Generation Exchange was a collaborative initiative between Mid-Continent Public Library, Heritage Center, Johnson County Park & Recreation District, Johnson County Library, Kansas City Kansas Public Library, and North Kansas City Public Library.
The purpose of the project was to collect and share oral histories between generations on careers, neighborhoods, and events.
Margaret Pixley James was born March 7, 1927 in La Jolla, CA. She has been active in community service all her life and worked to promote racial harmony. Mrs. James was a school teacher and school board member in Liberty, Missouri. She has also taught Red Cross classes and at 88 is raising a great grandson.
Interviewee Birth Year: 1927
Interviewer Birth Year: 1954
Interviewer Relation: Friend
Tags from Generation Exchange:
Friend, Mid-Continent Public Library, Norma King
Melissa Brown was born in Kansas City, Missouri on May 14, 1970. She lived in the Kansas City area for 18 years until she married her husband, Hollis Brown, and moved to Parris Island, South Carolina. The lived there for 3 years and gave birth to their first son, Hollis, just before returning to Kansas City in 1991. Their second son, Zach, was born in 1995. Melissa spent several years at home with her sons until they entered school. Melissa first joined the Mid-Continent Public Library Claycomo branch in 2001.
Interviewee Birth Year: 1970
Interviewer Birth Year: 1990
Tags from Generation Exchange:
Co-worker, Janet Tatum, Mid-Continent Public Library
Mike Burke served on the Mid-Continent Public Board of Directors from 1979-1982. This interview was recorded at the MCPL Family Reunion by Andie Paloutzian on Sunday May 31, 2015 at Arrowhead Stadium on the 50 year history of the library system.
Interviewee Birth Year: 1949
Interviewer Birth Year: 1979
Tags from Generation Exchange:
Andie Paloutzian, Mid-Continent Public Library, None
Morgan Fleming is the owner and operator of Jewelry by Morgan. He is a Kansas City resident and local history buff.
Interviewee Birth Year: 1951
Interviewer Birth Year: 1979
Interviewer Relation: Just met
Tags from Generation Exchange:
1900, Andie Paloutzian, General John J Pershing, Just met, Mid-Continent Public Library
Pat Gaunce worked for USD 500 and Kansas City, Kansas Public Libraries for more than 40 years. She served as the branch manager of the West Wyandotte and F.L. Schlagle branches and was instrumental in the founding of both. A lifelong Kansas City, Kansas resident, Pat is an active volunteer in the community. She is a cancer survivor and is dedicated to promoting healthcare and wellness in Wyandotte County.
Interviewee Birth Year: 1934
Interviewer Birth Year: 1973
Tags from Generation Exchange:
1960s, 1990s, 1996 Olympics, Anne Lacey, boxing, coaching, General Motors, Inner City (Urban), Kansas City, Kansas Public Library, Kettering University, Neighborhood life, None, Schools, sports, Volunteering, Work, Wyandotte High School
Pat Stidham was born in Longview, Texas in 1954. At the age of five, his family moved to the West Texas town of Kermit. Pat graduated in 1973 before attending Rice University on a football scholarship. He married and welcomed his daughter into the world during his years in college. Pat spent the first 26 years of his career in sales and marketing before making a career switch in 2002 when he decided to earn a Masters in Teaching from CMSU. He has spent the last 12 years as a teacher, which was his first career choice. Pat is married with three children and two step-children, and has lived in the KC area since 1996.
Interviewee Birth Year: 1954
Interviewer Birth Year: 1997
Tags from Generation Exchange:
1970s, Allison Marbry, Career decision making, College, Computers, Methods of education, Mid-Continent Public Library, None, Schoolwork, Technology today vs. 70s, Vietnam War, Work
I was born in Liberty in 1989 and have lived in Liberty my whole life. I attended Liberty High School and Iowa State University where I got a degree in Journalism. I have worked at the Liberty Tribune since September 2011. I cover county government, education, and operate our social media accounts. I have had the opportunity to cover a speech by President Obama, breaking news around Kansas City and written several personality profiles.
