Grange
Future
Oral History
Toolkit
Grange Oral History Toolkit
Presented by the Greenhorns
as part of Grange Future
www.thegreenhorns.net
www.grangefuture.org
Writing
Kate Bolofson
Jen Griffith
Alesia Maltz and her class of Antioch
University New England graduate students
Editor
Charlie Macquarie
Design
Nicole Lavelle
Printing
Publication Studio Hudson
publicationstudio.biz
Grange Future Team
Severine von Tscharner Fleming
Jen Griffith
Audrey Berman
Cleo Ulatowski
Kate Bolofson
Table of Contents
How to Use this Guide — 2
Part II: Interviewing and Recording Tips — 13
Introduction — 3
Part III: Issues in Oral History — 15
The Greenhorns — 3
Grange Future — 3
Part IV: Resources — 16
Grange Oral History Project — 4
Mission of the Grange — 5
Appendix — 18
History of the Grange — 6
Project Introduction Letter — 19
GOHP Informed Consent — 20
Part I: GOHP Interview Process — 7
Interview Guide and Questions — 21
Finding and Selecting Narrators — 7
Interview Checklist — 23
Scheduling Interviews — 8
Introductory Blurb Template — 24
Before the Interview — 9
Thank you card template — 26
During the Interview — 9
After the Interview — 10
Optional Tasks — 11
Determining Questions — 12
1
How to use this guide
Part I: Grange Oral History Project Interview Process, provides a detailed
guide to conducting interviews, including a simple set of instructions about preparation, interviewing, and following up with narrators.
Part II: Interviewing Tips, offers some core advice about interviewing. There are
many wonderful guides and articles on interviewing, so we don’t need to reinvent
the wheel. Please refer to the Resources section for a reading list and more resources
on interviewing.
Part III: Issues in Oral History, offers some background about oral history principles and best practices with a brief introduction to ethics around story collecting.
Part IV: Resources, gives links to additional information and articles about oral
history, interviewing, equipment, audio production, and Grange history. As an interviewer, please be sure to read through all of the short articles to further acquaint
yourself with the art of interviewing—oral history interviewing in particular. Doing
background research to understand something about Grange history and context
may be helpful, but it is not necessary. Bring to an interview your undivided attention, sympathy, and a curious mind.
In the Appendix are the documents for you to print out and use as a part of this
project, including an Interview Guide, Interview Checklist, Thank you card template, and the Project Introduction Letter and Oral History Release form.
2
Introduction
Welcome to the Grange Future Oral History Toolkit. This guide is intended for a
broad range of community members who want to collect oral histories about the
Grange in conjunction with the Greenhorns’ Grange Future project. While we have
developed this resource specifically for Grange Future, we hope that it will be useful
for other oral history projects as well.
Grange Future
The Greenhorns
The Greenhorns1 is a non-traditional grassroots Grange Future5 is a community history project of
organization with a diversity of collaborators. The Greenhorns exploring the Patrons of HusSince 2008, our mission has been to recruit, pro- bandry—a 150-year-old populist movement and
mote, and support the rising generation of sus- fraternal order commonly known as the Grange6.
tainable farmers. We are here to help envision, en- This project showcases the Granges and related
able, and enact a resilient regional farm economy organizations that work and organize in this
and to support serious entrepreneurship, agrari- spirit. We see the Granges as a vessel for futurist,
an culture, and cooperation. We do this through family-farm7-oriented community action8 with
community organizing in partnership with our their strong foundation in economic theory, resissister organizations: Agrarian Trust2, Farm Hack3, tance, and cooperation.
and National Young Farmers Coalition4. We produce relevant programming, video, radio, audio, We hope to provide an entry-point into the
web content, publications, events, and art proj- Grange movement, to revive the Grange spirit,
ects for and about America’s young farmers. We and to allow past movements to inform contembelieve in the future of the Grange movement. porary ones as we to reclaim the progressive politics of the Grange at the local and national levels.
We will examine and interpret the Grange movement in audio, visual, and written form while
gleaning the institutional wisdom from decades
1 www.thegreenhorns.net
2 www.agrariantrust.org
3 www.farmhack.net
4 www.youngfarmers.org
5 www.grangefuture.org
6 www.nationalgrange.org
7 www.nationalgrange.org/our-values/family-centric
8 www.nationalgrange.org/our-values/community-service
3
Grange Oral History Project
of agrarian organizing, and connecting with a
community tackling similar themes throughout
the nation. Community is the pre-condition for
action. If you feel inspired by the Grange, we
hope you will join in the convening, the kinship,
and the future-making.
A collaboration between young farmers and community and Grange members, the Grange Oral
History Project—GOHP—will collect oral history interviews of Grangers around the country.
These oral histories will be housed on the Grange
Future website and archived on the Internet
Archive9. Excerpts will be featured on the digital
Grange Sound Map, where users can click icons
on a web-based map to hear short stories drawn
from oral histories about the Grange. These
stories will also be shared in podcasts, public
presentations, and other creative media.
