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Oregon Legislature Oral History Series United States Series Legislators--Oregon
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Oral history interview with Frankie Bell

This oral history interview with Frankie Bell was conducted by Vinita Howard from November 12-30, 1992. In this interview, Bell discusses her family background and early life in Eugene, Oregon. She discusses her education and attending the University of Oregon. She talks about the difficulty of starting a family while still attending college and trying to have a career. She discusses the various part-time jobs she held until she began working at the Capitol building in Salem, Oregon, in 1966 as a tour guide. She talks about working at the information desk at the Oregon Legislature from 1967 to the time of the interview in 1992, including facing sexism on the job. She describes her observations on the Legislature over her two and a half decades there, including on lobbyists, rumors, and inaugural changes. She also talks about the history of the Capitol building, as well as organizing holidays and exhibits at the building; the gift shop; and school tours. She closes the interview by speaking briefly about the personalities of many legislators over the years.

Bell, Frankie (Frances Estelle), 1937-

Oral history interview with Robert F. Smith

This oral history interview with Robert F. Smith was conducted by Clark Hansen at Smith's office in Medford, Oregon, from August 30 to September 1, 1995. In this interview, Smith discusses his family background and early life in Burns, Oregon. He talks about his interest in basketball while attending Willamette University. He also talks about running a ranch and multiple other businesses after graduation; his flying hobby; and his involvement with a number of civic organizations. He goes on to talk about being recruited to run for the Oregon Legislature by members of the Oregon Republican Party, and his time in the Oregon House of Representatives from 1960 to 1973. He discusses his campaigns, committees, fellow legislators, and legislation that he worked on. He talks about Tony Yturri, Monte Montgomery, Bill Holmstrom, Stan Ouderkirk, Clarence Barton, and Stafford Hansell. He discusses legislation on agriculture, taxes, labor, forestry and land use. He also talks about how his leadership style as speaker of the House from 1969 to 1973, and about his legislative agenda. He closes the interview by discussing the social life of legislators.

Smith, Robert F. (Robert Freeman), 1931-