Interviews 111 - 120

Each Guide entry contains information about an interview, including biographical data about the interviewee (name, vital dates, dates at the UW-Madison, and principal positions held as of the interview date), information about the interview (interviewer, year conducted, length, and series, transcript, and restriction information if applicable), and a list of key topics discussed in the interview. For more detailed information about an interview, or to obtain a copy of an interview contact the Oral History Program.


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111.   ZEASMAN, Otto R.  (1886-1976 )
Undergraduate Student; Professor of Soil Science; Extension
At UW: 1914-1956

Interviewed: 1973 Length: 1973 Transcript: 22 pages
Interviewer: Otto Zeasman composition
Land drainage; Extension activities; University Marsh; County Farm Drainage Board; Land speculation; Causes and control of soil erosion.

112.   ZILLMAN, Theodore W.  (1905-1983 )
Undergraduate Student; Dean of Men
At UW: 1923-1926; 1942-1943; 1944-1975

Interviewed: 1977 Length: 12 hours
Interviewer: Donna Taylor
Educational background; Early work; WWII Army duties at UW; Army Specialized Training Program; Handling veterans; Department of Veterans Affairs; Badger Village; Veteran book and supply outlet; WWII service exemption program; ROTC; Conscientious objectors; Wisconsin selective service; Appointment as dean of men; Committee on Functions and Policies; Fraternities; Student Life and Interest Committee; Committee on Human Rights; Dormitory supervision; TAs; Disciplinary actions and hearing committees; Student Conduct Committee; Off-campus housing; Madison and UW police; Committee on Conduct and Appeals; Salaries; Federal funding; Various presidents; Communist speaker issue; Labor Youth League; Student disciplinary records; Rose Bowl; Non-curricular Life of Students Committee; Removal as dean of men; Student loans; UW Foundation; Scholarships; Annual women's estate planning seminar; Regents Investment Board; Alumni Board; L&S personalities; Bag rush and ski jump; Deans of women; College Quiz Bowl program; Student protest movement of 1960s; Merger; Robert Rennebohm; UW Foundation spending; Appointment of John Weaver as president.

113.   FRED, Edwin B.  (1887-1981 )
Professor of Bacteriology; Dean of Graduate School and College of Agriculture; President
At UW: 1913-1958

Interviewed: 1973 Length: 10 hours Transcript: 274 pages
Interviewer: Donna Taylor
Background and education; Bacteriology Department; Research; Lake Mendota; Early UW personalities; Graduate School, 1934-45; Science Inquiry; Origin of UW Press; Deanship of College of Agriculture; Experimental farms; Work on biological warfare; Presidency of UW; Coping with WWII veterans; Building program; Hill Farms; Picnic Point; UW centennial; UW Foundation; ILS; WARF; UW faculty; Changes in UW, 1913-73; Army Mathematics Research Center; Work as president emeritus.

114.   WALKER, Gordon R.  (1904-1990 )
Undergraduate Student; Member of Board of Regents
At UW: 1922-1926; 1968-1972

Interviewed: 1976 Length: 1.5 hours
Interviewer: Donna Taylor
Student life; Wisconsin Alumni Association and funding for Elvehjem Art Center; Presidency of UW Foundation; Its purpose; Board of Regents; Student protest era; Appointment of John Weaver as president; Merger; 1976 audit; Daily Cardinal policies; Relations between regents and faculty.

115.   KIRBY, Russell S.  (1954- )
Graduate Student, Geography
At UW: 1974-1981

Interviewed: 1977 Length: 2 hours
Series: TA Strike, 1970
Interviewer: Laura Smail
Efforts by TAA group to modify 1976 contract demands; Decision to support work stoppage; Bargaining sessions; Administration's strategy; Teaching; TAs in Geography Department.

116.   STERN, James L.  (1920- )
Professor of Economics
At UW: 1962-1986

First Interview
Interviewed: 1977 Length: 1.5 hours
Series: TA Strike, 1970
Interviewer: Laura Smail
History of Industrial Relations Research Institute (IRRI); TA Strike of 1970.
Second Interview
Interviewed: 2004 Length: 1 hour
Interviewer: W. Lee Hansen
Educational background; Hiring by UW; Research; Industrial Relations Research Institute (IRRI); Budgets; Tenure-granting authority.
Third Interview
Interviewed: 1987 Length: 1½ hours
Interviewer: Amy Fried
Educational background; Procedures for appointing IRRI directors; Robben Fleming and the Industrial Relations Center; Directorship of the IRRI; Center for Vocational Education; Funding for students; Departmentalization; TAA; Student recruitment; Curriculum.

