Oral history interview with Norman Forsythe conducted by Bill Cunningham on March 04, 1978 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Forsythe discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada and joining the City of Las Vegas and Clark County Fire Departments. He also goes into detail about fighting the fire at the El Rancho Vegas in 1960 and his responsibilities as a battalion chief. The interview concludes with Forsythe talking briefly about his family’s recreational activities and his experience as a baseball coach.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Grant Sawyer conducted by Perry Kaufman on May 12, 1972 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Sawyer discusses his campaign for Governor of Nevada and the differences between northern Nevada and southern Nevada social life. He then describes winning the election for Governor, the gaming industry, and explains why gaming was significant to his political career. Lastly, Sawyer discusses the Nevada Gaming Commission before and after he was Governor, and actions that he took against organized crime.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Liz Butler conducted by David Schwartz on September 27, 2010 for the UNLV Libraries Oral History Collection. Butler explains that she has worked as a cocktail waitress at the El Cortez Hotel and Casino since the early 1970s. She describes what the casino was like, the types of entertainment, and the less developed nature of North Las Vegas, Nevada during this early period. She also talks about the level of racial prejudice that existed in Las Vegas, something that she compared unfavorably to her hometown of Newark, New Jersey. Finally, she discusses the details of her job, good and bad bosses, problems with customers, and how she deals with underage patrons.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Leni H. Proctor conducted by Jennifer Blankingship on May 16, 2002 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Proctor reflects upon her experience as a principal in Nevada’s Clark County School District (CCSD). She describes the process by which she became a teacher in Las Vegas, Nevada, and later became principal of Helen J. Stewart School. She also discusses her experiences as a female, and how these experiences shaped her approach to school administration, teacher-principal relationships, and interactions with parents. She also provides her opinion on standardized testing, curriculum changes, and what she believes makes an effective school administrator.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Judy K. Cameron conducted by Evan Polili on April 19, 2004 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Cameron reflects upon her 30-year career as a teacher and administrator with the Clark County School District (CCSD) from the 1960s to the 1990s. She describes her regular job duties, challenges she faced, and training experiences that she feels were the most beneficial to her career. She also describes her experience as an assistant principal at Bonanza High School, and how the experience prepared her for principalship. She also offers her opinions of the contemporary standing of CCSD, and challenges from overcrowded classrooms.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Richard "Monte" Bay conducted by Peter Brown on November 14, 2006 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Bay reflects upon his career as a teacher and administrator with the Clark County School District (CCSD) from the 1980s to the time of the interview. Originally from Nevada, he describes his upbringing and pursuit of education, how he became a teacher, and eventually a principal. He discusses his regular job responsibilities and challenges that he faced with school overcrowding. He also describes his approach to leadership, and how his approach changed working at high schools such as Coronado High School.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Elaina Blake conducted by Claytee D. White and Stefani Evans on September 19, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. Blake discusses being the first woman elected to head the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. She also discusses serving as vice chairman and chairman of the Clark County Planning Commission. Blake then talks about her involvement with the United Way, saving the YMCA from closure, and the Focus School Project in 1989. She then discusses working with major local builders such as Pageantry Homes, Heers Brothers, and Christopher Homes. Blake lastly discusses creating Blake and Associates and becoming became a real estate developer.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Aquiles Garcia conducted by Claytee D. White on January 10 and February 20, 2015 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Garcia discusses the political atmosphere and risks of being gay in Juan Perón’s Argentina in the 1940s, Las Vegas, Nevada life in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and his dual Las Vegas careers as a dancer and a casino dealer throughout the second half of the twentieth century.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Toni Carter conducted by Irene Rostine on March 06, 1992 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Carter discusses working as a researcher for Basic Magnesium Inc. in Henderson, Nevada during World War II. Carter then talks about being laid off after the war, but returning to work for the plant when management changed. Carter describes her research in working to create combustible formulas for incendiary bombs. Carter also talks briefly about working conditions for researchers.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Jack W. Zunino conducted by Stefani Evans and Claytee D. White on August 20, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Zunino tells of his employment with G.C. Wallace Engineering and JMA architects before founding his own landscape architecture firm in 1989. Additionally, Zunino discusses the evolution of landscape architecture in casino design.
Archival Collection