How and why did you become involved in your club? When and at what age?

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1 Oral histry is a methd f btaining and preserving the spken memries and perspectives f a persn with firsthand knwledge f past events. Oral histry prvides current and past GFWC members with a histric vice and preserves GFWC histry fr future generatins. Thrugh ral histry interviews, GFWC members share their experiences, enabling ther members and researchers t better understand what it means t be a member f the General Federatin f Wmen s Clubs. It is fairly easy t identify past and current GFWC members with stries t share. Hwever, it is imprtant t have the prper equipment, a set f questins, and established standards fr cnducting ral histry interviews befre yu begin an ral histry prject. Yu shuld cnsult the WHRC chairman in yur state federatin and/r lcal club fr advice and assistance t ensure that the interview prcess ges smthly and that ral histry recrdings and transcripts are prperly catalgued, stred, and shared. The GFWC WHRC chairman, cmmittee, and staff als are available t help yu plan yur ral histry prject. Oral histries may be recrded n audi r videtape, r thrugh electrnic recrding devices. Be sure yu have the apprpriate technical expertise fr handling the recrding medium yu chse. Since mst clubs will likely use audicassettes, the advice belw relates t that type f recrding. Please cntact the WHRC if yu wuld like advice r assistance in planning t recrd n videtape r with a digital device. A tape recrder shuld be durable, dependable, lightweight, prtable, and simple t use. A cassette tape recrder with a separate micrphne that plugs int the recrding device is recmmended fr practicality. Als, a recrder that uses standard-size cassettes is preferable t ne that uses micr- r mini-cassettes. If the persn cnducting the interview des nt have a tape recrder and is purchasing r brrwing ne, lk fr a recrder that prduces reliable recrdings with adequate sund. Fr example, sme recrding devices have the capability t dim r blck ut backgrund nise. Recrding devices may be available at a lcal public library. Mst tape recrders can be plugged int a standard electrical utlet r perated with batteries. If the tape recrder uses batteries, make sure they have enugh pwer t cmplete the entire interview. Yu might want t bring extra nes as a precautin. Cassette tapes shuld be f gd quality and hld 60 t 90 minutes f recrded material. The 60 minute tapes are preferable, as they tend t be strnger than the 90 minute cassettes. Please save the plastic bxes fr shipping and strage. A reliable micrphne is vital t the interview prcess. A micrphne that attaches t the subject s clthes and plugs int the recrding device is preferable. Hwever, a larger micrphne that sits in a micrphne stand in frnt f the interviewee will suffice. Make sure t test the micrphne befre arriving fr the interview and again befre the interview begins.

2 Gd preparatin fr an ral histry interview includes researching the interviewee s backgrund. Yu may btain this infrmatin during a preparatry meeting with the interviewee either via telephne r in persn. Alternatively, yu may prvide the subject a set f questins that can be answered and returned prir t the ral histry interview. Reviewing relevant histrical time perids will facilitate preparing the interview questins and prvide a better understanding f the interviewee s experiences. A gd resurce fr a general verview f American histry is the American Memry timeline n the Library f Cngress website: Fr specific questins related t GFWC r state federatin histry, please cntact the WHRC at WHRC@GFWC.rg. An ral histry backgrund infrmatin frm is n page 5. Prir t the interview, prepare a list f questins that relate t jining and participating in GFWC, as well as mre specific questins tailred t the interviewee s backgrund. In additin, gather the interviewee s cntemprary impressins and present-day retrspective. Ask when, what, wh, and especially why and hw questins. Avid questins that require nly simple yes r n answers. A list f sample questins is listed belw. Keep in mind that GFWC staff, members, and researchers will use GFWC ral histries t understand and interpret the histry f GFWC and GFWC members. The fllwing questins shuld be used as a starting pint. Use knwledge abut the interviewee, her era, and GFWC histry, alng with imaginatin and insight, t create questins that will encurage the interviewee t share her GFWC experiences and memries. Sample Questins Brief persnal backgrund (i.e. birth date, family, childhd, etc.) Hw did yu learn abut GFWC? Hw and why did yu becme invlved in yur club? When and at what age? Describe sme f the prgrams and activities yu participated in during yur time in GFWC. Hw did vlunteering make yu feel? Is there a prgram, prject, issue, and/r service that was/is particularly imprtant t yu? Please explain why yu feel this issue is s imprtant and/r memrable. D yu believe yur activities made an impact n the lives f thers? In what ways d yu feel they did r did nt? Hw were/are yu similar and/r different frm yur peers and ther wmen in yur club/cmmunity? Describe yur relatinship with them. What did yur family think abut yur club and vlunteer wrk? Hw did yur life as a wman differ frm the lives f men during yur time in GFWC? Did GFWC affect yur life as a wman? Did yu d anything cnsidered cntrversial fr wmen? If s, describe yur activities. What was yur family s reactin? In additin t yur vlunteer wrk, were yu emplyed utside f the hme? If s, what was/is yur jb? Hw did yur emplyer and c-wrkers view yur GFWC membership? With what ther rganizatins have yu been invlved? Describe yur participatin. WHRC Guidelines fr Recrding Oral Histry Page 2 f 6

