Clara Semsel (interview); Creator: Semsel, Clara ; Interviewer(s): Geramy Noone and Judy Malin; Interview location: Semsel's home in Stamford, CT; Running time: 35 min., Apr 15, 1992

Coverage: 1928-1973
Topics discussed : (side A): Danbury Normal School; began in 1928 and graduated in 1930; taught theory and method of teaching; First job; went to Washington, CT to teach; 3 out of the 5 girls from Stamford got jobs because of Depression; only stayed one year there because she got married; Class of 1930; classes divided into 3 divisions; maiden name was Pfeiffer and therefore in third division; May Sherwood; Fairfield Hall; was new when she got there and stayed there; went home on weekends (got rides from her boyfriend); Roads; still rural and not great; one girl from Greenwich actually walked to and from; Social activities; had several holiday parties at Fairfield Hall; Tunnel; Old Main; only building; Graduation; in the high school (now White Hall); wore cap and gowns; Student teaching; first experience done in Sherman, CT in one room school house; 2nd year she taught at Balmforth Ave School; Helen Donovan; 5th grade teacher at Balmforth; Entrance into Normal School; high school records; Traveling into town; had to be back to serve meals; usually walked down White Street; Weekends; most people went home on weekends; "County School"; most students came from the Fairfield County area; Trolley on White Street; Danbury State Teacher's College (1950s); psychology courses and art classes; degree program; classes in Stamford; Association w/ Southern CT College (New Haven); special education program was new; teachers were doctors from Yale; Degree; graduated from DSTC w/ bachelor of science; Job after degree; had high hopes and aspirations; worked w/ students w/ physical disabilities; previous teacher had a nervous breakdown (been student at Southern); Experience; previous work in special ed prepared her; Special ed program; conducted one; on; one teaching and home instruction; later groups were the preferred method; there had been no program prior to her coming in; Equipment; Classroom conduct; wore slacks and sat on the floor; Needs of students; did what she had to in order to meet the student needs; Substituted kindergarten thru 4th grade in the 1940s; Waterside and Hart Schools; Retired in 1973; got an addition 6 years and 9 months added to her retirement; had to retire on the advice of her doctor; Special education; socially unacceptable; memories of a student named "Kathy" who had cystic fibrosis; goal was to make these students feel equal to other students; travel time was 5 hours per day; it was an unusual program, but has now expanded; it is now socially accepted; Memories as student at Normal School; Fairfield Hall; wasn't noisy; had strict rules; house mothers enforced them, like making sure beds were made properly; Typical day at DNS; rigid w/ classes going on all day; study periods; Library; in Old Main; Sports/physical activities; learn games to play w/ students; but had no PE; Athletic fields; were located behind the school; Parking; no problems existed because no cars; Food; no complaints; not "institutional food"; home cooking; Scrapbook; kept one of her days at DNS w/ her papers