Dr. Truman Warner (interview) Creator: Warner, Dr. Truman Interviewer(s): (no name given); Interview location: Midtown campus; Running time: 90 min.
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
Haas Library
181 White St
Danbury 06810 USA US
203.837.8992
203.837.8322 (Fax)
stevensb@wcsu.edu