This oral history interview with John E. Dulin was conducted by Nancy Budrow in Harrisburg, Oregon, from November 10 to December 16, 1990. The interview was conducted in five sessions. A woman identified only as Helen was also present for the final interview session.

In the first interview session, conducted on November 10, 1990, Dulin discusses his early life in Baker, Oregon, and in Dayton and Prosser, Washington, including living on an apricot orchard and his education. He then discusses his early life in Hamilton and Havre, Montana. He describes each of these towns, talks about living on farms, and talks about his recreational activities. He speaks about his father’s career as a minister, his own after-school jobs, and his love of reading.

In the second interview session, conducted on November 11, 1990, Dulin discusses winters in Havre, Montana. He then talks about living in Worland, Wyoming, including his high school experience, his father’s career as a minister, and the house they lived in. He describes the community, his recreational activities, and playing basketball. He talks about his brother’s dentistry practice, a road trip to Missouri in 1921, and fishing and camping in Wyoming. He discusses his college experience at Linfield College, now Linfield University, in McMinnville, Oregon. He discusses meeting his wife, Emma Estel Maloney; jobs he worked; and getting expelled during his second year. He then discusses his college experience at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, including jobs he worked.

In the third interview session, conducted on December 1, 1990, Dulin revisits the topic of a road trip to Missouri in 1921. He also describes an old wedding tradition called a “shivaree.” He then revisits the topic of his college experience at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, including the jobs he worked, his social life, and extracurricular activities. He talks about returning to Oregon, and about working as a high school teacher and basketball coach, first in McMinnville, then in Bozeman, Montana. He then describes a road trip he took from Montana to New England and back to Pullman, Washington, in the late 1920s. He describes research he conducted at the University of Washington in Seattle, working as a chemistry professor and basketball coach at Yakima Community College, and moving to California in 1930 to teach chemistry and algebra in Santa Monica. He talks about his experience during the Depression, including his involvement with the Works Progress Administration and teaching physics and chemistry at Burbank High School. He describes a trip to Montana to adopt a child.

In the fourth interview session, conducted on December 2, 1990, Dulin continues discussing adopting a child in Montana and talks about adopting a second child. He talks about choosing names for his children, raising a family in Burbank, and their family activities. He also describes driving and airplane trips to Oregon from Southern California; talks about his experience during World War II; and discusses his involvement with El Camino College in Torrance. He speaks about the El Camino Community College campus and his experience as a student counselor. He also describes a 1958 trip to Bozeman, Montana, which included visits to several of the towns he grew up in. He talks about his experience as a chemistry professor at El Camino College; speaks at length about his role in the development of the El Camino College Federal Credit Union; and briefly talks about budgeting for the college.

In the fifth and final interview session, conducted on December 16, 1990, Dulin continues discussing his role in the development of the El Camino College Federal Credit Union, particularly focusing on a board election that was held in Hawaii. He talks about receiving National Science Foundation grants and describes the research he conducted as a result, including at Oregon State University. He also talks about his interest in Native American history, as well as visiting Native American history museums. He discusses pursuing a doctorate in organic chemistry at the University of Southern California, visiting the Maloney family in Georgia, and researching with radioactive materials. He speaks at length about his collection of Native American artifacts and art. He discusses his health, tells stories about car troubles on road trips, and shares his opinion on college basketball at the time of the interview in 1990. He closes the interview by talking about his experiences living near Hollywood, California.