Interview with James W. Martin, March 31, 1981

Project: University of Kentucky Oral History Project

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Interview Summary

In this interview with James W. Martin, former director of the Bureau of Business Research at the University of Kentucky, Martin discusses why Governor Happy Chandler asked him to switch from his position as Commissioner of Finance to Commissioner of Highways. He discusses throughout the interview the reasons he was not interested in this position, including the inherent difficulty of administration within the department. He discusses the former commissioner, Robert Humphreys, and why he was removed from the position. He also discusses a scandal within the Department of Highways involving another Commissioner of Highways, Bert Kiser.

Martin talks about the policies he wanted to put into practice when he became commissioner, and the tension some supervisors felt between following tradition and following statutes. Martin discusses some of the issues he had with supervisors and employees within the Highway Department, some of whom he fired, others he was pressured not to fire. Martin talks about several articles in the Courier-Journal about the dismissal of Highway Department employees.

Martin discusses why he ultimately resigned as Commissioner of Highways, and discusses Governor Chandler's reaction to his resignation.

Interview Accession

1981oh044_af127

Interviewee Name

James W. Martin

Interviewer Name

William J. Marshall

Interview Date

1981-03-31

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.

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

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.

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Martin, James W. Interview by William J. Marshall. 31 Mar. 1981. Lexington, KY: Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.

Martin, J.W. (1981, March 31). Interview by W. J. Marshall. University of Kentucky Oral History Project. Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries, Lexington.

Martin, James W., interview by William J. Marshall. March 31, 1981, University of Kentucky Oral History Project, Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.





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Persistent Link for this Record: https://kentuckyoralhistory.org/ark:/16417/xt77d7959q1n