992 - two years national
service with British Army in Cyprus spurs interest in arid lands
- moving from UC London (BA) to Nebraska (MA) - H. C. Darby and
Leslie Hewes as mentors - Great Plains geography - graduate days
at Nebraska and Australian National University (Ph.D) - status of
geography as a discipline in Australia - generalizing from
American and Australian migration experiences - research
interests: historical geography, "Western" resource management in
arid lands, environmental perception, societal response to arid
natural hazards - J. K. Wright's geosophy - anecdote re: Gilbert
White - landscape paintings as geographic perceptual sources interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color (38 minutes).
NICHOLAS HELBURN (b. 1918) April 1972
Harvard and Chicago in the late 1930s
at Wisconsin — agricultural economics
Director of the High School Geography
the image of geography—other H.S.G.P.
quality of teaching - interviewer: M.
Monochrome, (9 minutes).
— undergraduate days at
— the post-WWII department
at Montana State — as
Project and its effect on
spin-offs; the improved
W. Dow.
JOHN HEMMING (b. 1935) April 1982 — background and criteria for
being selected as Director - Secretary of the Royal Geographical
Society — his research and expeditions among newly contacted
tribal peoples of South America — the three main functions of the
R.G.S. — envisioned future changes within the R.G.S. interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color (9 minutes).
LESLIE HEWES (1906-1999) April 1973 — Berkeley in the early 1930s
— research on the prairies and Great Plains — the "suitcase
farming frontier" — unadapted people migrating from woods to
grasslands — the field course as part of a graduate program —
hopes that geographers can continue to talk to each other despite
23
increasing subfield specializations - interviewer: Preston E.
James. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
A. DAVID HILL (b. 1933) April 1974 — liberal arts colleges and
geography — the genesis, description, and objectives of AAG
efforts to improve the content of introductory college geography
courses — what is good teaching and how is it done? — scholars
applying research skills in the classroom — teachers' concern
with the contemporary significance and usefulness of their
subject matter — good teaching as a new paradigm for geography
- interviewer: Orin C. Patton. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
A. DAVID HILL (b. 1933) October 1995 - previous GOF interview in
1973 - first two degrees from Colorado; influences at Boulder
during mid-to-late 50s - on to Chicago for PhD; major mentors and
fellow graduate students - returns to Boulder as faculty member serious participation in geography education - a renaissance in
geography education during past decade - involvement with the
Geographic Alliances - current and future roles for the Alliances
- the importance of the National Standards - difference between
the Five Themes and the Standards - opportunities and constraints
in implementing the Standards - implications of the Standards for
higher education - development of GIGI project and its effect
upon geography education - how success of GIGI will be measured relationships between the Alliances, the Standards, and GIGI will
geography become an accepted part of K-12 curricula by the year
2000? - interviewer: Joseph Stoltman. Color, (37 minutes).
R. D. HILL (b. 1935) August 1992 - New Zealand background,
training and initial interest in geography - Keith Buchanan as
mentor at Victoria - original research interest, shaping a career
within the Malay peninsula - Rice in Malaya - current research
activity: upland areas of Southwest China, Fishing in Troubled
Waters - status of geography in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia - is
there such a thing as "tropical geography"? - past and present
role of foreign geographers in study of Southeast Asia contribution of New Zealand geographers abroad, especially in the
Asia-Pacific region - personal contribution to Asian geography witness to disciplinary paradigm shifts - Quantitative Revolution
as a red herring - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color (38 minutes).
GAIL A. HOBBS (b. 1946) November 1999 – early years - first
exposure to geography through Lutheran schools; influence of Carl
Brandhorst - undergraduate days at Concordia, River Forest;
influence of Herbert Gross - fellow undergraduates: Phil
Gersmehl, Jim Kracht, Judith Wagner Meyer – participant in
Yugoslavia (1971) summer institute; led by George Hoffman, Tom
Poulsen; fellow student: Pat Gober - to UCLA for graduate school;
Department and training described; mentors: Louis Kostanick, Joe
Spencer, Norman Thrower; fellow graduate students: Barbara
Fredrich, William Mitchell, Robert Howard, Stephen Chang, Allan
Fitzsimmons - returns to early childhood elementary school as
teacher - part-time in Los Angeles community colleges for ten
years - circumstances (1985) leading to position at Los Angeles
Pierce College (12,000 enrollment); mission of College - salient
aspects of involvement with California Geographic Alliance (1987
– present); influence of Kit Salter – derivation of the term
Alliance - NGS/Alliance Pilot Project (1985-87) – assessment of
the Alliance concept - participation in Project Marco Polo
(1992); Alliance coordinators, plus 15 high school students and
their teachers spent week in Egypt, then boarded US Navy
oceanographic research vessel at Suez to perform oceanographic
24
experiments on the way to Peloponesian Greece - GIS summer
institutes at Terre Haute (1996 and 1997) - Virtual Geography
Department workshop (web-page design) at Texas-Austin (1998) activities within NCGE: service and duties – Chair of NCGE Annual
Meeting Committee, Santa Barbara, 1996 – 1st community college
faculty member to serve as President of NCGE; primary objectives
during term (1999) - principal teaching interests; (5 classes per
semester) – enjoy most as a geographer? - major contributions as
teacher? - significant awards - major career influences
summarized - ramifications of geographic education in the 21st
Century - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (50 minutes).
GEORGE W. HOFFMAN (1914-1990) April 1987 — work with the OSS
during the 1940's — post-WWII graduate school days under George
Kish at Michigan — memories of Donald Brand at the University of
Texas—on editing six editions of A Geography of Europe — laments
the lack of geographers who specialize on Western and Eastern
Europe — interest and philosophy on teaching the geography of
Eastern Europe — the need for more regional geography in college
curricula — the status of political geography in the United
States — the needs of American geography for the 21st Century
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (23 minutes).
DAVID J. M. HOOSON (b. 1926) April 1980 — a firm believer of the
historical and geographic context within which people come into
geography — grew up on a working farm in north Wales, a
geographic microcosm of the man-environment relationship with its
complex human and physical factors — the influence of H.J. Fleure
at Manchester, E.W. Gilbert at Oxford and Stamp, Buchanan and
Wise at London — interest in Soviet geography — how he developed
a "Super Power" comparative orientation of geographic thought —
the last fifteen years at Berkeley and the changes he has seen
that have produced more humane, philosophical, historical,
comparative social sciences - interviewer: Geoffrey J. Martin.
Monochrome, (10 minutes).
JOHN HOUSE (1919-1984) May 1982 — his work in geography during
WWII — applied geography: (1) a definition, (2) special training,
(3) limitations, (4) achievements, (5) opportunities, and (6) its
future — a comparison of applied geography in Britain and the
United States — comments about the status of geography in the
United States and Britain - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (10 minutes).
G. DONALD HUDSON (1897-1984) April 1971 — from public school
teaching and administration to geography at Chicago — the
quantitative revolution at Washington — applied geography and the
academic community prior to the 1960s — suggestions for
department chairpersons - interviewer: John Fraser Hart.
Monochrome, (11 minutes).
JOHN C. HUDSON (b. 1941) March 1994 - undergraduate and graduate
days at Wisconsin and Iowa in the early 1960s - Schaefer's
influence on Iowa in mid 1960s - aims of the Quantitative
Revolution; specifically at Iowa - Wisconsin's short-lived
attempt to take part in the Quantitative Revolution - abandoning
mathematical work and shifting to regional and historical
geography - trends in geography during the 1970s - as Annals
editor during late 1970s; how the journal changed during that
period - genesis of the March 1979 Annals: "Seventy-Five Years of
American Geography"; was it well-received, or did it stir up
controversy? - the Great Plains; objectives of historical-geographic research on this region - the abolishment of the Depart25
ment at Northwestern and what led to the decision; current status
- future of academic geography at major research universities interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (40 minutes).
ROBERT E. HUKE (b. 1925) March 1998 - childhood background Dartmouth in early 1940s - W.W.II experience as US Marine; Battle
of Okinawa, present at surrender of Japanese in North China return to Dartmouth after the War; Hanover during the late 1940s;
impact of Albert Carlson - opts for graduate school at Syracuse
in early 1950s; influences of George Cressey, Preston James, and
Bob Dickinson - chose Burma as site for dissertation; Burma days
described - other major influences - return to Dartmouth as
faculty member - association with J. E. (Joe) Spencer accomplishments in geography that have conferred greatest
satisfaction - role in early (1963) and later computer
instruction - most successful course - origin of interest in
agricultural geography - how rice farming became a specialty;
frequent yearly research periods at International Rice Research
Institute, Luzon - experimental backyard gardening - how
geography has flourished at Dartmouth, while floundering at other
Ivy schools - most important contributions - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color, (62 minutes).
J. ROWLAND ILLICK (1919-1997) October 1985 — early background as
son of missionaries in China — undergraduate days at Syracuse —
anecdotes about George Cressey — the graduate experience at
Harvard and the influence of Whittlesey and Raisz — the early
1940s — the demise of geography at Harvard — 35 years at
Middlebury and associated problems with developing a successful
major — high regard for the geography faculty and students at
Middlebury — recollections about NESTVAL — research interests in
Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Mauritania, Taiwan and the Yucatan
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (57 minutes).
WALTER ISARD (b. 1919) April 1985 — his graduate education at
Harvard — origin of the Regional Science Association — recent
developments in the field — peace science and its relationship to
other social sciences — a future role for political geography
- interviewer: Geoffrey J. Martin. Color, (18 minutes).
PRESTON E. JAMES (1899-1986) August 1970 — the influence of
Atwood and Ward at Harvard — interest in Latin America —
association with military intelligence during WWII — emergence of
the department at Syracuse — courses on the history of geographic
thought - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Monochrome, (9 minutes).
PRESTON E. JAMES (1899-1986) April 1979 — his days (19231941) at
Michigan as one of four faculty; fellow faculty (McMurray, Dodge,
and Hall) enjoyed freedom of expression among themselves, a carry
- over from Chicago where his colleagues had participated in the
Salisbury seminar — monthly occasions at Michigan where faculty
and graduate students could meet to share ideas about geography —
Michigan faculty were deeply devoted to field experience at Mill
Springs, Kentucky, and later in Northern Michigan — how a
blacktop road (Ky 90) in the early 1930s modified the trade
patterns of Mill Springs — Stanley Dodge's "road turnings"
project, a method for identifying trade areas for small hamlets —
27 years (1945-1972) at Syracuse — very good relationship at
Syracuse with George Cressey, a person of opposite temperament —
among his major contributions he includes Latin America (four
editions), American Geography: Inventory and Prospect (1954), and
All Possible Worlds (1972) - interviewer: Geoffrey J. Martin.
Monochrome, (13 minutes).
26
PRESTON E. JAMES (1899-1986) April 1984 — anecdote about
adolescent success at writing — why he became a geography major
at Harvard — the influence of Atwood and his move to assume the
presidency of Clark; James follows — experience with ROTC during
WWI and subsequent interest in military intelligence —
involvement with Latin America — on becoming a regionalist —
early days at Michigan in the 1920s — how George Cressey lured
him to Syracuse at the termination of WWII — interest in
geographic thought — the Midwestern spring meetings in the 20s
and 30s as incubators of intellectual geographic activity
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (22 minutes).
DONALD G. JANELLE (b. 1940) March 1994 - early childhood in Maine
and Louisiana - training at Southwestern Louisiana and Michigan
State - the origin of space-convergence - Time-Space Convergence
long term implications - attraction of The University of Western
Ontario - influence of colleagues and students at Western - as
Editor of The Canadian Geographer - service to the AAG: Division
Chair, Councillor, Program Chair '85, Chair Publications
Committee - cooperation between Canadian and American geographers
- as Editor of Geographical Snapshots of North America for the
27th IGC; its evolution - how research interests influence
current intellectual debate in geography - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color, (57 minutes).
GEORGE JENKS (1916-1996) March 1989 - WWII experience as
navigator spawns interest in cartography - impressions of postwar
graduate days at Syracuse, influence of Richard Harrison, and
relationship with George Cressey - the dissertation and why it
was never published - setting up the cartographer program at
Kansas during the early 1950s - how Jenks, Arthur Robinson, and
John Sherman collaborate on cartography - map perception and
creating maps that can be understood - what incoming cartography
students need to be successful - the micro-computer as a tool of
modern cartography - distributed that GIS is not used more
effectively to solve geography problems - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (26 minutes).
CARL JOHANNESSEN (b. 1924) April 1991 - how the Depression shaped
his early development - affect of WWII upon subsequent career many mentors at Berkeley, rather than one - influence of
colleagues at Eugene - diffusion process in Pre-Columbian Latin
America - domestication in the modern world - insights from
owning and working a 20 acre orchard - is maise a New World crop?
- suggestions for young researchers - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (77 minutes).
HILDEGARD BINDER JOHNSON (1908-1993) April 1976 — interest in the
American conservation movement — what prompted her to become an
historical cartographer — disturbed by lack of astuteness with
which people observe; people don't really perceive what they see
— need more emphasis on visual thinking — her career and
geography at Macalester - interviewer: Louis Seig.
Monochrome, (11 minutes).
HILDEGARD BINDER JOHNSON (1908-1993) May 1986 — some personal
remarks about Ralph Brown: (1) Historical Geography of the United
States (1948), (2) Mirror for Americans (1943): a "double-take"
in writing, and (3) interests in contemporary sources and the use
of imagination, a desirable attribute of his writing — the
relationship between Brown and her late husband, Palmer Oliver
Johnson, a statistician with the College of Education at the
University of Minnesota — anecdote about being an "enemy alien,
fingerprinted" (1941) — early research on the Germans of
27
Minnesota (1941)— primary sources vs. raw data — teaching German
at Mills College in the mid-1930s — on professional women being
pregnant in the early 1940s — perception and the cultural filter
- monologue. Color, (30 minutes).
RONALD J. JOHNSTON (b. 1941) May 1982 — those who have had the
greatest influence upon him — origin and development of Geography
and Geographers, 1979 — pros and cons of positivistic methods in
geography — relative disillusionment with quantification — pains
and joys of putting ideas into written words — an assessment of
contemporary difficulties within geography - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color, (10 minutes).
CLARENCE F. JONES (1893-1991) April 1972 — interests in economic
geography and Latin America — the land use studies of Wellington
Jones — Rural Land Classification Program in Puerto Rico —
relationships with graduate students — on field work —
professional acquaintance with Miss Semple — contemporary
farming - interviewer: Preston E. James.
Monochrome, (17 minutes).
TERRY G. JORDAN (1938-2003) April 1984 — enters into geography as
a native - born geographer — intimate descriptions of those who
influenced him the most: Edwin Foscue, Donald Brand, and Andy
Clark — experience at and opinion of Wisconsin during the
mid 1960s — more about Andy Clark — his contributions to
geography are growing out of a strong identity with place — the
roots of being a humanistic geographer — welcomes the re-birth of
humanistic geography — phenomenology and logical positivism —
humanistic geographers as major representatives for geography and
social science — outlook for the future of humanistic geography —
geography at the University of Texas at Austin: a new Berkeley? interviewer: Geoffrey J. Martin. Color, (15 minutes).
