North Dakota Homemaker’s Council. Oral History Project. Memories of North Dakota Homemakers Records
Collection
Identifier: Mss 262- Tapes 361-514, 518-536, 565-579
Scope and Contents
The records of the North Dakota Extension Homemakers Council’s Memories of North Dakota Homemakers Oral History Project consist of administrative files, tapes and transcripts of the interviews, original versions of the various chapters in the books, original versions of chapters that were not included in the books, and copies of the three books that were created by the project. This collection has been organized into five series: Administrative files, County transcripts, Unused chapters, Chapters, and Books.
The Administrative Files Series consists of general information, financial papers, lists of interviewers and sources, copyright material, Centennial Commission grant papers, the script of a slide show presentation about the project, newspaper articles, workshop material and correspondence.
The County Transcripts Series consists of 152 oral histories tapes, and transcripts, conducted for this project. The oral histories were recorded between November 1985 and April 1986 and done by local women within each county. The files are organized alphabetically by county, then by the name of the woman interviewed. There is a typed transcription in the woman’s file, unless so noted in the contents listing, and also a biographical sheet and copyright release for the taped interview. The original corresponding cassette tapes have been placed in the archives cassette tape collection. The tape’s number is listed with the name of persons interviewed.
The Unused Chapters Series consists of versions of chapters that ultimately were not used in the books. Themes for these chapters include “poems,” “sewing” and “holidays.”
The Chapters Series consists of early versions of the chapters that were included in the books. These chapter versions are organized as they occur in the three books. These early versions show the editorial revision and other changes that were made to complete the books.
The Books Series contains one copy of each of the three books that the project produced. The books are Sods, Logs and Tarpaper, Clothes Lines, Party Lines, and Hem Lines, and Courtin’ Cookin’ and Castor Oil.
Dates
- 1985-1990.
Creator
- Sagness, Arlene. (Person)
Access
The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Institute.
Copyrights
Copyrights to this collection are held by the Institute for Regional Studies.
History
The North Dakota Extension Homemakers Council’s “Memories of North Dakota Homemakers” Oral History Project, modeled after the National Extension Homemakers Oral History Project, was begun in 1985. This oral history project was undertaken to preserve the memories of North Dakota homemakers. The project focused on homemakers in an effort to provide primary documentation of the changing role of North Dakota homemakers since the turn of the twentieth century. The project was sanctioned by the North Dakota Centennial Commission and funded by the North Dakota Humanities Council in conjunction with the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Arlene Sagness served as project director and editor of the three books that were created. In 1985 volunteers from all over North Dakota were trained to conduct interviews. The interviews were done from November of 1985 through April 1986. The interviews were conducted with older North Dakota homemakers. By June of 1988 the transcripts of those taped interviews had been edited into the first of three books create by the project: Sods, Logs and Tarpaper. Clothes Lines, Party Lines, and Hem Lines was published in 1989 and Courtin,’ Cookin’ and Castor Oil was published in 1990.
Extent
1.2 Linear Feet (1.2 linear ft.)
152 Audio Cassettes (152 cassette tapes.)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The records of the North Dakota Extension Homemakers Council’s Memories of North Dakota Homemakers Oral History Project document the memories of North Dakota homemakers across the state. The files include administrative files, tapes and transcripts of interviews done in every North Dakota county, original versions of the books, original versions of chapters that were not included in the books, and copies of the three books that were created by the project.
Provenance
Donated by North Dakota Extension Homemakers Council, 1992 (Acc. 2303), additional tapes donated by Donna Lipp, 2013 (Acc. 2013-021irs
Property rights
The Institute for Regional Studies owns the property rights to this collection.
- Clothes lines, party lines and hem lines.
- Courtin', cookin' & castor oil.
- Farm life -- North Dakota -- History.
- Frontier and pioneer life -- North Dakota.
- Home economics -- North Dakota -- History.
- Housewives -- North Dakota -- History.
- Memories of North Dakota homemakers.
- Oral histories.
- Sods, logs and tarpaper.
- Transcripts.
- Women -- North Dakota -- Biography.
Creator
- Sagness, Arlene. (Person)
- North Dakota Extension Homemakers Council. Oral History Project. (Organization)
- North Dakota Extension Homemakers Council. (Organization)
- Title
- Finding Aid to the North Dakota Homemaker’s Council, Oral History Project, Memories of North Dakota Homemakers Records
- Description rules
- Appm
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Institute for Regional Studies Repository
Contact:
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu