Mabel Pernot Oral History Interview

Interviewee: Mabel Pernot
Interviewer: Elaine Cull
Interview Date: May 19, 1983
Location: Milam Hall, Oregon State University
Duration: 0:23:31
 

In this interview, Mabel Pernot recalls her experiences working as the manager of the Clothing and Textiles Stockroom at Oregon State University and her memories of Margaret Snell. The Clothing and Textiles Stockroom was housed in Milam Hall and sold materials to home economics students. Pernot recounts how she was selected for the position by a friend who worked in the home economics department at the time despite her not having a college education or any initial interest in the role. She ultimately held the job until her retirement.

The interview shifts away from Pernot’s personal life to her memories of Margaret Snell, dean of home economics at Oregon Agricultural College (later Oregon State University). During her childhood, Snell was very close to Pernot’s family and they would visit each other frequently. She and her sister considered Snell to be like an aunt to them. She didn’t see Snell as often after the Pernots moved to Portland. Pernot reminisces on Snell’s endearing style of dress and forceful personality. Pernot says she sees similarities between Margaret Snell and current dean Betty Hawthorne and believes Snell had an influence in her life. The interview concludes with Pernot recounting an anecdote from her childhood about a cooking class for children of OSU faculty taught by Snell. Pernot recalls that one day the class was making fudge, and she hid under the stove and ate most of the fudge before it was cooked.

Dublin Core

Title

Mabel Pernot Oral History Interview

Description

In this interview, Mabel Pernot recalls her experiences working as the manager of the Clothing and Textiles Stockroom at Oregon State University and her memories of Margaret Snell. The Clothing and Textiles Stockroom was housed in Milam Hall and sold materials to home economics students. Pernot recounts how she was selected for the position by a friend who worked in the home economics department at the time despite her not having a college education or any initial interest in the role. She ultimately held the job until her retirement.

The interview shifts away from Pernot’s personal life to her memories of Margaret Snell, dean of home economics at Oregon Agricultural College (later Oregon State University). During her childhood, Snell was very close to Pernot’s family and they would visit each other frequently. She and her sister considered Snell to be like an aunt to them. She didn’t see Snell as often after the Pernots moved to Portland. Pernot reminisces on Snell’s endearing style of dress and forceful personality. Pernot says she sees similarities between Margaret Snell and current dean Betty Hawthorne and believes Snell had an influence in her life. The interview concludes with Pernot recounting an anecdote from her childhood about a cooking class for children of OSU faculty taught by Snell. Pernot recalls that one day the class was making fudge, and she hid under the stove and ate most of the fudge before it was cooked.

Creator

Mabel Pernot

Source

College of Home Economics Oral Histories (OH 11)

Publisher

Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Oregon State University Libraries

Date

May 19, 1983

Contributor

Elaine Cull

Format

Digitized Audiocassette

Language

English

Type

Oral History

Identifier

oh11-pernot-mabel-19830519

Oral History Item Type Metadata

Interviewer

Elaine Cull

Interviewee

Mabel Pernot

Location

Milam Hall, Oregon State University

Original Format

Audiocassette

Duration

0:23:31

OHMS Object

Interview Format

audio