University of North Carolina at Asheville
D. Hiden Ramsey Library
Special Collections/University Archives

Oral History Register
for

Eone Harger

OH-VOA H37 Eo

Voices of Asheville Oral History Collection
D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNCA

Title

Creator

Dorothy Joynes for Voices of Asheville Oral History Collection

Subject

LCSH:
Harger, Eone
Vision disorders
Aging -- Government policy
Unitarian churches in the United States -- North Carolina -- Asheville

Subject
[Keyword]

AAUW ; League of Women Voters ; Medicare ; Center for Creative Retirement ; Asheville Symphony Guild ; Unitarian Universalist Church ; Western North Carolina Visual Rehabilitation Center

Description

Abstract: Harger describes her work with a number of organizations including the AAUW and the League of Women Voters. In New Jersey, through the League of Women Voters, she became a member of one of the boards charged with re-drafting the New Jersey state constitution. Other governmental positions included chairman of the New Jersey gambling commission, and then the state Board of Control, responsible for investigating prisons, welfare, and mental institutions. She became involved with gerontology after observing the treatment of the elderly on welfare. She was appointed to be the director of a newly-created Division on Aging, which she headed for twelve years. She was involved with the development of Medicare. She discusses her work as a consultant to the United States Senate Human Services Committee.
Before moving to Asheville in 1986, she learned that she had macular degeneration of the eye. After moving here she became involved with other volunteers in developing the Western North Carolina Visual Rehabilitation Center. It has now developed an established program, with paid staff members. Other services for the visually impaired are discussed. She is a member of the Asheville Symphony Guild. She describes her earlier involvement with the Unitarian Church, leaving it for a period of years, and becoming actively involved again after moving to Asheville. She discusses her observations of current church activities and programs.

Publisher

D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville, NC, 28804

Contributor

Date

Electronic Record Issued: 2002-05-02

Type

Sound ; Text ; Image

Format

Physical Description: 7-page abstract ; 1 90-minute audiocassette and 1 copy ; 1 color photograph ; newspaper articles and brochures

Identifier

Source

OH-VOA H37 Eo

Language

English

Relation

References: none

Coverage

Acquisition

Donor number: 146 ;  Date of acquisition: 1998

Processed By

Dorothy Joynes, Ruth Beard and staff

Interview Date

Interview Location

Biography

List of names

Side 1:

[1/8]  She grew up in a small town [Springfield, S.D., pop 600] and had a painful childhood because she was resented because she was ahead of herself in school .  Her father was a professor and her high grades created problems throughout her young life. 

[1/62]  While traveling by train to college [Oberlin] she was kidnapped for a "white slave ring" but managed to escape.

[1/73]  After graduation she taught school outside of Chicago but was fired when it was discovered that she had married Jim after summer working as a waitress in Yellowstone Park.  She immediately found another job and taught remedial reading to teenage boys.  She used the sports page to interest the students and hers was the only class the students did not skip. [James Harger]

[1/123] Her husband was with Lockheed in California and then in New Jersey.  She had three children and joined the PTA, AAUW, etc.

[1/130]  She, through the League of Women Voters, became involved in redoing the constitution for NJ.  She was put on the election board.  When she heard that Stevenson was going to talk at a meeting about reforming prisons she attended but was told to resign from the board as she was in the Republican party. [Adlai Stevenson]

[1/166]  She was asked to head the organization to elect the governor and defeat Thomas. [Parnell Thomas, Joseph McCarthy, Robert Myner]

[1/179]  She was asked by the Governor to be chairman of the Gambling Commission.  She didn't want to serve but was told "put up or shut up."  She served for 2 years and, while at first she was ignored as a female, she won their confidence.

[1/212]  The Governor then appointed her to the Board of Control which investigated prisons, welfare, and mental institutions.  She served as a volunteer but was given a car and driver and reimbursed for expenses.

[1/226]  She became a gerontologist because she was horrified about the treatment of old people on welfare.  When the law was passed providing for a division on aging as part of the governmental structure, she was asked by the Governor to head the division.  For 12 years she was head of the division under the Older American Act.  She was involved in the development of Medicare.

[1/285]  She was consultant to the U.S. Senate on the Human Service Committee and traveled to Denmark, Austria, Russia (right after Nixon's visit) and Japan.  She had taken courses at UC Berkeley, Colorado and Brandeis University. [Richard Nixon]

[1/311]  She and Jim moved to Asheville in 1986 after seeing an ad in the N.Y. Times for the Timbers.

[1/351]  The College for Creative Retirement was getting started and she has attended classes but feels that intergenerational classes are more rewarding.  She has audited courses at the University on space available basis but it is expensive and classes crowded.  She feels that the cost of classes in College for Seniors is too steep for many people, the parking is a problem and the campus may not be able to house a larger enrollment. [Ronald Manheimer, Lin Brown]

[1/495]  Before coming to Asheville she discovered that she had macular degeneration.  She visited vision centers in Washington, New York, and Boston and was instrumental in getting a low vision center here.

Side 2:

[2/6]  The Western North Carolina Visual Rehabilitation Center, Inc. is located on the third floor of the First Presbyterian Church on Church Street.  The process of setting up the center was slow as legal papers were drawn up, foundations applied to for grants and the non-profit status established.  Since the center is for patients with low vision - not legally blind - doctors as well as the public needed to be educated.  She describes the office, services offered and the support groups in Highland Farms, Brevard and Hendersonville.  Medicare has approved funds for service but there is continuing need for financing for staff. Since the Red Cross has given up driving for city service, there is need for more volunteers.  [Martha Lane]

[2/291]  The Lion's club serves legally blind clients and people with low vision were increasing in number as society ages.

[2/360]  She discovered Unitarianism while living in Ridgewood, N.J.  When Jim was transferred there was no Unitarian church and they did not join again until coming to Asheville.

[2/436]  She feels the church is doing more to welcome new members than in 1987 and that waiting for people to volunteer for jobs is a mistake as many talented people are not aggressive.

[2/535]  While there are younger people coming to church now, she does not feel the generations communicate.  She also feels that the standard of dress turns many people off.

[2/574]  The Hargers have three children and 6 grandchildren. [Halcyon Bohen (Kim, Shawn, Courtney), Penelope Passage (Alyssa Royce, Bronwyn Royce), Johnathan Harger (Bouquet)]

Thanks.

Newsletter 12-18-92:

James Harger died quietly at home on December 7.  Jim and his wife Eone have been members of UUA [Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations] since 1987.  At Jim's request, a family celebration will take the place of a memorial service.  Donations may be made to WNC Vision Rehabilitation Center.

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