Jane Jones: Ideal Person with a Purpose
Written by: Alice Smith
Trinity Episcopal Church, Tulsa, OK
March, 1998
Retain a copy for your parish and one for the person interviewed.
Several copies are distributed by the EWHP Chair. Send these copies and all other materials listed below to:
| Dr. Kathleen J. M. Haynes | |
| 1508 Pecan Ave. | |
| Norman, OK 73072-5747 |
Please contact me for additional information or suggestions.
| Email: khaynes@ou.edu | |
| 405-366-0043 (h) | |
| 405-255-2794 (cell) |
Please use the website of the Episcopal Women’s History Project for ideas and extensive resources http://www.ewhp.org.
Although the interview should not follow a rigid schedule, it does need some
structure. Roughly, it should proceed in chronological order, although the
respondent's memories may not identify dates as benchmarks. Chronology, to
maintain consistency among your collection of histories, may be a matter of
later editing. Do bring up topics which the respondent may not have thought
to mention, and ask exploratory questions to aid in learning specialties that
would not otherwise be mentioned. The respondent's paths of association
regarding her life will provide the individuality that you seek in her story.
A good rule of thumb for judging whether the interview is successful is to be
sure the respondent's conversation is much more extensive than your questions.
Consider questions along the following lines, while recognizing that these are
only for guidance. If the respondent is following along these lines, specific
questions may not need to be asked.
(Provided by the Southern Oral History Program during a seminar in June, 1998)
Photographs, and clips from audio and/or video tapes can be used with the written transcript on site. Compilers of the interviews and oral histories should save all their materials and discuss them with the EWHP Chair. It is appropriate that we retain the word processed files, digital photographs, analog or digital tapes, and video tapes.
The Archives of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Oklahoma is the official repository for the records of the Episcopal Church Women in the Diocese. Agreements are being created so the copy currently retained by the Oklahoma EWHP Chair will become part of the ECW records in the Diocese of Oklahoma.
The copies deposited with the Archives of the Episcopal Church in Austin, Texas, are found in two record groups:
I. Organizational Records
II. Historical Collections
Series 1: Oral Histories (both audio tape and transcription)
Series 2: Oral Interviews (transcriptions only).
You can read more about the EWHP collections and materials held by the archives at http://www.episcopalarchives.org/ewhp.html.
Mark J. Duffy, Director of Archives of the Episcopal Church is willing to accept copies of our audio and/or video tapes for retention and protection in the archives. These are a rich resource of additional information that can be used with the written transcript on site.
The goals and vision of the national project are implemented in the Diocese of Oklahoma. We recognize the valuable contributions of women in local churches. Some have been congregational founders, working long before their first priest was called. Others have prevented the extinction of their small churches, and many have given years of service in a variety of church roles. We dare not forget the remarkable deeds and pioneering spirit of our foremothers. To preserve these achievements, we encourage every congregation to gather oral histories, conduct interviews, and prepare personal histories on the women who are significant in local parishes and missions. Writing your own story is perfectly acceptable; several women have written the stories of their mothers. Please help make the EWHP in the Diocese of Oklahoma the history of all of our women and increase awareness of the ethnic, racial, and class diversity of women in the Episcopal Church. Guidelines and other advice are available from the Project Coordinator listed above and the ECW website http://www.texhoma.net/~ecw_ok/.