Interview with O. F. Galloway, September 17, 1976

Interview Summary

Dr. O.F. Galloway was born in 1891 in Breckinridge County, Kentucky. He attended Kentucky Wesleyan College in Winchester, Kentucky, but transferred to the University of Kentucky in the Fall of 1923 to finish his degree. Prior to entering UK, Galloway had taught for ten years in various schools throughout Kentucky especially in Todd and Jefferson Counties. Galloway decided to finish his degree at UK, because he felt that UK had more prestige.

Galloway majored in Classics and recalls T.T. Jones, one of his professors who later became Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. He describes his experiences with Dr. Frank McVey, who was president of the university at that time. Galloway states that McVey was very devoted to scholarship, and remembers how Dr. McVey shut down the Senior Court, a student organization which was developed in order to keep freshmen students in line. Galloway talks about other social activities of the students. He recalls being a member of the debate team along with John Y. Brown, future governor of Kentucky. He remembers seeing plays at Guignol Theatre and discusses the relationship between the university and the city of Lexington. Galloway describes Dr. Funkhouser, with whom he became well-acquainted through his work with the Graduate Club, an organization of graduate students who had one large banquet each year with a distinguished speaker. He also remembers Professor W.R. Sutherland, who was attacked for being too liberal.

Galloway talks about the role of athletics on the campus at that time. He describes a controversy surrounding the playing of Centre College, and discusses the reaction of students on campus when a UK football player was killed in a game against the University of Cincinnati. He discusses the active role of women on campus and describes UK's women's basketball team. He recalls female faculty members like Sarah Blanding, the Dean of Women, and a professor who taught French. He remembers that that old Carnegie library was too small, and the joy when the new King Library was opened.

After completing his Bachelor's degree, Galloway pursued a Master's degree and then a Doctorate in education at UK. He describes Dean Taylor of the College of Education and Leo Chamberlain who was his advisor on his doctorate dissertation. From 1930 until 1931, he served as an assistant in the Bureau of School Services. He discusses his work on school surveys. The topic of Galloway's dissertation was higher education for negros in Kentucky, and he describes his decision to pursue a unique dissertation at that time. Galloway, who received his PhD in 1931, was one of the first three people to receive a doctorate degree at the University of Kentucky. Galloway found employment at MacMurray College in Illinois where he stayed for 28 years and became head of the department of education.

Interview LC Subject

Galloway, O.F., 1891- Galloway, O.F., 1891- --Interviews University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History

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