Oral history interview with Charles A. Sprague
Scope and Contents
This interview with Charles A. Sprague was conducted by Robert Bruce of the Capitol News Bureau in Sprague’s office at the Oregon Statesman in Salem on July 18, 1962. It was broadcast on the radio as part of the Living History Series. In the interview, Sprague briefly discusses his family history and early life in the Midwest. He then talks about his career in journalism and ownership of the Corvallis Gazette-Times and the Statesman, as well as big news stories during that time, including the labor movement. Sprague also discusses his involvement with the Republican Party and his term as governor of Oregon during World War II. He also talks about landmark legislation that was passed during his term, particularly the establishment of the state forest system, as well as his thoughts on amending the Oregon Constitution. He closes the interview with a discussion about contemporary American culture.
Dates
- 1962 July 18
Creator
- Sprague, Charles A. (Charles Arthur), 1887-1969 (Interviewee, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
In Copyright – Rights-Holder(s) Unlocatable or Unidentifiable statement: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-RUU/1.0/
Biographical note
Charles Arthur Sprague was born in Lawrence, Kansas, on November 12, 1887. He attended Monmouth College in Illinois, where he was editor of the college newspaper. After his graduation in 1910, he became superintendent of schools in Waitsburg, Washington. He and Blanche Chamberlain were married on August 8, 1912, and they later had two children. In 1915, Sprague purchased the local paper, the Ritzville Journal Times. In 1925, he moved to Oregon, where he was business manager for the Corvallis Gazette-Times. In 1929, he purchased a two-thirds interest in the Oregon Statesman in Salem and was its editor and publisher for 40 years. He was a Republican and was elected governor of Oregon, serving from 1939 to 1943. He died in 1969.
Extent
.1 Cubic Feet (2 audiotape reels (41 min., 22 sec.) + index (3 pages)) : 7 in. open reels; 7 1/2 ips
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Oral history interview with Charles A. Sprague conducted by Robert Bruce on July 18, 1962, for the Living History Series, broadcast on radio. Sprague was editor and publisher of the Oregon Statesman newspaper and served as governor of Oregon from 1939 to 1943.
Existence and Location of Copies
Creator
- Sprague, Charles A. (Charles Arthur), 1887-1969 (Interviewee, Person)
- Bruce, Robert M. (Robert Mason), 1915-1972 (Interviewer, Person)
- Title
- Guide to oral history interview with Charles A. Sprague
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Sarah Stroman
- Date
- 2019
- 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
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240
libreference@ohs.org