SIDNEY R. JUMPER (b. 1930) October 1998 - first interest in
geography - undergrad and graduate experiences at South Carolina
(Julian Petty and Gilbert Graham) - on to the University of
Tennessee for the PhD (1960); the Department described,
especially Loyal Durand - first job at Tennessee Tech (1957-1967)
- returns to Knoxville (Chair: 1977-1995) in 1967; Ed Hammond
arrives in 1970; presently 12 full-time faculty - importance of
the National Geographic Society (NGS) in recent successes in
geography education, e.g. interest in geography education
fortified by Kit Salter’s meeting (UCLA, January 1986, NGS
sponsored) to introduce Alliance concept to Jumper, Dave Hill,
Dick Boehm, Joe Cirrincione et al - conflict between geography
education and geographical research? - the Tennessee Alliance,
5000 (K-12) teachers, 75% of University of Tennessee students in
1996 introductory geography courses had high school geography
courses - in training K-12 teachers is the balance between
physical and cultural geography adequate? - moving content
preparation of teachers from schools of education into schools of
arts and sciences - graduate education for K-12 teachers of
geography - should geography be a mandated high school geography
course? - Alliance Institutes are content oriented, e. g. Great
Plains and Dominican Republic field courses - service to NCGE,
Southeastern Division of the AAG, and AAG (Council, Publications
Committee) - experiences as Editor (4 years) of The Southeastern
Geographer - 23 years as department head in two universities;
lessons learned: department cohesiveness the key, find out
problems and put them on the table for all to see, have all
faculty teach intro courses - divisiveness literally destroyed
several formerly prestigious departments - origin of new
geography building at Tennessee - importance of fundraising and
creation of endowments to support professorships and students 28
need to agree on what constitutes core of geography and utilizing
it as basic content of baccalaureate geography curricula - honors
and career accomplishments - would like to see leaders of major
geography organizations meet regularly seeking to combine
resources to achieve common goals - concern for future
relationship between NGS Educational Foundation, and other
professional organizations - if career could be lived over, would
changes be made? - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (65 minutes).
P. P. KARAN (b. 1930) March 1995 - Indian undergraduate and
Master's degrees - circumstances that led to attending Indiana
for PhD - Bloomington during the mid-1950s - focus of research
in the late 1950s and 1960s - strengths of department during
reign as Chair at Kentucky - special research interests while at
Kentucky - department activity in honor of Ellen Churchill Semple
- origin and objective of Leaders of American Geography, 1992 current research - most valuable contribution - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color, (35 minutes).
ROBERT W. KATES (b. 1929) March 1995 - atypical undergraduate
experience- origin of interest in geography - U. of Chicago
during the early 1960s; mentors and fellow graduate students early research and work with Gilbert White - Clark in the 1960s
and 1970s; research emphasis - as Director of the World Hunger
Program at Brown - the role of independent scholars - geography's
fit within the environmental-society tracks of academe - the
success of large collaborative research undertakings in science interdisciplinarity; does it weaken geography? - linking global
change to local places - assessment of present affairs of the AAG
and the state of the discipline - most significant work - a
trinity of geographic goals - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (56 minutes).
ELLA O. KEENE (1902-1992) March 1981 — acquiring a bachelor's
degree (Clark '37) in the teaching of geography in public schools
— upon arriving at Keene State College in the early 1940s — the
post-WWII years at Keene, especially her work with veterans and
their preparation for transfer to the University of New Hampshire
— how NCGE members and Albert Carlson of Dartmouth helped to
retain geography at Keene — the trials of being a lone geographer
at a small state college — contrasting NESTVAL activities in the
1950s and 1980s — her role as a woman in geography, noting that
most instructors at teachers' colleges were women - interviewer:
Thomas Havill. Monochrome, (15 minutes).
YING-CHENG (Harry) KIANG (b. 1916) March 1995 - growing up in
China in the 1920s and 1930s - recollections of the Sino-Japanese
War - undergraduate education at National Central University of
Chungking - George Cressey anecdote - employment in China - on
coming to the States and Stanford; studied with C. L. White, Paul
Leonard - the move to Clark with brief visit to Harvard - Wallace
Atwood anecdote - mentors at Columbia: Lobeck, Strahler, Orchard,
and Renner - Sauer anecdote - review of teaching career: Eastern
and Northern Illinois - interest in urban geography and planning
- mission of Institute of China Studies in Chicago - China field
trips - teaching in China in the 1990s - Spartly Islands research
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (43 minutes).
CLARISSA T. KIMBER (b. 1929) May 1986 — family impact upon
interest in geography — a varied undergraduate experience at
Berkeley—graduate days at Wisconsin, especially the influence of
Jonathan Sauer — compares Jonathan and his father, Carl Sauer —
the formation of the Department of Geography at Texas A&M in the
late 60s — the original staff of five hone their skills and
philosophy of geography in faculty seminar — A&M's graduate
29
emphasis — research as a tropical plant geographer, i.e. natural,
cultural, and applied biography — are geographers affecting
public policy? — career as a woman geographer — generalizations
about women in American geography — has geography been kinder to
women than other disciplines? - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (25 minutes).
LESLIE J. KING (b. 1934) April 1973 — influence of McCarty, Hook,
Knos, and Thomas at Iowa in the late 1950s — Schaefer's impact at
Iowa — quantitative revolution and central place theory not
relevant to contemporary social problems — good mathematical
modeling and the ranking of theory better than mass statistical
analysis — geography contributes to analytical planning —
departments should stress model building and planning interviewer: M. W. Dow. Monochrome, (11 minutes).
GEORGE KISH (1914-1989) April 1976 — early European background —
contrasts geographic education in Europe and the U.S. —
importance of language skills as a research tool — the history of
maps and historical cartography — geography of energy and how
geographers can contribute to the energy problem - interviewer:
John Fraser Hart. Monochrome, (11 minutes).
FRED B. KNIFFEN (1900-1993) January 1976 — early experiences in
Michigan that brought him into geography — three years of
practical experience prior to graduate school — influence of
Sauer, Kroeber, and Lowie at Berkeley — interest in Louisiana and
the South — cultural geography: (1) a definition, (2) his
contributions, and (3) its future - interviewer: William C. Haag.
Monochrome, (10 minutes).
JAMES C. KNOX (b. 1941) April 1988 - the influence of H. Winters
and H. McConnell at Northern Illinois - surveys the department at
Iowa in the mid 1960s - his mentor, Neil E. Salisbury - Gustav
Bergmann's (philosopher of science and Schaefer colleague)
impact upon the Iowa department - the scientific method drilled
into Iowa students' heads - interest in Quaternary and
postglacial climatic time scales - how human activity alters the
environment and natural landscape - the controversy concerning
the driftless area of Wisconsin - should the Annals be split into
Series A (Cultural) and Series B (Physical) journals - Abler's
influence on NSF funding of research on physical geography - do
geomorphologists relate more to geology or geography?
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (33 minutes).
WILLIAM A. KOELSCH (b. 1933) March 1998 - childhood and early
experiences - discovering geography - Bucknell and academic
interests as undergraduate - on to Clark (1957-1959); Graduate
School of Geography characterized; re: Van Valkenburg, R. Murphy,
Economic Geography, H. Warman, plus fellow graduate students, e.
g. R. Fuchs, A. Mitchell, and a large number of international
students - how Clark experience shaped future teaching and
research - musings on E. C. Semple - Chicago for PhD (1959-1962);
impressions of Department re: G. White, B. Berry, M. Mikesell, C.
and M. M. Colby; also D. Boorstin; reflections about H. H.
Barrows - early teaching at Eckerd (ne: Florida Presbyterian)
College - returned to Clark permanently in 1967: programs and
late 60s faculty: R. Kates, M. Bowden, J. Blaut, G. McCleary, J.
Anderson, R. Peet, and R. Kasperson - Cohen era at Clark (19651978) described; changes in the School’s program - resigns as
Chair of committee to find suitable AAG archives repository (and
from AAG) over Executive Director’s unilateral decision, without
committee consultation, to move to the Smithsonian - activity
within geography organizations: NESTVAL, EHGA, and AGS - lecturer
on AGS cruises - as University Archivist (1972-1982) and
30
University Historian (1982-1990) - primary teaching and research
interests over past thirty years - recent research from primary
source materials of non-geographers evoking geography, e.g. A.
Toynbee, W. Gladstone, J. Myres, J. Rennell, H. F. Tozer; postretirement plans include a move to San Diego and converting this
work into a book re: humanistic geography from late 18th century
to 1930 - comments about Warntz’s Now and Then, Jedidiah Morse,
C. O. Sauer - significant contributions - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (71 minutes).
CLYDE F. KOHN (1911-1989) April 1971 — J. Russell Whitaker's
field trips at Northern Michigan — interests in geography and
education — a career in geographic education — program at Iowa
based upon a scientific framework — selection of Schaefer's
article (1953) for publication and editorial reactions to it
- interviewer: John Fraser Hart. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
WALTER M. KOLLMORGEN (b. 1907) August l970 — interest in dust
storms and the depression years lead to a career in agricultural
geography — difficulty of developing agricultural geographers
from city - bred individuals — Finch's and Marbut's contribution
to agricultural geography — geography as a drama — agricultural
geography determined and ascertained in terms of experience
- interviewer: Preston E. James. Monochrome, (8 minutes).
A. W. KUCHLER (b. 1907) April 1984 — educational background in
Germany — how and why he came to the United States —
circumstances that took him to Kansas — interest in vegetation
mapping — development of the map: "Natural Vegetation of the
United States and Canada" — his private international collection
of 2000-3000 vegetation maps and 5 volume International
Bibliography of Vegetation Maps — detailed mapping of the
vegetation of Mount Desert Island, Maine (Acadia National Park) —
methodology of his mapping — American and European differences in
philosophy when mapping vegetation - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (15 minutes).
DAVID A. LANEGRAN (b. 1941) October 1995 - an undergraduate at
Macalester during the early 60s - influence of, and anecdotes
about, Hildegard Binder Johnson - graduate experience and
atmosphere at Minnesota during the late 60s - impact of Jan O. M.
Broek - geography in the liberal arts college and the experience
at Macalester - success with geography student involvement with
issues of concern to the local community - work with management
of historic districts and sites - neighborhood conservation and
business strip revitalization - geography education and the Five
Fundamental Themes - FIPSE - how GeoLinks apply to K-12 curricula
-summer in-service institutes for teachers - managing a career
that has combined teaching, research, and government involvement
- greatest challenge for our discipline and geography education
as we move into the 21st century - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (66 minutes).
JOHN B. LEIGHLY (1895-1986) August 1970 — transition from
Michigan (Hobbs) to Berkeley (Sauer) as a graduate student —
interest in Swedish studies and work with Sten DeGeer in Sweden;
later spent a year in the East Baltic — comments on his 1950s
Geographical Review paper "What Happened to Physical Geography?"
— suggests that success of the Davis system postponed work in
physical geography — on reading Hettner - interviewer: Preston E.
James. Monochrome, (8 minutes).
GEORGE K. LEWIS (b. 1923) October 1985 — background and early
interest in geography —undergraduate and graduate days at Harvard
31
— anecdotes about Whittlesey, Rice, Ullman, and others — the
demise of geography at Harvard — Boston University's development
as a department from the early '50s to the present — geography's
relationship to B.U.'s President Silber — current research on
Northern New England — an aborted joint attempt (by AAG members)
to write a popular New England regional monograph for the
National Geographic Society — NESTVAL recollections — televised
vignettes for classroom use - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (47 minutes).
PEIRCE F. LEWIS (b. 1927) April 1976 — describes his type of
geographer — interested in what the world really looks like —
should geographers try to understand the world as a whole? — a
methodology for looking at the landscape — what he likes about
geography — offers several topics for further geographic study,
e.g. sin and diet - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Monochrome, (10 minutes).
PEIRCE F. LEWIS (b. 1927) April 1985 — updates 1976 interview
with discussions of influences on his development as a geographer
— Penn State geography from the late-50s to the present —
geographic description and "popular" geography — two kinds of
field geography - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (24 minutes).
GORDON R. LEWTHWAITE (b. 1925) April 1981 — interest in geography
developed during earlier years in New Zealand due to its
relationship to history, his original degree — as a student of
environmental determinism he sought to discover the interface
between geography and history — the influence of Andy Hark and
Clarence Olmsted at Wisconsin — how he evolved into a specialist
on the historical and economic geography of the dairy industry —
current work focuses upon milk, Maoris and methodology
- interviewer: Geoffrey J. Martin. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
NEAL LINEBACK (b. 1940) October 1997 - early childhood - impetus
that spurred interest in geography - East Carolina for
undergraduate education - first job was teaching high school
geography in Virginia - University of Tennessee for PhD - on to
the University of Alabama in 1969, remained there for 17 years;
an interesting time in the Deep South - major achievements at
Tuscaloosa - why he left a major state university to go to a
regional university: Appalachian State - origin of the syndicated
newspaper column: Geography in the News; response from
geographers and non-geographers compared - origin of the World
Geography Bowl; the mechanics of producing same - field research
experience in Syria on AID project dealing with limestone spring
that “waters” Damascus - work on NASA-funded Global Change in
Local Places project with Bob Kates, Tom Wilbanks and Ron Abler participation in professional organizations: SEDAAG, AAG, and
NCGE - use of a cocktail party version of the definition of
geography - how he would you like to be remembered interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (62 minutes).
JOHN F. LOUNSBURY (b. 1918) April 1976 — how federal funding has
contributed to the development of geographic thought — history,
influence, and accomplishments of the Commission on College
Geography — Spatial Analysis of Land Use Project and its
influence upon geography programs and applied geography —
suggests that the discipline define its unifying threads and
concepts in order to develop its potential - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
DAVID LOWENTHAL (b. 1923) April 1983 — learned about geography
through working with American geographers within a U.S. Army
intelligence unit — post-WWII graduate days at Berkeley and
32
interest in the Caribbean — the natural progression to his
doctorate at Wisconsin and the meld of geography and history via
his work on George Perkins Marsh — days at the American
Geographical Society and why he eventually left New York for
University College, London — relationship between geography and
other disciplines — geography is less mired in its own
disciplinary concerns — we should ignore disciplinary boundaries
and maintain an openness to exploration - interviewer:
K. Bruce Ryan. Color, (10 minutes).
FRED LUKERMANN (b. 1921) March 1971 — Ralph Brown, the master
teacher and gentle man — pre-war department at Minnesota — postwar atmosphere of learning at Minnesota —past nature of geography
and the geography of the future — negativism and goals of science
— on logic in geography — validity of the contemporary source interviewer: Louis Seig. Monochrome, (20 minutes).
