Transcript
Index
00:00:00 - Introduction to the
project and Ralph & Mary Wardle.
00:02:35 - What the university was like when they arrived in Omaha.
00:04:10 - Mary’s first impressions of Omaha and the university; mentions Margaret and James Earl.
00:05:16 - Ralph’s previous teaching experience.
00:06:14 - Left the
University of Omaha for Cornell but came back two years
later during World War II.
00:07:43 - What the academic program was like during Professor Wardle’s early
years at OU and the changes that he sought.
00:09:40 - OU expansion began following World War
II; hiring new staff and faculty.
00:10:45 - Memorable OU people and experiences from the early years.
00:13:17 - What the English program was like in the early years.
00:14:53 - Involvement of Mary Wardle in the OU Women’s Club; mentions
Head Librarian Ellen Lord.
00:16:19 - Reflecting upon the OU community during the 1940s.
00:17:38 - OU social gatherings over the years and how such events have
changed.
00:18:14 - Ralph Wardle's philosophy of teaching and what led him to be a
teacher.
00:20:54 - Mary Wardle speaks about Ralph’s daily preparation for teaching.
00:21:48 - Memorable people over the years; mentions Alice Smith, Edgar Holt,
and Ellen Lord.
00:24:34 - How the library and university in general grew and changed.
00:25:45 - Research and travelling on the east
coast.
00:26:56 - Discussed Ralph Wardle's writing
—
Mary helped with his research.
00:28:12 - Ralph and Mary spent a great deal of time in Europe on research trips.
00:29:00 - Ralph’s salary when he began teaching at the University of Omaha.
00:29:36 - Ralph’s emphasis upon and interests in teaching William Shakespeare.
00:31:30 - Ralph’s work on the biography on
Mary Wollstonecraft.
00:37:34 - Memorable OU people over the years, including Professors Benjamin Boyce, Christopher Espinoza, Wilfred Payne,
James Earl, and T. Earl Sullenger.
00:45:51 - Memorable people from the English Department, including
Professors Benjamin Boyce, Claude Henry, and Robert Harper.
00:46:50 - Ralph’s position as a Chair of the Department of English.
00:49:13 - Returning to full-time teaching after stepping down as English Chair.
00:49:50 - Reflections on students and their impact over the years.
00:51:35 - How students have changed and how UNO students compare to
those of other universities.
00:53:39 - Strategies for becoming an effective teacher.
00:55:23 - Retirement from UNO and Ralph’s current position at Creighton University.
00:58:06 - Thank you and conclusion.