Interviewee Birth Year: 1989
Interviewer Birth Year: 1997
Tags from Generation Exchange:
Bryttany Hollovach, Mid-Continent Public Library, None
Stan Cramer worked 35 years in various news and management positions at CBS affiliate KCTV. He spent the bulk of his career producing and airing consumer/investigative news reports, special projects, and interview programs. He exposed rip-offs and scams and helped consumers recover millions of dollars when they were cheated or misled. His nightly reports became the most recognizable news series in the market. Numerous national and local organizations recognized him for his service to the community. A Kansas City Star newspaper columnist wrote that Stan’s stories “are hard-hitting and hardnosed and more often than not get results, probably because he knows his effectiveness depends on how much he can help his constituency rather than how much he can malign business owners and operators”. Since accepting early retirement, Stan formed a new company, Trust Stan, LLC, to enable him to continue helping. He advises businesses on ways to improve customer service, consults television stations on how to successfully operate consumer units and operates a program to continue giving consumers a place to turn. Stan checks out companies and recognizes a select few with his “Seal of Excellence” if they meet his standards for outstanding customer service. If accepted into the program, businesses pay a fee and Stan produces their commercials when desired. “In the past I warned about bad businesses. Now, I am able to talk about the good ones”, Stan says. “The idea is to make it easier for consumers to find reliable businesses, not just avoid the bad ones. And by promoting the good ones it makes it more difficult for scam artists to stay in business.” Stan hopes this website will be helpful whenever you need to hire a company or file a complaint about one.
Interviewee Birth Year: 1940
Interviewer Birth Year: 1990
Interviewer Relation: Neighbor
Tags from Generation Exchange:
Allison Goldbach, Johnson County Library, Neighbor
Sue Thompson was born in Merriam, Kansas and moved to Kansas City, Kansas after she married her husband, Chuck. They raised two boys together and Sue spent many years volunteering for the Kansas City, Kansas Public Library, the Bar Association Auxiliary as well as other Wyandotte County organizations. After the tragic death of her husband, she returned to Johnson County to care for her father.
Interviewee Birth Year: 1941
Interviewer Birth Year: 1973
Tags from Generation Exchange:
1970s, 1980s, 1990s, Anne Lacey, Changing neighborhoods, Downtown, Homes, Inner City (Urban), Kansas City, Kansas City stereotypes, Kansas City, Kansas Public Library, Library, Merriam, Mission, Neighborhood life, None, Schools, Shawnee Mission North, Suburbs, Sumner Academy, surviving the murder of a spouse, the 1976 Freedom Train, Volunteering, Wyandotte County
Susan Hiland went to Oak Park High School. A love of storytelling in high school led to theatre, announcements, broadcasting, and journalism. She grew up in an age when the storytelling methods and technology were very different from what is prevalent now. Social media has been a game changer in journalism, allowing quicker response times. A web department is a four-person operation whereas ten years ago- completely unexpected. Now exclusivity of reality is the new reality. Susan Hiland went to Missouri State and got a radio internship at a station in Springfield. After that, she worked with a local TV station to get a resume tape together. Susan got her first job in Evansville, Indiana. Perseverance and determination are her words of advice.
Interviewee Birth Year: 1959
Interviewer Birth Year: 1996
Life in general: Pop culture
Tags from Generation Exchange:
College, Computers, Fads / Trends, Isaac Knopf, Mid-Continent Public Library, None, Pop culture, Social Media
Teresa Leggard started writing poetry in high school and began to write short stories shortly thereafter. She was an English major in college, then applied for a writer position at Hallmark. Teresa got an editorial job there and also pursued an MFA at UMKC. While at UMKC, Teresa connected with play writing in a powerful way. She has had her work produced at the Fringe Festival and at DC.
Tags from Generation Exchange:
???, Mid-Continent Public Library, None
The ladies of the Valley View United Methodist Church Faith Circle are Deanna Klein, Sammie Snell, Louise Evans, Pat Chambliss, Ginny Snider, Lavon Hayman. In this interview six women, ages 70 to 80, share their childhood memories of the telephone, radio, movies and music. Two of the women grew up in Johnson County and the others in the midwest.
Interviewee Birth Year: 1935
Interviewer Birth Year: 1942
Tags from Generation Exchange:
1930s, 1940s, Deanna Klein, Friend, Johnson County Library, Music, Rural (Farm), Suburbs, Technology that was important to kids in the 30s and 40s
Vida Peers worked at Mid-Continent Public Library Headquarters from 1960-1977. She is now retired. This interview was recorded at the MCPL Family Reunion by Graham Fox (Assistant Manager of the Blue Ridge location) on Sunday May 31, 2015 at Arrowhead Stadium on the 50 year history of the library system.
Title
Sue Thompson interview - 07/08/2015
Description
Sue Thompson was born in Merriam, Kansas and moved to Kansas City, Kansas after she married her husband, Chuck. They raised two boys together and Sue spent many years volunteering for the Kansas City, Kansas Public Library, the Bar Association Auxiliary as well as other Wyandotte County organizations. After the tragic death of her husband, she returned to Johnson County to care for her father.
Interviewee Birth Year: 1919
Interviewer Birth Year: 1980
Tags from Generation Exchange:
Graham Fox, Mid-Continent Public Library, None
