Women's History Initiative
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10605/286675
The Women’s History Initiative began formally in June 2015 with a concentrated effort to record the stories of prominent women from across the South Plains. The interviews target doctors, civic leaders, teachers, secretaries, and others whose stories would otherwise be lost.
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Item Beverly Alford oral history interview 2022-12-12(2022-12-12)In the fourth interview, Beverly Alford discusses teaching elementary school in Dawson Creek, British Columbia (Canada) between 1973 and 1983. She explains the pedagogical differences and how she approached grading and lesson planning. After returning to Lubbock in 1984, she moved to Tech Terrace, explaining the improvements she made on her home. She also speaks on returning to be a physical education teacher. After retiring in 1996, Alford took on various jobs in Lubbock and Big Spring (including a short stint as a school principal), formally retiring in 2012 upon her cancer diagnosis. The interview concludes explaining how she weathered the COVID-19 times and the retirement community she has called home for the last decade.Item Beverly Alford oral history interview 2022-12-09(2022-12-09)In this third interview, Beverly Alford outlines her college education at Wayland Baptist, including her brief stint on the freshman women’s basketball team at the college. She discusses classes she took, influential professors, entertainment options, and campus life. Upon graduating, she was hired to work at Booker T. Washington High School (discussed in her first interview). After integration one year later, she moved to Lubbock to teach at Posey, Hardwick, and Hodges Elementary Schools, where she taught primarily fifth grade as well as physical education. She discusses issues at the different schools, how teaching changed in the 1960s through 1980s. She then speaks on her missionary work in Africa.Item Beverly Alford oral history interview 2022-11-28(2022-11-28)In this second interview, Beverly Alford goes into greater detail about her family history and traditions. She begins with telling various medical stories of herself and her parents. She then tells more about historic events she lived through and her personal experiences with: the polio vaccine, cold war anxieties, Sputnik, the JFK assassination, racial tensions in the 1960s, segregation, and the 1970 Lubbock tornado. Throughout this interview she provides anecdotes and life observations of growing up in the mid-twentieth century. She talks about family vacations and trips, as well as her desire to go to space. She speaks more about growing up in oil camps, their accommodations and entertainment options. The interview concludes with discussions of the close relationship she had with her parents and sisters.Item Beverly Alford oral history inteview 2022-11-17(2022-11-17)In this first interview, Beverly Alford goes into great detail about her parents and family history, outlining her mother’s origins in Oklahoma and her father’s start in Milam county. She speaks about their marriage in 1935 and their three children (she is the middle daughter). Her father worked in the oil industry, and until high school she lived on various oil camps outside McCamey, Big Lake (Santa Rita), and Ozona (Todd Field). Much of the interview is a cultural history of West Texas; she tells of family traditions and home life growing up, entertainment, holidays, and schooling. She attended Ozona High School where she played basketball (among other activities), eventually going to Wayland Baptist College. She begins to tell the story of working at Booker T Washington High School in Plainview in 1966, only working one year before desegregation.Item Carolyn Jordan oral history interview 2023-03-16(2023-03-16)Carolyn Jordan outlines her life after leaving the city council and her failed campaign for the state legislature. She discusses law school and practicing law in Lubbock before moving back to California to take care of her parents and sister. She taught high school math and later a law class in California for nearly twenty years. Jordan also attended seminary at Claremont School of Theology and after retirement was an associate pastor for a few churches after returning to Lubbock in the early 2000s.Item Carolyn Jordan oral history interview 2023-03-08(2023-03-08)Carolyn Jordan discusses her childhood and family life in California. She talks about her interest in math from a young age, attending Stamford University, and eventually moving to Lubbock Texas with her two daughters. This interview also begins to address her time on the city council, how her involvement in the League of Women Voters impacted her political career, and some of the areas the council addressed in her time.Item Bonnie McCathern oral history interview(2015-09-23)This interview features Bonnie McCathern. Bonnie discusses her background and family, attending school, and moving to Hereford with her husband Gerald and being a farmer’s wife. Bonnie also discusses Gerald’s involvement in the American Ag Movement.Item Inez Russell Gomez oral history interview(2016-03-15)This interview features Inez Russell Gomez, a Texas Tech graduate and editor at The Santa Fe New Mexican. Gomez discusses about growing up in Las Vegas, New Mexico before moving to Lubbock, her interest in writing and journalism, and her work at various newspapers across the country.Item Mary O. Anderson oral history interview(2001-08-25)This oral history interview features Mary Anderson. Anderson talks about her career directing camps in Texas, working for the Girl Scouts, and her time in the Navy.Item Louise Underwood oral history interview 2016-01-27(2016-01-27)This interview features Louise Underwood. Underwood further discusses her travel in Germany in the 1930s and her experience at the Olympics. Underwood also talks about the art community in Lubbock, Texas, and her support of the arts in the community.Item Louise Underwood oral history interview 2015-07-15(2015-07-15)This interview features Louise Underwood. Underwood discusses growing up in Bronxville, New York before moving to Texas. Underwood also describes visiting Germany in the 1930s and attending the Olympics in Berlin. Furthermore, Underwood talks about her interest in the art scene in Lubbock.Item Louise Underwood oral history interview 2015-11-11(2015-11-11)This interview features Louise Underwood. Underwood discusses her involvement in the art scene in Lubbock and her efforts to promote art and culture in terms of both visual arts and performing arts. Underwood also talks about changes in the art community and how to keep future generations interested and involved.Item Madge Webster oral history interview(2011-11-14)Item Nelda Armstrong oral history interview(2013-06-27)Item Glenda Reynolds oral history interview(2011-11-28)Item Francis Christmann oral history interview(2011-11-03)Item Carla Johnson oral history interview(2011-11-11)Item Carolyn Gunter oral history interview(2011-11-04)Item Carol Masson Harris oral history interivew(2011-10-03)This interview features Carol Masson Harris. Carol talks about her interest in music growing up and playing with her family. Carol discusses moving to Lubbock to study, teaching music lessons, and becoming involved in the Lubbock Music Club.