We seek to re-engage with the history of the
Grange and highlight its current activities, its
function in rural communities, and its deeply
held community values. Many Grangers are aging, and now is the time to document and preserve their wisdom and stories. The oral history
approach offers a powerful opportunity to honor
rural voices, wisdom, and experience, and facilitate the transfer of agricultural and community-based knowledge to future leaders in the new
agriculture movement. We are inspired by the
Grange’s past and interested in its future, and the
promise it may hold for strengthening the social
and political fabric of agricultural communities.
Our goal is to build connections between generations through storytelling and personal relationships, and to inspire young farmers to join
and fortify their local Granges. We hope that this
project will serve as a model for other organizations interested in exploring social movements
and values through oral history.
9 www.internetarchive.org
4
The Mission of the Grange
(written in 1867)
To develop a better and higher manhood and
womanhood among ourselves. To enhance
the comforts and attractions of our homes
and to strengthen our attachment to our pursuits. To foster mutual understanding and
cooperation. To maintain inviolate our laws
and to emulate each other in labor, to hasten
the good time coming. To reduce our expenses, both individual and corporate. To buy
less and produce more, in order to make our
farms self-sustaining. To diversify our crops
and to crop no more than we can cultivate.
To systematize our work and calculate intelligently on probabilities. To discountenance
the credit system, the mortgage system, and
every other system tending to prodigality
and bankruptcy.
5
About the Grange
economic issues. In a world that was becoming
increasingly complex—changing markets, commodity speculation, railroad monopoly, financial
panic and depression—the Grange emerged as a
powerful advocate for the political and economic
rights of farmers and rural communities, and as a
vital community gathering place.
Motto: “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials,
liberty; in all things, charity.”
The Grange has been responsible for a wide
variety of initiatives, including purchasing cooperatives, rural mail delivery and electrification,
anti-trust laws, and women’s suffrage. By 1875—
around the time of the precedent-setting Granger
anti-monopoly laws—the Grange had a membership of over 850,000. By the 20th century,
the Grange had mostly reverted to its original
mission of educational and social events, which
have sustained the organization to the present
day. The order, however, continues to advocate
for rural communities.
The Grange is a fraternal organization, and many
of its earliest members were Masons. The Grange
has a strong ritual history, and meetings include
officers, Degree work, stage decorations, and
sets. Due to the advocacy of Carrie Hall (Grange
founder Oliver Kelley’s niece), women have held
leadership roles in the Grange since its inception. The Grange is organized into local “subordinate” Grange chapters; “Pomona” Granges, a
group of subordinate Granges, usually by county; the State Grange; and the National Grange.
Each Grange level has its own Master.
Although the Grange, like the Masons, began
primarily as a social and educational organization for farmers, it evolved into a major political force. The National Grange was founded
in Washington, D.C. in 1867, largely through
the tireless efforts of one Minnesota farmer and
Department of Agriculture employee—Oliver
Hudson Kelley. Though organized nationally, the
Grange’s most important work happened at the
local level. Farmers who gathered at local Grange
Halls often voiced similar complaints about the
high rates charged by warehouses and railroads
to handle their grain, and they began to organize
for state and federal controls over these pivotal
To learn about Grange history from the National
Grange, visit: www.nationalgrange.org/OnePageGrangeHistory.pdf
6
Part I
Grange Oral History Project
Interview Process
We are here to help guide you through the process of finding Grange members and
conducting the oral history interviews. Your first step will be to review the contents of
the toolkit and familiarize yourself with the interview process, as well as the short list of
resources and articles on oral history, interviewing, and Grange history. We recommend
doing at least one practice oral history interview with a friend or family member before
you begin scheduling interviews for this project. Oral history is an open-ended, long form
interview method, revealing meaning and personal experience as well as facts. We believe
that it is a powerful tool for building relationships and connecting people, especially
across generations.
Plan for your oral history interviews to be 1–1.5 hours in length. If you find that you need
additional time, scheduling a second interview is a good option. Record your interview
using digital recorders in .WAV format at 16 bit (sample size), 44.1 kHz (sample rate, usually the default setting). If you need to borrow equipment from us, please let us know!
In order to ensure consistency across this far-flung project, please follow the instructions
for the interview process carefully. The Oral History Association’s Principles and Best
Practices for Oral History1 is one great resource for understanding the field of oral history
and interviewing techniques. If you have questions, do not hesitate to get in touch with us
at [email protected]
Finding and selecting narrators
While some Local and State Granges have websites, not all of them do. If you have
trouble locating Granges in or near your community, contact the National Grange, or
ask around at churches, the Rotary, and with older farmers. You can identify narrators
through Grange networks and reconnaissance conversations with subordinate and State
1 Principles and Best Practices for Oral History: www.oralhistory.org/about/principles-and-practices
See the Appendix for a short list of more great resources.
7
CHECKLIST
Before the Interview
¨¨ Practice with your equipment
and prepare by doing a trial oral
history interview with friends or
family before you conduct your
first interview. This will give you
confidence with the technology
so you do not fumble. Your discomfort will be catching and can
make your interviewee uncomfortable and embarrassed as well.
