Great River Road, 2016

Browse Items (220 total)

  • Tags: education
Thumbnail Title Description Date Date Added
Vicky Siers Oral History Interview This oral history interview with Vicky Siers was part of oral histories conducted in the fall 2001 semester of History 447: Oral History.

Vicky Siers has lived most of her life in Lincoln Place and was born to Hungarian immigrant parents in the 1940s. In this interview, she describes her childhood, family history, the pride people from Lincoln Place have in their community and its diversity, and special community organizations such as the community center at Lincoln Place.
November 5, 2001 March 17, 2018
Betty Siemer Oral History Interview This oral history interview with Betty Siemer was part of oral histories conducted in the fall 2001 semester of History 447: Oral History.

Born in the 1940s, Betty Siemer talks about growing up in Alton, IL and witnessing the transformation of a small rural town to a budding suburban environment. She describes not only her life but also the changes to the downtown business district, movie theatres, and her experience working in funeral homes throughout the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.
October 16, 2001 March 17, 2018
Theresa and Ronald Petras Oral History Interview This oral history interview with Theresa and Ronald Petras was part of oral histories conducted in the fall 2001 semester of History 447: Oral History.

She recalled several childhood memories of life in Lincoln Place (e.g., taking a bath in a barrel, changing the way she wore her long underwear on the way to school), as well as some of the business people who traveled around the community (e.g., the rag man, the vegetable and fruit vendor, and the Iceman) and regular visits to her cousins' house. She also described several holiday traditions, particularly Easter.
October 25, 2001 March 17, 2018
"Granite High World" School Newspapers for the 1942-43 School Year This volume is a collection of the 14 editions of the Granite High World, the newspaper of Granite City High School, published in the 1942-43 school year.

For yearbooks throughout the rest of the 20th and early 21st centuries, see Granite City Yearbooks published online by the Six Mile Regional Library.
October 2, 1942 to May 21, 1943 March 15, 2018
"Granite High World" School Newspapers for the 1941-42 School Year This volume is a collection of the 13 editions of the Granite High World, the newspaper of Granite City High School, published in the 1941-42 school year.

For yearbooks throughout the rest of the 20th and early 21st centuries, see Granite City Yearbooks published online by the Six Mile Regional Library.
October 3, 1941 to May 1, 1942 March 15, 2018
"Granite High World" School Newspapers for the 1940-41 School Year This volume is a collection of the 14 editions of the Granite High World, the newspaper of Granite City High School, published in the 1940-41 school year.

For yearbooks throughout the rest of the 20th and early 21st centuries, see Granite City Yearbooks published online by the Six Mile Regional Library.
October 4, 1940 to May 22, 1941 March 15, 2018
Andreas Matoesian Oral History Interview This oral history interview with Andreas Matoesian was part of oral histories conducted in the fall 2001 semester of History 447: Oral History.

Mr. Matoesian is a first-generation American. His father emigrated from Armenia in 1920 and settled in Lincoln Place Granite city. He related a story about his father’s experience coming through Ellis Island. His mother emigrated a little earlier and first lived in Davenport Iowa and then Lincoln Place after they were married. Mr. Matoesian was born in Lincoln Place in 1937 and lived there for 21 years. Mr. Matoesian is a Judge in Madison County Illinois. He worked his way through school as a barber in his father’s barbershop in Lincoln Place. Mr. Matoesian voiced memories about going to the community center in somewhat of a pre-school or day school setting during his pre-school years. He further related, during his grade school years that all of the teachers were very nice. He states that as an adult he found that they, the teachers, had been handpicked due to their sensitivity to the diverse ethnic group. Mr. Matoesian states that he feels that sports is the great levelizer. Being active in sports allowed people to break through other barriers. Mr. Matoesian states that he feels the exposure to multiple ethnic groups made him a more tolerant person, a person more accepting and appreciative of differences. Mr. Matoesian and I spoke briefly about the Armenian Genocide and his thoughts on the lack of publicity and acknowledgement of this horrific event.
October 11, 2001 March 15, 2018
Tom Pile Oral History Interview In this oral history interview, Tom Pile discusses his career as the head baseball coach at Edwardsville High School and details how the baseball team became one of the most successful in the country. He describes the various awards that he won over his career, as well as the impact that coaching has had on his life. July 11, 2017 February 2, 2018
Charles Jackson  Oral History Interview In this oral history, Charles Jackson discusses his family's involvement with the Western Military Academy in Alton. He describes his experience of attending a military high school, as well as how the military academy prepped its cadets for careers in the service. He describes why the military academy was shut down, and later his career as an educator for Triad High School. July 16, 2017 February 2, 2018
Ed Hightower Oral History Interview In this oral history interview, Ed Hightower describes growing up as an African American in the South. He details the adversity he faced throughout his career in education, often being the only African American administrator within the district. He highlights his achievements at the Edwardsville superintendent and discusses his involvement with the Mannie Jackson Center for the Humanities. September 28, 2017 January 10, 2018