Interview with Wendy Blakemore : Alumni Stories
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- Wendy Slobe Blakemore (AB Spanish and Italian, 1975) speaks about her family’s history at Stanford, living in co-ed dorms in Twain House, and student activities like bonfires on Lake Lagunita, Sunday Flicks, and concerts at Frost Amphitheater. She shares memories of studying abroad in Italy, President Nixon’s resignation and the Watergate scandal, and her decision to study languages. She recalls doing research in Tepoztlán, Mexico, and memorable professors like Albert Elsen and James Watkins. Lastly, she speaks about working as a flight attendant for Trans World Airlines (TWA) and becoming a teacher.
Description
| Type of resource | sound recording-nonmusical, text, still image |
|---|---|
| Extent | 1 audio file; 1 text file; 1 photograph |
| Place | Stanford (Calif.) |
| Publisher | Stanford Historical Society |
| Date created | October 21, 2021 |
| Language | English |
| Digital origin | born digital |
Creators/Contributors
| Interviewee | Blakemore, Wendy | |
|---|---|---|
| Creator | Blakemore, Wendy | |
| Interviewer | Miller, Abigail | |
| Publisher | Stanford Historical Society |
Subjects
| Subject | Stanford University. Students > 1971-1975 |
|---|---|
| Subject | Universities and colleges |
| Subject | College students |
| Genre | Interview |
Bibliographic information
| Biographical Profile | Wendy provides a rambling narrative of her incredibly memorable years at Stanford, including several changes in direction towards a major, extraordinary professors, independent study in Tepoztlán, Mexico, Stanford-in-Italy, and dorm and house life on campus. She relishes the close friendships maintained to this day, as well as many special events she never missed such as football and basketball games, the Big Game Bonfire, and Sunday Flicks. Wendy reminisces about the impact of local, national and world events that took place during her 4 years, one being President Nixon’s resignation during her time in Italy and the bewilderment of her Italian friends regarding her shock that any American president would resign; another delves into the thoughts she felt during a change from having the Indian as our mascot to being represented by nothing more than a color, and how she views that controversial issue now compared to back in ’72-’75. Wendy considers the flexibility allowed to students to have been very progressive for the decade; she was able to take two winter quarters off to work and ski. Other college events include spending many school breaks on trips with Stanford friends; sports participation and spectating; and some weekends ‘studying’ on the beach, usually in Carmel or along the north coast. A retired Spanish teacher who has lived in Boulder, CO, for 43 years, Wendy compares and contrasts the 4 generations of family experiences at Stanford: hers, her grandfather’s, her parents’, and her daughter’s. Her late husband, Kit Blakemore, was Stanford ’73, University of Colorado JD ’76, and daughter, Katy, was Stanford ’04, M.Ed. Vanderbilt ’09. Her son, Patrick was Cornell ’07, JD ’12. Her grandfather was Carl E. Johnston ’1912; her mother Carolyn Dean Johnston Slobe, and father, Robert John Slobe, both ’50. |
|---|---|
| Transcript |
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| Finding Aid | |
| Location | https://purl.stanford.edu/gx999sz4526 |
| Location | SC0932 |
| Repository | Stanford University. Libraries. Department of Special Collections and University Archives |
Access conditions
- Use and reproduction
- The materials are open for research use and may be used freely for non-commercial purposes with an attribution. For commercial permission requests, please contact the Stanford University Archives (universityarchives@stanford.edu).
- Copyright
- Copyright © The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All rights reserved.
Collection
Stanford Historical Society Oral History Program interviews, 1999-2022
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