Oral History

James Wheeler
01/05/2024

An Oral History of James Wheeler by Twyla Wright

Table Of Contents
  • Birth/Family/First Memory :30
  • Childhood in Desha with parents and grandparents 3:58
  • Father learning to repair shoes by Al Heuer 9:28
  • Early life in Desha 11:30
  • Changes in Desha and grandfather's gas station 18:45
  • School attendance, farm work 22:54
  • Father working shoe repair in Cam's Shoe Repair 31:13
  • Joined US Air Force 35:00
  • In Nebraska: marriage/kids 38:30
  • Move back to Desha, finish learning shoe repair 43:27
  • Opened his shoe repair business in present location 1972 - 44:17
  • Most rewarding shoe repair work/most difficult 45:48
  • Square dancing/locations 51:15
  • Becoming a licensed Methodist preacher 52:55
  • How shoe repair has changed 1:01:54
Martha Bentley
10/05/2024

An Oral History of Martha Bentley by Vicky Crouch

Table Of Contents
  • Martha's parents :20
  • Beginning of Marshall Wholesale to present 2:54
  • Stories of Martha's father 7:30
  • Martha's first horse 10:15
  • How Martha and Larry met 1957; 11:48
  • Love of gardening 14:35
  • Water Carnival history 16:01
  • Teaching 27 years Mt Pleasant/Newark 19:25
  • Travels/Horsewomen group 28:18
  • Biggest impression/advice from someone 31:54
  • Close family/new dog 34:20
  • Batesville growth and development 37:20
Danny Dozier
26/06/2024

An Oral History Interview of Danny Dozier by Vicky Crouch

Table Of Contents
  • Parents, Grandparents, Early Life :20
  • Early Interest in Guitars 5:13
  • High School/College Bands 11:52
  • Moving/Jobs/Bands- early adulthood 15:25
  • Cathy/marriage 19:23
  • Moving/Jobs/focus on music 21:37
  • Gary Cloud/Charlie Sandage- "Country Music Story" 29:45
  • Grandpa and Ramona Jones/Mountain View Dinner Theater 31:45
  • Jerry Hopper- Mountain Home 35:00
  • Merle Travis Guitar Contest 36:00
  • The Raiders/"At Home in the Country" Radio Show 39:40
  • Thumb Injury 45:30
  • Coffee House- The Depot Diner 48:00
  • The Lockhouse Restaurant 51:45
  • First Presbyterian Sexton/living on Boswell St. 53:52
  • The Lockhouse Orchestra 56:32
  • Friends in Great Places- UACCB 58:00
  • Downtown Revitalization/Main Street Batesville 59:40
  • Maxfield Family- Mrs. Anne Strahl/Maxfield Park 1:04:00
Ted Hall
25/07/2024

An Oral History Interview of Ted Hall by Twyla Wright

Table Of Contents
  • Birth in MO; family history :01
  • Siblings, grandparents 2:22
  • Family activities/1st Baptist church-MO 5:05
  • High school student in Missouri 6:45
  • Sports, Ouachita College Life 8:52
  • Arkansas State University- post graduate 11:19
  • Park Ranger- Greer's Ferry/Children and their jobs 13:53
  • Marriage to Janie (King)/birth of children 16:05
  • Employed by Dagley and Associates/recruiting for AR College 17:59
  • Principal of Sulphur Rock High School 22:20
  • Southside High School vice principal (doubled enrollment) 24:10
  • Freedom of School Choice- results for Southside and Batesville Schools 27:00
  • Southside Schools Asst. Superintendent/Superintendent 30:00
  • Batesville Schools Superintendent-9 years 34:24
  • Worked for 1st Community Bank- business development 47:50
  • Executive Director of White River Area Agency on Aging/National Board 51:45
  • Monitors 18 Area on Aging Centers in 10 counties 1:01:48
  • Development of 1st Baptist Church on Eagle Mountain 1:06:20
  • Vacationing with family/working with Christmas Brings Hope 1:07:30
  • Advice for others 1:11:16
James "Skip" Rutherford
06/09/2024

An Oral History Interview of James "Skip" Rutherford by Twyla Wright

Table Of Contents
  • Birth to parents Kathleen and James Rutherford; history of name "Skip" :15
  • Childhood in Batesville, AR/Jennie McCurn's care- story of shaping Skip's advocacy: 2:22
  • Batesville- America's best hometown: 7:50
  • Batesville High School/student presidency 10:48
  • U of A - Fayetteville, studies and mentor Ernie Deane: 11:53
  • marriage and children: 13:50
  • Move to Little Rock/jobs/Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods Firm: 17:20
  • Directed David Pryor's office; Pryor campaign: 18:20
  • Key advisor on Bill Clinton Campaign:1992/Cranford Johnson: 20:45
  • Creation of Clinton's Presidential Library and opening in 2004: 25:20
  • People whom Skip admires: 28:40
  • Teaching at universities/colleges for free; "paying back" Earnie Dean: 34:44
  • First President of the Clinton Foundation, Dean of the U of A Clinton School of Public Service; now emeritus: 39:20
  • Active on several boards- Children's Hospital, Lyon College...: 41:50
  • Involved in Little Rock development: tourism, hotels, River Market: 42:25
  • Leadership style: empowering people: 46:20
  • Advice and encouragement to older people: 48:15
  • Skip's grandmother, Betty Rutherford, lived to be 110 in Batesville: 55:05
Ralph Grant
12/11/2024

An Oral History Interview of Ralph Grant by Twyla Wright

Table Of Contents
  • Born in 1947- Batesville; Grandfather- Bly Osborne, Grandmother-Viola Lexion Osbourne; Mother- Ann Osborne :15
  • Miller High School and Graduation :40
  • Athletics 2:28
  • Growing up on grandfather's acreage on Davis Lane- West Batesville 3:00
  • 8 siblings and childhood 3:26
  • Segregation 5:20
  • Grandfather's work/rules about behavior 5:56
  • Mother's work domestic/Batesville Manufacturing 9:00
  • Cousins 10:11
  • Miller School/Choir 11:24
  • Vietnam/enlistment of Black men 12:56
  • Experience as a Black soldier/ medical specialist/medical staff/hospital counselor 13:53
  • Marriage/father of Tim/divorce/retired from military 18:40
  • Move back to Batesville in 1990 22:05
  • Siblings and Mother 24:00
  • College Education 27:38
  • 18 years at Batesville Post Office 31:16
  • Life philosophy 35:34
  • Extended family in Batesville and Texas 40:09
  • Church as child in Bethel AME, religious thoughts 41:24
  • Life today/race relations 44:36

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