Oral history interview with Mary V. Tobkin

Collection

Identifier: SR 9661

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This oral history interview with Mary V. Tobkin was conducted by Linda S. Dodds at Tobkin’s home in Portland, Oregon, on February 6, 1981, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library’s oral history program. At the time of the interview, Dodds’ name was Linda S. Brody.

In this interview, Tobkin discusses how she became involved in Portland politics and talks about her work as administrative secretary for Portland Mayor Terry Schrunk. She speaks about Schrunk’s political campaigns, shares her experiences as a woman in a mid-20th century workplace, and discusses Schrunk’s accomplishments as mayor, including his work to improve trade relations with Japan and to improve Portland’s mass transit systems. She closes the interview by sharing her reasons for retiring from politics when Schrunk left office in 1972.

Dates

1981 February 6

Creator

Tobkin, Mary V. (Mary Virginia), 1917-1993 (Interviewee, Person)

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 statement: Creative Commons - BY-NC-SA, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

Biographical note

Mary Virginia Tobkin, nee Mary Willimina Schimmel, was born in Cook, Minnesota, in 1917. From 1957 to 1972, she served as administrative secretary to Portland Mayor Terry Schrunk. She married three times and had no children; over her professional life she also used the names Mary V. Harrison and Mary V. Curry. She died in 1993.

Sources: Vital records on Ancestry.com; information provided by Tobkin in her interview.

Extent

0.1 Cubic Feet (2 audiocassettes (1 hr., 22 min., 45 sec.))

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Oral history interview with Mary V. Tobkin conducted by Linda S. Dodds on February 6, 1981. Tobkin discusses her work as administrative secretary to Portland Mayor Terry Schrunk from 1957 to 1972.