DANIEL B. LUTEN (1908-2003) April 1981 — how a practicing chemist
becomes a geographer — years at Berkeley and his interest in
natural resources — much of his research has been spurred by
students' questions — work on "the limits to growth" issue
influenced by his experience in Japan — since WWII a plethora of
books by optimists and pessimists about our future — three ways
of guiding this system of human society: (1) traditional, (2) the
use of foresight, and (3) finding reference devices
- interviewer: Geoffrey J. Martin. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
LAURENCE C. MA (b. 1937) and ALLEN G. NOBLE (b. 1930) April 1983
— origin of the first Chinese-American Geographical Exchange — a
25-month wait to receive an invitation from the Chinese for
American geographers to visit China — timing of the invitation
coincident with a change in political climate, i.e. shortly after
the arrest of the Gang of Four — in the beginning the Akron group
had thought only in term of American geographers visiting China,
but it was the exchange aspect that prompted the interests of the
Chinese — U.S. support for these exchanges came from various
sources: the Ohio Academy of Science, the Ford Foundation, the
Johnson Foundation (Racine, Wisconsin), and the National Science
Foundation — changes in emphasis in contemporary Chinese
geography are the result of these exchanges: from mostly physical
and some economic geography to a greater concern for human
activity in geographic inquiry, i.e. perception and hazard
research — mature Chinese scholars and graduate students are now
studying in American universities - interviewer:
Geoffrey J. Martin. Color, (15 minutes).
ROSS MACKAY (b. 1915) April 1987 — undergraduate days at Clark —
five years of Canadian military service during WWII — graduate
experiences at McGill and the University of Montreal —
contributions to and honors for his research on the Arctic
— contact with the University of Washington during the formative
period of the Quantitative Revolution — opportunities with the
International Geographical Union — assessment of con temporary
geomorphology - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (16 minutes).
WALTHER MANSHARD (b. 1923) August 1992 - German paratrooper
during WW II, product of war generation, direction into geography
at Universities of Hamburg (Dr. rer. nat.'49), Gold Coast, and
Cologne (Dr. habil. '59) - Gottfried Pfeifer as mentor, plus
other Berkeley connections - particular interests are tropical
Africa, humid tropics, Third World, and land use - focus of work
in Ghana - roles in international organizations (UNESCO, UNU and
IGU) - description, organization, and function of IGU - as IGU
Secretary General (1976-1984) - involvement in Global Change
Studies (IBGP and HDGC) - in mid-1950s travels throughout Anglo33
American via Greyhound bus visiting various departments influence of von Thunen and Leo Waibel - anecdotes about
Christaller, including WW II experience with German government German geography and evolution of the discipline, beginning with
Humboldt and Ritter, through Hettner - landschaft - Solch at
Vienna - role as synthesizer - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color (40 minutes).
DUANE F. MARBLE (b. 1931) April 1988 - graduate days at Seattle;
Hudson and Garrison provide great examples - the symbiotic
relationships among Washington, Iowa and Northwestern in the
genesis and diffusion of the Quantitative Revolution - praise for
Ed Thomas - working with Isard at Wharton - two early 1960s
heterogeneous NSF-funded institutes on regional science - the
QR's contribution to the demise of the department at Northwestern
- research interests in transportation and G.I.S. at Buffalo and
Ohio State - the impact of G.I.S. technology upon spatial
processes - interviewer: John Raynor. Color, (29 minutes).
MELVIN G. MARCUS (1929-1997) April 1976 — mountain climbing and
its impact upon his choosing geography as a career — study of
glaciers and their relation to climatic change — on the paucity
of physical geographers in the 1950s and early 1960s — why
interest in physical geography is growing — a whole generation of
physical geographers have gone the Thornthwaite route — on the
future of physical geography as it moves into the environmental
field - interviewer: John Fraser Hart. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
JAMES F. MARRAN (b. 1930) November 1996 - undergraduate degree
from Holy Cross - University of Maryland during the 1950s - first
interest in geographic education and the High School Geography
Project (strengths and weaknesses) - role of geography in the
"new" social studies during the 1960s and 1970s - Guidelines for
Geographic Education: Elementary and Secondary (1984), a
catalytic document - galvanizing forces responsible for
catapulting geography into curricular prominence - on the goal
statements that emerged from the Education Summit convened by
governors at Charlottesville (1989) - politicization of
geographic education - significance of geography being one of the
curricular areas on the testing agenda of NAEP - role in the
framing of the National Geography Standards - prognosis short
and long term for Geography for Life - promising recent
developments in geographic education - most significant
contribution in long career of implementing visibility of
geography - challenges and trends for geographic education
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (58 minutes).
GEOFFREY J. MARTIN (b. 1934) April 1978 — purpose of his works on
Jefferson, Huntington and Bowman — Toynbee's and Huntington's
views on environmentalism — the importance of studying (1) past
geographers and (2) the evolution of geographic thought — the
significance of the Committee on AAG Archives and Association
History - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
GEOFFREY J. MARTIN (b. 1934) July 1998 - 1st GOF interview in
1978 - childhood memories of London blitz, WWII - discovering
geography - London School of Economics for undergraduate study influence of M. Wise, H. Church, S. Wooldridge, L. D. Stamp - at
LSE chess a significant adjunct; represented England in
international chess tournaments - arriving in US - impressions
attending first AAG meeting - origin of interest in the history
of geographic thought - first geography position in America at
Eastern Michigan - re: writing Mark Jefferson: Geographer - on to
Southern Connecticut State University at New Haven - genesis of
books on Huntington and Bowman which complete the triad; source
34
materials and thoughts concerning research on each; analyzes
samples of their works - Toynbee writes foreword to Huntington Huntington’s eugenics - Huntington as teacher - Bowman review:
Harvard, Yale, AGS, and Johns Hopkins - disparity on the position
of geography in the European curriculum v. the US - in 1859 a new
beginning for geography - circumstances in which he co-authors
two books with Preston James - why he writes from archival
sources - personal collection of 43,000 archival sheets - as AAG
archivist; reference to 260 linear feet of AAG archives association with Dick Hartshorne during his later years characterizes large number of published articles relating to the
history of geographical thought - currently writing two volume
History of Geography in North America - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (78 minutes).
KENNETH C. MARTIS (b. 1945) March 2001 - raised in Toledo, Ohio Slovak Eastern European upbringing, urban working class union
family with Catholic values, large extended family, immigrant
parents proud to be Americans - in grade school always loved to
look at maps - chose University of Toledo for undergraduate study
(1963-1968); lived at home and usually worked two jobs; commuted
to school, majored in Education: desired to teach to have summers
for travel; Economic Geography taught by Robert Ketron sold him
on geography - almost had enough hours in five years to be a
geography major; grateful to unofficial advisor and life long
mentor, Don Lewis (Ohio State Ph.D.) - Advanced ROTC, had option
for active duty or further education for a MA degree - wanted to
get away from Toledo; best TA scholarship came from San Diego
State, some best years of his life: influence of the exciting
young faculty of Phil Pride, Imre Quastler, Richard Wright, Larry
Ford, Bob O'Brien; James Blick (UCLA Ph.D.) chaired MA thesis ferment of the 1960s: in California (1968) the level of protest
was more intense than Toledo - graduated with M.A. and off to the
Army and unknown fate as Military Police (MP) officer at Ft.
Bragg - most of MP class sent to Vietnam, but remained in NC for
two years - after discharge went to Michigan for Ph.D. - had long
interest in politics, history, and geography - George Kish,
Hungarian Jew, was the political geographer at UM and fit
perfectly with a non quantitative background and interests influences on Kish: Nazism, Anti-Semitism, André Siegfried,
Father of Electoral Geography, and Institute of World Affairs Kish's impact: put forth the idea of mapping Congress; few had
ever done it, i.e. mapping congressional elections, critical
votes, committee assignments, or other variables worthy of
analysis - took courses in political science and natural resource
policy - grateful for the powerhouse UM Geography Department of
Kish, Barney Nietschmann, Waldo Tobler, Gunner Olson, John
Kolars, Don Deskins, and John Nystrum - dissertation on the
spatial aspects of roll call voting behavior in Congress - why
Michigan lost geography? - on to West Virginia in 1975; the early
years: great young geographers began to build the Department, led
my Harley Johansen, Ray Young, Graham Rowles, John Pickles, Frank
Calzonettii, Robert Hanham and Greg Elmes; Department specializes
in GIS, GIS and Society, Social Theory, and Economic Development,
now a top new PhD program - WVU: 80-90 undergrad majors, 30-40
Masters and 12-15 PhD candidates - influences of the Huntington
Library, Frederick Jackson Turner, and Ray Allen Billington disciple of the Turnarian School (mapping of data) of American
History - specialty is the U.S. Congress - objective: to uncover
legislative behavior in ways not thought of by non-spatial
thinkers - life long research agenda "Mapping Congress" comprises several major works: the first base work Historical
Atlas of United States Congressional Districts 1789-1983, New
York: The Free Press, 1982, and second (the mapping of every
election) Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United
35
States Congress: 1789-1989, New York: Macmillan, 1989 influence of Ralph Ehrenberg, head of the Geography and Map
Division at the Library of Congress (LC), Ray Smock the Historian
of the U.S. House, and Dick Baker, Historian of the U.S. Senate origin of the two major parties - his 1989 exhibit: "Tides of
Party Politics: Two Centuries of Congressional Elections," opened
in the Madison Building of the LC, it ran for six months example of a critical role-call: NAFTA vote changed the economic
geography of USA - most important contribution: "Mapping
Congress: Developing a Geographic Understanding of American
Political History"
E. COTTON MATHER (1918-1999) April 1975 — Wisconsin as a graduate
student and V.C. Finch — importance of the traverse in field work
— anecdote about Fraser Hart — county geographical societies
- interviewer: Louis Seig. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
E. COTTON MATHER (1918-1999) March 1994 - first GOF interview in
1975 - AB and MS degrees from Illinois prior to WW II - colecturer and demonstrator of world's first portable television role during WW II in Washington D.C. - the amalgamation of the
AAG and ASPG - Vernor Finch and Glenn Trewartha, major figures in
American geography - the importance of field work - among the
first non-members of the Association to publish (1944) in the
Annals - is Cotton given name? - emphasis on geographic traverse
- anecdotes about abandoned farmhouses, brilliant professors, and
universities as venues for interruption - Hartshorne's definition
of tightwad - the art of geography - the importance of
photography in geography - local geographical societies influence of J. Russell Whitaker - three major elements of life
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (54 minutes).
J. RUSSELL MATHER (1925-2003) April 1991 - a Williams graduate
discovers a career in Climatology during WW II - focus of study
at M.I.T. - the Bowman School of Geography at Johns Hopkins - as
a Thornthwaite disciple - evolution of the Water Budget - the
Laboratory of Climatology, and his association with the
University of Delaware - the uniqueness of the Center for
Climatic Research at Newark - how the Laboratory of Climatology
is supported - agenda for his term (1991-92) as President of AAG
- future of geography - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (44 minutes).
O. ORLAND MAXFIELD (1925-2003) November 1996 - rural background
influenced thinking - childhood experiences that shaped his life
- factors that fostered incipient curiosity for geography - on
choosing George Peabody College for undergraduate training;
impressions of Whitaker as teacher, mentor, and friend circumstances that led to Ohio State for MA; early mentors at
Columbus (Eugene Van Cleef, Roderick Peattie) - prepared for high
school teaching upon completing MA - returned to Ohio State for
PhD (other mentors: Guy Harold Smith, Dick Goldthwait, John
Randall); how second experience at OSU differed from first early years at Arkansas; problems in developing new department teaching philosophy - special research interest - participation
in the AAG and NCGE - AAG 50 year member - involvement with Gamma
Theta Upsilon - how geography has changed the last 50 years
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (81 minutes).
HAROLD M. MAYER (1916-1994) April 1972 — influence of Colby,
Platt and others at Chicago — importance of physical aspects of
urban geography and city planning — geography and planning both
synthesize and have no exclusive subject matter — planning for
new techniques of transportation within an urban context —
defines cities - interviewer: Preston E. James.
36
Monochrome, (9 minutes).
HAROLD M. MAYER (1916-1994) April 1983 — his concept of the
nature of geography as a discipline — geography defined as the
study of non-ubiquitous phenomena — cautiously optimistic about
the future of academic geography — how to reverse the decline of
geography at all academic levels — importance of placing trained
geographers in non-academic positions — applications of geography
in urban planning — reviews numerous examples of his involvement
as a geographer in the public sector — geographers can reconcile
their discipline in order to inform the broader public as to the
contributions of geography — on the use of cable TV to assist in
the above-mentioned reconciliation - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (10 minutes).
F. WEBSTER McBRYDE (1908-1995) April 1979 — contrasts between
graduate days at Berkeley and Clark in the 1930s — experience in
Washington, D.C. during WWII — the Young Geographers Society —
contributions of the American Society for Professional
Geographers (ASPG) to the AAG — reviews his role in the ASPG and
the ultimate amalgamation with the AAG - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Monochrome, (12 minutes).
HAROLD H. McCARTY (1901-1987) September 1971 — academic career at
Iowa — geography introduced at Iowa and the development of the
department — geography's future is in the theoretical approach
and the need for quantitative methods — Schaefer at Iowa —
geographer's need to produce theory that has practical
applications - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Monochrome, (20 minutes).
ROBERT W. McCOLL (b. 1938) March 1972 — Washington product in the
post - Garrison days—a repetitive model of insurgency: China-Viet
Nam — the diffusion of insurgency — urban aspects of the
insurgency model — future of political geography at all scales
and a need for strong emphasis on conflict resolution and spatial
reorganization - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Monochrome, (10 minutes).
SHANNON McCUNE (1913-1993) April 1973 — work with Cressey at
Syracuse (1937) and van Valkenburg at Clark (1939) — department
et Ohio State prior to WWII and at Colgate (1947-55) — various
jobs in government and college administration — it's what you do
that counts — the 1948 merger of the ASPG and the AAG
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Monochrome, (11 minutes).
IAN McHARG (b. 1920) September l978 — a student of Whittlesey,
Ackerman and Ullman —overwhelmed by Sauer's synthetic ability —
rediscovers geography through writing Design With Nature —
recruits geographers for planning because they possess the
synoptic view — regrets the lack of the biological component in
geographic training — geography should take a larger role in the
general education of college students - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Monochrome, (10 minutes).
WILLIAM R. MEAD (b. 1915) April 1982 — primary influences in his
development as a geographer, including J.W. Watson and H.C. Darby
— interest in Finland — sees himself primarily as a rural
geographer — believes in fieldwork and ponders the strengths and
weaknesses of contemporary geography - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (10 minutes).
