US-RUn-msg143 Guide to the The Whole World Was Watching, An Oral History of 1968 Finding aid prepared by Kevin J. Logan. University of Rhode Island Library, Special Collections and Archives Unit 2008
University Library, Special Collections and Archives 15 Lippitt Road Kingston, RI 02881-2011Tel: 401-874-4632E-mail: archives@etal.uri.eduWebsite: http://www.uri.edu/library/special_collections/
 Finding aid encoded by Nicholas Albaugh on 2008 May 23, updated by Hailie D. Posey on 2009 October 2 English Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) Overview of the Collection Wood, Linda P. The Whole World Was Watching, An Oral History of 1968 1998 6.5 box(es) (3.25 linear feet) 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. Special Collections and University Archives
Special Collections and University Archives 15 Lippitt Road Kingston, RI 02881-2011 Tel: 401-874-4632 email: archives@etal.uri.edu
 Mss. Gr. 143 The records are in English. Physical Charateristics or Technical Requirements

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

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.

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.

Preferred Citation

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

 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.

 Arrangement

After processing, the collection was arranged in four series as follows:

1. Original Tapes 2. Original Transcripts/Releases/Information Forms 3. Student Essays 4. Duplicate Copies of Transcripts/Releases/Information Forms

Open for research.

 Acquisitions Information

The collection was donated in 1999 by project coordinator Linda Wood

The custodial history is unknown.

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.

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.

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.

Names Wood, Linda P. Subjects Almond, Lincoln C. -- Interviews Garrahy, J. Joseph -- Interviews Doody, Agnes G. -- Interviews Gee, E. Gordon (Elwood Gordon), 1944- -- Interviews Nineteen sixty-eight, A.D Oral history Interviews -- Rhode Island United States -- History -- 1961-1969 United States -- Social life and customs -- 1945-1970 Rhode Island -- History -- 20th century Rhode Island -- History -- Sources RIAMCO Browsing Terms Social Life and Customs Inventory Series 1 Original Tapes 1998 2 box(es) (1 linear feet) sound recordings video recording

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.

   1   1 Aaronson, Marsha; Almond, Lincoln; Babcock, William 1998   1   2 Brayton, Deborah; Costigliola, Frank; Craig, Naomi 1998   1   3 Doody; Agnes; Dutilly, Marj; Fetter, Edmund 1998   1   4 Garrahy, J. Joseph; Gatchel, Theodore; Gee, E. Gordon 1998   1   5 Gifford, Seth; Halyburton, Marty; Halyburton, Porter 1998    2   6 Jones, Rhett; Kaprielian, Michael; Kerr, Bob 1998    2   7 Kurtz, Cleveland; Laffey, Joseph; Leyden, John 1998    2   8 Nguyen, Hoang; O'Malley, John; Prentiss, Daniel 1998    2   9 Ramos, Isidore; Ramos Tony; Rolofson, Glen 1998    2 10 Spoehr, Kathryn; Williamson, Frederick 1998    2 11 Wilson, Rick; Wood, Ed 1998 Series 2 Original Transcripts/Releases/Information Forms 1998 1.5 box(es) (.75 linear feet) transcripts forms

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.

   3   1 Aaronson, Marsha 1998    3   2 Almond, Lincoln 1998    3   3 Babcock, William 1998    3   4 Brayton, Deborah 1998    3   5 Costigliola, Frank 1998    3   6 Craig, Naomi 1998    3   7 Doody, Agnes 1998    3   8 Dutilly, Marj 1998    3   9 Fetter, Edmund 1998    3 10 Garrahy, J. Joseph 1998    3 11 Gatchel, Theodore 1998    3 12 Gee, E. Gordon 1998    3 13 Gifford, Seth 1998    3 14 Halyburton, Marty 1998    3 15 Halyburton., Porter 1998    3 16 Jones, Rhett 1998    3 17 Kaprielian, Michael 1998    3 18 Kerr, Bob 1998    3 19 Kurtz, Cleveland 1998    3 20 Laffey, Joseph 1998    4 21 Leyden, John 1998    4 22 Nguyen, Hoang 1998    4 23 O'Malley, John 1998    4 24 Prentiss, Daniel 1998    4 25 Ramos, Isidore 1998    4 26 Ramos, Tony 1998    4 27 Rolofson, Glen 1998    4 28 Spoehr, Kathryn 1998    4 29 Williamson, Frederick 1998    4 30 Wilson, Rick 1998    4 31 Wood, Ed 1998 Series 3 Student Essays 1998 1.5 box(es) (.75 linear feet) essays

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.

