Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Collection
Title
Oral history interview with Cecil L. Edwards
Date(s)
- 1982-05-14 (Creation)
Extent
.1 cubic feet; 2 audiocassettes (1 hr., 2 min., 33 sec.)
Name of creator
Biographical history
Cecil Leroy Edwards was born in Salem, Oregon, in 1906. He began working as a secretary for the Oregon Legislature in 1933, serving as chief clerk of Oregon House of Representatives in 1963, secretary of the Senate from 1965 to 1975, and legislative historian from 1975 to 1993. He died in 1995.
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
This oral history interview with Cecil L. Edwards was conducted by Linda S. Dodds at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, on May 14, 1982. At the time of the interview, Dodds' name was Linda S. Brody.
In this interview, Edwards discusses his duties regarding the selection of horses as a civilian agent for the Remount Service during World War II. He talks about the history of the American Remount Service and how the horses were used during both war and peacetime. He also discusses his duties selecting dogs for military use. He then talks about serving on the Oregon Racing Commission under Governor Douglas O. McKay after the war. He briefly describes lobbying for the Oregon State Cattlemen's Association and working as chief clerk of the Oregon House of Representatives. He then speaks at length about his experiences as secretary of the Senate. He talks about the changes in the Legislature during the 20th century, including salaries, staff sizes, and session length. He tells the story of discovering that the federal government owed a debt to Oregon dating back to the Civil War. Edwards talks about the fire that destroyed the Capitol building in 1935, the places where the Legislature convened afterwards, and the construction of the new Capitol. He closes the interview by talking a little about some of the governors he served under.
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use elements
Conditions governing access
Collection is open for research.
Physical access
Technical access
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright for this interview is held by the Oregon Historical Society. Use is allowed according to the following license: Creative Commons, BY-NC-SA: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Languages of the material
- English
Scripts of the material
Language and script notes
Finding aids
Acquisition and appraisal elements
Custodial history
Immediate source of acquisition
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information
Accruals
Related materials elements
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related archival materials
Additional oral history interviews with Cecil L. Edwards are held by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Related descriptions
Notes element
General note
Preferred citation: Oral history interview with Cecil L. Edwards, by Linda S. Dodds, SR 9431, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
General note
Incomplete transcript (28 pages) is available for in-person use at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Specialized notes
Alternative identifier(s)
Description control element
Rules or conventions
Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard), 2nd Edition.
Sources used
Archivist's note
Sarah Stroman
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Dodds, Linda S. (Contributor)
- Oregon State Capitol (Salem, Or. : 1876-1935) (Subject)
- Edwards, Cecil L. (Subject)