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Lola Cheatham, a long-time San Marcos resident talks about the growth of San Marcos and what Texas State used to be like. She recalls growing up and attending school in Caldwell County, going to college at Texas College in Tyler, and working for SWTSU for sixteen years. She shares her experiences and duties during her employment at the University Staff Lounge in Flowers Hall. Ms. Cheatham discusses university figures such as Emmie Craddock, John Flowers, LBJ, and Dana Smith, the university's first enrolled African-American student.

Betty Dressen discusses growing up on a farm. She shares her memories of "going into town" to Lockhart with her dad once a month. She shares the responsibilities that come with that kind of lifestyle, such as curing meat, making cheese, canning, and other aspects including wells and growing her garden.

James Harrell talks about growing up in Waco, studying in Dallas, and working in the movie business. He relays information about how Texas has grown to better support actors and the film industry, and outlines present trends in professional acting. Along with recalling changes he has seen in the university, he also discusses the evolution of the drama department and the new Speech and Drama Building.

Dr. Bain describes how the medical field and opportunities for female doctors have changed over the span of her career, especially in Austin, TX. Dr. Bain briefly discusses growing up in Centerville, attending college at the Texas State College for Women, and going to medical school at the University Medical Branch in Galveston. Beyond talking about being a woman in medical school, Dr. Bain shares her experiences working at Brackenridge Hospital and starting her private practice in Austin. She later recalls her participation in a number of medical societies, including the Travis County Medical Society and the Texas Medical Association, as well as the state of healthcare and insurance in the United States.

Max Winkler talks about how he got started in the CIA, primarily through working on a program dedicated to eradicating the spread of foot and mouth disease in Mexico in the 1940s and 1950s. Mr. Winkler describes his adventures and exploits, spending much of the interview discussing his role in training Cuban nationals to overthrow Castro during the disastrous Bay of Pigs in Cuba in the early 1960s. He details how Fidel Castro took control of Cuba and instituted communism, due in large part to Hugo Chavez, whom Mr. Winkler interviewed. Along with describing the trainees, Winkler recalls how the CIA treated number of imprisoned defectors. Mr. Winkler also shares how the U.S. worked with President Ydigoras of Guatemala during this period. Eventually, Mr. Winkler and his wife (also a CIA agent) left the Foreign Service and moved to New Braunfels. Mr. Winkler administered LBJ's Head Start Program in Central Texas, the first in the U.S., before becoming principal of Seele Elementary.

Prepared for the City of Johnson City with assistance from the National Park Service and the Public History Program/History Department Southwest Texas State University.