5   1 Aaronson, Marsha by Erin Barry  1998 5   2 Almond, Lincoln by Kyle Connelly and Pat McGrath 1998 5   3 Babcock, William by Stefanie Wyss 1998 5   4 Brayton, Deborah by Michaela Bell 1998 5   5 Costigliola, Frank by Christopher Chapin 1998 5   6 Craig, Naomi by Ashley Johnson and Kyle Connelly 1998 5   7 Doody, Agnes by Christopher Chapin 1998 5   8 Dutilly, Marj by Pat McGrath 1998 5   9 Fetter, Edmund by Ashley Johnson 1998 5 10 Garrahy, J. Joseph by Brian Fish 1998 5 11 Gatchel, Theodore by Carly Long 1998 5 12 Gee, E. Gordon by Carly Long and Michaela Bell 1998 5 13 Gifford, Seth by James Gorman 1998 5 14 Halyburton, Marty by Emily Caldarelli and Matt Olivier 1998 5 15 Halyburton., Porter by Aaron Keegan 1998 5 16 Jones, Rhett by Becky Dangelo 1998 5 17 Kaprielian, Michael by Brian Fish and Sheila Nippo 1998 5 18 Kerr, Bob by Danielle Savastano 1998 5 19 Kurtz, Cleveland by Daniel Paster 1998 5 20 Laffey, Joseph by Cacye Kenny 1998 5 21 Leyden, John by Becky Dangelo and Keith Traver 1998 6 22 Nguyen, Hoang by Daniel Paster 1998 6 23 O'Malley, John by Emily Caldarelli 1998 6 24 Prentiss, Daniel by Matt Olivier 1998 6 25 Ramos, Isidore by Cayce Kenny and Will Thomas 1998 6 26 Ramos, Tony by Stefanie Wyss 1998 6 27 Rolofson, Glen by Will Thomas 1998 6 28 Spoehr, Kathryn by Danielle Savastano and Stefanie Wyss 1998 6 29 Williamson, Frederick by Sheila Nippo 1998 6 30 Wilson, Rick by Keith Traver 1998 6 31 Wood, Ed by Aaron Keegan 1998 Series 4 Duplicate Copies of Transcripts/Releases/Information Forms 1998 1.5 box(es) (.75 linear feet) transcripts forms

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.

7   1 Aaronson, Marsha 1998 7   2 Almond, Lincoln 1998 7   3 Babcock, William 1998 7   4 Brayton, Deborah 1998 7   5 Costigliola, Frank 1998 7   6 Craig, Naomi 1998 7   7 Doody, Agnes 1998 7   8 Dutilly, Marj 1998 7   9 Fetter, Edmund 1998 7 10 Garrahy, J. Joseph 1998 7 11 Gatchel, Theodore 1998 7 12 Gee, E. Gordon 1998 7 13 Gifford, Seth 1998 7 14 Halyburton, Marty 1998 7 15 Halyburton., Porter 1998 7 16 Jones, Rhett 1998 7 17 Kaprielian, Michael 1998 7 18 Kerr, Bob 1998 7 19 Kurtz, Cleveland 1998 7 20 Laffey, Joseph 1998 7 21 Leyden, John 1998 8 22 Nguyen, Hoang 1998 8 23 O'Malley, John 1998 8 24 Prentiss, Daniel 1998 8 25 Ramos, Isidore 1998 8 26 Ramos, Tony 1998 8 27 Rolofson, Glen 1998 8 28 Spoehr, Kathryn 1998 8 29 Williamson, Frederick 1998 8 30 Wilson, Rick 1998 8 31 Wood, Ed 1998