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Oral history interview with Olga S. Freeman

 Collection
Identifier: SR9042

Scope and Contents

This oral history interview with Olga S. Freeman was conducted by Linda S. Dodds in Eugene, Oregon, on September 17, 1981. At the time of the interview, Dodds' name was Linda S. Brody.

In this interview, Freeman discusses her early life on a farm in Colton, Oregon; attending Oregon State University; and working as a math teacher in Oregon and California. She then talks about settling in Eugene after her marriage to Neil Freeman, and about teaching mathematics at the University of Oregon from 1943 to 1949. She discusses how her involvement in Lane County politics began with a Democratic speechwriting contest in which she took second place, losing to future U. S. Rep. Edith Green. She talks about serving as precinct committee chair, her involvement with the League of Women Voters, and running for the Oregon Legislature in 1952. She discusses her reasons for joining the Democratic Party and her campaign for Lane County treasurer. She speaks at length about her accomplishments as treasurer. Freeman talks about feeling as if the county commissioners didn’t hold the office of treasurer in high esteem and how that pushed her to run for Lane County clerk in 1960. She discusses her accomplishments as county clerk, then describes how the office of county clerk was changed to an appointed position rather than elected, which led to her losing the position. She closes the interview by talking about her activities during retirement, including freelance writing.

Dates

  • 1981 September 17

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

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/

Biographical note

Olga Alfreda Samuelson Freeman was born in Osceola, Nebraska, in 1903. Her family moved to Colton, Oregon, in 1910. She majored in business at Oregon State University. After graduating, she taught mathematics and commercial subjects at high schools in Oregon and California. She attended the University of Washington during her summers and earned a master’s degree. She then took a teaching job in Vancouver, Washington. Two years later, she and Neil Freeman were married. In 1937, the couple relocated to Eugene, Oregon, where Neil Freeman worked for the Farmers Home Administration. She worked as a substitute teacher in Eugene for about four years before being hired as a professor of mathematics at the University of Oregon in 1943. She taught there until 1949. She was elected Democratic precinct committee chair for many years before attempting a run for the Oregon Legislature in 1952. After her loss, she was elected Lane County treasurer. She then served as Lane County clerk from 1960 to 1964. She continued to be active in the Democratic Party, as well as working as a freelance writer. She died in 1997.

Extent

.1 Cubic Feet (1 audiocassette (47 min., 20 sec.) + transcript (24 pages))

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Oral history interview with Olga S. Freeman conducted by Linda S. Dodds on September 17, 1981. Freeman was treasurer and clerk for Lane County, Oregon, and a professor at the University of Oregon.

General

Handwritten index (1 page) is available for in-person use at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

Creator

Title
Guide to oral history interview with Olga S. Freeman
Status
Completed
Author
Sarah Stroman
Date
2020
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Finding aid is written in English.
Sponsor
This project is supported in whole or part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the State Library of Oregon.

Repository Details

Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository

Contact:
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240