Date of Award:

5-1973

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

History

Committee Chair(s)

S. George Ellsworth

Committee

S. George Ellsworth

Committee

Leonard J. Arrington

Committee

C. Blythe Ahlstrom

Abstract

By use of oral history techniques, about fifty persons, in eleven occupations, who had lived in Weber County during the Great Depression, who were interviewed concerning their life experiences during the depression. Tape recordings were made and transcriptions were taken from the tapes. These transcripts were presented to each person interviewed for approval. A signed statement granting permission to place transcripts in the Library at Utah State University and The Utah Historical Society was secured from each interviewee.

From this study it became evident: 1. The memory of man is not always accurate in detail information, yet has great capacity in the general area. 2. Several persons must be interviewed before a reliable conclusion can be drawn concerning an event. 3. People enjoy talking about past events in which they participated. 4. Preservation of the tape is vital in that it conveys much more than one can hope to be preserved in the written transcript; his vocal tone and change in the intensity with which he speaks reveal his special convictions and his biases. 5. The memory of past events, a most valuable historical resource, is being lost at a rapid rate through death and advanced age.

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