Oral History Interview with James Gayle, July 15, 2006

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Interview with African American North Texas State University alumnus James Gayle. The interview included Gayle's personal experiences of childhood, playing basketball at Fort Worth's all-black Terrell High School, attending North Texas and enrolling in the ROTC program, and his experience as a boarder in "Shack Town" neighborhood of Denton. Gayle talks about the comparison of race relations in Artesia, New Mexico, and Waco and Forth Worth, Texas, the "neutral" stance of NT administration toward black students and the "self-support" system among students, as well as his relationships with professors and white students, and his perception of what he gained from his NT experience.
Date: July 15, 2006
Creator: Cervantez, Brian & Gayle, James
System: The UNT Digital Library
Oral History Interview with Ikard Smith, January 7, 1983 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Ikard Smith, January 7, 1983

Interview with Ikard Smith, President and senior chairman of board, Mcclurkan’s, Wichita Falls, Texas. Smith shares concerning his family background; father’s employment with McClurkan’s store in Denton and Krum; father’s experiences opening and managing McClurkan’s store in Wichita Falls, 1907; comments on grandfather W. S. Ikard’s ranching activities in Clay County and relationship with Comanche chief, Quanah Parker; educational and social experiences at Wharton School; entry into business with father, 1946; expansion and modernization of facility; comments on popularity of hats and ball point pens, 1946; views on development of shopping malls and discount businesses; expansion into shopping center, Wichita Falls, 1956; comments on changes in retailing; training of salespeople; establishment of store in Golden Triangle Mall, 1981; personnel selection for Denton store; design of Denton store; comments on merger with Dunlap Company of Fort Worth, 1982; comments on growth of sales; views on profitability of downtown Wichita Falls store; comments on advertising; involvement in trade associations and civic activities.
Date: January 7, 1983
Creator: Jenkins, Floyd & Smith, Ikard
System: The UNT Digital Library