117.   YOUNG, H. Edwin  (1917- )
Graduate Student; Professor of Economics; Dean of College of Letters and Science; Chancellor; President of UW System
At UW: 1945-1946; 1947-1965; 1968-1987

First Interview
Interviewed: 1977 Length: 2 hours
Series: TA Strike, 1970
Interviewer: Laura Smail
TAs, TAA and TA Strike of 1970; Student protest era; TAA work stoppage, 1976; His background; School for Workers; Economics and Commerce Departments; WARF funding of social sciences; Economics Department.
Second Interview
Interviewed: 1978 Length: 1 hour
Series: Campus Planning and Building Program
Interviewer: Laura Smail
Building program in 1950s and 1960s; Architecture and design of campus buildings; Building priorities; Appointments of Conrad Elvehjem and Fred Harvey Harrington as president.
Third Interview
Interviewed: 1981 Length: 2 hours
Interviewer: Laura Smail
Industrial Management Institute; School for Workers; Industrial Relations Research Institute (IRRI); Efforts to bring together Wisconsin labor and management; Nathan Feinsinger; Economics Department.
Fourth Interview
Interviewed: 1987 Length: 1 hour
Interviewer: Amy Fried
Industrial Relations Research Center; Economics department; Industrial Relations Research Institute.

NOTE: THE FOURTH INTERVIEW IS RESTRICTED UNTIL 2006 AND CAN ONLY BE USED WITH THE EXPRESSED, WRITTEN CONSENT OF EDWIN YOUNG.

Fifth Interview

Interviewed: 2006 Length: 2 hours
Interviewer: Judith Craig
Arlen Christenson; TAA; Career moves; Affirmative action; Chairmanship of the economics department; Center for Development.


118.   WEAVER, John C.  (1915-1995 )
Wisconsin High School Student; Undergraduate and Graduate Student; Professor of Geography; President of UW System
At UW: 1928-1942; 1970-1977

Interviewed: 1977 Length: 6 hours
Interviewer: Donna Taylor
Background and education; Career before UW System presidency; Student protest era; Goals as president; History of Merger; UW political controversy; Governor Patrick Lucey; Relations with regents and chancellors; Vice president; Lucey's austerity budget; Tenure issue; Faculty union; Governing System; Benefits of Merger; Role of System president.

119.   LOOMER, C. William  (1914-1995 )
Graduate Student; Professor of Agricultural Economics; Secretary of Faculty
At UW: 1937-1939; 1947-1984

First Interview
Interviewed: 1977 Length: 6 hours
Interviewer: Donna Taylor
Background; Return to UW; Committee work; Vietnam War issue; Black Student Strike; TAA; Appointment as secretary of faculty; Duties; Merger; University Senate; Faculty Assembly; Changes in function of University Committee; Committee on Faculty Rules and Regulations.
Second Interview
Interviewed: 1978 Length: 2 hours
Series: Campus Planning and Building Program
Interviewer: Laura Smail
Campus Planning Committee; University Committee; Faculty Rules and Regulations; Humanities Building; Union South; Memorial Library addition vs. physical sciences library; Campus traffic; Parking facilities; State Building Commission; Merger; Student protest movement; State Street Mall; Early environmentalists; WARF; Funding of social sciences; Graduate School and research funds; Department of Agricultural Economics facilities; Library Committee; Central library vs. branch libraries; Faculty vs. administration; TAs; College of Agriculture; Policies regarding office hours and student advising; Research interests.

120.   KOPP, W. Roy  (1905- )
Member of Board of Regents
At UW: 1924-1928; 1971-1975

Interviewed: 1977 Length: 1 hour
Interviewer: Donna Taylor
Education; History of Merger; Selection as president of Board of Regents; Board meetings; Selection of System officers; Financial aspects of Merger; Audit of UW; Governor Patrick Lucey; Selecting chancellor; John Weaver's role in successful Merger; Issues in selection work in TAA; Student evaluations; Social encounters with professors.


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