¨¨ Before your interview, send
(postal mail is best for elders) the
project introduction letter and
release form for the narrator to
review, along with a note identifying the date, place, and time
of the interview, as well as your
contact information.
¨¨ Call the narrator the day before
your scheduled interview to
remind them and ask if they have
any lingering questions—and to
get good directions!
¨¨ Do some background research
about your community Grange
and your interviewee. Prepare an
interview guide with topics and
questions to direct your interview
(samples follow in this Toolkit).
Grange masters. Call them up,2 explain the project, and ask them if they could suggest
Grange members to interview or if you could attend a Grange meeting, potluck, or
community lunch to meet people. Sometimes the Grange Master will prefer to introduce
you to a potential narrator, or even schedule the interview for you. The best case scenario
is that you are a new member of the grange, active and useful as a frequent volunteer and
contributor, that you are building trust with the elders, and have figured out the pecking
order and best voice to capture.
Feel free to ask if it’s ok to leave your recorder on during Grange social events when
you’re meeting people—you’ll find that valuable insights and interesting audio will
arise during impromptu conversations. In this case, please ask people to sign informed
consent forms if you think you’ll want to use or distribute audio from these informal
interviews. While we are particularly interested in interviewing elder Grangers, it’s still
useful to speak to any Grange member who has an interesting story or perspective.3
Scheduling interviews
Once you’ve made initial contact with a narrator through a mutual introduction or at a
Grange event, go ahead and schedule an interview. The interview should last 1-1.5 hours,
but set aside at least an additional hour or two. It’s a good idea to plan for an entire
morning or afternoon (3-4 hours)—you don’t want to have to cut the interview short or
be rushing off. Emphasize that the interview location must be quiet. If possible, schedule the interview at the narrator’s home—there’s often activity and bustle at Grange Halls
themselves, or they may be located on a loud and busy road in town, which compromises the recording.4 If you can truly ensure that there’s no activity happening at that
time at the Grange Hall, and it will be quiet, it’s a great place for an interview—offering
opportunities to talk about the building, its history, et cetera. If you’re conducting an
interview at a location other than your home or the narrator’s home, we recommend visiting in advance to get a sense of the acoustics and where and how you would like to set
up. A table with two chairs works best, giving you somewhere to place your equipment
and a surface on which to take notes—for which a clipboard is always useful as well.
2 You can also email but you may find that phone is often best, especially with elders.
3 These might include new farmers joining the Grange, someone of any age who grew up in
the Grange, or a non-Grange member familiar with Grange history or activities.
4 Sounds to watch out for: Heating systems, refrigerators, cars on busy roads, air conditioners,
fans, the radio, conversations in other rooms, and pets (especially dogs, cats, and children)
8
Before the interview
Before your interview, do a little scouting about your narrator and their local Grange.
Try to do a brief “pre-interview” over the phone or in person, and to find out a little bit
about them, their background, and their connection to the Grange. You can also ask
other people—Grange members or the local Grange Master—to tell you a little about
your narrator as well. Use these notes and background research to inform your interview
guide and questions, highlighting any themes, events, or stories that you want to ask
about during the interview. There is an Interview Guide as a part of this toolkit with some
sample questions—feel free to come up with others, even if you veer from this list during
CHECKLIST
The Day of the Interview
¨¨ Conduct a sound check by asking
about the weather today and listening back through headphones.
Ensure that you set your audio
levels and record in 44.1mHz/16
bit .WAV format
¨¨ Turn off your cell phone, or put it
in airplane mode! Any incoming
calls or texts will cause interference that will be very noticeable
in the recording
the interview itself. Look at the Guide and come up with some new questions or topics of
your own.
During the interview
It is important to ensure our interviewees feel safe and are treated with respect and
kindness throughout the interview process. Be on time, dress neatly, and express gratitude
for their willingness to participate in the Grange Future project. Take the time to find
the quietest spot possible, even if it means moving locations. Once you’ve exchanged
pleasantries and settled in—preferably at a table—explain the purpose of the project. Read
the project description together, go over the oral history Informed Consent form—which
the narrator should sign this after the interview—and answer any questions. Explain a
little bit about oral history, that it is an open-ended, collaborative method, interested in
personal meanings and experience. Also you can explain the interview itself—noting,
for example, that it will start with some biographical information. Mention anything else
about your interviewing style that the narrator may be unfamiliar with—silences, which
can be a powerful tool for reflection and eliciting stories, as an example.
Some people may be uncomfortable with the recording device/microphone. Your own
comfort level and attitude will influence theirs, so be well acquainted with the equipment. Introduce the narrator to the recording equipment, and point out the play and
pause buttons, letting them know that they can—or you will, if asked—pause or stop
the recording at any time. When you are ready to start the interview, do a sound check to
check for proper levels—asking about the weather is always a good bet. Record as strong
a signal as possible without clipping. The peak should be between -6dB and -12dB; if
clipping occurs, gently back the level down. On many recorders, the average volume
level should meet a little arrow on the display. When you are setting the volume be sure
that you’re adjusting the recording level, rather than the headphones level!
