Oral History Collection

Dr. Andrew Tunyogi, Professor Emeritus, served ODU from 1958-1973 as a faculty member and first Chair of the Philosophy Department. Before coming to ODU, he was a minister. He was born in Transylvania on March 4, 1907. The interview discusses his background in Transylvania, Budapest, England, and Czechoslovakia. He discusses ODU in the 1960s -- its buildings, students, library, Bud's Emporium, etc.

Dr. Charles E. Vogan, Professor Emeritus, served ODU from 1950-1976 in the Music Department, and as Chair of that department from 1950-1965.In addition to his background, the interview discusses his interests in music, developments in the Music Department at the Norfolk Division, musical groups (e.g., Opera Workshop, Madrigal Singers), community programs and musical organizations.

Mr. Carroll Herbert Walker, Sr. was a well-known photographer in Norfolk. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1904 and died in 1990. The interview discusses his background and his photography. The interview took place in Norfolk, Virginia.

Lewis Warrington Webb, Jr. could be called "the Father of Old Dominion." After serving 10 years as an instructor at the Norfolk Division of the College of William and Mary, he was appointed Assistant Director in 1942. He also served as Director of the Defense and War Training Program at the College from 1940-1944. In 1946 Webb was appointed Director of the Norfolk Division. After retiring from the presidency he returned to teaching physics. He died in 1984, having lived long enough to see Old Dominion become a university. He was born in Norfolk, Virginia on March 1, 1910 and died in September 1984. In a series of nine interviews, President Lewis W. Webb, Jr. discusses various facets of the history of Old Dominion University. This interview discusses various events of the 1960s, budgets and faculty salaries, dormitories, and student demonstrations about budget cuts. Note: Part 6, Interview 1 does not have digital audio. Part 6, Interview 2 was conducted to cover issues from the Part 6, Interview 1 audio tape that was stolen.

Debbie Harmison White began working at ODU in 1979 as Assistant Sports Information Director and retired in June 2016 as Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Relations. She was the first full-time woman sportswriter in the state of Virginia, serving on the staff of The Daily Press in Newport News, Va., from 1974-1977, and in the late 1970s she was one of only three women SID’s in an NCAA Division I institution. Ms. White served as the press moderator at the NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four for 19 years, served on 1981 and 1982 United States Olympic Sports Festival media staffs, represented the United States on the media coordination team at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the College Sports Information Directors of America organization. She was born in West Virginia. In the interview, White discusses her career in journalism and as an administrator in the athletics department at ODU. The interview took place in Perry Library on the campus of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.

Edward White, Professor Emeritus, served ODU from 1932-1974 as professor and dean of the School of Engineering. He was born in Norfolk, Virginia and went to school at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. The interview discusses his background growing up in Norfolk, Virginia and the early developments of the Norfolk Division. Topics include issues with faculty, administrators, and students, developments in the engineering curriculum and program through the 1970s, relationships with VPI, UVA, and NASA, World War II war training classes, and the Technical Institute.

G. William Whitehurst served ODU in the History Department from 1950-1963, and was Dean of Students from 1963-1968. He successfully ran for Congress and served as Representative to Virginia's Second Congressional District from 1968-1987, at which time he returned to ODU to teach in the Political Science Department. He was born in Norfolk, Virginia on March 12, 1925. The interview discusses his background, the teaching profession and his techniques, changes in student interests, his involvement during massive resistance, his views on President Webb, his run for Congress, ODU's television programs with WTAR, the student honor system, and student unrest in the 1960s.

Harrison B. Wilson, born in 1928, was the president of Norfolk State University (Virginia) from 1975-1997. His wife, Lucy Wilson, is a former ODU faculty and administrator. The interview discusses his personal background and his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. He also discusses his presidency at NSU, the Virginia Plan for Equal Opportunity, and the benefits of black colleges. The interview took place on the campus of Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Virginia.

Jacques Simon Zaneveld, Professor Emeritus at Old Dominion University, served from 1959-1975 as faculty and Chairman of the Biology Department and founder of the Department of Oceanography. He was born in the Netherlands in 1909 and died September 15, 2001. The interview discusses Zaneveld's background in the Netherlands, various research grants and projects, expeditions to the Antarctic (where the "Zaneveld Glacier" was established in his name), the development of oceanography at ODU, changes to the Biology Department, and environmental concerns.