DONALD W. MEINIG (b. 1924) April 1971 — early career decision
opts for graduate school at Washington — extensive interest in
history and geography — social geography interest from first job
at Utah and the Mormon subculture — geography's strength is its
37
inclusiveness — need for more works like Glacken's Traces on the
Rhodian Shore — geography as part of the arts, as well as of
science; hence attention to good writing — methodology should be
subordinate to substance - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Monochrome, (10 minutes).
MARVIN W. MIKESELL (b. 1929) April 1971 — influence of Joe
Spencer at UCLA — Berkeley and Sauer — Sauer's view of
geographical problems in historical perspective and Sauer's
concern with the impact of man upon the environment — idea and
organization of Readings in Culture Geography co-authored with
Phil Wagner — lack of work on the non-material aspects of the
variety and diversity of American culture — the very subtle
American regionalism - interviewer: J. F. Hart.
Monochrome, (11 minutes).
MARVIN W. MIKESELL (b. 1929) March 1994 - first GOF interview in
1971 - impacts of J. E. Spencer at UCLA and Carl Sauer at
Berkeley - sketches personalities and contributions (Rostlund,
Kesseli, Leighly, Parsons and Glacken) to the department - early
research interests at Chicago - as AAG President (1975)
summarizes the activity and mood of the Council and membership
during the early 1970s - research focusing on problems of culture
and nationality - tension that exists between government policies
and minority-group aspirations - reasons for ethnic conflict or
accommodation - significant trends in geography - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color, (43 minutes).
EDWARD J. MILES (1926-1992) November l983 — undergraduate and
graduate background — influenced by Preston James and Robert
Dickinson at Syracuse — establishment of geography at Vermont
beginning in 1962, including the associated problems from related
disciplines — the growth of (1) geography at other New England
institutions and (2) the New England-St. Lawrence Valley
Geographical Society, a regional division of the AAG — his role
in the development of Canadian Studies in the United States — the
resurgence of regional geography - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (10 minutes).
E. JOAN WILSON MILLER (b. 1923) April 2000 – brought up in West
Midlands of England, partly industrial, partly rural; childhood
memories - introduction to geography - two degrees and Graduate
Certificate in Education from Cambridge (Girton: 1st college,
1869, for higher education for women) - the Department of
Geography during the mid-1940s – vignettes re: WW II faculty at
Cambridge: Harriet Wanklyn, Alfred Steers, Vaughan Lewis, Jean
Mitchell, Frank Debenham, Gordon Manley, and William Thatcher migration (early 1950s) to Indiana University; elements of luck
in career opportunities (the right time in the right place) –
move to Illinois State @ Normal (1957) - North Carolina for PhD
(1965); dissertation research (Ozarks folk geography) at Chapel
Hill – marriage (1958) and relationship with George J. Miller,
great deal in common – experiences with discrimination vs women:
mid-1940s at Girton and Normal; still a problem? – contemporary
age discrimination - “it’s what you get done that counts” (George
Miller) – overseas (Britain) field experiences in cultural
geography - Life and Landscape course - activities since
retirement (1993); ideas on Adjunct status for faculty retirees
at Normal concerning their utilization after retirement and the
granting of emerita/tus status - primary career supporters
(George Kimble, George Miller) - George Miller as editor (32
years) of Journal of Geography; more anecdotes about George
38
Miller – Miller archives at Mankato NCGE archives – A. J.
Nystrom’s support of NCGE – use of timelines - research on
Douglas Clay Ridgley and the Herbartians at Illinois State Normal
University (1903-1922); influence of Henriette Dent’s notes from
Cambridge days – Herbartians (of Prussia) defined - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color, (61 minutes).
E. WILLARD MILLER (1915-2002) April 1985 — reviews his role with
the American Society of Professional Geographers and its merger
with the AAG — geography at Penn State after WWII — his
contributions to geography - interviewer: Geoffrey J. Martin.
Color, (25 minutes).
E. WILLARD MILLER (1915-2002) April 1997 - first GOF interview in
1985 - early background - education at Clarion, graduate days at
Nebraska and Ohio State: mentors and fellow graduate students Washington (OSS) during WW II - reviewing development of
Geography at Penn State: preliminary goals and objectives - early
conversations with the Administration - problems gaining
recognition for geography across the campus? - developing the
Geography faculty: chronology of key faculty appointments from
mid-1940s through mid-1960s - major thrusts developed during late
50s and mid-60s - faculty appointments during late 1960s to early
1990s - development of graduate program; long term goals setbacks during formative days? - gradual ascension to first
place (1995) - contemporary emphases - future of the Department his major contributions to the discipline - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color, (76 minutes).
JULIAN V. MINGHI (b. 1933) April 1983 — the active nonquantitative group at Seattle in the late 1950s and early 1960s
has been underplayed — interest in political geography and the
influence of John House and Douglas Jackson — outside sources
provided the stimulation for original research emphasis — changes
and trends of political geography — the Political Geography
Specialty Group within the AAG — problems of overseeing a
15 member department in a large state university - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color, (10 minutes).
JANICE S. MONK (b. 1937) April 1988 - common theme in research is
looking at people outside the mainstream - work emphasizes the
raising of funds for collaborative research - the 3 stages of the
recent 15 year development of feminist geography - how geography
is behind the feminization of other disciplines - projecting
research on women into the teaching of geography - the use of
literary sources in understanding how people feel about place difference between male and female images of the landscape of the
West - the stimulation and satisfaction of field and ethnographic
research - a long range study (with Rechlin) on the history of
women geographers in 20th Century United States - interviewer:
Alice Rechlin. Color, (23 minutes).
MARK MONMONIER (b. 1943) April 1996 - interest in geography prior
to Johns Hopkins as undergrad? - two degrees from Penn State: its
attraction, mentors and fellow graduate students - development as
a computer cartographer - the ideal way to prepare for a career
in computer cartography - observed changes in computer mapping GIS an appropriate tool for cartographers? - geographic
cartography and the 21st century - origin of How To Lie With Maps
- the joy of writing - have too many geographers abandoned
description for theory? - major contributions - is cartography a
science? - is geography a science? - suggestions for those
contemplating careers in computer cartography - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color, (54 minutes).
39
RICHARD L. MORRILL (b. 1934) April 1971 — Washington during his
graduate days (1950s) — geography's improved status —
Hagerstrand's idea that the real problems were peoples techniques
were secondary — developing interest in the ghetto and with
problems of inequality in the U.S. — graduate student training
needs - interviewer: John Fraser Hart. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
RICHARD L. MORRILL (b. 1934) May 1986 — sets the context of the
quantitative revolution (QR) at the University of Washington in
the 1950s — the influence of Garrison, Hagerstrand and Ullman
upon the group of "young lurks" at Seattle — the impact of the
Schaefer paper (1953) upon their thinking — the accomplishments
of the QR at its 30th (1986) anniversary — social issues within
geography — how to improve geographic visibility — is Morrill
"the last of the generalists?" — are geographers too idealized?
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (17 minutes).
ROBERT W. MORRILL (b. 1939) October 1995 - undergraduate
experience at Assumption College - graduate training at Clark;
mentors and fellow graduate students - early interest in
geography education - why geography has been "under-represented"
in the United States (K-12) - changes observed concerning
geography in the schools; the events that stimulated those
changes and the role of NCGE - other organizations and their
contribution to the improvement of geography education importance of the Geographic Alliances to the future development
of geography in the schools - how the National Standards fit into
the mix - considering improvements within K-12 geography
curricula, what are the implications for university geography? over the past decade the ways university geographers have been
influenced by the resurgence of geography education - suggestions
for those on the threshold of a career in geography education
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (37 minutes).
PETER O. MULLER (b. 1942) April 1988 - graduate experience at
Rutgers during the late 1960s - turning inside-out of the
American city - the suburban ring, outer city, suburban downtown
and polycentric city - social-geographic implications of the
contemporary American city - problems that urban geographers have
with the U.S. Census - on profound changes in the post 1960
American urban landscape - the role of textbooks in college
geography - the importance of small non-PhD departments in
American geography - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (24 minutes).
ROBERT A. MULLER (b. 1928) April 1988 - graduate days at Rutgers
and Syracuse - his mentor, Douglas B. Carter - the water budget
as a "geographic natural": numeric value for each place Muller's contribution to water budget methodology - why more
geographers are not water budget specialists - eight classes
within a systematic synoptic climatology - the importance of
regional water budget indices - responsibilities as State
Climatologist - four distinct snow storms as major influences
upon his life - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (18 minutes).
RHOADS MURPHEY (b. 1919) April 1975 — Harvard in the 1940s —
geography's function, role and rewards — geography in area
studies — geography's future tied to preserving its diversity
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
ALEXANDER B. MURPHY (b. 1954) March 2001 - grew up in Rocky
Mountain West; elementary years in Wyoming, junior high & high
school in New Mexico, punctuated by several years abroad (France,
Hawaii, Japan) as father (Richard E.) was a professor of
40
geography (physical geographer primarily, Clark '57 PhD under
Higbee) - chose Yale (mid-70s) for undergraduate study
(archeology), one class with Karl Pelzer, only remaining
geographer at Yale - on to Columbia (international law, JD '81)
- practiced law for two years in Chicago - switched to career in
geography - influence of being the son of a geographer - Chicago
stimulus (ideas/issues that captivated the imagination):
Mikesell's work on cultural conflict, Chauncy Harris' commitment
to in-depth understanding of regions, Conzen's incorporation of
field elements into classes, Ginsburg's conceptualizing political
issues, and Gordon Clark's sensitivity to critical perspectives
developed in the economic arena - basis of the assault on
Geography at Chicago: (1) new Dean (little appreciation for
geography), who had come from Michigan and viewed geography as a
dispensable subject, and (2) vulnerable position as department in
transition with retirements and younger faculty moving on; a
misfortune of world proportions as Chicago viewed as synonymous
with the development of American geography - mid-80s dissertation
under Mikesell focused on language lines (Flemings and Walloons)
and regionalization process in Belgium - significance of early
work and subsequent scholarly contributions in the fields of
political and cultural geography - professional career begins at
Oregon and remains; testament of commitment to U. of Oregon: (1)
collegial departmental environment that is building and growing
(2) Oregon's recreational and cultural assets, and (3) spouse's
Law School tenured faculty position - tradition of department,
former identity as "Berkeley North", closely connected to Sauer contemporary emphasis maintains dialogue across the physical and
human; diverse faculty (12) with strong interest in the
political/cultural geography interface - the PhD program approach to teaching: introductory human and regional (sprinkled
with engaging perspectives), upper level/graduate seminars
(student participation, serious writing); all faculty teach the
three levels - greatest teaching accomplishments are the
individual stories re positive impact upon students - recipient
of University Award for outstanding teaching - NSF “Presidential
Young Investigator” Award and its effect upon early career overview and development of geography's entry into the Advanced
Placement (AP) Geography initiative process; AP courses are
introductory college courses offered at high school level
energized by high school teacher training institutes; likely AP
will have constructive impact upon number and quality of students
entering college geography - first beneficiary of Endowed Chair
that honors active involvement in undergraduate education and
significant research contributions; objective is to retain
outstanding faculty - accomplishments as Head of the Department North American editor of Progress in Human Geography; challenges
and rewards of work on the journal - co-author (Harm de Blij) of
introductory human geography textbook - 1980s German professor's
quizzical perception upon learning about lack of geography at
Yale: "But I thought Yale was a university" - motivation to
become active in the AAG and AGS; one objective is to increase
visibility of the discipline, e. g. back page article
"Rediscovering the Importance of Geography," Chronicle of Higher
Education, 45 (10), October 30, 1998, p. A64 - addressing public
and private-sector audiences on geographical topics via AGS
affiliation - significant contributions to date: (1) scholarship,
re changing nature of the State; (2) missionary zeal, the AP
initiative; and (3) administration, helping the Department
succeed - major opportunities and challenges facing the
discipline: growing discussion focusing on how geography can
capitalize on the moment (an increasing interest in things
geographical); the challenge and need to (1) be clearer on how
our work relates to major issues of the day, and (2) publish
41
material discussed by the intelligentsia - are we saying things a
large number of society can grab on to? - case in point: Meinig's
4 volumes on history of US from a geographical perspective interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (68 minutes).
BRYAN J. MURTON (b. 1939) April l987 — New Zealand influences
upon his development in geography — graduate experience at the
University of Minnesota: faculty and students — research in South
India — teaching the history of geographic thought — Department
of Geography at the University of Hawaii: historical overview and
present emphasis —importance of Geographic Information Systems —
significant contributions - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (31 minutes).
SARAH K. MYERS (b. 1940) April 1976 — what she looks for in a
manuscript as editor of the Geographical Review — do the "old
pros" have an advantage in getting a paper published? — are there
preferred topics for acceptance? — what happens to a manuscript
after it's accepted? — purpose of the Geographical Review —
educational background — anecdotes about research in Peru
- interviewer: John Fraser Hart. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
PETER H. NASH (b. 1921) August 1977 — contrasts graduate days at
Wisconsin and Harvard in the post-WWII years — the demise of
geography at Harvard in the 1940s — suggests that significant
work is being done on the periphery of geography and cites
selected non-geographers for their contributions to the field —
advocates the elimination of department boundaries in order to
encourage disciplines to talk to each other — role of geography
as an integrating science — International Geographic Union's
concern for "action-oriented" applied geography - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
SALVATORE J. NATOLI (b. 1929) April 1985 — the influences of
Clark as a graduate student — Midyear career with AAG and changes
within the Association — geographic illiteracy — reviews the
theory and process behind the 1984 publication Guidelines for
Geographic Education - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (35 minutes).
SALVATORE J. NATOLI (b. 1929) October 1998 - first interviewed
for GOF at Detroit in 1985 - background: family origins,
childhood, important influences - undergraduate experience at
Kutztown University; entered as geography major - Army
experience; volunteer for Atomic Bomb Testing at Frenchman Flats,
Nevada (April ‘53) - on to Clark University; mentors (Edward
Higbee, Richard Lougee, Samuel Van Valkenburg, Erwin Raisz,
Harvey Warman) and graduate students (J. Keith Fraser, Roland
Fuchs, Fred Ritter) during the late 1950s; changes observed in
1960s - profound influence of Saul Cohen - work on committees
that helped reform and change geography education: (1) Commission
on College Geography (1963-1974), style and talent of John
Lounsbury; and (2) High School Geography Project (1961-1974) NGS Alliances - after 16 years at AAG moved to National Council
for the Social Studies (NCSS); responsibilities, objectives,
mission, and membership - NCSS duties as Director of Publications
and Editor of Social Education - benchmarks in the reform of
geographic education - need to define core of discipline for the
public - outgrowths of the Guidelines for Geographic Education,
1984 - benefits of advance placement examination in geography is evolutionary change in geographic education analogous to
geology’s uniformitarianism, and or catastrophism?
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (71 minutes).