If the narrator is ready to begin, then you’re off! Please state the date, the location of
the interview, the name of narrator, and the interviewer’s name at the beginning of the
9
¨¨ Interviews should open with date,
place, and the names of interviewer and narrator: “My name
is Oliver Kelley. It’s February 14,
2015, and I’m here at the Whallonsburg Grange in Westport, NY.
I’m conducting an oral history
interview with Octavia Whitmore
about the Grange. Can you please
give your name and introduce
yourself for the tape?”
¨¨ All interviewers will ask these
three questions during the course
of the interview—these are good
closing questions:
— What is your vision for the
future of the Grange?
— What is the meaning of the
Grange to you?
— What knowledge would you
pass onto the next generation of
farmers in the area or the next
generation of Grangers?
¨¨ Snap a few portraits of the narrator with a good quality camera,
as well as the location of the
interview (Grange or home farm).
With permission, photograph any
Grange material or ephemera to
provide images for exhibits and
the Grange Future website.
¨¨ Bring a small gift (like baked
goods or a Greenhorns Almanac)
as a token of reciprocity.
CHECKLIST
After the Interview
•
Send or give narrators a thank
you card and CD of their oral
history. Please label the CD and
sleeve as follows with a permanent marker:
— Grange Oral History Project
— Date
— “Narrator Name” Oral History
Interview
— Length of interview
— Recorded for the Greenhorns
Grange Future by “Interviewer
Name”
¨¨ Send CD of oral history interview to the Subordinate Grange
Master your narrator is affiliated
with. Also send a CD to the State
Grange Master if appropriate.
¨¨ Send signed Informed Consent to
GOHP Coordinator.
¨¨ Send oral history audio file to
GOHP Coordinator using The
Greenhorns Dropbox or on a
flash drive through USPS for
additional audio processing,
management, and archiving.
recording for future reference. Remember that your interview is a “structured conversation”—while open-ended and following emergent threads, your job as an interviewer is
to guide narrator towards constructing a coherent and meaningful narrative. Try beginning with questions about growing up, childhood, and family. This provides important
context for the narrator’s stories about the Grange, and helps to break the ice, build
rapport, and let the narrator get comfortable. Be sensitive to the possibility that family
life may have been difficult, and ask general questions—“Can you tell me about growing
up?” rather than “Can you tell me about your father?”
Refer to the topics and themes on your interview guide, as well as the questions that
you’ve come up with. It’s ok to stray from this list as unexpected themes and topics arise,
but make sure that the interview is still focused and doesn’t wander all over the place.
You can take notes during the interview, jotting down facts and questions that come
up and which you’d like to return to. Note-taking is often a cue to narrators that you’re
interested in a topic or story, and they will elaborate further. Be aware that the sound of
your pen on paper can show up in the recording. Using a clipboard in your lap can help
prevent this. Please address the three questions that we would like to ask all of the narrators about their vision for the future of the Grange and the Grange’s meaning in their
lives (see below for more on questions and topics).
Plan for your interview to last 1-1.5 hours, but respect the energy of the narrator as well
as the interviewer, and keep the interview a manageable length. You can always return for
a second or third interview. Close by asking if there is anything else the narrator would
like to add, or if there are questions you haven’t asked. After the conclusion of the oral
history, please review the Informed Consent form again with the narrator, and ask them
to sign the form. It’s best to sign the form at the time of the interview if possible, but
narrators may request additional time. Provide a self-addressed stamped envelope for
prompt return of this critical document. Make sure that the narrator has no additional
questions about how the interview will be distributed and used. Leave your contact information, and let them know that you’ll send them and their local Grange a CD of their
oral history within a week. Take some photos of the narrator with a good quality camera,
as well as any Grange buildings and, with permission, Grange ephemera.
¨¨ Send any contacts you made to
the GOHP Coordinator so we can
follow up and include them in
our project database.
After the Interview
After the interview, take a couple of minutes to jot down notes on any reflections,
observations, feelings, new facts, themes, and stories that stand out in your mind. Share
these with the GOHP Coordinator if you like. If you are able, please write a 50-100 word
introduction to the oral history for display on the Grange Future website along with the
interview—there is a template for this in the Appendix.
10
Download the audio file on to your computer, and back it up on a flash drive or in
Dropbox or Google Drive. Please save in .WAV format. Name the file with the narrator’s
name and date of recording: “Octavia Whitmore Oral History 1.1.2015”. Audio files of
this length are large, so be prepared for annoyingly long upload times. Please send the
full oral history interview to the GOHP Coordinator within 3 days. See the sidebar for
several options of ways to do this. We can be sure to back it up so you won’t have to
retain multiple copies.
Burn the audio file onto CDs—mp3 is fine, though it will probably still take two CDs.
If you can, insert CD tracks every 9 or 10 minutes. Random is fine for this, although if
putting the oral history on two CDs, try to start the second CD with a question or pause.
Send a CD and thank you note to the narrator, the Master of the Grange they’re affiliated
with, and any other people who asked for copies—you can use the template for this.
