Nancy Davis Oral History Interview, February 24, 2019

Partial Transcript: I was in what they called liberal arts then...

Segment Synopsis: The types of classes women usually took at this time in OSU history were discusses. While classes like home ec were usually taught by women and taken by women, classes like history and religion had a mixture of both (but were taught by men)

Keywords: 1950's; classes; home economics; liberal arts; major; religion; secretarial sciences; women

Partial Transcript: Do you remember any female classmates wanting to pursue any STEM majors?

Segment Synopsis: It was rare for a female student to be pursuing a track towards the school of veterinary medicine at OSU at the time. Most female students were there to find a husband, but the narrator really enjoyed her studies.

Keywords: female students; male students; professors; religion; veterinary medicine; western civ

Partial Transcript: Do you have siblings and did they go to college, too?

Segment Synopsis: The importance of education to this family is emphasized in this segment. While the narrator's older sisters grew up in the Depression years and couldn't afford to go to school; they both obtained degrees in higher education through several years of work after. This was know doubt influenced by their mother who graduated from college in the 1920's.

Keywords: college; education; great depression; learning; parents; sisters

Partial Transcript: What was work life like for you after college?

Segment Synopsis: The narrator worked at an office after leaving school, while living with her parents, before getting married and then a little while after. After working at the office she began to help her husband in all areas on the farm.

Keywords: dairy; farm; office; portland; secretary; work

Partial Transcript: What was it like raising kids in the 50's and the 60's? How do you think it differs from now?

Segment Synopsis: Kids are expected to learn things for themselves less nowadays, but there is way more homework. A child's freedom has been restricted more and more throughout the years from the narrator's childhood, to her children's, to her grandchildren's.

Keywords: are changing; community; dance; education; freedom; homework; moving; the times

Partial Transcript: So what about similarities and differences from how your raised your kids and what your childhood was like?

Segment Synopsis: The narrator was born in 1935 and grew up in Portland during the war years. She shuffled around some because her father was in the military.

Keywords: community; dirt clod; freedom; military

Partial Transcript: So during that World War II era, how was your family involved and do you have any specific stories?

Segment Synopsis: An in depth description of the family's involvement in WWII. This comes from a mixture of childhood memories and a memoir written by the narrator's father, who was an engineer for the military. Military experience of both siblings and husband are also discussed.

Keywords: Pearl Harbor; VJ day; airbase; barge; engineer; father; military; portland

Partial Transcript: Do you remember stories from that day? Anything else?

Segment Synopsis: War years were very different. Elementary school days were cut in half for different kids so that the space in trailers could be divided evenly. Chocolate and other common items were rare because they mostly didn't exist or went to the service men. A bicycle was a rare treat because the rubber for the tires was also a rationed item.

Keywords: bike; chocolate; elementary school; paper drive; trailers

Partial Transcript: I thought you had a specific story about VJ day, about people celebrating?

Segment Synopsis: After attempting to christen a barge, the narrator described the end of the war. People were jubilant and neighbors celebrated together.

Keywords: VJ day; celebration; champagne; community

Partial Transcript: So you, for a large part of your life, have been used to having family members in the military? Your husband also served?

Segment Synopsis: An in depth description of the family's involvement in WWII. This comes from a mixture of childhood memories and a memoir written by the narrator's father, who was an engineer for the military. Military experience of both siblings and husband are also discussed.

Keywords: father; husband; military; siblings

Partial Transcript: What was the cultural shift like in your life, in Portland, around Oregon in those decades between the 40's and 50's and 60's?

Segment Synopsis: After selling the farm, the narrator and her husband started a small construction business. The narrator had taken classes at LBCC to learn about the new computer technology. She was in charge of payroll and other tasks generally designated to office managers nowadays.

Keywords: coding; computers; moving; secretaries; small business

Partial Transcript: So some of your kids ended up going to OSU?

Segment Synopsis: We talked about the narrator's kids, where they all went to college, and what it was like to visit their college campuses and to compare that feeling to when she was in college.

Keywords: college; culture; kids; nowadays; youth

Partial Transcript: If we were to talk about more recently in your life, what does your day-to-day look like now?

Segment Synopsis: Nowadays the narrator spends time with friends, family, or volunteering. She has kids and grandchildren to visit and cherish, even though her husband has passed. She volunteers in community organizations like Altrusa, an international nonprofit for women. She has loved her life and she credits everything to her faith.

Keywords: day-to-day; friends; grief; retirement; volunteering