42
M. DUANE NELLIS (b. 1954) October 1997 - undergraduate days at
Montana State - Oregon State for your MS and PhD; late 1970s mentors with major impact upon career - primary research interest
- major contributions as teacher, as researcher in Kansas and
Botswana - interface between systematic areas of geography and
spatial techniques - involvement with the AAG and NCGE - on
electing to become career administrator - interest and
affiliation with the GTU - why GTU important for geography and
geographers - working with the Geographic Alliances - role of
geographers as higher education administrators - important
directions for geography and higher education - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color, (45 minutes).
ALLEN G. NOBLE (b. 1930) and LAURENCE C. MA (b. 1937) April 1983
— origin of the first Chinese-American Geographical Exchange — a
25-month wait to receive an invitation from the Chinese for
American geographers to visit China — timing of the invitation
coincident with a change in political climate, i.e. shortly after
the arrest of the Gang of Four — in the beginning the Akron group
had thought only in term of American geographers visiting China,
but it was the exchange aspect that prompted the interests of the
Chinese — U.S. support for these exchanges came from various
sources: the Ohio Academy of Science, the Ford Foundation, the
Johnson Foundation (Racine, Wisconsin), and the National Science
Foundation — changes in emphasis in contemporary Chinese
geography are the result of these exchanges: from mostly physical
and some economic geography to a greater concern for human
activity in geographic inquiry, i.e. perception and hazard
research — mature Chinese scholars and graduate students are now
studying in American universities - interviewer:
Geoffrey J. Martin. Color, (15 minutes).
J. WARREN NYSTROM (1913-2001) April l972 — career prior to
becoming Executive Director of the AAG — Pittsburgh's department
in the 1940s — the rapid growth of the AAG and enrollment in
college geography courses — non-teaching jobs in geography — the
work of the AAG in promoting geography - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Monochrome, (10 minutes).
JUDY OLSON (b. 1944) October 1990 - graduate days at Wisconsin discovering cartography - reviews research topics while at
Georgia, Boston University, and Michigan State including work
with: class intervals, color, video disks, psycho-physical and
cognitive aspects of mapping - as Annals Associate Editor of
Cartography comments about the importance of graphics - the most
satisfying part of her career - interviewer: Mildred Berman.
Color, (19 minutes).
GUNNAR OLSSON (b.1935) April 2000 - childhood and background in
rural Sweden; parental influence, midwife mother, woodsman father
- introduction to geography; Von Thünen etc. in gymnasium,
planning in Sweden – period between gymnasium and undergraduate
studies – the role of pure happenstance - early influences (1957)
at Uppsala: Esse Lovgren (migration), minimalist sculptor Jean
Arp, Gerd Enequist (the perfect professor who could encourage and
not interfere), econometrician Herman Wold (regression),
association (1960) with David Harvey – brief review of work
(1968) with others on migration, the gravity model, and
regression analysis – interest in inference, philosophy of
science, ethics, language - Philadelphia (1963) and the Regional
Science Department at Pennsylvania; Isard’s dialectical teaching
methods – impact/importance of those not easily understood, i.e.
Isard, Dacyy - side trips to Berkeley and Evanston; personalities
43
and learning - back to Uppsala for the doctorate (1968); primary
research interests – circumstances of the move to Michigan –
origin of Birds in Egg/Eggs in Bird; conclusion: language one
talks in reveals more than phenomena one talks about – demise of
the Department at Ann Arbor - return to Uppsala in 1977 - the
prison house of language; for what really one wants to say there
are no words – notation interpretations: equal sign (=),
reflections on Marx; dialectic slash (/); and Saussurean Bar (-)
– concepts of Greekjew/Jewgreek; the double roots of European
culture – thoughts re: the 2nd Commandment – critique of power understanding geography as a mode of thought - philosophy of
knowledge, an exercise in translation - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (89 minutes).
RISA I. PALM (b. 1942) May 1974 — Minnesota in the late 1960s —
women in geography — social function of Affirmative Action —
advocacy positions of women in their research strategies —
factorial ecology — internship programs for undergraduates — need
for better teacher - training in graduate school - interviewer:
Louis Seig. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
JAMES J. PARSONS (1915-1997) April 1973 — Berkeley in the
1930s,1940s and 1970s — how anthropology, biology, forestry and
soils science complement geography at Berkeley — research in the
Magdalena Valley — an increasing interest in biogeography — good
historical geography — sees himself not as a regionalist, but
rather as a specialist working within a regional context
- interviewer: Preston E. James. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
WILLIAM D. PATTISON (1921-1997) April 1975 — interpreter of
geography for educators and interpreter of education for
geographers — outlines the four traditions of geography —
discusses Teaching and Learning in Graduate Geography project
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Monochrome, (11 minutes).
CLYDE P. PATTON (b. 1923) August 1970 — demand for physical
geographers — distinction between physical and cultural geography
very artificial — the regional course in American geography —
students today are not place-oriented — ideas about
quantification - interviewer: Preston E. James.
Monochrome, (11 minutes).
G. C. K. PEACH (b. 1939) May 1982 — educational background at
Oxford — reviews West Indian immigration to Britain — work with
segregation in the London area — experiences at the Australian
National University — relationship between ethnic segregation and
ethnic intermarriage — special problems associated with work in
social geography — three types of social geographers:
(1) positivists, (2) Marxists, and (3) phenomenologists — current
research on riots in Britain - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (11 minutes).
G. ETZEL PEARCY (1905-1980) April 1973 — department at Clarkin
the late 1930s — influence of Cressey — as The Geographer of the
Department of State — other government positions for geographers
— geopolitics a dead issue? — applied geography — need for
regional courses - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Monochrome, (9 minutes).
J. RICHARD PEET (b. 1940) April 1975 — purpose of Antipode —
relevance of Marxist theory to geography — Marxist geographic
theory and the inequality of poverty — Kropotkin - interviewer:
David Harvey. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
44
KARL J. PELZER (1909-1980) April 1976 — how he developed an
interest in the Asiatic Tropics — as a teaching assistant at
Berkeley — original inputs were from Leo Waibel with a strong
Sauer overlay — assisted Bowman with "Limits of Land Settlement"
— anecdote about FDR's request to Bowman for a report on the
possibility of land settlement in Africa for European refugees
(Jews) — the realization in 1939 that white settlement in the
tropics was passe — the department at Yale 1947-1977
- interviewer: Preston E. James. Monochrome, (11 minutes).
ALLEN K. PHILBRICK (b. 1914) May l986 — people, paradigms, and
perception are selected as themes — early background in fine
arts—undergraduate and graduate days at Chicago: (1) Barrows - a
no-nonsense military/civilian, (2) Colby - intelligent, wonderful
friend, (3) Platt - presaged the paradigm of areal functional
organization — B. Berry, who replaces Philbrick on the staff at
Chicago—the quantitative revolution as logical positivism —
quantifiers as gadgeteers — geography must make peace with
physics — the contexts of time-space — can history and geography
be separated? — old linear bounded regions are false — the
boundaries of the hierarchical arrangements of "things" are
surfaces — borrowing an analogy from physics these "things" are
modalities — the hierarchical modality in geographic time-space —
predicts that it will be demonstrated that human behavior is the
complex alternative cause of the pattern of the development of
human society - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (29 minutes).
PHILIPPE PINCHEMEL (b. 1923) April 1979 — days at the Sorbonne in
the 1940s with de Martonne and others — influence of A. Strahler
— evolution of his interests from (1) physical geography to (2)
urban and regional planning, and finally to (3) the history of
geography upon discovering Hartshorne's The Nature of Geography
in 1945 — since everything is distributed he suggests that
geography cannot be the science of distribution — two basic views
of geography: (1) synthesis, and (2) the science of landscape
(the correlation between milieu and space) — argues "geography is
what geographers do," yet wants to narrow the fields of geography
- interviewer: Gary Dunbar. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
FORREST PITTS (b. 1924) April 1992 - early interest in East Asia
- all three degrees from Michigan - work in Korea and Japan;
Center for Korean Studies - nine years at Oregon - impact of the
Quantitative Revolution - influence of Hagerstrand's models - as
Executive Secretary of IGU Commission on Quantitative Methods contradictions between humanism and quantification? - twenty-one
years at Hawaii - bibliography, puns, and language - the Pitts
fit within Pattison's four traditions - interviewer: Brian
Murton. Color, (38 minutes).
PHILIP PORTER (b. 1928) April 1992 - undergraduate work at
Middlebury with Rowland Illick - M.A. days at Syracuse; influence
of Robert Dickinson - impact of J. K. Wright - service in the
Army (S.I.R.A.) in early 1950s - the Ph D at L.S.E. with R. J.
Harrison-Church and Dudley Stamp; research on Liberia - early
experiences at Minnesota - culture and ecology in East Africa work at Dar es Salaam; development, photosynthesis,
agro-meteorology - "first level" and "second level" paradigms hypothetical worlds and utopias - the importance foreign field
work - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (42 minutes).
J. M. POWELL (b. 1938) August 1992 - product of Liverpudlian
selective grammar school - influences in geography at Liverpool:
Brian Harley, Robert Steel - career at Monash - elected
Australian citizenship at early stage - transition from the UK to
45
Australia impacted upon research and teaching - the immigrant
scholar - research on New World resource appraisal and
environmental management - the place for "humanistic" historical
geography - why Australia attracts extraordinary interest in the
wider world - characteristics of a specialized education in
geography - admiration for Spate, Meinig, and Glacken relationships between history and geography - rejection of
Kuhnian notions in applied historiography and managerial
paradigms - fifteen minute overview on the career of Griffith
Taylor - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color (56 minutes).
ALLAN R. PRED (b. 1936) April 1980 — influences at Antioch that
led him into geography — graduate experiences at Penn State and
Chicago and how he became convinced of the importance of the past
in modeling the present — career at Berkeley has been split
between work in Sweden and California—Hagerstrand's impact in
this country has been magnificent because he crossed paths with
Garrison's group in Seattle in the late '50s, but Hagerstrand's
greatest contribution (time geography) is only recently
penetrating American geography — the definition and potential of
time geography - interviewer: Geoffrey J. Martin.
Monochrome, (10 minutes).
EDWARD T. PRICE, JR. (b. 1915) April 1973 — work with Sauer at
Berkeley — any definition of landscape provides a way of
characterizing places — research on cultural islands of
mixed-blood peoples in the South — value of regional courses —
usefulness of quantification and necessity for field study in
geography - interviewer: Preston E. James.
Monochrome, (10 minutes).
MERLE C. PRUNTY, JR. (1917-1982) April 1973 — undergraduate days
at Missouri — geography as a discipline — influence of Clarence
Jones at Clark — plantation studies in the South — understanding
of process and spatial distribution — importance of fieldwork —
quantification as a basic tool — his best ideas have come from
the field and from graduate students - interviewer:
John Fraser Hart. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
LYDIA MIHELIC PULSIPHER (b. 1939) March 1994 - childhood
experiences and family background - origin of interest in the
Caribbean and Africans in America - influences at Texas A&M as
faculty wife, prior to studying graduate geography at Southern
Illinois - designing a strategy to survive as a woman within a
less than friendly graduate environment - mentors who offered
encouragement - involvement with and impact of 1992 Smithsonian
SEEDS OF CHANGE exhibit - belated influence of feminism in
geography; definition of feminist geography - women's roles in
Caribbean culture - impact of new feminist thinking
in geography - reflexivity as a mode of research - sharing
research with wider audiences - fictional narrative as a valid
mode of communication for academic research - main mission in
geography - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (39 minutes).
HALLOCK F. RAUP (1901-1985) April 1973 — Davis and Penck at
Berkeley in the 1930s — relationship between mentor and student —
historical geography — sequent occupance - interviewer:
Preston E. James. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
ALICE T. M. RECHLIN (1932-2002) April 1988 - the influence of
A.H. Meyer at Valpariso - graduate work at Northwestern (M.A.'56)
and Michigan (Ph.D.'70) - women with children and graduate study,
a rare combination in the 60s - experiences with sex
discrimination - anecdotes about Donald Hudson and A.H. Meyer research on the Amish - as Director of Cartographic Research at
46
the National Geographic Society - traces progress of women in
geography during last 20 years - children and a career: the
problems associated with "double duty" - most satisfying
experiences within geography - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (33 minutes).
WALTER R. RISTOW (b. 1908) April 1984 — undergraduate days at
Wisconsin beginning in 1927 — graduate experience at Oberlin —
describes an AAG meeting in 1931, when Isaiah Bowman gave his
presidential address — graduate days at Clark under Clarence
Jones et al — his work at the New York City Library (1937 to
1946)— as Secretary of the ASPG and later the AAG — as Chief of
the Geography and Map Division at the Library of Congress — Bob
Platt's vision of how the geographic resources of the OSS could
provide the foundation for a Center of Geographic Study — the
post-war years in Washington - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (15 minutes).
ARTHUR H. ROBINSON (b. 1915) April 1972 — cartography and
geography as separate fields, but very much allied — computer
mapping as part of continual revolution in cartography —
contemporary cartography — argues for cartography to become a
separate discipline - interviewer: M. W. Dow - interviewer:
Preston E. James. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
ARTHUR H. ROBINSON (b. 1915) April 1984 — origins of his interest
in geography and cartograph — graduate days at Wisconsin and Ohio
State — Hartshorne calls him to Washington to work for the COI
(OSS) prior to Pearl Harbor—becomes the Head of the Map Division
of the OSS — role of geography at OSS — elected as member of the
AAG in 1941 without the doctorate — finishes degree (1947) at
Ohio State under Guy Harold Smith — the development of
cartography into a proper discipline within the field of
geography at Wisconsin, and the importance of the National
Defense Education Act in acquiring resources — his most important
contributions — characterizes cartography as being analogous to
architecture — recognition of cartography as a discipline —
relationship between cartography and geography — impact of the
computer on cartography — time cartography. - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color, (33 minutes).
DAVID J. ROBINSON (b. 1939) April 2000 – background and early
schooling - discovering geography – undergraduate at University
College London; recollections of Clifford Darby, invitation
(1962) to Department appointment prior to higher degrees (origin
of interest in Latin America) – circumstances re: the move to
Syracuse (1973) as DellPlain Professor of Latin American
Geography – accusations of spying in Venezuela - the Department
at Syracuse (2000) described; strong cultural and globalization
interest, lapse of regional emphasis – commentary on post
modernism - using the Internet in teaching - Preston E. James’
influence on DellPlain Professorship – impressions of CLAG and
other specialty groups - the “donut” discipline - geography’s
center – laments the structure of Annual Meetings - lack of
language training in contemporary US geography - publishing in
non-English sources – exigencies of applied geography and
regional planning in Peru (early 1980s) – effect of GIS, GPS –
most admired among the “great minds” (Paul Wheatley, David
Harvey, Peter Haggett, Clifford Darby, Carl Sauer, Woodrow Borah,
Robin Humphreys – work (mid-1960s) with Eric Brown on the
Argentine-Chile border dispute – major contributions - importance
of archives and original documentation – consideration of
alternative discipline after 35 years of geography?
