Oral history interview with Sue Sigmon Williams, 2019

Partial Transcript: Today is Wednesday, October 2, 2019, and my name is Scott Hinshaw.

Partial Transcript: I'd like to start the interview by asking you about your background.

Segment Synopsis: Williams discusses her early life and family, growing up in Charlotte.

Partial Transcript: Can you tell me where you went to high school?

Segment Synopsis: Williams discusses attending Harding High School in Charlotte, NC and her favorite subjects.

Partial Transcript: We had a summertime education director at our church, Sally Buckner, who had graduated, or maybe she was still a student at Woman's College and I loved her.

Segment Synopsis: Williams discusses how she learned about Woman's College (WC) and her decision to attend school there. Williams also discusses her early experiences at WC, including dorm life, playing music, and working in the campus cafeteria.

Keywords: Campus growth; Dining Hall; Music; Music Department; Quad (residence halls); Sally Beaver Buckner; School of Music; Shaw Residence Hall; Student jobs

Partial Transcript: I want to skip up a little bit and talk about your time in Shaw Hall when you served as the Junior House President.

Segment Synopsis: Williams discusses her time in Shaw Hall, where she served as the Junior House President. During this time, the first two African American women to attend Woman's College were housed in Shaw and Williams discusses that experience, as well as how Katherine Taylor and Celeste Ulrich handled the change.

Keywords: Bettye Ann Davis Tillman; Campus Life; Desegregation; Dr. Celeste Ulrich; JoAnne Smart Drane; Junior House President; Katherine Taylor; Mary Jane Smiley; Shaw Residence Hall

Partial Transcript: Well, I want to ask you more about, basically, student life in general.

Segment Synopsis: Williams discusses life on campus at Woman's College during the late 1950s. She discusses some aspects of student life including, but not limited to, the Daisy Chain tradition, the Junior Show, Student Government, Rat Day, and the Golden Chain.

Keywords: Daisy Chain; Dining Hall; Golden Chain; Golden Chain induction; Hurricane Hazel; Junior Show; Music; Rat Day; Student Government Association (SGA); Student jobs; campus life; drought; television

Partial Transcript: I wanted to ask you about administration and professors.

Segment Synopsis: Williams discusses her recollections of administrators and faculty during her time at Woman's College.

Keywords: Alumni Distinguished Service Award; Dr. Marc Friedlaender; Dr. Richard Bardolph; English Department; History Department; International Students; Katherine Taylor; Mereb Mossman

Partial Transcript: So, what did you do after you graduated from Woman's College?

Segment Synopsis: Williams discusses her life after graduating from Woman's College, including her marriage, children, teaching career, and further education at Georgia State University. Williams also discusses her involvement with UNCG after her graduation.

Keywords: Class Reunions; Georgia State University; Kennesaw State University; Music; Teaching

Partial Transcript: What would you want people to know about your time at Woman's College?

Segment Synopsis: Williams reflects on her time at Woman's College and the effect it has had on her life.

Keywords: Dr. Celeste Ulrich; Katherine Taylor; Physical education; Women; Women on Campus; camps; leadership

Partial Transcript: I don't have anymore formal questions, but if there's anything else you want to add to the interview, this is the time to do it.

Segment Synopsis: Williams discusses her final thoughts on coming to Woman's College partly because of Sally Beaver Buckner and some thoughts on her children's lives.

Keywords: Duke University; Sally Beaver Buckner