You can also send a CD to the State Grange Master for archiving if appropriate. Only
distribute or publish the content of the interview within the limits of what is stated in the
Informed Consent.
Optional Tasks
Your contribution can develop in a number of ways depending on the interest, knowhow, and amount of time you wish to invest in the project. We understand that oral history is a wonderful and wonderfully time-consuming method, and we would be thrilled
and tickled if you wanted to take on any of these tasks. Writing a short introduction, for
example, will be easy peasy after your interview, and so helpful for us! Using oral history
is a great opportunity to develop your audio editing and storytelling skills—and we can
share the podcasts and stories through our extensive networks. If this sounds daunting
and is not your cup of tea, don’t worry about it! Your interview will be housed on our
website, and others may use the interview later for audio projects.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Write a short 50-100 word introduction to the oral history interview for the
Grange Future website. This should introduce the narrator, their connection to the
Grange, and highlight some meaningful stories. Send this to the GOHP Coordinator.
Send ideas for distribution and publication of this interview to the GOHP Coordinator, along with notes and thoughts on the themes and meaningful stories
Create a content log. All interviews will be reviewed, and timestamped content
logs summarizing stories and topics of conversation will be created. Meaningful or
compelling stories will be highlighted with italics or additional description/transcription in the content log.
Edit files if appropriate. Cut informal conversations that happen before or after the
interview, or long interruptions. In general the files will be archived as is and should
not be edited.
Produce short audio stories for the Grange Sound Map, (up to 3 minutes long)
that excerpt compelling stories or illuminate broad themes. We are particularly interested in compiling information on current and past Grange activities, the function
of Granges in rural life, and Grange values around community involvement, good
behavior (on the land and in the community), interdependence, and political and
civic engagement.
Produce audio pieces, documentaries, and podcasts. This is encouraged, and
helps to give context to the stories that we are collecting and sharing. If you produce
a piece, you should get narrators’ approval that the content and context matches
their intent.
11
Determining Questions for Your Interview
Background research helps, but attentive listening and a keen sense of curiosity are all
that’s required for a good interview. It is good to have an overarching sense of questions
you would like to ask and topics to pursue, but be flexible enough to follow interesting
threads that emerge in the conversation. Each narrator will have joined the Grange for
different reasons, have had unique interests while at the Grange, and be able to speak to
certain parts of the organization better than others.
Questions should be open-ended, encouraging thought and reflection, giving you
opinions and feelings, and offering more control of the conversation to the narrator. This
open-ended approach is at the core of oral history interviewing, and you will find yourself asking, “Can you describe…? Can you tell me about…? How do you feel about….?”
Close-ended questions are quick and easy to answer—often with a yes or no—give you
facts, and keep control of the conversation with the interviewer. They should be used
only to verify facts and for clarification. Please refer to the topics and sample questions
in the Interview Guide included in the Appendix while planning for your interview;
you can print and bring this document with you. Feel free to come up with additional
questions based on the interviewee’s experience. Some interviewers like to send a list of
questions in advance to interviewees; this is not standard in oral history as it can deflect
some of the spontaneity of the interview.
12
Part 2
Interviewing and Recording Tips
Recording Tips
•
While the built-in microphone in your recording device will work fine, an external microphone or interview mic will get the best sound quality. A unidirectional mic is designed for just this sort of interviewing,
and will pick up sound directly in front of it while reducing room noise.
•
Using a mic stand or tripod prevents handling noise in the recording and frees up your hands to take notes
during the interview. These are usually available for cheap!
•
Test out the recording equipment in advance so you are comfortable working with it on the day of the interview. Set up the mic 7 to 8 inches from your interviewee.
•
Set the recording levels. Best recording levels are between -3dB and -12dB at the peaks to avoid clipping.
•
Do a soundcheck with your interviewee and listen to it before starting the interview.
•
If you can, turn off appliances like air conditioners, remove small dogs and children as well as any other
sources of background noise and distraction.
•
Make sure that the device is recording by looking at the time on the display. This may seem like a no brainer, but it happens all the time, even to experienced interviewers
•
You can use free, open-source software like Audacity1 to edit your files. These programs are fairly easy to
use—you can highlight, copy, cut and paste audio, and use multiple tracks. There are many online tutorials
for using Audacity; you can check on transom.org or visit: http://www.howtopodcasttutorial.com/17-audacity-tutorial.htm
•
Have extra batteries or a power supply and additional sim cards on hand.
1 www.audacity.sourceforge.net
13
Recording Toolkit
•
Digital audio recorder
•
EXTRA BATTERIES—key!!!
•
Over the ear headphones (ear buds are OK in a pinch)
•
Extra sim card for recorder
•
Digital camera for narrator portrait
•
Tripod for audio recorder (a flexible mini tripod for $3 works great2)
•
Microphone and cable (optional)
Interviewing Tips
•
Do not interrupt the narrator or rush the conversation. Allowing moments of silence, while sometimes
uncomfortable, offers moments for recollection and reflection, and often reveals important information,
feelings, and stories.
