Grade 8 English

Two Old Women

Tribute Project—The Interview

General Interview Tips—

§ THINK ahead of time about what you’re going to ask.

§ DON’T BE A ROBOT. Ask only the questions that will get answers you want to know, in the time you two have for this project. Do NOT ask this entire list of questions blindly!

§ LISTEN when s/he is speaking!

§ Ask if it’s okay to TAKE SOME NOTES, but don’t let that keep you from listening.

§ Always GET MORE. Say, “That sounds interesting. Tell me more about that.”

§ IMMEDIATELY after the interview, WRITE DOWN as much as you can remember of what s/he said!

SOME SAMPLE QUESTIONS

The following questions are adapted from “A Script for Video or Audio Interviews With Family Members,” available at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~lineage/famhist.htm (part of RootsWeb.com, a division of Ancestry.com).

It was found on the excellent page of resources, “Interviewing and How-To Guidelines” for Oral Histories put out by the Center for Life Stories Preservation—available at http://www.storypreservation.com/links-gg.html#tips.

These resources and more are on the Two Old Women page at TallMania.com.

Basic Opening Questions

PLEASE ASK THIS QUESTION FIRST: What is your full name?

Is there anything special or unusual about your name or the way you were named?
When and where were you born?
So that makes you ____ years old now, right?
Do you have any brothers or sisters?
What are their names and ages?
What are your parents' names and when and where were they born?
Are they still living?
(If answer is no) When did (he/she/they) die?
What (are/were) your parents' occupations?
Did you know your grandparents?
What can you tell me about them?
What can you tell me about your family farther back than your grandparents?
Where are you from, originally? Where have you lived since?
Is there anything else you can share with me about your family history?
Any unusual events or famous persons? Is your family well known for anything?

Early Childhood Memories

Now I'd like you to think back to an early event you can remember.....how old were you and what was going on?
What (else) do you remember about the time before you went to school?
Where did you live when you were little, and what did your house look like?
Did you go to school before primary school?
(If yes) Please tell me about it.

Elementary School Memories

Where did you go to primary school and what year did you start?
Now I'd like you to think back to an incident in grade school which you remember well....what was going on?
What are some other memories of your elementary school years?
How were your grades in grammar school?
How did you spend your summers during grade school?
Did you have any pets when you were little?
(If yes) Please tell me about them.
Were you happy as a young child?

High School Memories

Where, and in what years, did you go to high school? (If s/he did not attend, skip most of these questions.)
Where did you live during this time?
Now I'd like you to think back to an incident in high school which you remember well....what was going on?
How were your grades in high school, and did you graduate?
What subjects and/or teachers did you particularly enjoy?
Who were your best friends during high school, and are you still in contact with any of them?
Did you have a favorite sport, and were you on any teams?
Did you have a boy or girl friend?
If you could have changed one thing about your high school years, what would it have been?
What was going on in your family when you were in high school?
Did your family take vacations, and if so, what were they like?
How would you sum up your childhood and adolescence?

Higher Education

Did you attend any college or vocational school after high school?
(If no, skip to the military section)
(If yes) When and where did you go, why did you choose to go there, and what did you study?
How did you do there, and did you graduate?
Now I'd like you to think back on an incident in this time that you remember well....what was going on?
Who were your best friends from this period of time, and do you still see any of them?

Military Service

Did you serve in the Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, etc.)?
(If no, skip to the adult section)
When, and under what circumstances?
What was it like?

Adult Life

When did you leave home, under what circumstances, and where did you go?
Where have you lived during your adult life?
What did you do between the time you (left home/graduated) and the time you got married (if married)?

Career

What was your (first, second, etc.) job after you left home?
Did you enjoy this work?
(Repeat the above two questions as necessary to get up to the present.)
What about your career have you found most satisfying?
What about your career would you like to have done differently?
Are you now, or have you ever been famous, or well known for anything?

Marriage

You need to know how many times the person's been married....if you're talking to someone who's never been married.
The first five questions should be repeated for each time the person's been married.

What is your spouse's name, and when, where, and how did you meet?
What did you do on your first date?
What was your courtship like?
How long after you met did you get married?
(If more than one marriage) How did this marriage end?
What would you say is the most important thing about choosing a spouse?
In what ways has marriage turned out to be different than you expected?

Children

If the person's never had children, skip this section

When were your children born and what are their names?
I'd like you to think back to the day your first child was born....what was the experience like for you?
What are some special memories of raising your children?
What is the best thing about children, and what is the most frustrating thing?
What is it like to be a grandparent?
Skip this question if the person has no grandchildren

Travel and Other Interests

Do you enjoy travelling, and where have you gone?
What would you say has been your greatest adventure so far?
What interests and hobbies do you have, and what do you like to do for fun?
What organizations do you belong to?
Is politics important to you?

History

Choose the questions based on the person's age...and be creative, if the focus of their life was/is at a different historical time or place.

What impact, if any, did World War One have on your life or your family?
What impact, if any, did the Great Depression have on your life or your family?
What impact, if any, did World War Two have on your life or your family?
What impact, if any, did the Korean War have on your life or your family?
What impact, if any, did the Vietnam War and the Sixties have on your life or your family?

Summary Questions

Now to take stock.....as of this point in your life, has your life turned out as you imagined it would?
What's been your greatest accomplishment so far?
What's been your greatest disappointment or frustration?
What's the most important thing in your life right now?
What would you have done differently in your life, if you'd known then what you know now?
What are your goals right now and what do you hope to accomplish next?
If you could do anything you wanted to do, what would it be?
What do you think will be the major world events of the next ten years?
What are the most important things you've learned about life thus far?
What is your philosophy of life?
What role does religion play in your life?
What would you say to me or young people in general about the area of education?
What about choosing a career?
What advice would you give about money?
What do you have to say about love and marriage?
What about how to raise children?
What would you like to say, if you have the chance, to future generations of your family?
Is there anything else you would like to add or to say to complete things?

At this point, thank the person for allowing you to interview them.

Let him or her know when the tribute will be finished.