Stories of Elders
By Veronica Kirin
Anthropologist Veronica Kirin traveled 12,000 miles across the United States interviewing the Greatest Generation to document the high-tech revolution. This podcast shares clips from the interviews with elders and with strangers who are asked "how do you think technology is changing us?" The full study was published in the award-winning book "Stories of Elders: What the Greatest Generation Knows about Technology that You Don't."
Stories of EldersJan 25, 2023
00:00
10:05
Episode 48 - Shirley Tate
Used the well to chill butter and milk.
Shirley Tate passed away on December 31, 2020.
Jan 25, 202310:05
Episode 47 - Douglas Gale
Ran a scrap metal drive as a youth during WWII.
Nov 29, 202208:20
Episode 46 - Sylvia Gutierrez
Had to learn how to use a computer while working at a bank.
Sep 09, 202212:36
Episode 45 — Thelma Gale
Nov 12, 202107:41
Episode 44 — Br. Luke Robert Reddington
Grew up in New York City playing "city games" like kickball.
Nov 05, 202105:27
Episode 43 — Jim Hayes Jr.
Grew up cooking on a wood-burning stove.
Jim's interview is featured in the Stories of Elders Documentary that you can stream at www.storiesofelders.com.
Oct 29, 202106:10
Episode 42 — Esther Gould
Worked as a farm girl when she was 12 years old.
Oct 26, 202109:54
Episode 41 — Delores Duncan
Got her roller-skates through her dad's unique work connections.
Oct 21, 202107:53
Episode 40 — Kenny Ladner
Spent his childhood with nature as his playground.
Sep 10, 202109:15
Episode 39 — Wanda Moore
Was forced to resign from her job as an airline stewardess once she got engaged.
Sep 02, 202111:52
Episode 38 — Constantine 'Gus' Katsoris
Was a cobbler and survived Agent Orange while serving overseas. Gus passed away in August 2021.
Aug 19, 202110:47
Episode 37 — Mike Dubuque
Playtime was over when the streetlights turned on.
Jun 25, 202107:11
Episode 36 - Dot Hornsby
Flew airplanes using paper maps.
Jun 22, 202114:35
Episode 35 — Mershon Niesner
Look for the small moments.
Jun 03, 202007:33
Episode 34 — Dagmar Booth
Stayed up all night playing Atari.
May 29, 202009:11
Episode 33 — Virginia Sears
Grew up on a farm during the Great Depression.
Mar 23, 202008:52
Episode 32 — Chris Smith
Built boats.
Sep 15, 201904:58
Episode 31 — Betty Segal
"When I discovered the internet... I thought I'd died and gone to heaven."
Aug 27, 201910:54
Episode 30 — Tito Francona
"[Hank Aaron] spent time with me, explaining the dos and don'ts. His team didn't like that very much."
Jun 07, 201915:51
Episode 29 – Carol Ann Lesert
"We were poor, but we didn't know it."
Apr 22, 201933:39
Episode 28 — Bones
"I don't even think I own house keys."
Mar 30, 201915:60
Episode 27 – Bettilew Turk Gaskell
"She hadn't realized the new [technology] could get the job done."
Feb 27, 201910:51
Episode 26 — Ida Mae Harris
"If you listen, you learn."
Feb 04, 201906:38
Episode 25 — Barbara “Dolly” Markess
"It's a big wide world and we all need to get along."
Jan 29, 201907:38
Episode 24 – Virginia Ann House Veren
"Politics has changed... we never saw them."
Dec 21, 201807:38
Episode 23 – Barbara Blake
Believes family used to be closer.
Nov 26, 201808:21
Episode 22 – Adrienne Bard
Worries we have more conveniences, but not more time.
Nov 05, 201808:26
Episode 21 – Charlie Rusher
Learned about slavery.
Sep 20, 201806:10
Episode 20 – Onalee Jean Cable
Native American, grew up without amenities.
Sep 06, 201806:52
Episode 19 – Adele Jones
Wrote a book to preserve memories.
Sep 05, 201809:32
Episode 18 – Bob Johnson
Rode a wild bronco to school.
Sep 04, 201804:58
Episode 17 – Emma Lommasson
Born in 1911.
Mar 09, 201707:50
Episode 16 – Ann Atkin
Grew up in the dust bowl.
Feb 27, 201713:32
Episode 15 – Gerrie Powell
Handled formaldehyde in a salon.
Feb 23, 201750:00
Episode 14 – Edwin Gould
Built spy satellites.
Dec 20, 201611:16
Episode 13 – Ray Green
Doesn't like Facebook.
Dec 02, 201620:40
Episode 12 – Pauline Attisani
Sees technology as a segregator.
Dec 01, 201608:01
Episode 11 – Richard Paquin
Built a business knocking on doors.
Dec 09, 201514:12
Episode 10 – Sister Ardeth Plattie, OP
Went to prison for protesting nuclear weapons.
Dec 05, 201517:34
Episode 9 – Juanita Laush
Co-authored the first x-ray textbook.
Nov 27, 201516:42
Episode 8 – Madison and her Urban Farm
Lives on an urban farm.
Nov 25, 201506:08
Episode 7 – David Netterfield
Shot the breeze with his grandfather.
Nov 15, 201510:51
Episode 6 – Hal Royer
Grew up in the dust bowl.
Nov 12, 201509:24
Episode 5 – HJ Smith
Midland, Michigan Born 1942 “We refrigerate our food, so we don’t have to go to the market every day… then we never see our neighbors.” HJ Smith is a former teacher and has a reputation for a steel trap mind. Indeed, she remembers a song she heard on the radio years ago called “Kalvinator“. In […]
Nov 10, 201504:09
Episode 4 – John Wilkes Booth
New Orleans, LA Born 1945 “[I] worked on the Saturn V. That was a rocket and a half.” John Wilkes Booth is by far one of my favorite people. He has a twinkle in his eye and is always trying to make someone laugh. He is the self-proclaimed volunteer tour guide for those who came […]
Nov 08, 201508:38
Episode 3 – Hank Gamel
Rantoul, IL Born 1958 Hank Gamel is the Executive Director of Hope Meadows, a subsidiary of Generations of Hope. He oversees the retirement community which partners seniors with foster families, and has a view of both sides of the human age.
Nov 05, 201506:06
Episode 2 – Sonee Lapadot
Pioneered for women in the automotive industry.
Nov 03, 201507:37
Episode 1 – Virgil Westdale
Was discriminated against for being Japanese American.
Nov 03, 201513:01