University of Rhode Island Library

Special Collections and Archives

Register to the The Whole World Was Watching, An Oral History of 1968


Overview of the Collection
Creator:

Wood, Linda P.
Title:

The Whole World Was Watching, An Oral History of 1968
Dates:

1998
Quantity:

6.5 box(es) (3.25 linear feet)
Abstract:

The collection consists of the interviews conducted by English Honors students at South Kingstown High School with Rhode Island residents regarding their experiences and recollections of the year 1968.

Identification:

Mss. Gr. 143
Language:

The records are in English.

Repository:

University of Rhode Island Library, Special Collections and Archives Unit 15 Lippitt Road Kingston, RI 02881-2011 http://www.uri.edu/library/special_collections/

Historical Information

"Capturing these moments of history in the making through tape recorded interviews is the purpose of oral history."

Thus does Linda Wood, librarian at the South Kingston (RI) High School describe the essential value of oral history in making the recent past meaningful in her introduction to the published version of The Whole World Was Watching: an Oral history of 1968. Wood was the coordinator of the oral history project, The Whole World Was Watching.

The interviews for the project were conducted in 1998 by twenty members of a tenth grade English class from South Kingston High School who interviewed thirty-one Rhode Island residents who related their recollections of 1968 and the impact that the events of that year had on their lives. The interviewees were asked to focus on such issues as the Vietnam War, the Democratic Party Convention in Chicago, the Civil Rights struggle, the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy, and to relate personal reminiscences of the era. Based on the interviews they conducted, the students wrote essays in which they summarized the content of the interviews and placed the comments of the interviewees in the context of the events of 1968.

The Whole World Was Watching was a joint project between South Kingstown High School and Brown University's Scholarly Technology Group. The project was funded by the Rhode Island Committee for the Humanities and NetTech: the Northeast Regional Technology in Education Consortium. The students worked under the supervision of South Kingstown High School librarian Linda Wood and South Kingstown High School English teacher Sharon Schmid. They also received assistance and support from humanities scholars, Professor Sharon Strom of the University of Rhode Island and Professor Kate Dunnigan of the Community College of Rhode Island.

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Scope and Content Note

The records include twenty-three audio cassette recordings and one videotape of the interviews, transcripts of the interviews, signed release forms, "information forms" completed by each of the interviewees, photographs of them, and unedited versions of the essays done by the students. To these latter have been added final edited versions of the essays which were printed from the online version of the project.

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Arrangement

The collection is arranged into four series.

List of Series:
Original Tapes
Original Transcripts/Releases/Information Forms
Student Essays
Duplicate Copies of Transcripts/Releases/Information Forms

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Restrictions

Open for research.

Terms governing use and reproduction: Photocopying and scanning of materials is a fee based service available in the repository and is allowed at the discretion of the Archivist when in compliance to the Unit's policy on copyright and publication.

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Index Terms

These records are indexed under the following headings in the HELIN catalog. Researchers wishing to find related materials should search the catalog under these index terms.

Almond, Lincoln C. -- Interviews
Doody, Agnes G. -- Interviews
Garrahy, J. Joseph -- Interviews
Gee, E. Gordon (Elwood Gordon), 1944- -- Interviews
Interviews -- Rhode Island
Nineteen sixty-eight, A.D
Oral history
Rhode Island -- History -- 20th century
Rhode Island -- History -- Sources
United States -- History -- 1961-1969
United States -- Social life and customs -- 1945-1970

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Related Material

In addition to the oral history tapes, transcripts, and student essays generated by this project, there is also a website which includes photos of the interviewees, edited versions of the student essays, transcripts of the interviews, and real-time audio recordings of the interviews, as well as such background material as a complete description of the project, a 1968 timeline, and essays by the project coordinators and humanities scholars. The Web Site was edited by David Reville of Brown University's Scholarly Technology Group, a co-sponsor of the project.

There is also a publication entitled 1968:The Whole World Was Watching(Providence, RI: s.n., 1998). This seventy page illustrated magazine format publication contains edited versions of the student essays, as well as essays by project coordinators Linda Wood and Sharon Schmid and humanities scholars Sharon Strom and Kate Dunnigan.

No materials were separated during processing.

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Physical Charateristics or Technical Requirements

Video and audiocassette players required to access taped interviews and videotape.

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Administrative Information

Custodial History

The custodial history is unknown.

