A Do-It-Yourself,
Oral History Primer

The purpose of this manual is to provide a guide for an interview for the S.D. Lodge of Masonic Research Oral History Program.

It is nothing more nor less than spoken history, a tape-recorded dialogue between an interviewer -- an individual employing the method of historical inquiry with journalistic techniques -- and an interviewee who has knowledge, experience, or expertise for the record.

An oral history interview has three elements: the interviewer, the interviewee and the tape.

A quality, lightweight, portable cassette recorder which operates on both battery and AC power. It is preferable to use AC power whenever possible.

These machines invariably have built-in microphone. But to prevent outside noises on the tape and to guarantee recordings of good fidelity, use separate microphones.

A "mono" recorder is fine; stereo is not needed.

Separate microphones are not necessary if the interview is away from such disturbances as the sound of power mowers, air conditioners, dogs, ringing telephones, as well as third parties who insert themselves into an interview.

Actually, the intrusion of the latter is not always a bad thing, since they very often are able to pique the memory of interviewees or provide additional information about individual matters, such as names and dates.

Use only high quality cassettes. The C-60 tapes are best. To avoid re-recording on a completed tape once both sides have been recorded on, punch in the two tabs at the top of the cassette with either a penknife, small screwdriver, or ball-point pen. This prevents the recording head from making contact with the tape.

Preparing for the Interview

An interviewer should be prepared for his interview. He should know as much as possible about the person he is to interview, about his active Masonic service, as well as the events in which the interviewee was involved.

If it is a "do-it-yourself" interview -- where the interviewee simply talks by himself to the recorder, he should prepare some questions as guides on which the interview can be structured.

A good interview can be ruined by an interviewer who is nervous and ill at case with machines. This nervousness can be transmitted to the interviewee, distracting him and disrupting his train of thought, causing him to concentrate on the recorder rather than on the interview.

Do not turn the recorder off and on. Start it and forget about it. Watch your time, however, and turn the tape over when, if it is near the end on one side, the conversation lags.

Be certain that there are fresh batteries in the tape recorder if it is to be operated on battery power. A supply of fresh batteries should be brought to the interview together with other needed equipment.

Ensure you have a supply of cassettes since a potentially good interview can be ended before its time by running out of cassettes before the interviewee runs out of reminiscences.

If you are going to use the recorder on AC power, always take along an extension cord in case the interviewee does not have one.

Always have a pad and pencil to make note of items you might want to discuss at an appropriate break in the interview, as well as for to keep a running glossary which should be turned in with the tapes. The glossary will assist the transcriber in spelling proper and place names as well as terms peculiar to Masonry.

Conducting the Interview

The interview should be in a secluded, quiet place away from noises and diversions. The best time for interviewing is in the morning.

There is no rule how long an interview should be. It is a matter of being sensitive to the interviewee's limits and being aware when an interview is over.

An interview about a year's Grand Mastership or longer Masonic life can last one hour or three.

The interviewer should ensure the whole story is told, but this may not require more than one to four -- maximum -- 60-minute tapes.

The interviewer and interviewee must mutually recognize when the subject has been exhausted and that the interview must come to an end.

There are times when the interviewee does not want to let go and then the interviewer must take charge and gracefully close the interview. Courtesy and good manners will govern. The reverse situation can occur, but should not.

Following are some suggestions to interviewers. They do not cover the entire realm of do's and don'ts, but they are a beginning:

Do not insert yourself in the interview except in the role of an interrogator.

Ask questions which evoke longer answers of merely "yes" and "no."

Be objective and unmoved in response to what you are being told. Do not nod your head to what is being said or keep interjecting "uh-huhs" in agreement.

Interrupt only at appropriate pauses in the interviewee's narration and ask appropriate questions at that time.

Follow up on important matters by asking questions when it appears that it would be profitable to do so.

Ask questions you feel should be asked to augment or clarify the historical record and questions which you personally would like to have answered.

