A People's University
The Centennial History of Western Connecticut State University, 1903-2003
ix, 237 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 23 cm.
The only comprehensive history of WestConn written by Professor Herb Janick. Janick was an urban historian who specialized in Connecticut history and spent over thirty years teaching history at WestConn.
2002
Al and Claire Geddes Interview
60 mins
Al and Claire Geddes met at Danbury State Teachers College and later married. Al was Dean of Men and Claire was Dean of Women. They discuss programs for students and faculty and administration of the college.
03/26/1999
http://archives.library.wcsu.edu/relatedObjects/MS012/MS012_Geddes.wav
MS012
Janick, Herb
Geddes, Al and Claire Geddes
00:17
10 min: Al discusses his prior experience and becoming WCSU Faculty; Claire discusses her prior experience and becoming WCSU Faculty; Together they discuss the intention and character of the Faculty and the school
20 min: Claire develops a friendship with faculty members, living temporarily with Ruth Haas; Community projects within the school; WCSU Faculty and community were generous, often not being reimburst;
30 min: Claire's experiences with other schools during renovations; Shaping well-rounded students into professionals in difficult circumstances; Ruth Haas requested Claire to become Dean of Women when she would ascend to President of the school after the death of the former president.
40 min: Begin Side 2; Ruth Haas was well-liked by student and Faculty; Student body was generally age 18 when liquour laws changed, making alcohol legal at age 18; Reaction of campus to alcohol, to increased male population; Discusses Ruth Haas family situation and work experience prior to WCSU; Unionizing Faculty drew direction and organization within the system;
50 min: Why Ruth Haas retired, her health before and after her position as president; Students graduate with more social confidence due to increasing diversity; Political/Social influence to receive position as Faculty;
60 min: Foodservice became an outside agency after WCSU became co-ed and introduction of off-campus housing, therefore no more dorm-wide dinners; Sports became prominent in the school after WWII; 1950s WCSU went through much change and expansion;
70 min: Claire tells her "Favorite Haas Story";
Al and Claire Geddes Interview 2
The Geddes make some casual observations about the nature of the college, students and faculty.
On tape box: "Geddes, Al and Claire 3/26/99; Dean of Men/Dean of Women"
03/26/1999
http://archives.library.wcsu.edu//relatedObjects/MS012/MS012_2a.wav
MS012
Janick, Herb
Geddes, Alfred
10 min: Programs for students and faculty; Ralph Kerrington; men students who became doctors; women students who became doctors; Before Senate was CTA, a group of faculty and students together to run a school government; Physically challenged students;
20 min: Unusual memories of students; AccessAbility difficulties for blind students; Professional school for teachers; "People don't major in Education"; TAPE CUTS OUT; Intercolledgiate Student Legislator (CISL) in contact with State Representatives;
Ann Girolmetti Interview
Girolmetti was a student in the class of 1928 and discusses, student life at the Normal School, one -room school teaching and the college faculty. Upon graduation she taught in the Ridgefield schools.
05/17/1999
http://archives.library.wcsu.edu/relatedObjects/MS012/Girolmetti_7_25.wav
MS012
Janick, Herb
Girolmetti, Ann
24:34
10 min: One -room school teaching; faculty descriptions; teaching in Ridgefield, Conn; attending Danbury Normal School
20min: Danbury Normal School attendees; faculty; high school; music programs; teaching observations
30min: High school classmates
Ann Titsworth Carey Interview
Ann Titsworth was an alum of Danbury State Teachers College and describes of Ruth Haas, student life and the faculty as well as her life after graduation.
undated
http://archives.library.wcsu.edu/relatedObjects/MS012/Carrie_7_13.wav
Janick, Herb
Carey, Ann Titsworth
Cassette
33:02
10 min: Applying to Teachers College; description of Dr. Haas; life in the dorms
20 min: Student life; professor descriptions
30 min: practice school; personal life; struggles with teaching; gender relations
Donald Wood (Interview)
~40 min; 1 cassette
Herb Janick Papers, MS012
James Rooney
Donald Wood
~40 min.
