University Archives - William Highsmith Interviews
UAOH1
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Repository
- UNC Asheville Special Collections and University Archives
- Title
- University Archives - William Highsmith Interviews
- ID
- UAOH1
- Date
- 1984
- Extent
- 0.6 Linear feet
- Physical Description
- 25 audio cassette tapes and CD copies of the tapes on 46 CDs. Cards with handwritten names of faculty & board of trustees members.
- Location
- Located in Special Collections, Row 1, Section 1
- Language
- English
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], University Archives, D.H. Ramsey Library, Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville 28804
Historical Note
On July 1, 1984 William Highsmith stepped down as chancellor of UNC Asheville, a role he had held since the creation of the university in 1969, having previously been president of Asheville-Biltmore College, the predecessor school of the university. As Highsmith was tenured in the history department, and not at the mandatory retirement age, he elected to stay on campus as part-time faculty and research professor, and planned to write the history of UNC Asheville.
The recordings in this collection are interviews Highsmith conducted in the fall of 1984 with people who had played key roles in the history of UNC Asheville and its predecessor schools. Several times on the recordings Highsmith mentions to his interviewees the need to record events and stories that people researching the history of the university would find useful. Although there does not seem to be a mention of the history Highsmith planned to write, it seems reasonable to assume that he undertook these interviews as part of his research for his book.
Scope and Contents
Contains recordings of interviews of key figures in the history of UNC Asheville and its predecessor schools. The interviews were conducted by former chancellor William Highsmith, and are on audio cassette tape. These are presumably the original recordings made by Highsmith, and a digital preservation copy CD of each recording has been made for preservation purposes. In addition to the recordings of the Highsmith interviews, there is also a tape of Highsmith himself reflecting on the university and liberal arts. The tapes were numbered, it is not known by whom, and this order has been maintained. The numerical order is not the chronological order of the recordings. There are some known problems with the recordings. For example, Tape 3 (Roy Taylor) is largely blank, possibly because the recording was either accidentally or purposefully deleted, and the beginning of Tape 25 (William Highsmith) has been recorded over with an unrelated interview with a student. Also included are cards with handwritten (probably by Highsmith) names of faculty and board of trustees members which may have been used as aide memoires for the interviews.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
UNC Asheville Special Collections and University Archives
Ramsey Library, CPO # 1500One University Heights
Asheville, North Carolina, 28804-8504
828.251.6645
speccoll@unca.edu
Sensitive Materials Statement
Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. § 132 1 et seq.), and Article 7 of the North Carolina State Personnel Act (Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records, N.C.G.S. § 126-22 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of North Carolina Asheville assumes no responsibility.
Rights
Restrictions apply. No release forms exist for these oral histories which prevents copies being made. The recordings can be listened to in the Special Collections reading room. Any display, publication, or public use must credit the University Archives, D.H. Ramsey Library, Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville. Copyright retained by the creators of certain items in the collection, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Creator
William Highsmith. University of North Carolina Asheville.
Processing Information
Digital preservation copies made by unidentified Special Collections staff, date unknown. Processed and finding aid by Colin Reeve, May 2016.
Related Materials
Related Materials
UNC Asheville Retirees Oral History Collection
University Archives - Official Papers of William Highsmith, Chancellor of UNC Asheville, 1969 - 1984
The University of North Carolina at Asheville: the first sixty years by William Highsmith
Collection Inventory
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Tape 1 Side A & B: Gertrude Ramsey |
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Ramsey was a graduate of Asheville-Biltmore College and a member of the board of trustees of UNC Asheville. Recorded August 14, 1984 |
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Tape 2 Side A: James Perry |
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Perry was chairman of the biology department. Recorded November 15, 1984 |
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Tape 2 Side B: Joseph Schandler |
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Schandler was a graduate of Asheville-Biltmore College and a member of the Alumni Association. Recorded November 16, 1984 |
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Tape 3: Side A & B: Roy Taylor |
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Taylor was a graduate of Buncombe County Junior College, served on the board of trustees, and was a US Congressman. Recorded August 16, 1984 [Tape appears blank, but copy CD has conclusion (side 2 of tape?) of the interview] |
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Tape 4 Side A: Frank Coxe |
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Coxe was a long time resident of Asheville. Recorded September 18, 1984 |
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Tape 4 Side B: Virginia Bryan Schreiber |
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Schreiber was long time faculty member at the predecessor schools of UNC Asheville. Recorded September 24, 1984 |
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Tape 5 Side A: Virginia Bryan Schreiber (cont.) |
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Continuation of interview started on tape 4 side B |
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Tape 5 Side B: Gene Rainey |
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Rainey joined the Political Science faculty in 1969. Recorded September 27, 1984 |
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Tape 6 Side A & B: Gordon Greenwood |
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Greenwood was a student at Buncombe County Junior College and a member of the NC General Assembly. Recorded August 17, 1984 |
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Tape 7 Side A: Joe Bly |
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Bly was a student at both Asheville-Biltmore College and UNC Asheville, and was president of the student association. Recorded November 9, 1984 |
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Tape 7 Side B: Sam Millar |
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Millar was plant engineer and coached the soccer team. Recorded November 9, 1984 |
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Tape 8 Side A & B: Lutrelle Wishart |
