Interview with Katherine Eichelberger, Josephine Young, May 31, 1977

Interview Summary

Mrs. Katherine Herring Eichelberger is assisted in this interview by her sister, Mrs. Josephine Herring Young.. She was born in Virginia, but the family moved to Kentucky when she was five years old. She wanted to attend a co-ed college, and enrolled at UK after completing college prep work at Hollins College in Roanoke, Virginia, which her mother attended in 1881. Eichelberger studied Journalism and graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1921. She talks about Daniel V. Terrell, a UK professor who was from Orange, Virginia, and knew her family. She mentions Sarah Blanding, who was UK's Dean of Women, and recalls that she and her sister both knew her well.

Eichelberger was a member of the Chi Omega sorority and became president of the chapter in her senior year. She talks about daily life and social events on campus, such as fraternity dances, tea dances on Saturday afternoon at the gymnasium, and Panhellenic Association functions. She roomed with the sister of John Marsh, who married Margaret Mitchell, author of "Gone With the Wind". She recalls the Influenza Pandemic of 1918, when all campus activities were suspended and the school was closed. She helped build background sets at the Guignol Theater, which was once called the Romany Theater. She talks about the Presidential election of 1920, the first year women were allowed to vote. She remembers Dr. Frank L. McVey and Mary Frances Jewell McVey. During this time, John Phillip Sousa's band used to play in Lexington, but he refused to play "The Star-Spangled Banner" because he was German, so the band was not asked to come back. She talks about the year the basketball team won the Southern Championship in Atlanta, Georgia and the entire student body met the team at the railroad station.

Interview LC Subject

Eichelberger, Katherine Eichelberger, Katherine--Interviews University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History Young, Josephine Young, Josephine--Interviews

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