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (58 minutes).
47
JOHN F. ROONEY, JR. (b. 1939) April 1978 — interest in sports
geography and its practical aspects—regional variations in how
people spend leisure time — the origin, methods, and goals of the
Society for the North American Cultural Survey (SNAGS) — the
support for sports research and the idea of a national sports
survey - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
HAROLD M. ROSE (b. 1930) April 1972 — early graduate days at Ohio
State and leaching experience at Florida A&M—interest in
population research — argues for urban and behavioral geography —
geographic perspective is the geographers greatest resource
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Monochrome, (8 minutes).
GERARD RUSHTON (b. 1938) April 1991 - early background at
Aberystwyth - distinctiveness of Iowa Geography in the early
1960s - on McCarty, Schaefer, and others at Iowa - association
with Behavioral Geography - optimal location models - how work in
India changed outlook on Geography in America - on leaving Iowa
in 1990, and joining San Diego State University - is Geography
spatial science, or "spatial fetishism"? - common threads that
bind geographers together - geography classrooms in 2020
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (32 minutes).
ROBERT D. SACK (b. 1944) April 1997 - discovering geography undergraduate at University of Pennsylvania; exposed to
Schwartzberg, J. Rice, Isard, and Wolpert - follow former two for
graduate work at Minnesota - Lukermann major influence;
reflections about Fred - early years and personalities (1970s) at
Wisconsin - Hartshorne shared common interest - Hartshorne as
historian; compared with philosopher brother Charles Hartshorne Hartshorne, Schaefer, and Bunge debates - intellectual focus of
geography - the geographic essential - difference between the
effects of place and space - does geography contribute to
understanding morality? - the progression of his work - most
significant contributions - future of geography - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color, (44 minutes).
C. L. (KIT) SALTER (b. 1938) April 1987 — two factors
responsible for his interest in geography: (1) 135,000 miles of
American travel as a teenager and (2) J. E. Spencer — early
experiences in Taiwan — graduate days at Berkeley and mentor
influences — origin and purposes of the Geographic Alliances: the
California model — sponsorship of Alliances by the National
Geographic Society — description of the NGS Alliance concept —
AAG and NCGE problems with introducing geography into K-12
curricula — the ultimate objectives of the NGS Alliances — the
future of the relationship between secondary school teachers
/administrators and academic geographers - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color, (33 minutes).
THOMAS SAARINEN (b. 1934) April 1992 - Danish-Finnish background
in Calgary - undergraduate days in psychology at Alberta traveled around the world for three years prior to graduate work
and hazards research at Chicago - influence of Gilbert White why he went to Arizona - dedicates career to combining psychology
and geography into the environment behavior design field - the
cyclic nature of environmental movements - current research on
world images - impact of a serious car accident upon his life and
work - interviewer: James Sell. Color, (50 minutes).
MARIE E. SANDERSON (b. 1921) March 1998 - Canadian origins - days
at University of Toronto during WWII; discovered geography
through Griffith Taylor - recollections of Taylor, origins of
Griffith Taylor: Antarctic Explorer and Premier Geographer Taylor’s relationship with Robert F. Scott - why she attended two
48
American universities - University of Maryland for the MA in mid1940s; guided by O. E. Baker - introduced to climatology via
evening course offered by Thornthwaite - time out between MA
(1946) at Maryland and PhD (1965) at Michigan - upon completing
MA spent four years (late 1940s) at Ontario Research Foundation;
continued to work in climatology, e.g. potential
evopotranspiration experiments in Canada for Thornthwaite raises a family - anecdote about Charles Davis at Michigan and
discrimination v. women graduate students - influence of John
Nystuen (advisor) at Michigan - began teaching at Windsor in
1965; 5% of University professors were women - 15-20% women in
her climatology classes - collaboration with Russ Mather on
Genius of C. W. Thornwaite; overview - association with Canadian
Association of Geographers (formed in 1951); first women
President (1982) - active group of Canadian climatologists interests other than climatology - Arctic research in the
Yakutsk; many of the scientists were Yakutsk women - worked with
Inuit women in Canada - retired from Windsor (1988); moves to
Waterloo for ten years as Director, The Water Network - focus and
accomplishments of the Network - contributions to the discipline
- presently lives in Toronto; co-authoring book on Donald Putnam
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (31 minutes).
CARL O. SAUER (1889-1975) August 1970 — graduate days at Chicago
beginning in 1909 — his mentor, Salisbury — Wellington Jones and
his talent for fieldwork — the move from Michigan to Berkeley —
interest in Mexico and Indian cultures develops — background to
Agricultural Origins and Dispersals — Ratzel's visit to America —
Ratzel as a city geographer and ecologist — how Miss Semple was
influenced by Ratzel - interviewer: Preston E. James.
Monochrome, (30 minutes).
JOSEPH E. SCHWARTZBERG (b. 1928) April 1988 - graduate days at
Maryland and his first Asian mentor, Charles Y. Hu - early jobs
with (1) U.S. Army Map Service and (2) Army intelligence in
Germany during the Korean War - post Army traveling in Europe and
Asia for three years - went to Wisconsin for Ph.D. to study with
Hartshorne, his advisor - no formal academic training in Indian
studies, although lived in India for six months - four years of
postdoctoral South Asia exposure at the Wharton School - how
regional geographers should prepare themselves - the genesis
(1964) of the Historical Atlas of South Asia, 1978 - executed all
the map design and page layout for the atlas - that which
distinguishes the atlas from other regional and historical
atlases - 2nd printing of atlas by Oxford Press due in 1989 promoting the idea of world citizenship - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (25 minutes).
THEODORE SHABAD (1922-1987) April 1981 — origins of his interest
in the Soviet Union began in Germany and flourished with his move
to the United States in 1938 — challenge of Soviet affairs and
the mystery of a large country, USA's closest rival, nurtured
his interest — career as a journalist for the New York Times —
the evolution of Soviet Geography as essentially a "one-man
magazine" — Espenshade, Chauncy Harris and Sputnik were important
factors in the establishment of Soviet Geography in 1960 — one of
the purposes of Soviet Geography was to stimulate discussion
between the two largest bodies of professional geographers in the
world — the characterization of geography as a discipline in the
USSR - interviewer: Geoffrey J. Martin. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
MARTHA B. SHARMA (b. 1945) November 1996 - roots of interest in
geography - formal training in geography - critical turning point
in commitment to geography education career - the National
49
Cathedral School
and circumstances of appointment there participation in the firstNGS Summer Geography Institute - on
becoming drawn into the work of the NCGE - contribution as
Director of Special Publications - significance of Pathways
publication series - other NCGE publication initiatives and
successes undertaken as Vice President for Publications and
Products - other involvement with geography education - greatest
reward in teaching geography - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (23 minutes).
HAL SHELTON (b. 1916) May 1985 - roots of training as
cartographer-artist: high school and college (Pomona) art, field
surveying for U.S.G.S. - rendering landscape form on a terrain
map - map examples demonstrating the evolution of artistic
imaging: Valdez AK, the Sahara, Yosemite, and Lake Tahoe - size
of the legend as an admission of failure? - two halves of making
a map - purpose of cartography: carry the most information, most
accurately to the most people - variables, techniques, and
modeling necessary to render landforms - combining cartographic
language and appreciation for the field: "smelling the mountain
and feeling the wind" - influence of topographic surveying on
art: Millard Canyon, Southeastern Utah - interviewer:
Thomas Hinckley. Color, (60 minutes).
ERIC S. SHEPPARD (b. 1950) April 1997 - early background in
England - undergraduate at Bristol; mentors: Haggett, Cliff, and
Bassett - Toronto for MA and PhD; Curry a major influence thinking evolved into something quite different - radical
geography in the 1970s/1990s compared - Minnesota, as teacher and
researcher - directions of work since completing PhD; changes and
common themes - major influences during this period - work has
been theoretical and conceptual rather than empirical - how
practical experiences and intellectual activities affected one
another - major changes in his area of the discipline; how these
have influenced his work - major achievements - future research
- the state of American geography and the challenges that lie
ahead - why he has remained interested in geography interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (60 minutes).
RUTH I. SHIREY (b. 1942) November 1996 - undergraduate days at
the Indiana University of Pennsylvania - factors that contributed
to going to Tennessee for MS and PhD; mentors and fellow graduate
students - influence of Loyal Durand and E. Willard Miller research specialty -teaching geography at IUP -Chair for eleven
years; importance of that role for geography at IUP - "reinvolvement" with geographic education led to becoming Executive
Director of the NCGE - significance of major contributions as
Executive Director - role of the NCGE in bringing about reform
movement in geography within the schools - decisive factors in
the continued momentum of the geography education reform movement
- why the National Standards, and Geography for Life are
important - concerned that the National Standards abandoned the
five themes? - why university geography departments should become
involved with the National Standards - conflict and
complementarity of the Executive Directorship, Geographic
Alliance Coordinator, and 6-hour per semester teaching load important influences shaping the implementation of the National
Standards - new research interests - reflection the future interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (80 minutes).
KARL SINNHUBER (b. 1919) August 1992 - studies at Berlin (193739), served as pilot during WW II, and Innsbruck (Ph.D '48) influence of Hans Kinzl - twenty-five years (1949-1974) of career
in Britain (Glasgow, Southampton, UC-London, Surrey) - origin of
1959 research on Humboldt and Ritter, their major contributions 50
Ratzel as geographer - relationship between physical and human
geography - introduction of von Thunen to British geography;
Brian Berry as student - status of geography as a discipline in
Austria - the continued relevance of regional geography and
research on Mitteleuropa - geography's role: to break down
barriers of prejudice and misconceptions - a glider pilot - as a
bridge between British and German geography - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color (25 minutes).
NEIL SMITH (b. 1954) April 2000 – brought up in working class
town outside Edinburgh – introduction to geography: grandfather
had naturalist interests, father as well - early flare for
mathematics, later motivated to pursue glacial geomorphology –
undergraduate days at St. Andrews; mentors: Joe Doherty (3rd
world & Marxist geography) and Allan Werrity (physical geography
& history of geography) - at U. of Pennsylvania (1974-75)
discovered social forces could sculpt the landscape with the same
precision as physical forces, i.e. social divisions of race and
class (cf Chestnut and Market Streets) written into the human
landscape, just as sharp divisions were visible within the
glaciated landscape - Isard anecdote; style of teaching - began
struggle with gentrification in Philadelphia – directed into
human geography – to Johns Hopkins for PhD; discussions with
David Harvey - - research on uneven development – history of
geography; interest in Isaiah Bowman - forthcoming Bowman book
(880-odd pages); taken twenty years because rationale for writing
it changed, i. e. more understanding and appreciation for
geographic thought than in 1980 – Marxism and its compatibility
with history of geography; important to study Bowman within
contextual history of 20th century science, American geography,
and American foreign policy – Bowman conclusions: extraordinary
political entrepreneur, whose astuteness insisted that the
American Century was a geographical project – the M Project –
Annals paper (1989) on demise at geography at Harvard; Bowman’s
role – closure of the Department at Columbia - theories of
geographical scale - rewriting theory of uneven development, a
Marxist treatise - impact of social theory within geography review of Marxist geography during last three decades – David
Harvey’s impact on social theory – the Rutgers years, Center for
Critical Analysis of Contemporary Culture - recent move to CUNY
as Director of Graduate Center for Place Culture and Politics involvement with, purpose of International Critical Geography
group – working with students most important contribution –
praise for openness of the discipline. Color, (57 minutes).
LAWRENCE M. SOMMERS (b. 1919) April 1981 — how one becomes a good
regional geographer: (1) be familiar with the language, (2) keep
up with the literature, and (3) go to the region frequently —
importance and the role of regional geography and the regional
concept — work on Norway, the North Sea, and the development of
energy resources — geographers should be assertive in their
positions as scholars dealing with contemporary problems —
challenge and complexity of the data and phenomena of geography
- interviewer: Salvatore Natoli. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
LAWRENCE M. SOMMERS (b. 1919) March 2001 - 1st GOF interview in
1981 - Norwegian ancestry, grew up on a farm in southern
Wisconsin and vowed not to become a farmer - at University of
Wisconsin took a general geography course from Glenn Trewartha
that sold him on geography - Trewartha, marvelous lecturer, very
strict, straight forward, and demanding; he was known for a
saying: "screw up the pitch in your study" for he wanted
everybody to do better – required to read Hartshorne's, The
Nature of Geography; he had an outline of the book to guide
graduate students as to sections considered most significant; he
51
presented long explanations of much of the book, as it was hard
reading - fellow Wisconsin graduate students: Cotton Mather, John
Alexander, John Borchert, Clarence Vinge, Edith Bond and Wilbur
Zelinsky, who would run up the stairs two or more steps at a
time, always in a hurry - during WW II spent three years in the
Army, mostly in North Africa and Italy - after the war with the
aid of the GI Bill went on to Northwestern for PhD study - G.
Donald Hudson was Chair, very personable, likable individual, who
got along famously with students; other faculty included Clarence
"Pappy" Jones, Clyde Kohn, Ed Espenshade, Bill Powers, and
Malcolm Proudfoot, my dissertation advisor, an industrial
geographer, who's specialty was Great Britain, esp. Scotland,
died young - Proudfoot, very strict, precise, and demanding Pappy, compassionate, liked students, he and his wife, Ida,
wonderful hosts - NW graduate students: Bill Garrison, Marion
Martz, Bill Withington, Jack and Gertrude Reith, Fred Dohrs,
Fraser Hart, Richard Houk, Mary True Dooley - met wife, "Mardie"
Smith, at the NW Lannon WI geography field camp: she was a
geographer who had worked with Pappy Jones at the Office of
Strategic Services in Washington during WWII and went on to NW
for graduate study - dissertation on fishing industry in Norway,
where prime research interest began; became fluent in the
Norwegian language - over the years (since 1948) made over 30
trips to Norway – university teaching career began at Michigan
State (1949), 1st year taught five sections of economic geography
each quarter - five geographers and six geologists at MSU upon
arrival - assumed the Chair (for 24 years) in 1955 when the
geology/geography department was split; taught a European course
every year - WWII contract courses in cartography and air photo
interpretation spawned the techniques emphasis that now is
fulfilled at MSU by the addition of remote sensing, quantitative
methods, and GIS - PhD program approved in 1957 - strategies
employed to bring recognition to the Department - Area Studies
important at MSU – early additions of Duke Winters, Harm de Blij,
Allen Philbrick, and John Hunter - Department was involved in the
2nd stage of the “quantitative revolution" via MICMOG (Michigan
Inter-University Community of Mathematical Geography), 1963-1968,
a consortium of MSU, Michigan, and Wayne State weekly seminars of
faculty and graduate students held at Brighton MI: Art Getis,
Julian Wolpert, Allen Philbrick from MSU, Bunge (Wayne State),
John Nystuen and Waldo Tobler (UM), plus guest lecturers, e. g.
