T. Harry Williams Center for Oral History Collection

ABSTRACT

INTERVIEWEE NAME: Theodore McMullan COLLECTION # 4700.0141

IDENTIFICATION: [1908- ] Dean of LSU Libraries 1961 - 1973

INTERVIEWER: James M. Bishop

PROJECT: LSU History

DATES: 9 June 1992 FOCUS DATES: 1930s - 1970s

ABSTRACT:

Side A

family history; engineering major at LSU; library student worker; decision to pursue masters degree in library science; promotion to director of libraries in 1961; acquisition of "Elephant Folio," by John James Audubon; funding purchase of "Elephant Folio;" acquiring Judge Warren Jones' Abraham Lincoln collection; developing the Middleton Room; acquiring the McIlhenny Collection; building Middleton Library; purchasing Drysdale and Gould prints; working as a consultant for the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW); establishment of Friends of the Library; describes retirement party; rivalry with Chancellor Cecil Taylor leads to his retirement; discusses McIlhenny family; selection of site for Middleton Library; friendship with Judge Carlos Spaht; architectural style of Middleton; departure of library staff for other jobs; friendship with T. Harry Williams; role of Williams in acquiring Jones's Lincoln collection; friendship with LSU vice president Daniel Borth; Borth's opposition to building the Union

Side B

switch from Dewey Decimal System to Library of Congress System; computerization of LSU's library; discusses Middleton's service under General George Patton during World War II; discusses his military service and job as an intelligence officer; describes service in the Phillippines and writing to his wife; dropping the atomic bomb; leaving the service; decision not to pursue a Ph.D.; Huey Long and the LSU Band

TAPES: T198 TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 1.5 hours

# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 43 pages

RESTRICTIONS: None