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Wishart served as faculty in the English Department of Asheville-Biltmore College and UNC Asheville. Recorded August 20, 1984 |
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Tape 9 Side A: Joe Parsons |
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Parsons joined the faculty in 1952 and was math professor and academic dean. Recorded August 10, 1984 |
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Tape 9 Side B: J W Byers |
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Byers was superintendent of Asheville Public Schools and a trustee of Asheville-Biltmore College. Recorded August 7, 1984 |
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Tape 10 Side A: Karl Wilsman |
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Wilsman started at Asheville-Biltmore College in 1954 and was faculty in the counseling center. Recorded August 31, 1984 |
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Tape 10 Side B: Francine Delaney |
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Delaney was part of the first graduating class of Asheville-Biltmore College in 1966 and was one of the first black students at the college. Recorded September 4, 1984 |
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Tape 11 Side A: James G, Strikeleather Jr. |
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Strikeleather was a student at the College of Asheville in 1928, and later a state legislator. Recorded October 5, 1984 |
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Tape 11 Side B: Donald Jones |
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Jones was a student at Asheville-Biltmore College and became superintendent of the City of Asheville Schools. Recorded October 8, 1984 |
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Tape 12 Side A: James M. Hall Jr. |
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Hall graduated from Asheville-Biltmore College in 1940. Recorded October 19, 1984 |
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Tape 12 Side B: Walter Boland |
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Boland came to UNC Asheville in 1970 and was a member of the sociology faculty. Recorded October 18, 1984 |
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Tape 13 Side A: Deryl Howard |
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Howard joined the UNC Asheville faculty in 1972 and was chair of the philosophy department. Recorded October 24, 1984 |
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Tape 13 Side B: Donald E. Taylor |
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Taylor graduated fron Asheville-Biltmore College in 1957 and was president of the Alumni Association. Recorded October 25, 1984 |
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Tape 14 Side A & B: Arnold Wengrow |
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Wengrow was chair of the drama department and director of Theatre UNCA. Recorded October 16, 1984 |
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Tape 15 Side A & B: Theodore Seitz |
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Seitz started at UNC Asheville in 1973 and was chair of the psychology department. Recorded October 31, 1984 |
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Tape 16 Side A & B: Verna Bergemann |
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Bergemann was chair of the education department at UNC Asheville. Recorded November 2, 1984 |
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Tape 17 Side A & B: Malcolm Blowers |
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Blowers was the university librarian. Recorded November 5, 1984. |
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Tape 18 Side A & B: Eric Iovacchini |
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Iovacchini was Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs at UNC Asheville. Recorded November 6, 1984. |
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Tape 19 Side A: Carolyn Frady |
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Frady was assistant to the President of Asheville-Biltmore College and then the Chancellor of UNC Asheville. Recorded November 7, 1984. [Side B is blank] |
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Tape 20 Side A: Milton Ready |
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Ready was chair of the history department and founder of the Southern Highlands Research Center. Recorded November 13, 1984. [Side B is blank] |
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Tape 20 Side B: Michael Gillum |
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Gillum was faculty in the literature and language department. Recorded November 13, 1984. [Recording starts partway through tape] |
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Tape 21 Side A: Shirley Browning |
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Browning was professor of economics and chair of the department. Recorded October 9, 1984 |
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Tape 21 Side B: James Stewart |
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Stewart came to Asheville-Biltmore in 1964 and was faculty and chair of the philosophy department. Recorded October 11, 1984 |
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Tape 22 Side A: Joyce Dorr |
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Dorr was part of the music faculty and wife of Vice Chancellor Larry Dorr. Recorded December 14, 1984 |
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Tape 22 Side B: Lloyd Remmington |
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Remmington joined the faculty in 1965 and was professor of chemistry. Recorded December 20, 1984 |
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Tape 23 Side A: Thomas Dula |
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Dula was Dean of Students at Asheville-Biltmore College and UNC Asheville. Recorded October 23, 1984 |
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Tape 23 Side B: Herbert Coman |
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Coman was faculty and football coach at Asheville-Biltmore College. Recorded October 24, 1984 |
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Tape 24 Side A: Michael Ruiz |
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Ruiz was part of physics faculty and chair of the department. Recorded December 5, 1984 |
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Tape 24 Side B: Philip Walker |
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Walker was chair of the history department. Recorded December 12, 1984 |
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Tape 25 Side A & B: William Highsmith |
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Highsmith talks about his life, Asheville-Biltmore College, UNC Asheville, and liberal arts education. Recorded in 1984. Identity of the interviewer is unknown. [Start of Highsmith interview recorded over with interview with UNCA student talking about "Save the Children" project] |
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Index Cards |
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Handwritten list of names, presumably created by Highsmith either as aide memoires for the interviews, or for more general research. The names are grouped:
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