Interview with Theodore "Ted" Bates, December 18, 1975

Interview Summary

In this interview, Bates talks about working with people in the academic community and recalls his experience at the University of Kentucky as "a three year condensed lifetime", where he first learned to "operate and function in a large melting pot of people". Bates discusses the political climate while he was at UK as opposed to after he left the university and the changes that occurred when Dr. John W. Oswald arrived from Berkeley, California. Bates talks about how much U.K. has changed and developed along with the Lexington community. He notes that after 1948, U.K. began admitting black students to the Graduate School although several went to court after being denied admittance. Mr. Bates discusses his experiences with the racial climate during this time, saying that students did not fraternize with blacks but stated that "they had the right to be here just as much as we did", recalls the historical feeling towards blacks and discusses some reasons for this.

Bates talks about various aspects of the U.K. campus and how things have changed, in particular the Kentucky Kernel, UK's student newspaper. He recalls the campus radio station being most helpful to the Agricultural Department in disseminating agricultural information. Bates left U.K. in August of 1950, three hours short of his degree. He says that from August 1950 until 1952 he was involved learning the (Thoroughbred) horse business. Bates mentions the Kentucky 31 fescue (forage) controversy. He discusses his work in the University Extension Office from 1952-1955, and remembers his decision to go back to the Thoroughbred horse business. He talks about U.K.'s academic image through several administrations. Bates feels the university is better now academically then when he attended U.K. He remembers wanting more courses in Thoroughbred production while he was in school and states that Lexington, Kentucky is the center of the world's Thoroughbred industry. He emphasizes that this is a paradox, and wished he had done more to utilize the expertise available in all phases of Thoroughbred husbandry, especially in terms of training and breeding operations.

Interview Keyword

University of Kentucky

Interview LC Subject

Bates, Theodore Bright, 1923- Bates, Theodore Bright, 1923- --Interviews University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History

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.