Interview with Charles B. Vail and Emily Vail - OH 178

Interviewee

Charles Brooks Vail
Emily Vail

Interviewer

Grace Beacham Freeman

Files

Abstract

Dr. Charles B. Vail (1923-) was the sixth president of Winthrop, serving from 1973 to 1982. He is joined in this interview by his wife, Emily Vail. Grace B. Freeman, editor of the Winthrop Alumni Magazine, interviews Dr. and Mrs. Vail for an article in the publication. In this interview, Dr. Vail discusses teaching and administration at multiple institutions, serving as an administrator, and having to quit teaching. Mrs. Vail discusses her husband’s personality, voice, desire for challenges, her role as the first lady, and finishing her graduate degree. Dr. Vail also discusses deciding to be a college president at Winthrop, his personal thoughts on the job of a university president, his thoughts about Winthrop, his commencement speeches, his inauguration, and the future issue of Winthrop Alumni Magazine that features Dr. Vail and Mrs. Vail. They also discuss how they met in high school, their early college careers at University of Alabama (Dr. Vail) and Birmingham Southern (Mrs. Vail), and Dr. Vail’s time serving in the Navy.

Publication Date

1974

Unique Identifier

OH 178

Format

1 Cassette, MP3; WAV:

Length

01:04:22

Restrictions

This interview is open for use.

Disciplines

Oral History

Keywords

President, College Administration

Recommended Citation

Vail, Charles Brooks and Vail, Emily, "Interview with Charles B. Vail and Emily Vail - OH 178" (1974). Winthrop University Oral History Program. OH 178.
https://digitalcommons.winthrop.edu/oralhistoryprogram/240