Bill Warntz - graduate & undergraduate programs and faculty grew
rapidly during the 60s and 70s - as editor of Atlas of Michigan
involved entire Department, sold over 32,000 copies (1974-1977);
currently in process of being revised as a CD version by Dick
Groop, Mike Lipsey and others - applied geography emphasis with a
major symposium resulting in a published paperback of the
contributions of department faculty and students entitled
“Applications of Geographic Research” (1977) – Noyes Foundation
and NSF grants for a land use program for Master’s students in
the late 1970s, jointly with Arizona State and Florida State MSU geography grew rapidly during the 1950s-1970s in size and
reputation, which affected the relationship, not always amicable,
with the older, well-established department at the U of Michigan
- UM graduate and MSU geography faculty member Charlie Boas
resigned from the Department to become a circus clown; George
Kish came up from Ann Arbor and spent a day trying to convince
Charlie not to join the circus as it would reflect unfavorably
upon UM - managed to keep active in teaching, research, service,
and travel during administrative years as chair via a policy
wherein administrators could take a three months sabbatical every
three years for research (Norway and Denmark) and revitalization
- major research foci were regional geography, Norway, the North
Sea, and the development of energy resources - resigned as Chair
in 1979 - post Chair activities: full time to classroom; Co52
Director of Environment Quality Center focusing on energy
resource issues in a project located in Genesee County, MI;
chaired a major review of MSU International Studies Programs; US
representative on IGU Commission looking at geographic issues in
northern world regions, then marginal regions; President of
National Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi 1992-1995; Assistant
Provost, Academic Services for three years – some reflections on
administrative career: successful chairs must be involved in
teaching and research; try to make Department cohesive; must be
able to relate to faculty below you, but also administrators
above you in order to gain respect in both directions; have an
appreciation for the importance of undergraduate study and the
students - major changes since 1979: three units (Geography,
Landscape Architecture, and Urban & Regional Planning) merged
under one Chair (presently Dick Groop) with three separate subchairs - recent development is an important heavily funded
research program called the Basic Science and Remote Sensing
Initiative (BSRSI); it is highly supported by outside grants and
the university administration but often promoted tension among
department faculty, as the principal BSRSI researchers are not
teaching nor contributing to the other normal functions of a
department - the personalities who have been most influential in
my early career: Glenn Trewartha, Don Hudson. Pappy Jones,
Malcolm Proudfoot, and Norwegian professor Fridtjov Isachsen career accomplishments: 1. development of a major department at
MSU essentially from scratch, 2. publication record (5 coauthored books, editor of Atlas of Michigan; 7 readings books in
geography with Fred Dohrs), plus ninety odd articles and chapters
in books, 3. advisor to 17 Ph.D. students, plus MAs, and
undergraduate students, 4. service to MSU and gaining university
support for geography, and 5. bringing in outstanding faculty
whose early career appointment was often at MSU before moving on,
e.g. Paul English, Art Getis, Harm de Blij, Stan Brunn, Julian
Wolpert, James Wheeler, and Allen Philbrick et al. interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color, (80 minutes).
JOSEPH SONNENFELD (b. 1929) March 1994 - early interest in
geography at Oregon State - graduate days at Johns Hopkins;
mentors, especially George Carter - 13 years at Delaware evolution of behavioral interests in geography begins with
function of primitive implements - work on environmental stress perceptual studies - "environmental personality" - spatial
behavior and "hemispheric specialization" -modus operandi in
the field - contrasts between laboratory and field research - use
of formal test measures, questionnaires, and open-ended field
interviews - most important contributions - what lies ahead
within the study of perception and spatial behavior interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (36 minutes).
JOSEPH E. SPENCER (1907-1984) October l970A — departments at UCLA
and Berkeley in the late 1920s and early 1930s — Sauer, the man,
the teacher, and his transition in interest from geomorphology to
culture — eight years in China in the 1930s working for the
Chinese Nationalist government — research on rice and shifting
agriculture — relationship with William Thomas — culture growth
and change — patterns of cultural divergence and convergence
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Monochrome, (19 minutes).
JOSEPH E. SPENCER (1907-1984) October 1970B: audio only - early
influence of father and the fact he provided a private library of
400-500 books to his son, none of which were novels - growing up
in California - contemplation re: an academic career - how/why he
chose Berkeley and Sauer for graduate study - reflections about
Sauer and his style - selecting Asia/China as a regional interest
- a 2nd generation Sauerite - dissertation research (early 1930s)
53
in Southern Utah considers cultural process - approach to the
study of China's cultural geography - philosophy of research;
comparing methods at Berkeley and Syracuse - field work in China
during the 1930s; e. g. agricultural geography - fatherly advice:
utilize "short cuts" in the learning process - scholarship - land
tenure - interpretation of man-land relationships - Asia, East by
South - appreciates his background in geomorphology when studying
culture - anthropology's understanding of the environment impact of quantification upon geography; simply a way of handling
data, not unlike the fad of the dot maps during his formative
days - "unless one quantifies one is not being rigorous", that's
rubbish! - the personality of a region - model building distribution of temples and locust plagues in China - application
of models - diffusion of crop patterns, e. g. pumpkins, sweet
potatoes - transfer of culture traits - uniqueness of culture
groups prevents generalization. Seminar Dicussion at the U. S.
Air Force Academy, October 27. Audio Only (1 hour 45 minutes).
J. ALFRED STEERS (1899-1989) May 1982 — reviews geography at
Cambridge during his tenure which began in the early 1920s —
origin of his research interest in coastlines — influence
of others within the Cambridge department — the tradition of
fieldwork at Cambridge - interviewer: David Stoddart.
Color, (11 minutes).
DAVID R. STODDART (b. 1938) April l979 — graduate days at
St. John's, Cambridge with David Harvey, Richard Chorley, and
Peter Haggett — origin of his interest in the impact of Darwin
and T. H. Huxley upon geography — the substantive role of
geographers in organizing interdisciplinary investigations —
geography's contribution in modulating the effect of hazards and
high technology on the environment — suggests that Cambridge's
present role might focus upon tracing continuities in the method
and philosophy of geography during the past century and
projecting them forward - interviewer: William Warntz.
Monochrome, (10 minutes).
JOSEPH P. STOLTMAN (b. 1940) October 1997 - childhood and
significant events that shaped career - what spurred interest in
geography - from Central Washington (BA) moved to Chicago for MA
- Chicago in the late 1960s - on to Georgia for the doctorate;
Department described - primary research at Athens - how interest
in Geographic Education evolves - most of career has been at
Western Michigan - significant advancements in geographic
education in the US during his career - work on two major video
projects: Global Geography and Geography in The United States how NCGE has enhanced the teaching of geography within the United
States - involvement and role with the International Geographical
Union - research on: The Teaching of Geography and Geography's
Status Within the Curriculum - improving geography teaching
within Michigan and the Geographic Alliance - the ARGUS Project optimum relationship between geography and other disciplinary
content within the school curriculum - how geography teaching
will benefit from national and state assessments - important
contribution - future of geographic education - interviewer:
Sonya Wardley. Color, (37 minutes).
KIRK H. STONE (1914-1997) April 1973 — department at Michigan in
the 1930s — resettlement, in general — research on the Matanuska
Valley — settlement in the fringe areas of the world —
Scandinavian and Finnish settlement patterns - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Monochrome, (11 minutes).
EDWARD J. TAAFFE (1921-2001) April 1971 — Robert Platt's courses
on transportation — origin of and experiences with the summer
54
institutes at Northwestern in the early 1960s — Ohio State in the
early 1970s — background and impa ct of the BASS Report — sees
behavioral and ecological work forthcoming in geography —
exclusively spatial nature of transportation will continue to be
an important part of geography - interviewer: John Fraser Hart.
Monochrome, (11 minutes).
KEIICHI TAKEUCHI (b. 1932) August 1992 - impacts of (1) World War
II on a young Japanese student and (2) the 1968-69 Japanese
student revolts - decision to become a professional geographer,
one of 500 in Japan - graduate study atypical of Japanese
geographers - Director of the Japan Cultural Institute in Rome background notably different from colleagues at Hitotsubishi
University - geography a respected discipline in Japan? research in social geography, the Mediterranean, and history of
geography - the cross-cultural approach to the study of
geographic thought - involvement with (1) Japanese
geographical organizations and (2) international geographers contemporary Japanese geography - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color (37 minutes).
PETER J. TAYLOR (b. 1944) May 1982 — impact of Liverpool and
"outside" mentors — quantitative methods training for
undergraduates and graduates — a definition of positivism
— the recent criticism of positivism in geography — political
geography: (1)basis of current growth, (2) description of various
views and, (3) an outline for his approach - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color, (11 minutes).
BALESHWAR THAKUR (b. 1943) August 1992 - graduate background:
Waterloo and Patna - summary of work on Indian Resource
Management - traces geography as a university discipline in
India, beginning 1926 - 4000 Indian geographers - leading Indian
practitioners - influence of British and American-trained
geographers on the development of Indian geography - impact of
the 21st IGU Delhi Conference (1968) on Indian geography - Indian
Geographical Society and the development of teaching and research
in India - Indian emphasis on regional planning, as well as,
agricultural and urban geography of India - little done on
India's cultural diversity - social geography research - salient
works by Indian geographers - the problem of generalization from
micro-studies of India - movement to make geography in India more
Indianized - Western philosophical and methodological models
adopted by Indian geographers - the National Association of
Geographers of India (NAGI) and the cause of geography - relevance of the discipline to modern Indian society lies in social
issues - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color (44 minutes).
RICHARD S. THOMAN (b. 1919) April 1980 — high regard for Robert
Platt, one of three he cites as "original" geographers — as first
Director of Regional Planning in western Ontario, where he was
surprised to find "what geographers were talking about, planners
were trying to do" — relationship between deductive and inductive
scientists working within a planning context — research on areas
of stress — a plea to students to be creative and not disciples
of anyone - interviewer: William Pattison.
Monochrome, (10 minutes).
WILLIAM L. THOMAS (1920-2002) April 1972 — influence of J. E.
Spencer — assisted in founding geography departments with Andrew
Clark at Rutgers and Homer Aschmann at Riverside — graduate study
at Yale — work with the Wenner-Gren Foundation — background of
the symposium which led to Man's Role in Changing the Face of the
Earth (1956) - interviewer: Preston E. James.
Monochrome, (10 minutes).
55
NORMAN J. W. THROWER (b. 1919) August 1992 - World War II
experience in geography/cartography - undergraduate at Virginia influence of Sid Poole, Erwin Raisz, and Ricky Harrison graduate days at Wisconsin with Arthur Robinson, Richard
Hartshorne, and Andrew Clark in mid-1950s - development of
cartography at UCLA - selected graduate students - most
important contributions - external professional activities outside geography, e.g. international implications of Sir Francis
Drake Commission of California, Director of William Andrew Clark
Memorial Library - contemporary Columbus controversy - Halley's
comet - background of Erwin Raisz - anecdotes about Count Teleki,
Raisz, Hamilton Rice, and the demise of geography at Harvard changes in cartography the last fifty years: from "stone age" to
computer - the end of pen-and-ink cartography - future for animated cartography - history of cartography thrives - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color (35 minutes).
WALDO TOBLER (b. 1930) April 1992 - three academic degrees from
Washington - competitive spirit of fellow graduate students of
Garrison's - macro-geography - theoretical geography - as a
geographic and analytic cartographer - the impact of G.I.S. influential books and individuals - fifteen years at Santa
Barbara - cooperative PhD program (UCSB and San Diego State) working with students - statistics and quantification compared future work: more interest in geography than computers - the
importance of graphics - National Center for Geographic
Information and Analysis - the spatial language - interviewer:
Forrest Pitts. Color, (33 minutes).
YI-FU TUAN (b. 1930) April 1972 — defines and discusses several
aspects of humanistic geography — the "Sherlock Holmes complex"
of geomorphology; using field work for finding evidence to test
hypotheses — studying the landscape - interviewer:
John Fraser Hart. Monochrome, (9 minutes).
YI-FU TUAN (b. 1930) April 1996 - previous GOF interview in 1972
- born in Tientsin, impact of Sino-Japanese War upon childhood early years prior to arrival in England - BA and MA degrees from
Oxford with concentration in geomorphology - impressions of
Oxford during early 1950s - Beckinsale as mentor and fatherfigure - choosing Berkeley for the PhD; the atmosphere there
during the mid-1950s - the geomorphological dissertation influence of Sauer - faculty appointments prior to Madison description of two honorary professorships concurrently held at
Madison: John Kirtland Wright, and Vilas Professor - year at
Chicago as a Post-doctoral Fellow in Statistics; after such
"scientific preparation," moves into human geography - on
choosing to concentrate on (1) the history of ideas (The
Hydrological Cycle and the Wisdom of God) and (2) humanistic
geography - the abandonment of humanistic geography? - Cosmos and
Hearth, a cry for a more objective view of the world? Postmodernism in geography - recent research - why he is a
geographer - geographers closest to Tuan intellectually - major
contributions - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (74 minutes).
BILLIE L. TURNER II (b. 1945) April 1993 - how geography is
discovered at young age - early interest in holistic thinking,
cultural ecology, and pursuit of graduate education in geography
at Texas (1969) and Wisconsin (1974) - influence of Fred Simoons,
Bill Denevan, and Bob Kates - contrasting traditions at Wisconsin
and Clark - the distinction between cultural ecology vis a vis
nature-society - primary research interests: archaeology,
tropical landuse, contemporary agriculture, Yucatan (Maya), and
Africa - how interdisciplinary experiences shape views and roles
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of geography - impact of global environmental change research
upon geography - geography's role in global environmental change
- interviewer: Susan Hanson. Color, (35 minutes).
EDWARD L. ULLMAN (1912-1976) April 1972 — origin of ecology in
geography — how he introduced Christaller to the English
speaking world — central place theory; a deductive study — in
science, independent invention is the rule — abolishment of
geography at Harvard — geographers and applied jobs
- interviewer: Preston E. James. Monochrome, (18 minutes).
