UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN MADISON ARCHIVES
ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

Interview #262
TERRIO, ANNE

TERRIO, Anne (1908-1994)
Secretary, Biochemistry Department
At UW: 1927-1973

Interviewed: 1983	
Series: Life Sciences
Interviewer: Laura Smail
Length: 2 hours

Position in Department of Biochemistry; Condition of office; E. B. Hart and Conrad Elvehjem as chairmen; Relationships between Department faculty; Kindness of faculty members; Acquisition of first electric typewriter on campus; Graduate students; Responsibilities; Position of women on UW staff.

Tape 1/Side 1

00:00:00	Interviewer’s introduction. 

00:00:18	Worked in UW administration first.  Got to know a lot of people.  Was recommended for job in biochemistry.

00:02:38	First days.  Primitive bookkeeping.

00:05:19	Hart's style of administration.

00:07:43	AT lived on State Street. Describes flamboyant character that ate in same cafeteria as she did.  He turned out to be Karl Paul Link. His costume. "If it wasn't for him I wouldn't have lasted in that job." He came often to see her if she needed help or had questions.  

00:10:23	Cleaning and organizing office.  Wasp nests, old bottles. Link would explain 	things.

00:13:23	Other faculty member. Elvehjems became close friends.  They often had staff over to their house.

00:14:27	In beginning, she did all Steenbock's correspondence, including those related to patents.  Later, he hired someone to do it.  

00:17:31	Discusses a Chinese student.

00:20:37	Discusses Steenbock and Hart.  

00:23:49	McCollum-Steenbock dispute.

00:25:00	General talk.  She was looking at lists of graduate students.  She got to know students well.

00:27:44	Link once called in reporters and gave a speech saying nasty things.  AT thinks he was having trouble at one time.  Only way she could explain his behavior at times.  Throwing ball of twine at Steenbock.

00:31:12	End of side.

Tape 1/Side 2

00:31:17	More on Link's kindness to her.  A good friend.  A lot more people thought he was a communist.  Discusses a Japanese student--Iyekawa.  More on Link's idiosyncrasies.

00:38:27	Link’s hours. Chairman (Hart) held department meetings on Saturday morning.  Almost turning down a Seventh Day Adventist because couldn't come on Saturdays.  Elvehjem found solution.

00:40:58	Question about change in chairmanship.  She doesn't remember.  Fred used to stop in often.

00:42:28	AT thinks Link was a little jealous of Elvehjem.  Elvehjem got publicity without seeking it, Link always sought it.  Elvehjem always getting awards and praise.General talk.

00:49:20	Question on Elvehjem's chairmanship.  Good at getting money, great to work for.

00:51:57	Link's lectures to 4-H students to interest them in science.  AT used to go.  Wonderful.  Link and Glenn Frank had plan to write book on subject.  AT was to work with Link as non-specialist to judge text.  But then Frank died.  Link and Frank were good friends.

00:54:21	Link's classes.

00:54:54	AT handled money.  Elvehjem made sure she'd stay before he accepted deanship. Came over every day.

00:56:13	AT substituted for Hart at AG chairmen's meetings.  Hart's comment about their being fuddy duddies.  General talk.

00:59:36	Example of Elvehjem's thoughtfulness.  He told good stories.  An example.  Could be life of party.

01:02:33	End of side.

Tape 2/Side 1

01:02:37	Interviewer’s introduction. 

01:02:44	AT often raised question of hiring women faculty.  Some women became graduate students to get husbands.  Elizabeth Miller's self-reliance as graduate student.  Some faculty wouldn't take women graduate students.  Elvehjem did.  Link had few, if any.  No prejudice against foreign students.

01:08:10	More on Steenbock and Link.

01:09:29	Robert Burris is most Christian person she's known.  He's kind, helpful, with a good sense of humor.

01:11:42	General talk on Steenbocks.  Department social life.  There was a wives' group.

01:15:22	WARF. Steenbock always thought people were trying to get his money.

01:17:51	Question about AT's experience as a women on campus.  Questions on titles.  Elvehjem insisted she be promoted to administrative assistant, a title used only for deans' secretaries.  Visit from civil service.  They said titles were only for men.  Elvehjem furious, persisted.  Finally got her a promotion.  People said "he always gets what he wants."

01:20:50	Elvehjem got her an air conditioner since he had a detached retina and couldn't sneeze.

01:21:55	Electric typewriters not allowed at first.  AT and Elvehjem fought for one--then everyone got one.

01:22:36	Statement by Fred that there were only two capable women on campus--Elizabeth McCoy and AT.  AT mentions others, including Juta Reilly.  AT met people while working in administration.  UW Women's Club.  AT got them involved in doing things for children's hospital.  More on Service Club.

01:30:13	Party for AT at Elvehjems.  Gave her an honorary Ph.D., signed by President Elvehjem.

01:31:52	Classes she took in English and Spanish.

01:32:28	Marvin Johnson.  Story about him as graduate student. Closing reflections on how much she enjoyed her job. 

01:49:28	End of interview.

END