Search Results | Hagley Digital Archives

Title: Interview with Gerard Bérchet, 1 August 1978 [audio]
Date(s): 1978-08-01
Description: Gerard Bérchet talks about Wallace Carothers with Cookie Strange. He discusses Nylon and its various versions, including 66 and 6, 10, as well as other projects that he and Carothers were involved with at DuPont's Experimental Station.
Collection ID: Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers (Accession 1994.311)
Hagley ID: AUD_1994311_B01_ID05
Collection: Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers

Title: Interview with John "Jack" Raven Johnson, July 1978 [audio] (part 1)
Date(s): 1978
Description: Jack Johnson discusses Wallace Carothers with Cookie Strange. He talks about Carothers's academic career, both as a student and teacher at the University of Illinois, the University of South Dakota, and Harvard University. He remembers that Carothers was called "Doc" both at the University of Illinois and later at DuPont. Johnson says he and Carothers's spent a lot of time together while in Illinois, mainly working in the chemistry lab. He talks about his and Carothers's trip to Europe in...
Show moreJack Johnson discusses Wallace Carothers with Cookie Strange. He talks about Carothers's academic career, both as a student and teacher at the University of Illinois, the University of South Dakota, and Harvard University. He remembers that Carothers was called "Doc" both at the University of Illinois and later at DuPont. Johnson says he and Carothers's spent a lot of time together while in Illinois, mainly working in the chemistry lab. He talks about his and Carothers's trip to Europe in 1926, where they attended a conference in Oxford, England and heard a lecture by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), and worked on research projects in Paris. While in Paris, they met fellow chemist Gerard Bérchet (1902-1990) and convinced him to immigrate to the United States. Johnson says Carothers was a voracious reader and a lover of music. He discusses three letters that that Carothers sent him while at Harvard and reads excepts to demonstrate Carothers's personality, particularly his sense of humor. Part 1.
Show less
Collection ID: Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers (Accession 1994.311)
Hagley ID: AUD_1994311_B01_ID06
Collection: Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers

Title: Interview with William "Bill" Mapel, July 1978 [audio]
Date(s): 1978
Description: Interviewer Adeline Bassett Cook Strange (also known as A.B.C Strange or Cookie) recounts her conversations with William "Bill" Mapel and his wife, Evelyn Raines Mapel. Strange says Mr. Mapel was hesitant to talk about Carothers, and she believes he thought he would be breaking Carothers's confidence. Mapel described Carothers as the closest friend he ever had, and despite Carothers's reserved demeanor, there was an "aura" around him at DuPont and in Wilmington society. Overall, Strange...
Show moreInterviewer Adeline Bassett Cook Strange (also known as A.B.C Strange or Cookie) recounts her conversations with William "Bill" Mapel and his wife, Evelyn Raines Mapel. Strange says Mr. Mapel was hesitant to talk about Carothers, and she believes he thought he would be breaking Carothers's confidence. Mapel described Carothers as the closest friend he ever had, and despite Carothers's reserved demeanor, there was an "aura" around him at DuPont and in Wilmington society. Overall, Strange believes that much of Carothers's life was controlled by Mapel's "aggressive interests and kindness," and that Carothers was amenable to this because of his insecurities.
Show less
Collection ID: Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers (Accession 1994.311)
Hagley ID: AUD_1994311_B01_ID02
Collection: Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers

Title: Interview with Martin E. Cupery and Harry B. Dykstra, 2 August 1978 [audio] (part 2)
Date(s): 1978-08-02
Contributor(s): Strange, Adeline Bassett Cook, 1917-2004 (Interviewer), Cupery, Martin E. (Martin Eli), 1901-1996 (Interviewee), Dykstra, Harold Ben, 1902-1986 (Interviewee)
Description: Martin E. Cupery and Harry B. Dykstra have a conversation with Cookie Strange. They primarily discuss their research with synthetic polymers, the discovery of Nylon, and "Purity Hall" at the DuPont Experimental Station. They also talk about Wallace Carothers's overall demeanor and how his gentleness and kindness made him easy to be around. Part 2.
Collection ID: Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers (Accession 1994.311)
Hagley ID: AUD_1994311_B01_ID04
Collection: Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers

