Oral history interview with Roger Bryan conducted by Paul Murphy on February 27, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Bryan, who was the principal of Harvey Dondero Elementary School at the time of the interview, mainly discusses his background in education and his experiences teaching at various schools around Southern Nevada. Bryan mentions several of the cities he lived in prior to coming to Las Vegas, Nevada as well as the various parts of town he lived in after arriving. He also talks specifically about the schools he attended in Las Vegas, superintendents in charge of the district, his decisions while on the school board, the extent of vandalism in schools, and how the school district has changed over the years. Bryan finalizes the interview with a discussion of the most influential teachers he had when he was a student.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Janet Savalli conducted by Irene Rostine on September 21, 1996 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Savalli begins her interview by discussing her move to Las Vegas, Nevada as a child in 1945. Savalli then goes on to discuss her 46 year long career at the Southern Nevada Telephone Company. She describes rising through the company starting as an operator and ending as a community relations coordinator. Savalli discusses the company's merger with Sprint and the changes this brought about including the creation of a union and wage and benefits changes. Savalli ends her interview by talking about atomic testing, and how the testing grew to be a part of Las Vegas culture at the time.
Archival Collection
Patricia 'Pat' Merl plans for college did not materialized after graduation from a New Jersey high school in the late 1960s. Instead she took a receptionist job. The by the age of 19, it was her interest in dance classes that would lead her to audition to be a professional dancer for the Rockettes of Radio City Music Hall fame. Her days and weeks were filled with rigorous rehearsals and performances, but it was also an exciting time for a young and spirited girl. A side trip to Las Vegas in 1971 during her first ever vacation opened her to a new world of possibilities for a professional dancer. So without a job, she decides to remain in Las Vegas and explore the options. It became the beginning of a wide and varied career in the live entertainment industry. Pat's dancing resume includes working in many of the Las Vegas chorus lines of the 1970s, provides a flavor of what the work was like then and how it changed during the era. She includes the story of Frank Rosenthal and
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Oral history interview with Jacque Dvorak conducted by Barbara Tabach on March 9, 2017 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview, Dvorak discusses being a member of Jewish youth organizations at Temple Beth Sholom, early episodes of antisemitism, the opening of MGM Grand, and raising Jewish children in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Eleanor Scholl conducted by Ryk Galloway on March 13, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Scholl discusses her experiences living in Las Vegas, Nevada. She talks about the changes in Las Vegas since the 1950s, and the Helldorado parade.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Thalia Dondero conducted by Claytee D. White on 2014 March 6 and April 2 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In her interview Dondero discusses community organizing in early Las Vegas, Nevada during the 1960s. Dondero also talks about her time in the state legislature.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Lawrence Weekly conducted by Claytee D. White on April 22, 2013 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Lawrence Weekly discusses growing up on the Westside during the 1970s and 1980s, becoming a City Councilman starting in 1999, and becoming a Clark County Commission.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Tony Scodwell conducted by Lisa Gioia-Acres on September 29, 2008 for the All That Jazz Oral History Project. In this interview, Tony Scodwell discusses going to the Berklee School of Music, playing across the world, playing in Las Vegas, Nevada, and eventually settling down in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Robert Maxson conducted by David Emerson on May 15, 2007 for the UNLV @ 50 Oral History Project. In this interview Robert Maxson, the president of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas from 1984 to 1994 discusses securing funding for an engineering school, facilitating its accreditation, and obtaining funding for an honors program.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Gary Pratt conducted by Ron Reda on March 16, 1978 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Pratt discusses the growth of early Southern Nevada. He talks about population growth, economic changes, and crime in early Las Vegas, Nevada.
Archival Collection