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Dr. Truman Warner (interview) Creator: Warner, Dr. Truman Interviewer(s): (no name given); Interview location: Midtown campus; Running time: 90 min.

 Digital Record
Identifier: MS012_warner_12_80

Dates

  • Creation: May 1, 1996

General Physical Description note

Number of tapes:1 [tape stock length: 90 minute]

General note

Coverage: 1930s-1996Topics discussed : (side A): Changes to the university; went from a 2 year to 3 year then to a 4 year school; name change from Danbury State Teacher's College to Danbury State College to Western CT State College then University; addition of liberal arts; WW II and enrollment; GI Bill lead to increase; allowed him to get his graduate degrees; was in 88th division in war and went from North Africa to Italy then France; Labor unions at WestConn; AAUP (then AFG, a smaller group); times which faculty and administration worked together w unions to get more funds and raise salaries; Students sometimes got involved; never any strikes, just threats; CSU system; should be independence from the board; feels Western is always last and Central's connection gets things passed; feels each university should have own identity; Governors and politicians relationships w/ WestConn; Clark Hull, Bill Ratchford, and other local politicians been very helpful; Governor Dempsey was also helpful; not sure were Governor Rowland stands; Teaching style; doesn't feel he has changed, just added/altered according to class size; "Do; Day" and Interim Program; Politically informed students; more so in past than today (side B): WestConn as student and faculty; began as a student in 1937; began as Director of Admissions in 1958; taught anthropology and history; Western changes; great extent is because of numbers; he knew everyone in the classes between 1940; 1942, not case today; building structures; impact on way of teaching (both positive and negative); Political events of country and effect on WestConn; talked to several students about their concerns about fighting/being drafted into the Vietnam War; "teach ins" during the Vietnam War; His collection of articles and other things; Race relations on campus; number of black students was small; Changes in student expectations; initially everybody who came here did so to become teachers; Dr. Haas; not sure if she encountered sexism; began as Dean of Women; always here early and always available; Knew all the principles/presidents of school; Dr. Higgins lived in his neighborhood as he was growing up

Repository Details

Part of the Western Connecticut State University Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Haas Library
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Danbury 06810 USA US
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