Volunteers

Mr. Blalock, a native of Durham, North Carolina, is a graduate of Duke University and Harvard Business School (AMP). He came to Louisville in 1961 as a corporate and public relations executive with Brown and Williamson Tobacco Corporation, later known as BATUS. Mr. Blalock has performed a wide range of community service for numerous civic, arts, and health care organizations in Louisville, including coordinating a fund drive for the University of Louisville with a goal of $40 million dollars over a five year period, known as the Quest for Excellence. At the time of the interview he was retired, but still serving as a consultant to several Louisville businesses.

James H. Caufield, spouse of Ruth Caufield, was twenty-seven years old at the time of the 1937 flood. He lived with his wife and five-year-old child in an upstairs apartment at Sixth and Main in the west end of New Albany, Indiana. Mr. Caufield was the Assistant Manager at the Steiden's grocery store at the corner of Pearl and Market streets in downtown New Albany. The first floor of the Caufield's apartment building was flooded and they had to evacuate their home. They moved in with a family living in the east end of New Albany. Mr. Caufield talks about what it was like during the flood. He discusses the volunteer work that he did in the early stages and during the flood. He tells about events that happened during the flood and how the people in New Albany reacted during the flood. Index available.

William D. Meyers was twenty-four years old at the time of the 1937 flood. He lived with his wife in a three room third floor apartment at 1312 South Sixth Street in Louisville. Mr. Meyers was Deputy Tax Receiver for the city of Louisville. During the flood, the police gave Mr. Meyers a truck to drive and he spent the period of the flood driving for the city and performing various duties with his truck. Mr. Meyers' wife's parents and some friends of the family stayed with the Meyers during the flood. A total of seven people lived in the three room Meyers apartment. Mr. Meyers recalls his experiences while driving the truck in the flood area. These include hauling a dead body to the pontoon bridge at Baxter Avenue for delivery to a mortuary in the Highlands and helping the police drag the corpse of a deceased horse with his truck from the middle of the street to a grave dug by the side of the road. He also tells his experience of visiting the refugee center at the Jefferson County Armory, now called Louisville Gardens. Index available.

Mary M. Oswald was thirty-nine years old at the time of the 1937 flood. She lived with her husband at 1203 Delor Avenue in the Germantown area of Louisville. Friends of the family and their seven-year-old daughter came to stay with the Oswalds when their home on Ash Street, about five blocks away, was flooded. Mrs. Oswald's husband worked at American Standard and on weekends would help rescue people from the flood in the West End. Mrs. Oswald was a volunteer worker in the refugee center at St. Elizabeth Church. Mrs. Oswald tells about her experiences at the refugee center. She also tells about her friends' and relatives' experiences in the flood. Index available.