Barbara Obeda (interview); Creator: Obeda, Barbara ; Interviewer(s): Anthony M. Maffia and Cort Hambrecht; Interview location: White Hall; Running time: 55 min., Apr 30, 1998

Coverage: 1939-1998
Topics discussed : (side A): Background; began as a student at Danbury State Teachers College in 1939; was a student for 3 years; left after she got married and went to Grand Rapids, Michigan; started, but didn't finish senior year at Calvin College there; Calvin College; left for three reasons: had pneumonia, was in auto accident, and was pregnant and they would let her back while she was pregnant; it was a strict Dutch reform school; Back to CT; got involved in family business when she returned; didn't like it; Florida; moved the for a couple years; Came back to CT and got remarried; she had twins (she too was a twin); she was related to Truman Warner; Family businesses; worked in them between 1944; 1972; Education; wanted to go back to school; her mother graduated from Danbury Normal School in 1911; History of WestConn; began in 1903; she began in 1939, it was still a teacher's college (elementary education); Back to WestConn; went back in 1972; got degree in psychology; decided to come back and got second degree in Earth Science/ geology w/ a minor in biology in 1978; Inland Wetlands; worked for them in Brookfield; Master's degree; directed towards environment (she is an environmental analyst); Geology department; asked to be an adjunct in early 1980s; stayed until department closed in 1991; closed because transition and changes with the curriculum; university closed it (Dr. Feldman was president at time); pleaded to keep department open and stressed importance of geology; After closure of the Geology department; came back and taught as adjunct in geography; was displeased because of outdated material she was using; didn't notice animosity; Center for Urban Studies; devised by Dr. Janick; Truman Warner was apart of it; responsible for the library beautification project; began in 1981 and lasted about 3 years; had many nationally known speakers and architects come to speak; she was assistant director; Change in atmosphere and student attitudes; changed a lot in time she was an adjunct; had a lot of returning students (non; trads); most returning students were women; some students resented the returning students; Age; feels like she is 40 at age 77; believes in being young in mind and heart; Changes in WestConn; she went to high school in White Hall; Fairfield Hall and Old Main were here; upon return from Michigan, a Quonset Hut was here; Vietnam War; can't say there was any protests; returning vets came back a wreck; drug use did increase; Rallies; Danbury not known for them; WestConn during her absence; Higgins, Berkshire were built (an athletic field had been there); Library; her first job at WestConn was in library in Old Main (1939; 41); got 25 cents an hour; Campus expansion; Westside campus has divided campus; different atmospheres; mistake to have Westside campus; Student Union; Landscape; much better now; parking is different; Change in library; Geology department; Dr. Groff, a former chairman of the department; helps former students get jobs and all always contact him; close; knit department; Teachers as mentors (side B): Environmental consulting; began in 1975; works for towns and citizens groups (non; private sector); worked for town of Redding; Crystal Healing; took seminars about it; has an office in Brookfield where she uses this process; Travels; has gone to every state in the U.S.; Zoning Commission; recently elected to it in Brookfield; Tuition; as a student in first run at DSTC, used to be reimbursed