Do not be afraid to ask when you do not understand what the interviewee is saying, or when you feel it is a matter which should be clarified or explored in depth.

Use a good mix of questions. Open-ended questions are good for opening a subject area or for eliciting reflective and interpretive answers

In addition to seeking facts, attempt to elicit names of places and persons, dates, etc., and if in doubt, get the interviewee to spell out names.

Memories are not infallible, so it behooves a good interviewer to correct an interviewee politely if he has a name or the facts wrong. This can be done diplomatically, as, "Don't you mean."

We would like to have our oral history collection more than a repository of old Masons' axes to grind, and we encourage the inclusion on tape of vignettes, anecdotes, personality sketches and humor in addition to a narration of the interviewee's career.

Attempt to augment the oral history tapes with papers, photographs or artifacts the interviewee may have. Either borrow them for copying or attempt to have the interviewee donate them. For photographs, make certain they are captioned and all persons in the photo, its location and date are identified. If this is not possible, mark the back of the photo to identify it and then have the interviewee identify the subject(s) of the photo on tape while you are conducting the interview. We can then scan in printed or typed material into a computer -- and digitize photos into a computer file as well!

Ask one question at a time. A long series of questions will not only confuse the interviewee, but also will result in perhaps only the first and last question being answered. Keep questions short and clear-cut to enable the interviewee to slide effortlessly into his reminiscences.

Begin each interview by speaking the following on tape: "This is Side 1, Tape 1, of Session (number), of an interview with (name), which is being conducted on (date) at (place of interview). The interviewer is (name)."

Mark each cassette box and each cassette label clearly with the name of the interviewee, the date and place of the interview, and, if more than one tape is used per session, write "Tape 1 of (total number)" on the box and label.

NOTE: Subsequent tapes and tape sides should similarly be identified, otherwise confusion will arise during transcribing in trying to sort out tapes and sessions. Always remember to punch out the tabs on top of the cassettes once the tape is recorded on both sides.

For record-keeping, each interview for the S.D. Masonic Lodge of Research Oral History should be accompanied by a documentation sheet or a 5 x 8 card with the following information:

Name of interviewee

Name of interviewer

Place and date(s) of interview

Synopsis of the interview commenting on highlights of the interview. In the interview, the interviewee may mention other individuals who should be interviewed. This information should be noted in this report.

A photo of the person interviewed, preferably one he chooses, alternately one on your own camera.

Processing the Interview

When the interview is completed, send the tapes, glossary, and documentation sheet to:

the S.D. Lodge of Masonic Research

C/O the S.D. Grand Lodge

to the SDLMR officer or committee person previously detailed to receive the material.

Make certain that the outside of the mailing envelope is always clearly marked Recorded Materials, Do Not X-Ray.

The majority of completed interviews will be accessioned in taped form.

A number will, at some time after the interview, be transcribed and proofed.

The amended transcript will be corrected, and copies will be accessioned into the S.D.L.M.R. Collection and its publications arm.

Ideas

Some good first questions to ask should answer these questions:

* Ancestry

* Place and date of birth

* Family

* Place lived in

* Education

* Occupations and accomplishments

* Special skills and interests

* Community and religious activities

* Description of informant

Some Interview Questions:

1. What is your full birth name?

2. State, town and county you were born in?

3. What were the full names of your parents and where were they from?

4. Did you come from a Masonic family?

5. What role did Masonry have in your life as a child and young adult?

6. How much schooling do you have? What was your favorite subject? How did that fit into your Masonic career?

7. What were your grandparents names if they played a role in your Masonic life?

8. If married, what role did wife play in Masonic career?

9. What are your dates of Masonic importance... initiated, passed, raised, offices held, etc.

10. Among your sisters and brothers, how many have Masonic connections.

11. What important Masonic changes did you see in your career?

12. What was most important about your time in office as _____________ (GM, ect.)

13. How did you learn about Masonry?

14. Why did you become a Mason?

15. Did you have any reservations about becoming a Freemason?