Historically Significant Memories in Social Work: Two Perspectives on Oral History Research and the Helping Professions
Abstract
This article describes two perspectives about the powerful appeal oral history research projects exert on members of the helping professions. Charles T. Morrissey is an oral history practitioner and consultant who has taught intensive oral history workshops throughout the country as well as oral history courses at several universities. He has conducted oral history research projects for many major organizations, including the Ford Foundation, the presidential libraries of Harry Truman and John Kennedy, and a Washington-based association called Former Members of Congress. John Kayser is a social work educator with a personal and professional interest in narratives and oral histories. Using the experience of attending an oral history workshop at Vermont College in 1996 as a "case example," Kayser describes the application of Morrissey's guidelines in conducting subsequent oral history research on the life stories of retired women social work professionals in Colorado. The importance of using oral history interviews to capture previously undocumented, historically significant memories is illustrated. In the concluding section, the authors reflect on the enduring attraction and value oral history research has for helping professionals. Beneficial outcomes of the attraction appear to be increased self-awareness both for informants who share memories about their life experiences and for professionals conducting oral history research Our joint authorship of this narrative essay arose from our previous contact in a 1996 summer oral history workshop held at Vermont College in Montpelier, a unit of Norwich University. John Kayser (JK)was the student and Charles Morrissey (CM) was the teacher. JK was one of many students from the helping professions (broadly defined here to include mental health and social service professionals, clergy members, and lay archivists, educators, historians, librarians, and theologians) who have sought specific training in oral history methods. Over the years, helping professionals have comprised the largest group of participants attending workshops. This essay is a joint reflection on the powerful appeal oral history apparently exerts for such professionals, and how oral history interviews capture important, previously undocumented information about individuals and events in the life of the profession.
Copyright of Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping is the property of Cleveland State University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.
Downloads
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
REFLECTIONS:
NARRATIVES OF PROFESSIONAL HELPING
SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY, PUBLISHER
PUBLICATION AGREEMENT
1. COPYRIGHT: If the manuscript you submit to this site (the “Manuscript”) is selected for publication in Reflections, the author(s) of the Manuscript hereby agree to transfer copyright of the Manuscript to Salem State University, including full and exclusive rights to reproduce the Manuscript in all media now known or later developed, including but not limited to electronic databases and microfilm, and in anthologies of any kind.
2. AUTHOR RE-USES OF MANUSCRIPT: As a professional courtesy, the author(s) retains the right to reprint the Manuscript again after publication in Reflections, in any work the author(s) is sole author, or in any edited work for which the author(s) is senior editor, though the author(s) is required to cite the Manuscript as a prior publication in “Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping.” No further permission is necessary in writing from SSU, nor will SSU require fees of any kind for this reprinting. This statement is intended to provide a copyright release for the purposes set forth in this Section 2, and a photocopy of this Publication Agreement may be used when another publisher requires a written release.
3. READER RE-USES OF MANUSCRIPT: The author(s) acknowledge that registered readers of Reflections and others with access to the Manuscript may use the Manuscript consistent with applicable law including, but not limited to Fair Use under 17 U.S.C. § 107.
4. AUTHOR WARRANTIES: The author(s) represent(s) and warrant(s):
a.) that the Manuscript is the author's (authors') own work;
b.) that the Manuscript has been submitted only to this journal and that it has not been previously published;
c.) that the Manuscript contains no libelous or unlawful statements and does not infringe upon the civil rights of others;
d.) that the author(s) are not infringing upon anyone else’s copyright.
e.) that the author(s) are responsible for any individual or organizational names that are mentioned in the Manuscript, as SSU disclaims responsibility for references to individuals, organizations, facts, and opinions presented by the published author(s) in the Manuscript.
f.) That the author(s) have taken care to ensure that the Manuscript does not contain any identifiable information about clients or patients except as pursuant to appropriate permissions and forms of informed consent as provided for in all relevant laws and codes of ethics.
g.) That the Manuscript in no way violates any individual’s privacy rights.
The author(s) agree that if there is a breach of any of the above representations and warranties that the author(s) will indemnify SSU, including the publisher and editor of Reflections, and hold them harmless.
5. AUTHOR RETENTION OF PATENTS: The author(s) may have, within the Manuscript, descriptions of the author's (authors') own proprietary patents. Nothing herein shall be construed as a transfer of any proprietary right in such patents. Accordingly, the author(s) retains all proprietary rights in any such patents described in the Manuscript, but such reservation in rights does not include ownership of the Manuscript, and SSU shall retain full and exclusive rights to the Manuscript as set forth herein.
6. NOTE FOR U.S. GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES: Any Manuscript authored by a U.S. government employee(s) as part of the employee's official duties, must be noted with your submission.
7. JOINT WORKS: Any Manuscript written by two or more authors with the intention that the Manuscript will be merged into one inseparable or interdependent parts of a unitary whole are considered a “Joint Work” under § 101 of the U.S. Copyright Act. This Agreement must be signed by all contributing authors to any Joint Work.
8. “WORK FOR HIRE” AUTHORS: If the Manuscript was written by an author(s) who was hired by another person or company to do so, the manuscript is considered a “Work Made for Hire” under § 101 of the U.S. Copyright Act. This Agreement must be signed by the “employer” who hired the author(s), as well as the author(s).
9. NO AMENDMENTS: This form is not valid if the author(s) add(s) any additional constraints and amendments. Please submit the article elsewhere for publication if the author(s) do not sign the form without alteration.