0-10 min: August flood; first flood of 1955; occurred on the 19th of August; there had been several days of rain; Still River just overflowed; Businesses; most were located on White and Main Streets; Job location; Engine Company No. 1 (on Boughton Street); no longer exists; brick building; Politics of Danbury Fire Department; it was a small department; took him eight years to get on the force; the guy who had his job before him, left his position open for ten months; City of Danbury; has always been a cheap city; doesn't spend money; His location during August flood; was working the night shift; lived on Center Street (next to St. Peter's Church); Danbury's flood potential and warning; not aware the water had caused the problem as he was located away from the center of the city; city built over a river and had been warned in past of potential for flooding; U.S. core of engineers told them problems in 1930s; His job during flood; he was assigned to the ambulance; Ambulance; duties were different back then; one; person job that required others in area to help if possible; Pumping water; had the task for several days after of pumping out basements; October flood; same places flooded again; Looting;
10-20 min: Several of the firemen stole items from stores; told owners of the businesses were told items weren't good; Mayor John DaFine; was Danbury at time; he was friends w/ mayor of NY and he sent 22 NY workers to pump water; Relief workers from NY; stationed at various places in Danbury; many sent thought they were classy and better; unprofessional and would drink while on the job; under the command of Harry Irwin, who was a captain at the time; Death of a police officer; Robert Keating died from a heart attack due to stress; he was a friend of Wood's; Job as a relief worker guide; rode in car w/ NY chief and driver; went to sites that needed to be pumped; long hours; after they attended the businesses, they began work in homes; "Swampfield"; nickname Danbury had because of the grounds being so wet; Bernie Dolan; owned an oil company; assigned a man to help w/ the pumps; this man was also named Donald Wood;
20-30 min: Donald Wood; Deaths; after water was pumped, several bodies of homeless were found; Community help; city paid him only $20 for all the hours he did for both floods; Navy experience; fought in WW II between 1944; 45; he was able to sleep wherever he could; "Old Time" fireman; there were several in department when he joined who had been there when they used horses (last horse used in 1920); firemen used to stay on job until they died; worked every day; he learned a lot from them and enjoyed listening to their stories; Changes in job of firefighters; Danbury was one of the first cities in CT to have professional dispatchers; Damage to Danbury and the evacuation; flood destroyed Danbury as a business area; factories and stores destroyed; White St. completed flooded and had to be evacuated; His book; wrote on history of Danbury Fire Department; Businesses and other buildings;
30-40 min: Star Hotel on White St. was torn down; several other places torn down; City Hall was untouched (where Library is today); Still River; people dumped everything in there; hat factories dumped dyes into the river; His life activities; wrote books on history of Danbury and Bethel Fire Departments; wrote histories on several other Danbury things; former editor of the Scott Fanton Museum newsletter and president of the museum; former president of Fire Department union; WW II; fought in several battles; when he returned from service, WestConn wanted him to teach; Corruptness; there was some bad things done in the fire department; people who would steal/loot in New Haven, would bring items to Danbury and the firemen would purchase them
Herb Janick Clippings
1980-2004
Herb Janick, Jack Sikora, Jim Pegolatti with Helen Bechard on the set of Western Weekly
1, 3.5 x 5.5" color print
1999
Howard Williams (Interview)
~80 min; 1 cassette
Herb Janick Papers, MS012
Rob Cappelli; Mike Hennesy
Howard Williams
~80 min
Side A
0-20min.:Interest in music; both parents were involved in music; his family was heavily music oriented; learned to play the trombone during hard times of the Depression; worked in a church in his youth singing in the choir; Start in music; Mansfield College in Pennsylvania during WW II; got degree in music education; played trombone in Air Force for 4 years; first teaching job was in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and built music program; Offers to play w/ bands; Ralph Flanagan Band; WestConn; came in 1965 to teach music; taught until 1988; department chair at time was a friend from Mansfield College; Student/faculty changes; it was still primarily a teacher's college when he first came; began a jazz ensemble 5; 6 years after arriving; taught jazz last 10 years at WestConn; Music department; was large by 1970s; bachelor of arts program in music; later bachelor of music added; Business school; many dropped out to join business school in 1970s; many teacher's programs were affected by the addition of business; Standards; higher now than they were then; some students were just average then; interest varies w/ student (more dedicated today); Relationship w/ administration and faculty; Dr. Haas was great for the music program; school was closer in beginning because of size of the college; music department grew over the years (originally located in Berkshire); Business program effect on school; music department felt not enough money going into department; feeling was music was getting left behind; now music and business are more balanced;
20-40min.: Music preferences; in classroom, focused on the music there; outside classroom, their favorite style (like rock); Charles Ives; knew little about him before coming to WestConn; Vietnam War; hard for teachers to get students to listen; felt students believed the world owed them; no respect for teachers; many protests back then; Prejudice at WestConn; didn't see any problems; James Furman; shared an office w/ him; Teaching philosophy; changes in type of music; make students more rounded through various types of music; computers changed how music is used and taught; Marching band; school wanted one for the football team; hard to establish because of economic reasons; Mr. Smith got it going eventually; didn't need to be music major to be in marching band; Concerts; Relationship between departments; always some problems; feels slowed down; problems became very serious at one point; always some problems; feels slowed down; problems became very serious at one point;
40-60min.:Relationship between departments; Relationship w/ presidents of college; Dr. Haas always supportive and came to all concerts; Dr. Bersi and Dr. Feldman never been close to department; they attended the occasional concert; Dr. Haas; open door policy; great person
Side B:
0-20min.:Local music programs; Newtown has a great one; others have poor programs; when CT is going well, music is as well; the reverse holds true as well; High school music programs; start preparing students for college; Ways in which people listen to music; Type of student; most came from middle; class backgrounds; usually dedicated and hard working; Relationship w/ students; always great; holds his first class in fond memory because being his first class; class of 1969 also has fond memories for him; Course development; History of Jazz; Music Appreciation; Jazz; evolution of jazz; big band music; origins in rock and other types of music; Advent of the CD; brings new appreciation to jazz; more younger people are listening to jazz today; Retirement; still tries to make concerts and recitals at WestConn; holds emeritus title, so he has full campus privileges
Images of Herb Janick, various
7 images- 6, 3.5 x 5.5" black and white prints, 1, 3.5 x 5.5" color print.
1971-1999