Interview with Winnifred C. Wright, July 18, 1984

Interview Summary

Winnifred C. Wright was a housemother at the University of Kentucky for both the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and Hamilton House, a home economics co-op house for female students. In this interview she begins with her family background and early life in Trenton, Ontario, Canada where she attended public school before going to an all-girls finishing school. She talks about World War I, her husband being sent overseas, and working in a TNT factory during the war.

Wright has also lived in Orlando, Florida, Atlanta, Georgia, and Louisville, Kentucky and talks about her life in each city, including her experiences during the Great Depression. She talks about her son being at Pearl Harbor with the Merchant Marines when it was bombed in December 1941.

Wright talks about how she came to work at the University of Kentucky at the Pi Kappa Alpha house in 1948. She describes the students, including their social lives, attitudes, significant members, and even their pranks. She talks about how she began working at Hamilton House, and tells several memorable stories about some of the students. Wright discusses her plans for her life since her retirement.

Interview Keyword

Carnation Company Citizenship. College administrators College discipline College environment College students--Attitudes. College students--Conduct of life. College students--Social conditions Depressions--1929 Education--Canada. Greek letter societies. Hamilton House Naturalization. Pearl Harbor (Hawaii), Attack on, 1941 Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity Universities and colleges--Administration. Universities and colleges--Employees World War, 1914-1918

Interview LC Subject

University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History Wright, Winnifred C. Wright, Winnifred C.--Interviews

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.