Preferred Citation

The Whole World Was Watching, An Oral History of 1968, Mss. Gr. 143, University of Rhode Island Special Collections

Acquisitions Information

The collection was donated in 1999 by project coordinator Linda Wood

Processing Information

The collection was processed by Kevin J. Logan in 1999.

Research copies of the transcripts, releases, and information forms were made by Special Collections staff during processing and were added to the collection.

Finding aid prepared by Kevin J. Logan.

Finding aid encoded by Nicholas Albaugh on 2008 May 23

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Inventory

Series:

Original Tapes

Dates:

1998

Extent:

2 box(es) (1 linear feet)

Types of Materials:

sound recordings
video recording

Scope and Content Note

This series contains audio cassette tapes of twenty-two of the thirty-one people interviewed for the project. Audio cassettes of the interviews are not available for the following nine people: Agnes Doody, Maj Dutilly, Edmund Fetter, E. Gordon Gee, Cleveland Kurtz, Hoang Nguyen, John O'Malley, Rick Wilson, and Ed Wood. These interviews can be heard in real-time audio on the project web site. There is also a videotape of one subject, William Babcock.

Subjects discussed in the interviews include the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights struggle, the Democratic Party's 1968 national convention, politics of the era in general, the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy, and the impact of those events and issues on their lives.

Arrangement

The tapes are arranged alphabetically by the names of the interviewees.
Box
Folder
Title
Date(s)

  1

  1

Aaronson, Marsha; Almond, Lincoln; Babcock, William

1998

  2

Brayton, Deborah; Costigliola, Frank; Craig, Naomi

1998

  3

Doody; Agnes; Dutilly, Marj; Fetter, Edmund

1998

  4

Garrahy, J. Joseph; Gatchel, Theodore; Gee, E. Gordon

1998

  5

Gifford, Seth; Halyburton, Marty; Halyburton, Porter

1998

Box
Folder
Title
Date(s)

   2

  6

Jones, Rhett; Kaprielian, Michael; Kerr, Bob

1998

  7

Kurtz, Cleveland; Laffey, Joseph; Leyden, John

1998

  8

Nguyen, Hoang; O'Malley, John; Prentiss, Daniel

1998

  9

Ramos, Isidore; Ramos Tony; Rolofson, Glen

1998

10

Spoehr, Kathryn; Williamson, Frederick

1998

11

Wilson, Rick; Wood, Ed

1998

Series:

Original Transcripts/Releases/Information Forms

Dates:

1998

Extent:

1.5 box(es) (.75 linear feet)

Types of Materials:

forms
transcripts

Scope and Content Note

This series contains the printed transcripts of the interviews, as well as information forms and release forms signed by the interviewees. Release forms are lacking for E. Gordon Gee and Nguyen Hoang. Transcripts are also available on the project web site.

Arrangement

The transcripts and related materials are arranged alphabetically by the name of the interviewee.

Box
Folder
Title
Date(s)

   3

  1

Aaronson, Marsha

1998

  2

Almond, Lincoln

1998

  3

Babcock, William

1998

  4

Brayton, Deborah

1998

  5

Costigliola, Frank

1998

  6

Craig, Naomi

1998

  7

Doody, Agnes

1998

  8

Dutilly, Marj

1998

  9

Fetter, Edmund

1998

10

Garrahy, J. Joseph

1998

11

Gatchel, Theodore

1998

12

Gee, E. Gordon

1998

13

Gifford, Seth

1998

14

Halyburton, Marty

1998

15

Halyburton., Porter

1998

16

Jones, Rhett

1998

17

Kaprielian, Michael

1998

18

Kerr, Bob

1998

19

Kurtz, Cleveland

1998

20

Laffey, Joseph

1998

Box
Folder
Title
Date(s)

   4

21

Leyden, John

1998

22

Nguyen, Hoang

1998

23

O'Malley, John

1998

24

Prentiss, Daniel

1998

25

Ramos, Isidore

1998

26

Ramos, Tony

1998

27

Rolofson, Glen

1998

28

Spoehr, Kathryn

1998

29

Williamson, Frederick

1998

30

Wilson, Rick

1998

31

Wood, Ed

1998

Series:

Student Essays

Dates:

1998

Extent:

1.5 box(es) (.75 linear feet)

Types of Materials:

essays

Scope and Content Note

This series contains essays written by twenty South Kingstown High School tenth grade students about the people they interviewed for the project. The students received training in oral history interviewing techniques, viewed period films, listened to guest lecturers, and read about the era in which they were to become immersed.