3 What have yu gtten/still get frm yur GFWC membership and club wrk? Are there any negatives t club membership? Is there anything abut GFWC that yu wuld change? If s, d yu have any slutins? D yu feel GFWC has changed since yu jined? In what ways? Hw wuld yu assess yur verall club experience? Preparing fr an interview Make arrangements fr an ral histry interview by phne r in persn. Infrm the interviewee abut the ral histry prcess and explain the interview s purpse t preserve GFWC histry and prvide GFWC membership with a histrical vice. Make sure t explain that the interview will last ne t tw hurs. Chse an appintment time and lcatin that is cnvenient fr bth parties. Keep in mind that envirnmental stimuli and backgrund nise will affect bth the quality f the recrding and the interviewee s fcus and cmfrt level. Cnduct ral histry interviews in a quiet rm in a lcal library, cmmunity center, r hme. D nt interview mre than ne persn at a time. Take yur prepared list f questins t the interview, alng with a pad f paper and writing implements t make ntes and recrd the spelling f names and places. During the interview Arrive a few minutes early t prepare fr the interview. Plug in the recrding device and test the micrphne t make sure it is picking up sund and recrding prperly. Once the interviewee arrives, chat fr a few minutes befre turning n the recrder. Explain that the interview will be a questin and answer cnversatin, althugh the cnversatin will fcus mre n the interviewee in rder t minimize interruptins. The interviewer shuld use physical indicatins, such as smiling, eye cntact, and head-ndding t help keep the interviewee at ease. Demnstrate the recrding device t avid any cnfusin during the interview. At the beginning f the recrding, state the fllwing: interviewer s name, date, time, lcatin, and purpse f the interview. Ask the interviewee t state her name and ask if she knws that the interview is being recrded. Begin the interview by asking questins frm the questin set. As the interview cntinues, the list f questins shuld be used as a guide, nt quted verbatim. Be sure t ask pen-ended questins and phrase questins in ways that will evke memries and cnversatin. Ask nly ne questin at a time. Questins may arise during the interview in respnse t the interviewee s cmments and stries. Write these questins dwn fr fllw-up at an apprpriate time during the interview. Allw the interview t prgress naturally. Try nt t put wrds in the interviewee s muth r lead the interview in t specific a directin. Try nt t interrupt unless the interviewee begins t discuss infrmatin that des nt relate t GFWC r the interviewee s persnal experiences within GFWC. If the interviewee seems t be misremembering infrmatin, d nt criticize; instead, try t encurage a fuller explanatin f the tpic. Be attentive; interviewing requires mre cncentratin than rdinary cnversatin. Remember t be relaxed and keep the interviewee at ease. A typical interview lasts apprximately an hur and a half; tw hurs shuld be the abslute maximum. If necessary, schedule a secnd interview. WHRC Guidelines fr Recrding Oral Histry Page 3 f 6