•
Ask open-ended questions. What, Why, and How elicits information, whereas yes/no answers don’t always
produce much information. Yes/no questions are best used to verify information. EX: “What happened
next?” “Can you tell me about…?” “Would you describe…” “How did that feel…?” Memory is very good
at recalling sensory experiences of the past—asking about sights, smells, and sounds elicits interesting and
often vivid stories.
•
Always feel free to ask follow up questions or for more description
•
Plan carefully if you want to look through photographs and other materials during an interview. While
these visual aids can spark interesting memories and stories, they tend to unfocus an interview. Ask for
descriptions and stories of specific images.
•
Listen carefully to what your interviewee is saying; look into their eyes, not the mic. Stay engaged,
and show this with your (silent!) body language
•
Respond by nodding your head, smiling, etc., rather than making comments—including uh-huhs or
laughter. This keeps your voice from interfering with the interviewee’s words. Practice—this is hard!
•
Explore topics of importance to the interview with a question or two to see if those topics enhance your
interview. If not, move on to your next question.
•
Keep the interview to the agreed-upon length of 1-1.5 hours unless the interviewee states that he/she
wishes to continue.
2 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/272486-REG/Sunpak_620_786_Tabletop_Tripod_with_Flexible.html
14
Part III
Issues in Oral History
Oral history is a collaborative, open-ended, long-form method, often described as a
“grassroots” or “from the bottom up” form of history. Oral history embraces aurality and
the narrative form, emphasizes people’s perspectives, relies on shared authority in the
creation and analysis of content, and aims to democratize the historical record. In the
long form interview, there is ample time and space to tell stories, explain context and
relationships, and revel in the details. Oral history can be messy—like people—and complex. With its focus on storytelling—the reason for the use of narrator interchangeably
with interviewee—and individual perspectives, oral history reveals the meaning and significance of personal experiences as well as important historical facts and stories. Memory is fallible, and many contend that oral histories are subject to inaccuracies. Others,
like Alessandro Portelli, point out the value of oral history’s subjectivity, which tells us
how people remember events and personal experiences—not just “what people did, but
what they wanted to do, what they believed they were doing, what they now think they
did.” Oral history is a form of ethnography which focuses on the interview itself, analyzes
personal experience rather than behavior, and emphasizes individual perspectives.
Oral history is a wonderful way to build relationships with people, especially across
generations, and an interview may be an intimate experience for both narrator and interviewer. The recorded document produced is a result of collaboration—oral historians
often refer to “shared authority” between the interviewer and interviewee. According to
oral history ethics, participants should understand the purpose of the project, and how
their story may be used and disseminated. Respect the narrator’s wishes if they want to
place any restrictions on distribution or use.
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Part IV
Resources
There are many excellent resources about oral history, interviewing, and producing audio
projects. The following list contains some easily-digestible readings. As an interviewer, please
take the time to read through these short articles and guides. If you want to expand your
inquiry, these resources include links to many others, including oral history collections.
Oral History
What Makes Oral History Different by Alessandro Portelli
Great overview of oral history issues by a leading oral history scholar.
www.tristero.typepad.com/sounds/filesportelli.pdf)
What is Oral History? by Linda Shopes
Includes methods, interpretation and exemplary projects.
www.historymatters.gmu.edu/mse/oral/what.html
Oral History Association Principles and Best Practices
An essential resource.
www.oralhistory.org/about/principles-and-practices
Oral History in the Digital Age
Extremely useful and comprehensive website from a collaborative grant based at Michigan State University.
www.ohda.matrix.msu.edu
East Midlands Oral History Archive Oral History Resources links
Very comprehensive.
www.le.ac.uk/emoha/training/links.html
Oral History Projects
Studs Terkel
Many interviews are collected in the WFMT Studs Terkel Radio Archive.
www.popuparchive.com/collections/938
Alessandro Portelli’s I Can Almost See the Lights of Home: A Field Trip to Harlan County, KY
www.albany.edu/jmmh/vol2no1/lights.html
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Radio Diaries
Gives people recorders and works with them to report on their own lives.
www.radiodiaries.org/
Ghetto Life 101
An audio diary produced by teens in conjunction with SoundPortraits.
www.soundportraits.org/on-air/ghetto_life_101
The American Folklife Center
Has thousands of oral histories, like the Civil Rights Collection.
