Interview with Jacqueline P. Bull, October 6, 1977

Interview Summary

Jacqueline P. Bull, former head of the University of Kentucky Libraries' Special Collections and Archives, discusses her education. Bull grew up in Greenville, Mississippi and recalls the Great Flood of 1927 during which her family was forced to evacuate. She also remembers the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan in the early 1920s against Catholicism. Bull and her family moved to Lexington in the fall of 1927. Bull attended Henry Clay High School where she was a member of the first graduating class. Bull began classes at UK in the Fall of 1929 and she describes the week long orientation as well as the lectures she received from Ms. Sarah Blanding, the Dean of Women, on how women at the university should conduct themselves, and Dr. Frank McVey, President of UK, on the university in general. Bull also explains how she lived at home in order to save money.

Bull describes how she became interested in library science and how she had been fascinated with the library at Henry Clay. She discusses some of the professors she had during her academic career in Library Science as well as in general courses. She recalls that Margaret I. King taught administration and book selection while Ms. Simmons taught cataloging. Bull was able to obtain a job as a student assistant in the library in her third year at UK. Bull graduated in June of 1934 with a Bachelor's degree in library science and recalls having breakfast the day before commencement at Dr. McVey's house. Bull describes Ms. King and Dr. McVey, and gives them credit for establishing the new library on campus in 1931. She recalls the construction of the Margaret I. King Library. Throughout this interview, Bull describes the Greek organizations on campus, the relationship between UK and the Lexington community, The Kentucky Kernel student newspaper, athletics, women's roles on campus, and the social life. She also touches on the effect of the Great Depression and World War II upon the university.

Interview Keyword

University of Kentucky Library

Interview LC Subject

Bull, Jacqueline, 1911-1987 Bull, Jacqueline, 1911-1987--Interviews University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History World War, 1939-1945. Depressions--1929--United States

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.