Oral History Interview with Carol Tobe

Partial Transcript: "I was born in Louisville and lived in eastern Jefferson County on Chamberlain Lane in the Worthington area, which is now all completely built up and subdivisions. It was potato farms then."

Segment Synopsis: Carol grew up in the Presbyterian Church. Rev. George Edwards was liberal and led her to the doctrine of the Unitarian Church. She and her husband, Harry met at University of Louisville and married in 1960. Her husband worked at Bruce Fox Company in New Albany, Ind., and they moved to Louisville in 1965. Both she and her husbands are artists. They have three children, Chris, Sarah, and Brenner. She found the church through her oldest child's kindergarten teacher, Janice Greg.



Carol talks about the church building - before the fire - and George Gibson, a greeter as an early memory. One child called the only building "the big red rug room." Carol was always involved with keeping track of the artwork in the church building.

Keywords: Edward, George; Gibson, George; Springdale Presbyterian Church

Partial Transcript: "Can you tell me a little bit about, what was it like when the fire happened?"

Segment Synopsis: Carol recalls the day of the fire. She was on the board at the time. She learned about it while working in the art gallery in the main library. She recounts her career working in historic preservation and arts organizations.



Carol recalls that at the same time they were trying to determine what to do with the ruins, they were thinking of razing the Heywood House, too.

Keywords: Heywood House

Subjects: American Printing House for the Blind (Louisville, Ky.); Historic preservation; Louisville Free Public Library; Louisville Water Company (Louisville, Ky.)

Partial Transcript: "It may go back to another things about the interior of the church."

Segment Synopsis: Carol recounts a proposed plan to accommodate a donated organ for the original church developed by famous Louisville architect, Jasper Ward. The church ultimately adopted a more practical plan.

Subjects: architects; organ (muscial instrument); Ward, Jasper

Partial Transcript: "You mentioned the printing house for the blind, and I know you've done a lot of work for them."

Segment Synopsis: Carol provides some history of the American Printing House for the Blind and details the equipment artifacts that became the basis for the museum. She describes printing house programs, including audio books.

Keywords: audio books; record press; recording studio

Subjects: American Printing House for the Blind (Louisville, Ky.); Blind; Braille; museums; Tactile graphics

Partial Transcript: "You mentioned the school for the arts and other places where you've worked."

Segment Synopsis: Carol describes the beginning of the Louisville School for the Arts, which began on the third floor of the Louisville Library. Classes were based on exhibits in the gallery. They later merged with the Louisville Visual Arts Association at the recommendation of the Fund for the Arts, and moved to the Water Tower.

Keywords: art classes; arts educaiton; Louisville Fund for the Arts; Louisville Junior Art Gallery; nonprofit

Subjects: Louisville Free Public Library; Visual arts

Partial Transcript: "Speaking of the Church. What kind of work did you do?"

Segment Synopsis: Although Carol served on the worship committee and board (when the church burned), she describes herself as "not a great committee person." She did drawings for the services that related to the sermon and the chancel decoration. She describes apparatuses built by "Harry" to hold flower arrangements and drape fabric in the old church. Harry made many pieces still used in the church, including the pulpit, chancel table, the book rack, and quilt binder.The Fowlers commissioned the pamphlet rack and bench. Joe Kremer and Peter Webber modified the platform to include a ramp.

Keywords: board; Weber, Peter

Subjects: Church decoration and ornament; Committees; Furniture; Pulpit and rostrum; Religious art

Partial Transcript: "Now that we've mentioned Bob Reid, why don't we talk a little bit about him."

Segment Synopsis: Many people were active in civil rights during Bob Reed's tenure, and contention arouse over abortion and other topics. Carol describes controversy around the sanctuary movement promoted by Charlie Mitchell, when the church voted not to accept refugees into church as a living, hostile space. Bob Reed left shortly after this, but Carol is unsure if this was the cause. Many in the church were disappointed, although they did vote to support St. William's efforts. Carol says that "we were pretty conservative," and "we didn't want to take any chances."



Carol describes how they found Richard Beal during the time of reconstruction after the fire and how his leadership kept the church together.

Keywords: Beal, Richard; ministers; Mitchell, Charlie; Reed, Bob; Tachau, Eric; vote

Subjects: Abortion; clergy; Sanctuary movement

Partial Transcript: "I really wanted to be on the building committee. That was important to me."

Segment Synopsis: Carol recounts the building committee and the measures they took to choose an architect, windows, and steeple under the leadership of Carol Runge. Carol discusses the committee members and their decisions behind movable seating and organ placement. Some architectural elements were omitted for changes in funding. Carol helped assemble documentation about the church's artwork. The steeple on the tower is a unique sculptural piece by artist Tom Butsch, which unites the old and new parts of the church. Carol states that she wishes they were able to incorporate more decorative glass.

Keywords: Ballard, Bob; building committee; Butsch, Tom; Eric Tackow; Finley, Carol; Grossman Chapman Kingsley Architects Inc.; Grossman, John; Runge, Claudia; Schreiber, Jesse; Tachau, Eric; Wyrick, Julia

Subjects: architects; Organ (Musical instrument); Planning the New Church; Stained glass windows

Partial Transcript: "Richard. He was a wonderful minister. His sermons were very thought provoking. I remember him most for his drama."

Segment Synopsis: Carol discusses Rev. Richard Beal and his dramatic way of presenting sermons. Carol shares a memory of Richard dressing in character for a "speakeasy" or "Casablanca" themed event.



Carol goes on to describe more of the elaborate church canvas dinners held to celebrate and elicit pledges and donations. Carol describes some of the decorations and themes for those dinners, including "one giant step, "a goose and a golden egg," and "the phoenix" during the fire year. The canvas dinners became more frugal and eventually stopped.



Organist Terry Borney (sp) would play ragtime music and the congregation would dance in the aisles. Carol discusses the importance of music in church history.



The phoenix was also a logo for the building committee.

Keywords: Beal, Richard; canvas dinners; dancing; fundraising; organist

Subjects: Ragtime music

Partial Transcript: "I've been working with the aesthetics committee, which is a challenge."

Segment Synopsis: Carol jokingly calls the aesthetics committee the "art police." She discusses the balance between making church members feel at home while providing a place for church members to share information and keeping the church cleanly attractive to the entire community.

Keywords: collections policy; Daly, Bev; Thackeray, Kathy

Subjects: Aesthetics; art; Bulletin boards

Partial Transcript: "Something that I have missed recently...is what we called couple's club."

Segment Synopsis: Carol describes Couple's Club and Circle Suppers, and states that she misses being in small groups to get to know new people at the church through social activities. She also mentions other church activities like the Service Auction and Holiday Fair.



Carol talks about the Forums, religious education, and other holiday celebrations.

Keywords: Miller, Anne; Nativity scenes (Crèches)

Subjects: Forums (Discussion and debate); Holidays; leisure; Religious education; Trumpet

Partial Transcript: "We didn't talk about polyamory. Did you want to talk about polyamory?"

Segment Synopsis: Carol describes the polyamory controversy in the mid-1990s. The issues came directly after the church stated displeasure with its current minister. From Carol's perspective, the leadership made the correct choice (at the time) to not recognize polyamory among its membership, although it made the leadership look conservative in hindsight.



Carol also voices her ongoing concern about the church's financial stability, although she says they seem solvent at the time of the interview.

Keywords: polyamory

Subjects: clergy; controversy