www.loc.gov/folklife + www.loc.gov/folklife/civilrights/index.html
Interviewing
Smithsonian Folklife and Oral History Interviewing Guide
www.folklife.si.edu/education_exhibits/resources/guide/introduction.aspx
Interviewing Tips from the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress
www.loc.gov/folklife/familyfolklife/oralhistory.html
Sound Portraits Interview Guide
www.soundportraits.org/education/how_to_record/
Equipment, Recording and Audio Production
Transom.org
Comprehensive, go to resource for independent and public radio producers
OHDA, Doug Boyd: Achieving Good Audio Levels
www.ohda.matrix.msu.edu/2012/06/achieving-good-audio
National Radio Project Resources and Tutorials for Radio Producers
www.radioproject.org/production/resources-and-tutorials
This American Life: Make Radio Resources
www.thisamericanlife.org/about/make-radio
Grange History and Context
The Grange Movement: Patrons of Husbandry
www.u-s-history.com/pages/h854.html
The History Channel: Oliver Kelley organizes the Grange
www.history.com/this-day-in-history/oliver-kelley-organizes-the-grange
Grangefuture.org
Greenhorns Grange Future project website, with Grange history and timeline
National Grange Website
www.nationalgrange.org/about-us
The Agrarian Crusade by Solon S. Buck
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2899?msg=welcome_stranger
Further Reading
Greenhorns LibraryThing Collection of Grange-related Reading
www.librarything.com/catalog/thegreenhorns/grangecollection
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Appendix
Project Documents to Print or Copy
Project Introduction Letter
Grange Oral History Project Informed Consent Form
Interview Guide and Questions
Interview Checklist
50-100 word Oral History Introduction Template
Thank You Card Template
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Date:
Dear:
Thank you for your interest in the Greenhorns’ Grange Oral History Project! The
purpose of this project is to collect audio and video recordings of oral histories
from members of the Grange and Grange-like organizations. The Greenhorns is a
grassroots organization that works to promote, support, and recruit new farmers in
America. The Grange Oral History Project is part of Grange Future, a community
history project that explores the Grange as a populist movement, and seeks to understand its importance in rural communities.
With this oral history project, we aim to capture a sense of the history the Grange
and highlight its current activities. We especially hope to get an impression of the
meaning of the Grange to its members, and its function in rural communities. Our
goal is to share knowledge and insight from the Grange’s history of agrarian organizing and deeply held community values with the new generation of young farmers putting down their roots in rural communities. We are inspired by the Grange’s
past way of being, we are interested in its future and the promise that it holds for
strengthening the social and political fabric of rural and agricultural communities.
We hope that this oral history project will build connections between generations
through storytelling and personal relationships, and inspire young farmers to join
and fortify their local Granges.
Oral histories will be housed in full on the Grange Future website along with a
photograph, and archived on the Internet Archive (archive.org). One or more short
excerpts will be included on the web-based Grange Sound Map, which will feature
Grange stories from around the country. Other uses may include distribution for
educational purposes via podcasts, community radio, and audio documentaries.
Narrators may choose to restrict the use and distribution of their oral history interview on the Informed Consent form.
For questions please contact [email protected]
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Greenhorns Grange Oral History Project
Oral History Informed Consent
for oral history interviews, images and photographs, and personal documents.
Thank you for agreeing to share your story with the Greenhorns Grange Oral History Project!
By signing this form, I voluntarily agree to be interviewed for this community history project about the Grange: its past
and present activities in rural communities, its meaning to its members, and its historical role in agrarian organizing.
These oral histories and related materials will be a record of the Grange members’ experiences, and will be used as an
educational resource for the Greenhorns and the general public.
I understand that this oral history interview will be recorded in full, and that it will be retained by the Greenhorns for its
permanent digital collection of oral histories. I hereby grant to the Greenhorns ownership of my oral history and related
materials, as well as the right to use, distribute, and prepare derivative works from them in any medium, including but not
limited to podcasts, video or audio documentaries, the Greenhorns website, and public presentations. I release the Greenhorns from claims arising out of the use of my interview, including but not limited to claims for copyright infringement,
defamation, invasion of privacy, or right of publicity.
I understand that my interview will be:
•
•
Published in full on the Greenhorns Grange Future website, along with my image
Excerpted and published on the online Grange Sound Map
I understand that in return, I will receive a recording of my interview as an expression of gratitude for my important participation in this project.
The interviewer affirms that s/he has explained the nature and purpose of the Greenhorns Oral History Project. The interviewee affirms that s/he has consented to this interview.
Restrictions on use, publication, or distribution as detailed herein:
Interviewer on behalf of the Greenhorns: ___________________________ Date: ______________________
Interviewer’s Signature: _________________________________________
Narrator: ______________________________________________________Date:_____________________
Narrator’s Signature: ___________________________________________________________
Current Address: ___________________________________________________________________________
Cell Phone: _________________ Telephone: ___________________ Email: _______________________
Date of Birth (optional): ______________________
Hometown: ____________________________
Any questions may be directed to [email protected]
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Interview Guide and Questions
Include in recording
Background/family
Date, place, interviewer and narrator name. eg…”It’s February 14,
2015, and I’m here at the Worcester Town Hall in Worcester, VT
doing an oral history interview with Octavia Whitmore about the
Grange. Can you state your name for the recording please?”
• Can you please introduce yourself for the tape?
• Tell me a little bit about where you are from? Family and background? What was your hometown like? Rural? Agricultural?
What types of farming took place?
Please address the following three
questions during your interview:
Personal connection to/experience
with the Grange
1. What is the meaning of the Grange to you?
• How did you come to be connected with the Grange? Why did
you choose to join?
2. What knowledge would you pass onto the next generation of
farmers in the area or the next generation of Grangers?
