Oral history interview with Rose and Mark Oatis conducted by Claytee D. White, Anna Frederick, and Remy Chwae on June 10, 2017 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Rose and Mark discuss their upbringings and early interest in art. Mark talks about the significance of sign and signboards, sign design, and the founding of the Letterheads. He talks about sign painting in Las Vegas, Nevada, education on sign painting, and modern graphic design. Lastly, Rose and Mark discuss the regional styles of sign painting in various cities of the country.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Karin Sporn conducted by Claytee D. White on May 25, 2023 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. Karin Sporn grew up in Germany when her father was a member of Hitler's army. As a young woman, she converted to Judaism, and she shares how it was a difficult path. Much of her study and sacred rituals were done in Israel, and she shares that many signs along the way gave her encouragement, and she learned from others around her in Israel who shared their stories with Sporn. Eventually, her travel business brought her to Las Vegas, Nevada. After selling her and her husband's business, Sporn discusses how she was then free to volunteer for Jewish and civic organizations, and the leisure to sculp and to write her memoir, Just Peek Over the Fence.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Marina Beltran Decaro conducted by Frank Murillo on March 27, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Decaro discusses the history of Las Vegas, Nevada’s first Mexican restaurant. She recalls the first atomic bomb test in Las Vegas and also offers an overview of the growth of the area.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Dr. William Larkin conducted by Ann Larkin on February 10, 2001 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Dr. Larkin reflects upon his career as a middle and high school teacher and administrator in Wisconsin. He discusses different schools and universities that he taught at before becoming a principal, challenges that he faced as a new principal, and life experiences that shaped his approach to education. He describes his experiences working with culturally diverse schools, standardized testing, and school violence, and highlights elements of his training that best prepared him for his career. He also provides his opinion on contemporary topics within the education system, such as curriculum changes, salaries, and school board oversight.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Reverend Caesar Caviglia conducted by Susan Hanley on March 14, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Caviglia discusses the relationship between Catholic Schools in Las Vegas, Nevada. He also talks about the need for education in Henderson, Nevada and federal senior housing.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Robert Alton Thielke conducted by his grandson, Harry Stephen Lauer, on March 12, 1975 and an unknown date in 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In these interviews, Thielke discusses his personal history working for railroads, gas companies, and munitions manufacturers before moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1948. Thielke describes life in Las Vegas during the 1940s and taking road trips in a Ford Model T roadster. He talks about how Las Vegas has changed and grown, as well as rodeos in the city. Thielke explains the history of Henderson, Nevada, manganese mining, and the history of Stewart Ranch. He also describes his recreational activities and explains that he moved out of west Las Vegas because of the increase of African Americans living in that area.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Joyce Bush conducted by Claytee D. White on September 20, 1995 for the UNLV University Libraries Oral History Collection. In this interview, Bush discusses the formation of her non-profit organization, International Youth for Christ Choir. She explains that she developed the idea in 1994, based on the "True Love Waits" abstinence program of the Baptist Church. She explains how the organization was formed, the process of building a board of directors, ideas about fundraising, publicity, and soliciting donations, attracting youth to the organization, her hopes for the future of the organization, and the reasons corporate sponsorship was unlikely because they tend not to support religious groups.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Arthur Williams Jr. conducted by Claytee D. White on April 19, 2011 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Williams discusses his employment with Reynolds Electric and Engineering Company and his career in law. He talks about his experience as an African American in law school, aiding African American and Hispanic students getting into law school, and the establishment of the Las Vegas Chapter of the National Bar Association (LVNBA).
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Michael Don Fraser conducted by Claytee D. White on September 15, 2017 and September 29, 2017 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In the first interview, Fraser discusses his early life in Osage County, Oklahoma. He talks about being a member of the Boy Scouts of America, attending the University of Tulsa, and his early interest in paper preservation. Fraser recalls working at his first conservation laboratory and repairing books. In the second interview, Fraser discusses digitization in his field of work, and the process of determining what items are worth repairing.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Herbert and Erma Holtam conducted by Marc Hechter on February 7, 1976 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. This interview covers the history of the early Las Vegas, Nevada area. The discussion includes an in-depth overview of the Helldorado Parade and Helldorado Village. The building of the hotels on the Strip, homesteading, and local housing developments, are also discussed.
Archival Collection