Based on the interviews they conducted and their background research, the students wrote essays about the people they interviewed. The essays are a combination summary of the interview and a biographical sketch of the interviewee. The series contains both the students' unedited drafts of the essays and the final edited versions which appear on the project web site. Photographs of the interviewees taken to accompany the online versions are aldo included in this series. The essays also appear in a publication entitled 1968:The Whole World Was Watching. A copy of that publication has been placed at the end of the series.

Arrangement

The essays and photographs are arranged alphabetically by the name of the interviewee.

Box
Folder
Title
Date(s)

   5

  1

Aaronson, Marsha by Erin Barry 

1998

  2

Almond, Lincoln by Kyle Connelly and Pat McGrath

1998

  3

Babcock, William by Stefanie Wyss

1998

  4

Brayton, Deborah by Michaela Bell

1998

  5

Costigliola, Frank by Christopher Chapin

1998

  6

Craig, Naomi by Ashley Johnson and Kyle Connelly

1998

  7

Doody, Agnes by Christopher Chapin

1998

  8

Dutilly, Marj by Pat McGrath

1998

  9

Fetter, Edmund by Ashley Johnson

1998

10

Garrahy, J. Joseph by Brian Fish

1998

11

Gatchel, Theodore by Carly Long

1998

12

Gee, E. Gordon by Carly Long and Michaela Bell

1998

13

Gifford, Seth by James Gorman

1998

14

Halyburton, Marty by Emily Caldarelli and Matt Olivier

1998

15

Halyburton., Porter by Aaron Keegan

1998

16

Jones, Rhett by Becky Dangelo

1998

17

Kaprielian, Michael by Brian Fish and Sheila Nippo

1998

18

Kerr, Bob by Danielle Savastano

1998

19

Kurtz, Cleveland by Daniel Paster

1998

20

Laffey, Joseph by Cacye Kenny

1998

21

Leyden, John by Becky Dangelo and Keith Traver

1998

Box
Folder
Title
Date(s)

    6

22

Nguyen, Hoang by Daniel Paster

1998

23

O'Malley, John by Emily Caldarelli

1998

24

Prentiss, Daniel by Matt Olivier

1998

25

Ramos, Isidore by Cayce Kenny and Will Thomas

1998

26

Ramos, Tony by Stefanie Wyss

1998

27

Rolofson, Glen by Will Thomas

1998

28

Spoehr, Kathryn by Danielle Savastano and Stefanie Wyss

1998

29

Williamson, Frederick by Sheila Nippo

1998

30

Wilson, Rick by Keith Traver

1998

31

Wood, Ed by Aaron Keegan

1998

Series:

Duplicate Copies of Transcripts/Releases/Information Forms

Dates:

1998

Extent:

1.5 box(es) (.75 linear feet)

Types of Materials:

forms
transcripts

Scope and Content Note

This series contains duplicate copies of the printed transcripts, releases, and information forms contained in Series II.

Arrangement

The transcripts and related materials are arranged alphabetically by the name of the interviewee.

Box
Folder
Title
Date(s)

   7

  1

Aaronson, Marsha

1998

  2

Almond, Lincoln

1998

  3

Babcock, William

1998

  4

Brayton, Deborah

1998

  5

Costigliola, Frank

1998

  6

Craig, Naomi

1998

  7

Doody, Agnes

1998

  8

Dutilly, Marj

1998

  9

Fetter, Edmund

1998

10

Garrahy, J. Joseph

1998

11

Gatchel, Theodore

1998

12

Gee, E. Gordon

1998

13

Gifford, Seth

1998

14

Halyburton, Marty

1998

15

Halyburton., Porter

1998

16

Jones, Rhett

1998

17

Kaprielian, Michael

1998

18

Kerr, Bob

1998

19

Kurtz, Cleveland

1998

20

Laffey, Joseph

1998

21

Leyden, John

1998

Box
Folder
Title
Date(s)

   8

22

Nguyen, Hoang

1998

23

O'Malley, John

1998

24

Prentiss, Daniel

1998

25

Ramos, Isidore

1998

26

Ramos, Tony

1998

27

Rolofson, Glen

1998

28

Spoehr, Kathryn

1998

29

Williamson, Frederick

1998

30

Wilson, Rick

1998

31

Wood, Ed

1998