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ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½×îаæÏÂÔØ University Student Hears Voices from the Past

Casey Saglier, ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½×îаæÏÂÔØ University history and paralegal major, hears voices, but this is a good thing. As the History Center student employee, she has spent the spring semester working with oral histories collected by Dr. Robert W. Sterling.

“These histories offer us a unique insight of the past, and what life was like growing up in the area. People talked about their education, jobs, and the community. Most of the interviewees were born in the late 1800s and lived in and around Joliet,” Saglier said. The recordings include Lillian Gougar and John Farrell; both have Will County streets named for their families.

“They talked about how the city changed during their lives. I’ve heard stories about Native Americans as well as ones related to World War I.”

Saglier prioritized the digital transfer of these donated recordings from Sterling, which now have been added to ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½×îаæÏÂÔØ University’s Adelmann Regional History Collection. They all include typed transcriptions and some include photographs.

“The systematic recording and archiving of interviews for research by Casey Saglier is preserving this important local oral history for future generations,” Dennis H. Cremin, professor of history and director of the History Center, commented.

Saglier has taken the lead in the digital transfer of records from reel to reel or cassette tapes to digital recordings. John Kilpatrick, ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½×îаæÏÂÔØ University associate professor/director of Television Operations, has helped with the project.

ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½×îаæÏÂÔØ University is an innovative and forward-thinking Catholic university offering market-relevant undergraduate and graduate programs to 6,500 students. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½×îаæÏÂÔØ University is nationally recognized for preparing intellectually engaged, ethically grounded, globally connected and socially responsible graduates. Visit for further information.