Goforth, Flora 1999-11-30

Flora Goforth talks about her childhood, getting an education at Texas Tech, her teaching career, the beginning of the Archeology Department at Texas Tech, her degree in Archeology, and her involvement in procuring the Spur Ranch letter books for the Texas Tech library. She also talks about her work with the U.S. Indian Service from 1938 – 1951, her weaving, teaching weaving, and her book, Weave It Yourself.

General Interview Information

Interviewee Name: Flora Goforth

Additional Parties Recorded:

Date: November 30, 1999

Location: Almogordo, New Mexico

Interviewer: David Marshall

Length: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Abstract

Tape 1, Side 1: Goforth Flora, Born in Ranger, Texas on May 8 1907, Parents, Move to New Mexico because of father’s health – June, 1907, Father Went to college in Granbury, Texas in the early 1900’s, The college was moved to Forth Worth, Texas and became Texas Christian University (TCU), Parents (again), They traveled from Texas to New Mexico by wagon instead of by train due to her father’s health, Father, His health continuing to deteriorate, Mother, Was the first school teacher in LaMessa New Mexico, Taking Flora with her to work, Goforth Flora, Learning by growing up in her mother’s school room, Lessons her mother taught her early in her life, Parents (again), Description of their early social life in Texas, Mother (again), Organizing the community holiday celebrations, Community dances in LaMessa New Mexico, Holding the dances in people’s homes, 4th of July celebrations, Fireworks, Mother (again), Her biggest influence on Flora’s life, Her philosophy regarding taking school work home, Teaching career, First school in Spade Texas, Listing of Texas schools where she taught, Texas school classification system, Experimental schools, Teaching career (again), Teaching in the experimental school program, Taught from 1931 – 1937, Interviewing with the school board in Spade Texas, Teacher’s salaries in Spade Texas, Being paid in script.

Tape 1, Side 2: Teacher’s salaries (again), Rule against women teachers being married, Women teacher’s salaries compared to men teacher’s salaries, Influence of mother’s teaching style on Flora Goforth’s teaching, Goforth Flora (again), Ethnic mix of students when Flora was in grade school, Mother (again), Ola Langford, Father (again), Ambrose Goforth, Both parents grew up in the Ranger Texas area, Father (again), He was a farmer, The cash crop was cotton, He also had subsistence crops and livestock, Move to Abilene Texas in 1918, Father (again), His two great wishes for Flora, Died when Flora was 4 years old – 1911, Memories of her father and her early life, Running away from school and walking home along, Her father rescuing her from a run away horse, The day her father died, Building his casket, Mother’s youngest brother moved in with them after her father died, Move to Abilene Texas (again), Maternal grandmother had a small cattle herd, Moving cattle because of draught, Living in a tent for four months, Driving cattle to water every day, Whirl winds knocking their tent down, Riding a horse as a young child, Children’s size spurs, Goforth Flora (again), Her sheep, Move to Alamogordo New Mexico.

Tape 2, Side 1: Move to Alamogordo New Mexico (again), Helping the girl next door to start talking again, Maternal grandmother crying to go back to Texas, Move to Abilene, Texas (again), Attended school from the 5th grade through high school in Abilene, Taking extra work to finish high school in three years, High school graduation, Attending college at Texas Tech, Why Flora Goforth chose Texas Tech, Family move to Lubbock Texas to be near Flora, Attending college at Texas Tech (again), Received an archeology degree, All archeology work was completed through the University of New Mexico, Studying primitive art as a basis for fabric design, Beginning of the Archeology Department at Texas Tech, Flora Goforth’s involvement, First experience of discrimination against her as a woman, Dr. Holden’s involvement, Spur Ranch records, Letter books, Assignment that took Flora Goforth to the Spur Ranch.

Tape 2, Side 2: Goforth Flora (again), Involvement in getting the Spur Ranch letter books donated to Texas Tech, The problem of horses and cattle stepping into prairie dog holes, Spur Ranch Letter books donation (again), Texas Tech’s Library’s use of the letter books, Relaying a story told by an old cowboy from the Spur Ranch, Studying weaving at Texas Tech, Description of the operation of a loom, Process of producing thread, Learning how to dye thread, Spinning and weaving the fabric for all her clothes, Building a hand loom, Making baby blankets for sale, Learning the business side of selling her weaving, Interviewing for a teaching job in El Paso Texas, Teaching hand weaving to Native Americans in Rose Bud South Dakota.

Tape 3, Side 1: Teaching hand weaving (again), Building a loom, Story about her trip to Pine Ridge, Weave It Yourself - a book by Flora Goforth, Written while working with the U.S. Indian Service, Weave It Yourself (again), Making the drawings for the book, Reason for writing the book, Describing the contents of the book, Detailed step-by-step instructions, Using the book to describe weaving on a hand loom, The book as a teaching guide, Using the book to describe weaving (again), Published in the 1940’s, Rushing (?) Doug, Going into business together, Weaving material for an office building.

Tape 3, Side 2: Blank

Range Dates: 1907-1951

Bulk Dates: 1931-1951

Access Information

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