Oral history interview with Walter V. Long conducted by Tracy Tillander on March 24, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In the interview, Long discusses his experiences as a high school grammar teacher, assistant principal, and principal in Las Vegas, Nevada. Long also discusses his early life and teaching in Pioche, Nevada; Panaca, Nevada; and Tonopah, Nevada.
On February 8, 1977, Mark Lucas interviewed Edmund “Ed” Fleming (born 1915 in Virginia, Minnesota) about his experience in Southern Nevada. Fleming first talks about his moves to and from Nevada before describing the mining practices within the small towns in Southern Nevada. He also talks about his experience as a teacher in Pahrump and Goodsprings and his eventual move to Las Vegas, where he continued in the educational field. Fleming also talks about religion, transportation, funding for education, inflation, and cultural arts as they all relate to Las Vegas.
Oral history interview with Dr. Emmell J. “E. J.” Beech conducted by Salvatore Maranto on November 27, 2006 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Dr. Beech reflects upon his career as an elementary and middle school teacher and administrator in California. He discusses how he entered education, his experiences desegregating schools in multiple school districts, and his approach to school administration.
Oral history interview with Alice Wisdom conducted by Elizabeth Goodman on October 13, 2003 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Wisdom reflects upon her career as a teacher and administrator in Texas and Nevada. She describes the process by which she first became a teacher in Texas, and then the Bahamas in the 1970s. She then discusses how she was hired to teach in Nevada’s Clark County School District in 1979 before eventually being appointed as principal of various elementary and middle schools. She describes her approach to school administration and working relationships, and discusses colleagues who impacted her throughout her career.
The Walter V. Long Photographs consist of three black-and-white photographic prints and corresponding negatives dating from approximately 1923 to 1966. The photographs include two formal portraits of Walter V. Long and one image of him as a teacher with the Tonopah High School Band in Southern Nevada.
Oral history interview with Dr. Mervin R. Iverson conducted by Mary Gipp on April 14, 2003 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Dr. Iverson reflects upon his career as a teacher and administrator with Nevada’s Clark County School District (CCSD) from the 1960s to the 1990s. He describes the process by which he became a teacher and eventually an administrator, his working relationship with teachers and other administrators, and his experiences with school integration. He also discusses his experience working at a high school in Saudi Arabia, and how it compared to working in the United States.
Oral history interview with Robert Alfaro conducted by Iseel Lorello on April 21, 2006 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Robert Alfaro discusses his career in education in Fort Stockton, Texas. He describes his upbringing, his route to becoming a teacher, and his philosophies of education that eventually led to his role as principal. He discusses his job duties as principal, and provides advice for individuals considering educational principalship.
Oral history interview with Eva G. Simmons conducted by Khary D. Black on May 04, 2004 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Simmons reflects upon her 27 years as an administrator with Nevada’s Clark County School District (CCSD). She describes the process by which she became a teacher and eventually an administrator, and discusses the significance of the Teacher Advisory Committee in the development of her philosophy of school administration. She discusses student ethics, corporal punishment, cultural diversity, and bilingual programs within the school district, in addition to challenges that she faced from public entities and parents.
On March 3, 1978, Monica Lehman interviewed Clark Crocker (born 1920 in Westfield, Massachusetts) about his experiences while living in Nevada. Crocker first talks about his family and educational background before describing his experiences from going to school in both California and Massachusetts. Crocker then describes what he knows about the building of Hoover Dam and later talks about his career as a teacher and school principal. The two also discuss Crocker’s hobbies and volunteer work, including that for the fire department in Pahrump, and they later discuss Crocker’s experiences as both a frogman and navigator for the United States Navy during World War II. The interview concludes with some of Crocker’s thoughts and philosophies on how curriculum should be structured in schools.
Another member of Rancho High School's first graduating class of 1962, Allin Chandler charted a course that took him from school football to a distinguished career as a teacher, principal, and Executive Director for the Clark County Association of School Administrators. Allin moved to Las Vegas from Texarkana, Texas with his mother in 1958, joining his father who was serving in the Air Force and stationed at Nellis AFB. Starting 9th grade at J.D. Smith Junior High and continuing on to Rancho the following year. Still actively involved in school athletics, Allin quickly discovered his talent and love for maths and science and eventually earned his degree in math and education. The stories Allin shares in this interview paint a vivid picture of how an intelligent and motivated young man can succeed - and how the class-free world of Las Vegas in the 1950s and 60s offered opportunities that he would never have had in class-conscious world of the South.