4 Fllwing the interview After the interview is cmplete, the interviewee and interviewer shuld sign a statement giving researchers permissin t use the recrdings. This agreement shuld als give wnership f the riginal tape(s), transcripts, and related materials t GFWC and/r state and lcal clubs. Sensitive infrmatin may be restricted fr a designated perid f time (e.g., 20 years r until death f interviewee), but this is nt recmmended. If the interviewee insists, stipulate the restrictins in the ral histry deed f gift agreement (see page 6). GFWC will hnr such restrictins. As sn as pssible fllwing the interview, label each cassette with the date, interviewee s and interviewer s names, and if applicable, tape number. Remve the small tabs n the tp edge f the cassette tapes t prevent accidental erasure. Send a letter t the interviewee thanking her fr her cperatin and fr her cntributin t GFWC and GFWC histry. Transcriptin is a very imprtant part f recrding an ral histry. Transcribing ral histries makes using and analyzing the recrdings easier and mre effective. A transcript identifies the majr tpics in an ral histry interview and lcates the exact r apprximate pints at which these tpics ccur in the recrding. Transcripts help researchers determine whether the cntent f an ral histry interview is relevant t their research. Transcripts als help t maintain the quality f recrdings, as they allw researchers t scan tapes with minimal fast-frwarding and rewinding. Transcribe a recrding as sn as pssible fllwing an ral histry interview, while the infrmatin is fresh in the interviewer s mind. Transcriptins are a written versin f the audi recrding and shuld be as clse t verbatim as pssible. Identify the interviewer and interviewee at the start f their cmments by typing their name in blded capital letters, fllwed by a cln (SMITH:). Occasinally, include the minute and secnd r the meter reading n the recrder t indicate key pints during the interview and the general flw f the recrding. D nt crrect sentence structure, grammar, r usage. Omit filler expressins such as um r ah, but include such expressins as um-hum r uh-uh when used t mean yes r n in respnse t specific questins. Indicatins f pauses r emtins shuld be included in the transcript. Fr example, if the interviewee laughs fr an extended perid f time, r pauses due t emtins r t cnsider an answer, include this infrmatin in parentheses: (pause) r (interviewee is mved t tears). Be sure t include fundamental infrmatin in a transcript, including the interviewer s name; interviewee s name, title (if applicable), and club; date; cassette tape number(s); and page number(s). When the transcript is cmplete, cntact the interviewee with any fllw-up questins r spelling inquiries. Yu may wish t give a cpy f the transcript t the interviewee fr final review, but be sure t explain that the transcript must accurately reflect the recrding. Be especially careful during the transcriptin prcess, as cntent and meaning can get lst as infrmatin is transferred frm the recrding t the transcript. The transcriber must remain impartial and sensitive t the interviewee s experiences and reflectins. WHRC Guidelines fr Recrding Oral Histry Page 4 f 6

5 This frm, r a frm with similar cntent, shuld be given t the interviewee prir t an ral histry interview. The purpse f this frm is t prvide backgrund infrmatin n which the interviewer can build a slid list f interview questins. Furthermre, this frm will be preserved with any/all crrespnding ral histry materials and prvide basic bigraphical infrmatin n the interviewee easily accessible t future researchers. Interviewee Name Address Club Affiliatin(s): List club name, city, and state; include dates f affiliatin. Awards/Hnrs: List any awards and/r hnrs received frm natinal, state, r lcal GFWC clubs. Please include the date these awards and/r hnrs were received. Additinal Infrmatin: Please prvide any additinal infrmatin and/r significant events that shuld be nted in this basic bigraphical sketch. WHRC Guidelines fr Recrding Oral Histry Page 5 f 6

6 This is an agreement between the interviewer and the interviewee, each f the undersigned persn referred t herein as interviewee and interviewer. In cnsideratin f having the ral histry infrmatin prvided by interviewee, and including the audi and/r visual recrdings and any/all crrespnding transcripts cntaining such infrmatin, becme part f the (club name), and fr ther gd and valuable cnsideratin, the interviewee agrees t assign t the (club name), all rights, title, and interest in such infrmatin and the audi and/r visual recrdings and any/all crrespnding transcripts and materials cntaining such infrmatin; prvided, hwever, that nthing in this agreement shall prhibit the interviewee frm using the infrmatin fr his/her wn nncmmercial purpses. It is distinctly understd by interviewee that it is the interviewee s purpse and intentin t vest all the incidence f abslute wnership f the prperty, including any patents, cpyrights r trademarks, in the _ (club name), frm this time frward. Interviewee: Name Address Telephne Number Date Signature Interviewer: Name Address Telephne Number Date Signature: Received by (representative f the GFWC club, state federatin, r GFWC-WHRC): Name/Title Date WHRC Guidelines fr Recrding Oral Histry Page 6 f 6