Donald Schmechel Oral History Collection
Watch oral histories with prominent figures in the Pacific Northwest including artists Jacob Lawrence and Kenneth Callahan; Governors Albert Rosellini and Dixy Lee Ray and Reverends David Colwell and Samuel McKinney.
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K. Alvin Merendino Interview, 1988
Alvin Merendino (1914-2011) was a noted thoracic surgeon, known for his innovative contributions to surgical techniques. Merendino was born in Clarksburg, West Virginia and attended Ohio University, Yale and the University of Minnesota to receive his undergraduate, M.D. and Ph.D. During his time in Minnesota, he worked as a research Assistant to Dr. Owen H. Wangensteen in the Experimental Surgery Laboratory. He came to Seattle in 1949 and joined the University of Washington as a professor of surgery. In 1950 he became directory of UW’s Experimental Surgical Laboratory where he remained until 1972. During his time he also became professor of surgery and chair of the Department of Surgery. 1956 Merendino became the first person on the West Coast to perform open heart surgery. His wife, Shirley, was a nurse to whom he attributed much of his career success. Together the couple had five children. In 1976, Merendino took a leave of absence from UW to take on responsibilities at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh where he soon became director of medical affairs and during a later stay, directory of the Cancer Therapy Institute and the King Faisal Medical City. He was also active in the medical community, serving as a member of the National Board of Medical Examiners and as chair of the American Board of Surgery. In 2002 Merendino and his wife, Shirley, established the Merendino Endowed Fellowship at the University of Washington to support talented and impactful surgeons.
Identifier: spl_ds_amerendino_01
Date: 1988-04-14; 1988-05-12
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Fred Haley Interview, May 2, 1986
Fred T. Haley (1912-2005) was the president of Brown & Haley, the confectionary company founded by his father in 1912 that became well known for manufacturing Almond Roca. Haley was heavily involved in civil rights and education issues in Tacoma and nationwide. He served on the Tacoma School Board from 1954 to 1965 and worked for school desegregation and increasing diversity among the faculty. He was also heavily involved in establishing a Tacoma campus for the University of Washington. Haley’s deep interest in social causes was further demonstrated by his participation in the 1963 March on Washington. The American Civil Liberties Union honored Haley with their William O. Douglas award in 1985 for his work to promote civil rights and racial equality and protecting targets of McCarthyism in the 1950s.
Identifier: spl_ds_fhaley_01
Date: 1986-05-02
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Row of colorful houses at 92nd Ave. N. and College Way N., March 31, 1997
Photograph shows a row of homes in the Northgate neighborhood, all built in the 1980s. This image was used in the March 24, 2012 Now & Then column "Row Houses on 5th." (https://pauldorpat.com/2012/03/24/seattle-now-then-row-houses-on-5th/) The caption provided was "A modern sort of row - this one near North Seattle Community College (on the byway - rather than the freeway - to Costco.)"
Identifier: spl_dor_00041
Date: 1997-03-31
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Aerial view of Bellevue, WA, circa 1990s
Aerial view of Bellevue looking west and slightly north along NE 4th Ave. towards Lake Washington and Seattle. Bellevue Square (first opened in 1946 as Bellevue Shopping Square, and expanded in the 1980s), One Bellevue Center (constructed 1982-1983), the Hyatt Regency hotel (built 1989), Key Bank Building (built 1971), and other buildings can be seen.
Identifier: spl_dor_00021
Date: 1990
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Pine St. west from 4th Ave., December 22, 1965
Photograph shows views of the Fahey-Brockman Clothing store and the Bon Marche building with its holiday star lit.
Identifier: spl_dor_00036
Date: 1965-12-22
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Aerial view of downtown Seattle east from Safeco Plaza, July 15, 1981
Views east towards First Hill and Capitol Hill.
Identifier: spl_dor_00040
Date: 1981-07-15
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Gasworks and Lake Union from Queen Anne, July 3, 1961
View of Gasworks Park, the University District, Portage Bay, the University Bridge and Eastlake taken from Paul Dorpat's friend's porch in Queen Anne.
Identifier: spl_dor_00005
Date: 1961-07-03
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Aurora Bridge from Smith St. dead end, October 2, 1958
View of the Aurora Avenue Bridge looking north, taken from the dead end of Smith Street in East Queen Anne.
Identifier: spl_dor_00008
Date: 1958-10-02
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Solie Ringold Interview, 1988
Solie Ringold (1914-2004) was a Seattle native who became Washington’s first Jewish judge in 1961. Ringold attended the University of Washington and graduated with a degree in law in 1936. After earning his degree Ringold began working for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s office. In 1939 Ringold married his wife, Marion Margolis. Shortly after their first daughter’s birth, World War II began and Ringold left Seattle to serve as part of the Army’s counterintelligence corps in the South Pacific. Following the war, the couple had two more children. Throughout his career, Ringold held several prominent positions including serving as a chairman of the Civil Rights Committee of the Seattle Bar Association from 1960-1961, as a King County Superior Court Judge between 1961 and 1977 and a Washington State Court of Appeals judge between 1978 and 1988. Ringold was active in many community organizations including the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith, Jewish Family and Child Service of Seattle, the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, and the American Veterans Club. He was a founding member of the Washington State Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The organization named Ringold their “Person of the Year” in 1992.
Identifier: spl_ds_sringold_01_01
Date: 1988
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John Steiner Interview, February 12, 1988
John Steiner (1917-2003) was vice president and corporate director of product development at Boeing. Steiner was born in Seattle. He earned his Aeronautical Engineering degree from the University of Washington in 1940 and his masters from MIT in 1941 and began working at Boeing shortly afterwards, Steiner married his wife, Dorothy, in 1942 and the couple had three children together. During his career at 43 year career at Boeing, he helped develop many airplanes including the 707, 727 and 737. After leaving Boeing, Steiner served on the White House Aeronautical Policy Review Committee.
Identifier: spl_ds_jsteiner_01
Date: 1988-02-12
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