Sample Oral History From Copley
High School, Mr. Zimmerer’s Class
Since I have no relatives who lived in
the United States during the Great Depression, I had to
visit a nursing home. I visited Arbors at Fairlawn. When
I asked the activities director at the nursing home, she
was able to arrange an interview with Steven Douglas. He
seemed somewhat coherent and he was able to provide some
decent information; however, he was unable to remember many
of the events during the Great Depression and he was unable
to provide answers for some of the questions I asked him.
When I asked him about some events that happened to him,
he was unable to tell me stories.
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Mr. Douglas could not remember how old he was but he
said that he was older than 80. (To me, he seemed to
be about 90 years old.)
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During the Great Depression, he lived in Spencer,
W.V., with his parents, three sisters and two brothers.
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He lived on a farm that his father owned. However,
he did mention that he went to Parkersburg to make cars
for a while. Mr. Douglas’ father had drilled oil
wells, the oil of which was made into gasoline. His
father also worked at a post office for a time. Mr.
Douglas’ father, Aubry, helped build a new post
office and according to Mr. Douglas, his father was
a politician.
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Because he lived on a farm, they “made their
own food and raised it.”
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When I asked him what he did for fun, he said that
there was “hardly” any fun. He kept repeating
that they only “tried to stay alive, and get food.
No fun!”
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Mr. Douglas, when I asked him what he thought of President
Roosevelt, said “Roosevelt was really something.”
He said that just thinking about President Roosevelt
made him shiver. He described Roosevelt as a “marvelous
man” with a “strong mind and will”
whom “everybody liked.” According to Mr.
Douglas, if President Roosevelt “said anything,
that was it.” He felt that President Roosevelt
did a great job “getting the country together.”
-
When I asked him about Roosevelt’s political
opponents, he said that he has heard the names but he
was not able to give me information on them.
Sample Oral History
From Copley High School, Mr. Zimmerer’s Class
(PDF File) |