JAMES E. VANCE (1925-1999) April 1981 — origin of his interest in
urban geography, the dynamic component of geography in the late
1940s and early 1950s — evolution of morphogenesis and how the
geographer best contributes to the work of planners — upon
looking for (1) descriptive and statistical aspects of cities and
(2) the patterns of cities on the land and maps — interest in the
distribution of wholesaling within cities and its importance in
accounting for their location — how his contributions differ from
those of Christaller — future research about the relationship
between settlement and transportation - interviewer:
Geoffrey J. Martin. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
HERMAN Th. VERSTAPPEN (b. 1925) August 1992 - all degrees from
Utrecht - currently involved in natural hazards, flooding in the
Netherlands - origin, purpose, and location of International
Institutes for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences - relationship
between physical and human geography - geographer's role in the
world today, be more visible with optimum use of existing
opportunities to contribute to solving contemporary environmental
problems - the decline of geography in Europe - contribution of
the IGU to furthering geography's role and countering its
disintegration - most important scientific contributions relate
to Indonesia, remote sensing applications to physiography, and
climatic change of the past in South And Southeast Asia structure of IGU - lack of IGU archives - role within IGU as
President during next four years - "over-developed" and
undeveloped countries, the problem of sustainable growth interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color (24 minutes).
PHILIP L. WAGNER (b. 1921) April 1973 — interaction among
students important at graduate school — parasitic relationship
between anthropology and geography — culture concept — how
geographers can contribute to practical problems — relative
importance of Canadian and American geographers in respective
countries - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Monochrome, (11 minutes).
PHILIP L. WAGNER (b. 1921) March 1994 - first GOF interview in
1973 - choosing geography as an undergraduate at Berkeley graduate days at Berkeley; philosophy within the department Sauer and H. L. Mason as mentors - seven years at the University
of Chicago - research at Chicago focused on Chiapas - six years
at UC Davis - circumstances that led to Simon Fraser - present
conception of geography - applying spatial to biological fitting cultural geography into the wider scheme - the
"new" cultural geography vis a vis Wagner and Mikesell (1962) interaction with others important contribution - geography's
involvement in environmental debate - geographers should
integrate GIS thinking with other things they practice; do not
let the opportunity pass to rein GIS for our benefit suggestions for budding cultural geographers - relationship of
geography to social science - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (36 minutes).
57
H. J. WALKER (b. 1921) May 1986 — career as a series of decades
and events — pre and post-WWII days at Berkeley — geographic
impact of being a Marine flyer in the Pacific during WWII —
influence of Sauer, Leighly and Kesseli — field experience with
Sauer in Mexico — five years at Georgia State University —
working with R. Russell and Kniffen at LSU — 26 years (mostly
ONR-sponsored) of research on the same arctic delta along the
Northern Alaskan coast—working with the British Geomorphological
Research Group — contributions to arctic deltaic research — more
recent research on artificial structures along shorelines — one
example of a research strategy as part of a career plan —
association with the International Geographical Union and the
importance of international contacts - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (26 minutes).
WILLIAM H. WALLACE (b. 1924) March 1994 - early childhood
interests (railroads and maps) could have foretold a career in
geography - influence of Guido Weigend (first at Beloit, later at
Rutgers) - graduate days at Madison (1948 - 1952); anecdotes
about major figures during that era: Finch, Trewartha,
Hartshorne, and Robinson, plus younger faculty: Borchert, J.
Alexander, E. Hammond, and A. Clark - fellow graduate students impact of three years in New Zealand - days at Rutgers in the mid
1950s - moves to the University of New Hampshire (1957) chronicles the growth of the department at UNH, including
obstacles along the way - primary research focuses on New
England, including railroads, manufacturing, and historical
geography - current work concerns initial Land Survey in New
England and impact on subsequent development - activities within
NESTVAL and the AAG - impressions of NESTVAL progress - the
pleasures of geography - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (47 minutes).
DAVID WARD (b. 1938) October 1976 — the tradition (a commitment
to breadth) that is being carried forward at Wisconsin — is
concentrating on spatial analysis too narrow? — a model for
undergraduate training — direction of social geography confronts
the discipline with several challenges — the causes and
consequences of the influx of British geographers into
North American institutions — on being a third generation
Sauerite - interviewer: Richard Reiss. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
DAVID WARD (b. 1938) March 1995 - first GOF interview in 1976 background and early youth in Manchester, England - two degrees
from Leeds - on choosing Wisconsin; those in residence upon
arrival - Andy Clark's influence - early research at Madison brief time in Canada upon completing Ph.D - social, or historical
geographer? - changing focus of research (1960s-1990s) - strength
of the Department at Wisconsin during reign as Chair generalizations derived by collective assessment of department
demises - embracing ecological issues, land use problems, and
computer graphics - process that culminated in becoming
Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin - state of the
discipline - how to improve the status of American geography and
gain acceptance for its inherent worth - greatest challenge for
contemporary geographers - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (44 minutes).
WILLIAM WARNTZ (1922-1988) April 1973 — defines spatial analysis
— ultimate in geography is spatial prediction — much of career
spent with research groups as a member who represented geography
— distinguishes between intrinsic and conventional knowledge and
its application to geography — foresees disciplinary boundaries
dissolving in the future — Canadian and American geography
- interviewer: M. W. Dow. Monochrome, (12 minutes).
58
J. WREFORD WATSON (1915-1990) May 1982 — educational background
and mentors: Ogilvie at Edinburgh and G. Taylor at Toronto — the
U. of Edinburgh as a center for American and Canadian studies —
as President (1982) of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society
and the Institute of British Geographers he contrasts the two —
as "the father of the Quantifying Revolution" — about the
relationship between geography and literature - interviewer:
M. W. Dow. Color, (12 minutes).
JOHN W. WEBB (b. 1926) April 1975 — Broek, his mentor and
co-author — department at Minnesota in the late 1940s, early
1950s and mid-1970s — genesis end purpose of A Geography of
Mankind; offers an alternative to physical and regional
introductory courses — graduate students should keep options open
and not concentrate on one specialty - interviewer: Louis Seig.
Monochrome, (10 minutes).
GUIDO G. WEIGEND (b. 1920) April 1988 - migrating to the U.S.
from Vienna in 1939 - three degrees taken at Chicago - anecdotes
about Barrows, Colby, and Platt - as an "enemy alien" in the U.S.
Army - during WWII Hartshorne influences his assignment at O.S.S.
(Europe/Africa Section) with E. Ullman, C. Harris, and A. Meyer early experience with the A.S.P.G. at the Cosmos Club - the role
of O.N.R. and his interest in port geography - research on
Bordeaux and Hamburg - reviews his years (1949-1975) at Rutgers;
sixteen as Chairman - as Dean of the College of Liberal Arts
(1976-1983) at Arizona State - recent research in Namibia on
peoples of German descent - how to project a positive image for
geography - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (34 minutes).
ROBERT C. WEST (1913-2001) April 1973 — influence of McBride at
UCLA and Sauer at Berkeley — conceptual influences of Sauer and
Fleure — sees geography as a trilogy of history, anthropology and
geography — research in cultural geography of Latin America — the
importance of fieldwork, genetic approach to cultural geography
and archival work for historical background in research
- interviewer: H. J. Walker. Monochrome, (8 minutes).
JAMES O. WHEELER (b. 1938) March 1998 - childhood - undergraduate
at Ball State Teachers College; discovered geography - after Ball
State - chooses Indiana for graduate school; Department during
the mid-1960s - early exposure to “quantitative” geography and
spatial analysis at Indiana - research interests at Indiana moves to Ohio State (1964) for a year; the department during that
period - on to Western Michigan as a “quantitative” geographer to Michigan State in the late 1960s; department and specific
teaching and research interests - to Georgia, where he has
remained for quarter of a century; the Department in the 1970s major accomplishments as head of Department (1975-1983) - primary
research interests past 25 years: urban, role of corporations of
metropolitan areas, and information flows - philosophical basis
for understanding the nature of geography - important influences
in his development as a geographer - experiences as editor of
Urban Geography (1980-present); compares that editorship to your
similar position with the Southeastern Geographer - involvement
with Spatial Analysis sessions that have been important
presentations at recent AAG annual meetings - greatest
contributions - principal foci for probing finer points of
spatial analysis - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (43 minutes).
GILBERT F. WHITE (b. 1911) April 1972 — Harlan Barrows and others
at Chicago — his interest in natural resources — a conscientious
objector during World War II — choosing research topics that can
be applied to public policy — flood plain and natural hazards
59
studies—defining geography is a sterile subject; a better
question: how does geography contribute to defining and solving
problems? - interviewer: Preston E. James.
Monochrome, (15 minutes).
GILBERT F. WHITE (b. 1911) April 1984 — becoming a geographer was
a case of environmental determinism — working for the New Deal in
the 1930s — Chicago: an exciting place, ecologically speaking, in
the 1930s — a conscientious objector during WWII — as President
of Haverford College — geography at Chicago in the 1950s — policy
issues in which he has had the greatest influence: (1) flood
plains, (2) integrated river basin development programs, (3) as
scientific advisor to the United Nations Development Program e.g.
the side effects of large reservoirs such as the Aswan Dam, and
the analysis of domestic water supplies in developing countries —
the methodology and philosophy of his approach to research — the
reasons for not publishing more in geographic journals — present
research on the environmental effects of nuclear war — geography
too eclectic, needs narrower focus to solve contemporary problems
- interviewer: Geoffrey J. Martin. Color, (18 minutes).
THOMAS WILBANKS (b. 1938) April 1991 - undergraduate days
(Trinity University) and how he opted for a career in geography the Syracuse experience - policy-oriented geography conditioned
by the Maxwell School - University of Bristol in late 1960s professional role models - interest in social issues - leaving
academe for Oak Ridge National Laboratory - how Oak Ridge has
been "good" for geography - geography's offering to national and
global problem-solving - how to make an impact on contemporary
issues and policy making - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (22 minutes).
ALAN G. WILSON (b. 1939) May 1982 — from physicist to geographer
— review of his career prior to his appointment at Leeds — the
entropy - maximizing spatial interaction model — residential
location — catastrophe theory — geography's status within the
next two decades - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (11 minutes).
HAROLD A. WINTERS (b. 1930) April 1987 — the graduate influence
at Northwestern: mentors and fellow students—special interest in
depositional landforms associated with continental glaciation —
are younger physical geographers abandoning the spatial context?
— participation in the Visiting Scientist Program at West Point —
the genesis and future of the Department of Geography at Michigan
State — most important contributions - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (23 minutes).
MICHAEL J. WISE (b. 1918) April 1982 — an early interest in
applied geography—contributions in urban and industrial
development — activities and offices held in the Royal
Geographical Society, the Geographical Association, the Institute
of British Geographers, the Social Science Research Council, and
the International Geographical Union — the future for geographers
within the applied and social sciences - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (11 minutes).
SHUE TUCK WONG (b. 1934) March 1998 - born in Malaysia;
background prior to migrating to the US - circumstances that
brought him to America - geography major at Augustana - Yale
(1960) for the MA - influence of Karl Pelzer and Steve Jones participate (1960) as fellow at Institute of World Affairs;
exposed to string of visiting influences: Kissinger, Samuelson,
Schelling et al - doctoral studies at Chicago (early 1960s);
department characterized; most influential faculty; dissertation
advisor; subject of research - much of his work is highly
60
quantitative - additional research in the Chicago area - on to
Simon Fraser; a new department and university during the late
1960s; early geography faculty and research interests contemporary department at Simon Fraser - involvement with the
Asian Institute of Technology - common research themes: urban
renewal, migration, and human settlement planning - much research
has concentrated on Southeast Asia and South Asia; principal
projects reviewed - contributions to quantitative geography most important contributions - optimistic (?) about status and
future of major research interests: Vancouver urban
transportation systems, human settlement, water supply, and
Chinese urbanization - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (53 minutes).
MAURICE YEATES (b. 1938) April 1983 — origins of his geographic
education at Reading and Northwestern — views of urban geography
— opinion of and how he became involved in authoring books on
quantitative methods — differential developmental paths between
Canadian and U.S. geography — how geography is on a par with
other social sciences in Canada — greatest contributions to
geography - interviewer: M. W. Dow. Color, (10 minutes).
DONALD J. ZEIGLER (b. 1951) November 1999 – hometown and
background - much exposure (K-12) to geography - key to strong
geography (K-12) in Pennsylvania - undergraduate days at
Shippensburg; influenced by Virginia Robinson, Ron McCall, Jack
Benhart, George Rae – Rhode Island for graduate school;
Department described: Lew Alexander, Ed Higbee - on to Michigan
State for PhD; influence of John Hunter, Larry Sommers, Dieter
Brunnschweiler – relationship with, and style of, advisor Stan
Brunn – after year at Census Bureau accepts position at Old
Dominion; the Department at Norfolk - principal teaching
interests - origin of Virginia Geographic Alliance (1986); cofounder with Beverly Thurston; a cooperative effort including,
among others, Old Dominion, Radford, James Madison, George Mason,
Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth – the Alliance AMTRAK Summer
Institute; high school teachers aboard a train (with Virginia
Tech’s Bob Morrill and Bill Carstensen) for 3 weeks traveling in
US and Canada – activities within NCGE: 75th Annual NCGE Meeting
(1990) Chair at Williamsburg; as President of the NCGE (1997)
chose to emphasize model programs at all levels - own career (KPhD) influenced by model programs – contemporary Shippensburg
model program - rebuilding geography back into the curriculum biggest challenges ahead: restructure teacher education leading
to licensure; need better content-rich texts and courses ultimate goals of reform effort in geographic education interest in the Middle East; 6 weeks in Morocco, 3 months in
Syria - Teacher Seminars abroad: Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Siberia –
Teacher Seminar program described - role of Seminars in teaching
regional geography - balancing professional commitments in
teaching, research, and service – most important contribution
emanates from collaborative research (1980s) with Stan Brunn and
Jim Johnson in immediate aftermath of the human response
(evacuation shadow phenomenon) to the Three Mile Island accident;
as a result called to testify concerning litigation on other US
and UK nuclear sites; further application to hurricane surges in
Chesapeake Bay Color, (69 minutes).
WILBUR ZELINSKY (b. 1921) April 1971 — Wisconsin and Berkeley in
the late 1940s and early 1950s — it's not the people themselves
61
who have the greatest impact; it is their writings — geography is
the last refuge of the Renaissance man — the fascination of
geography — reviews several changes in the discipline during his
career — research involving questions on social and ecological
policy — best way to prepare for a career in geography.
- John Fraser Hart. Monochrome, (10 minutes).
WILBUR ZELINSKY (b. 1921) April 1984 — went to Berkeley without
prior knowledge as to its significance — recollections and an
appraisal of Sauer, who "spoke in perfect prose" sans notes —
relationship of geography to other disciplines — one problem of
geography is finding a central focus — on geography becoming more
interdisciplinary — attributes of being a geographer — an
advocate of the rights of women — the "quintessentially
geographic topic" of the effect of nuclear war upon society and
the ecosystem: "the transcendent problem of the late 20th
Century" — kinds of geographic topics worth studying — the role
of the Society for the North American Cultural Survey (SNAGS) —
the seriousness of studying the geography of leisure — social
responsibility of the geographer — the evolving paradigm shift
within geography toward emphasis on methods for solving social
issues and problems - interviewer: M. W. Dow.
Color, (30 minutes).
(August 27, 2003)
62