Woodburn Regional Oral History Project
Background
In 2001, the Woodburn Regional Oral History Project (WROHP) was started as a partnership project of the Woodburn Historical
Museum and the Woodburn Chemeketa Community College Campus with the intention of documenting the heritage of the region's
diverse population. Several tape-recorded interviews were conducted with local residents and are currently stored at the
museum, awaiting transcription. The goal of the project is to gather a body of interviews that will provide a personal
perspective into the region's history.
Oral interviews are used as a dynamic method of relating history. To hear an individual tell their story -- perhaps of
war experience, owning a business, participating in politics, or just experiencing societal shifts as they happen -- provides
a window into a time and experience that was unique to that individual. We vicariously can live a little piece of history
through someone else's history. Oral histories are valuable for their ability to animate history, not necessarily for their
accuracy or their infallibility.
The Woodburn region has experienced dramatic changes in the past 50 years, and therefore the identity and heritage of the
community has undergone a huge transformation. The oral histories gathered through the Woodburn Regional Oral History Project
are not only intended to serve as a research tool for students and other interested persons but also to generate a sense of
understanding about this place that we call our community.
The Process
Oral Histories are a surprisingly easy method of conducting historical research. Many people perceive the process as intimidating
due to the fact that taped interviews are conducted but actually gathering the "stories" is an informal and interactive exercise.
The Interview
Initially a body of potential interviewees are targeted and sent invitations to participate in an interview. Those who accept
the invitation are then given some possible topics that will be discussed (work life, home life, military, community, or a specific
subject). An interview appointment is set, with the location being wherever the interviewee is most comfortable, and the interviewer
prepares a guideline for discussion. The interview itself is a discussion with the interviewee doing most of the talking, and
the interviewer prompting topics and directing the flow of the conversation. Typically the interviews last between one and one
and a half hours; often a second follow-up interview occurs to clarify certain matters from the first interview. The tape
recorded interview is then prepared for transcription and research capabilities.
Transcription and Publishing
The taped interview is transcribed (audio to written) and then submitted to the interviewee for clarity and a chance for the
interviewee to omit any of the information (privacy issues). Then the transcript is subjected to a final edit, the interviewee
is allowed to review for a final time, and with approval, the transcript is published and made available to the public.
The intention is to provide copies of the oral history interviews for purchase (printing costs) and other copies at the Woodburn
Museum, Woodburn Public Library, and Woodburn High School to borrow for research.