Women of Central Oral History Transcripts
Central Washington University

The Women of Central Washington University Oral History Transcripts are part of the Central Washington University Retirement Association (CWURA) Living History Project (RG 039, Ser. 05-78). This larger collection is housed at Central Washington University and is an open collection wherein new interviews will continue to be added. The Central Washington University Retirement Association (CWURA) was founded in 1990 “to facilitate the mission and goals of the University and provide for continuing professional, educational and social activities of retired University personnel.” CWURA began the living history project in 1995, and continues to add oral histories of retired faculty and staff. The collection primarily contains oral histories and transcripts of interviews conducted with former faculty and staff of Central Washington University. Some interviews are of members of the Board of Trustees and alumni. Also included are some written reminiscences and other textual materials. For the complete list of interviews within the CWU Living History Project, please see the finding aid at http://www.lib.cwu.edu/static/finding/fa039-05-78.htm

Within the Women of Central Oral History Transcripts, the women describe their roles and experiences while at Central, which in turn provides a glimpse at the role women have played in Central’s institutional development. The transcripts contain varied and historically significant topics, including what is was like to be trained as a teacher at the Ellensburg Normal School, a black student in the 1940s, a student in the 1960s, Chairman of the CWU Board of Trustees, an administrative assistant to the President, a member of the classified staff, and a faculty wife.

Also included is a special lecture presented by Dr. Karen Blair, Chair of Central’s Department of History. In the lecture, Dr. Blair provides an interesting look at the historical development of Central from its beginnings as a Normal School to its transformation into a University. It is included in the Women of Central Oral History Transcript collection as a suggested introduction to the oral histories.