Joseph Thiriot is a longtime Las Vegas resident who served the community as an educator. He was born in 1906 in Provo, Utah; one of five sons bom to George W. and Elvira Thiriot. He has vivid memories of moving about, including living in Idaho where his father sold a typing machine , a forerunner to the typewriter. Eventually the family moved to a ranch in Pahranagat Valley, Nevada, where the limits of educational opportunities compelled his paients to send him back to Provo to finish his education while living with family there. Gaining a teaching certificate enabled Joseph to teach in rural Nevada. He completed his degree at the University of Utah and after meeting Las Vegas Superintendent Maude Frazier he relocated to Las Vegas to become a teacher. He reminisces about his life and the changes that have occurred over the years in Las Vegas.
Oral history interview with Cassidy Wertheimer conducted by Barbara Tabach on June 18, 2020 for The Great Pause: Las Vegas Chronicles of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Cassidy is a math teacher at Southeast Career Technical Academy; she discusses her family, personal history, and her educational philosophy from both a teacher and parent perspective with particular regard to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Oral history interview with Susan B. Brand conducted by Judith Kelly on November 20, 2004 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Brand discusses her upbringing in South Dakota, and her attendance at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She discusses how she worked with the Clark County School District as a switchboard operator, teacher, human relations consultant, assistant principal at Rancho High School, and principal at multiple elementary schools. She discusses her personal philosophy of educational administration, her job duties as assistant principal and principal, and offers suggestions on how to be a successful principal. She also discusses her integration efforts that promoted diversity in the classroom.
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.
The black and white view of a group of men in attendance when the Assembly Bill 443 was signed into law by Govener Mike O' Callaghan. From left to right, the men include Don Perry, Nevada Retired Teachers Association; Elbert Edwards, Chairman of the Public Employees Retirement Board; Nellie Laird; and Orvis Reil, American Association of Retired Persons and National Retired teachers Association.
R. Ian Ross talks about his family moving to Las Vegas, Nevada from Los Angeles, California and working at the Sands Hotel and Casino as a busboy. He then discusses starting a law firm with Jerry Snyder and Oscar Goodman, starting his own law firm, serving as an assemblyman, investing in real estate, and serving as president of the North Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. Irmalee discusses her family moving to Las Vegas from Reno, Nevada, being an active member of various social organizations, and working as a teacher.
Oral history interview with Dr. Frank Lamping conducted by Karen Bennett and Nancy Heavey on July 23, 2001 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Lamping reflects upon his roughly 30-year career as a teacher and administrator with Nevada’s Clark County School District. He discusses his opening of Thurman White Middle School, programs that were implemented such as computer classes, and challenges that were faced with curriculum changes and standardized programs. He also discusses his personal approach to education, and how his upbringing and experiences shaped his approach.