Interview with C. Oran Little, October 3, 2001

Interview Summary

Oran Little arrived at the University of Kentucky just days before he was scheduled to begin teaching his first course, Research Methods in Animal Science. He remembers that the university had minimal facilities for animal science at that time. In fact, he states that he completed metabolism work under the bleachers at the old stock pavilion. He recalls that the medical building was being built at this time, and that much of the animal science equipment had to be moved to the Coldstream Farm. Little explains that the development of the medical school helped to make the sciences more prominent at UK by bringing top scholars in the basic sciences to campus. Little recalls that in December of 1960 Governor Combs appropriated the money for the first part of the new Agriculture Science building. Little describes how the department was able to gather the money for needed equipment through better state funding and developing partnerships in the private sector. Little discusses industry partners and describes UK's involvement in the development of animal antibiotics, and a distillery residue research project. Little also talks about his role in strengthening the graduate program in animal science at UK. He discusses his relationship with members of the College of Agriculture including Dr. Garrigus, Dean Welsh, Charles Barnhart, and Steve Dyson. Little recalls the presidential search in 1963 during which John Oswald was chosen as president. Little discusses UK's lack of a school of veterinary medicine, and how he had learned research techniques from members of the vet school at Iowa State. He also talks about animal rights and his beliefs in good animal care.

Interview LC Subject

Little, C. Oran (Charles Oran), 1935- Little, C. Oran (Charles Oran), 1935- --Interviews University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History University of Kentucky. College of Agriculture

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