• What did/do you enjoy the most about the Grange?
3. What is your vision for the future of the Grange?
• What experiences or events stand out?
• What is the meaning of the Grange to you?
Social and cultural aspects of the Grange
• What did the Grange offer for its members?
• What kinds of social connections did this Grange provide? For
example, were there dances or parties or plays or festivals held
at the Grange hall? What do you remember about the songs
people sang (titles, lyrics, themes)?
• Describe Grange lectures and other educational programs. Was
there any Christian and moral education? Chatauqua or other
visiting lecturers?
• What were/are meetings like? Can you describe Grange ritual?
What are Degrees?
• How was the Grange connected to the community? What were
its most important contributions or proudest moments?
• How did this Grange help farmers and community members
get through difficult times?
• How did the Grange facilitate cooperation between farmers?
Through grain coops, regional processing, fruit packing, etc.?
How did it do the same in the community?
• What policy questions were important for Grange farmers over
the years? Why are these issues important, and what influences
Grange members’ views about them?
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Grange History and Legacy
Interview Topics
• What do you know about the history of the Grange?
• Grange roles and officers; meetings and ritual; attire and stage
sets
• Can you tell me about this community grange and its founding
members? the history of the Grange Hall? Where did the
grange meet before there was a building? What were some of
the funniest, most amazing, or important things that happened
at this Grange in the past? What were the best recipes at the
potlucks?
• Was there anything about the landscape of your area that
helped make your Grange vibrant? (Woods, weather, animals,
types of farms...)
• How do you remember oldtimers describing the Grange? What
traditions have been passed down over the years? What did the
last generation of Grange members pass onto this generation?
How would you like your Grange to be remembered?
• Grange activities: dances, lectures, and other entertainment
and educational programs
• Political engagement (like lobbying); issues of importance to
Granges
• Grange-based cooperative ventures
• Networks of mutual support tied to the Grange
• Agricultural context; types of farms and farming locally
Themes
• What were some challenges to the Grange as an organization?
What were its most important contributions?
• Fellowship
• What roles did women take on in the Grange? Did men and
women have the same roles ?
• Entertainment
• Civic engagement and community service
• Leadership development; women in leadership
Future of the Grange
• How would you like the Grange to be remembered?
• Education (agrarian and general) and dialogue
• Personal meaning of the Grange
• Granger values around community and the land
• What do you hope for the Grange in the future?
• Based on your experience with the Grange, what knowledge
would you like to pass on to young farmers or a young generation of Grangers?
• What advice would you give to young farmers who want to be
part of this Grange?
• Is there anything I have not asked you would like to tell me
about now?
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Interview Checklist
Before the interview
Done!
Read the Grange Oral History Toolkit.
Review the resources about oral history, interviewing, and Grange
history provided in the Toolkit.
Background research about your narrator and local Grange.
Pre-interview with your narrator.
Use the interview guide and your research to identify topics you’d like to address,
and/or compile a list of questions.
Familiarize yourself with your recording equipment and levels.
Do a practice interview with a friend or family member.
Send project introduction letter to your narrator.
Call narrator the day before to remind them about your interview and get good
directions.
During the interview
Done!
Explain the oral history approach and purpose of the project to interviewee, and
answer any questions.
Do a soundcheck—and listen to it.
State your names, the date and place of the interview, and that you’re here to talk
about the Grange.
Address the three questions we are asking of all narrators.
Review and sign the Informed Consent form, and cover how the interview will be
used and distributed.
Take a few pictures of the narrator, and anything else of interest.
After the interview
Done!
Transfer the interview onto your computer immediately, and preferable onto an
external drive as well.
Send the interview to the GOHP Coordinator. If possible, write a brief (50-100
word) introduction to the interview and send this along too.
Send a thank you card and CD of the interview to the narrator within one week.
Also send a copy to the Master of the the interviewee’s Grange.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
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50-100 Word Oral History
Introduction Template
Narrator: Arlene Mason
Location: Whallonsburg Grange, Whallonsburg, NY
Interviewer: Kate Blofson
Date: 11/12/2014
Arlene Mason grew up in Reber, NY, and joined the Grange at age 14, which is where she met her
husband. In her 80s now, Arlene reflects on the importance of the Grange in her life and in the community, remembering the many social events centering around the Grange. She also talks about the
sea change in community life brought on by the advent of television and easy access to cars and transportation.
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Thank You Card Template
Print the following page on white or off-white cardstock, and then
cut in half to make two thank you cards! Kinko’s or a similar copy
shop can help you put the Grange Future header across the top if
you give them the image.
Your note could say something like:
Dear Octavia,
Thank you for your participation in the Grange Oral History Project, and for sharing your stories
and insights about the Grange. I particularly enjoyed hearing about the importance of the Grange to
you and your family, and about the Grange’s activities in the community. The Election Night dinners
present and past sound like real community-building events! I have enclosed a CD of your interview.
Please let me know if you have any questions, and feel free to contact me anytime at (201) 555-1212
or [email protected].
All the best,
Oliver Kelley
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