Title: Interview with Martin E. Cupery and Harry B. Dykstra, 2 August 1978 [audio] (part 1)
Date(s): 1978-08-02
Contributor(s): Strange, Adeline Bassett Cook, 1917-2004 (Interviewer), Cupery, Martin E. (Martin Eli), 1901-1996 (Interviewee), Dykstra, Harold Ben, 1902-1986 (Interviewee)
Description: Martin E. Cupery and Harry B. Dykstra have a conversation with Cookie Strange. They primarily discuss their research with synthetic polymers, the discovery of Nylon, and "Purity Hall" at the DuPont Experimental Station. They also talk about Wallace Carothers's overall demeanor and how his gentleness and kindness made him easy to be around. Part 1.
Collection ID: Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers (Accession 1994.311)
Hagley ID: AUD_1994311_B01_ID03
Collection: Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers

Title: Interview with John and Elizabeth Miles, July 1978 [audio]
Date(s): 1978
Contributor(s): Strange, Adeline Bassett Cook, 1917-2004 (Interviewer), Miles, John Blanchard, Jr., 1902-1990 (Interviewee), Miles, Elizabeth Colles Lankford, 1907-1995 (Interviewee)
Description: John and Elizabeth "Lib" Miles discuss Wallace Carothers, primarily focusing on his marriage to Helen Sweetman (1911-2000). Both John and Lib express their disapproval of Ms. Sweetman and believe the marriage was a mistake, recounting several stories to support their opinions. They talk about Carothers's general personality, including his love of drinking, music, and cheese, his insecurities, and his focus, intelligence, and kindness. Carothers's work with DuPont and Nylon, his battle with...
Show moreJohn and Elizabeth "Lib" Miles discuss Wallace Carothers, primarily focusing on his marriage to Helen Sweetman (1911-2000). Both John and Lib express their disapproval of Ms. Sweetman and believe the marriage was a mistake, recounting several stories to support their opinions. They talk about Carothers's general personality, including his love of drinking, music, and cheese, his insecurities, and his focus, intelligence, and kindness. Carothers's work with DuPont and Nylon, his battle with depression, and his eventual suicide are also discussed.
Show less
Collection ID: Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers (Accession 1994.311)
Hagley ID: AUD_1994311_B01_ID01
Collection: Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers

Title: Interview with John "Jack" Raven Johnson, July 1978 [audio] (part 2)
Date(s): 1978
Description: Jack Johnson discusses Wallace Carothers with Cookie Strange. He talks about Carothers's academic career, both as a student and teacher at the University of Illinois, the University of South Dakota, and Harvard University. He remembers that Carothers was called "Doc" both at the University of Illinois and later at DuPont. Johnson says he and Carothers's spent a lot of time together while in Illinois, mainly working in the chemistry lab. He talks about his and Carothers's trip to Europe in...
Show moreJack Johnson discusses Wallace Carothers with Cookie Strange. He talks about Carothers's academic career, both as a student and teacher at the University of Illinois, the University of South Dakota, and Harvard University. He remembers that Carothers was called "Doc" both at the University of Illinois and later at DuPont. Johnson says he and Carothers's spent a lot of time together while in Illinois, mainly working in the chemistry lab. He talks about his and Carothers's trip to Europe in 1926, where they attended a conference in Oxford, England and heard a lecture by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), and worked on research projects in Paris. While in Paris, they met fellow chemist Gerard Bérchet (1902-1990) and convinced him to immigrate to the United States. Johnson says Carothers was a voracious reader and a lover of music. He discusses three letters that that Carothers sent him while at Harvard and reads excepts to demonstrate Carothers's personality, particularly his sense of humor. Part 2.
Show less
Collection ID: Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers (Accession 1994.311)
Hagley ID: AUD_1994311_B01_ID07
Collection: Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers