This collection contains interviews with important members of the University of Minnesota Morris campus, including many interviews done for the Promise of the Prairie documentary.
The digitization of some of these oral histories was made possible in part by the people of Minnesota through a grant funded by an appropriation to the Minnesota Historical Society from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Any views, findings, opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the State of Minnesota, the Minnesota Historical Society, or the Minnesota Historic Resources Advisory Committee.
Some additional interviews with UMN Morris faculty and administrators are available in the UMN Digital Conservancy, including interviews with Jack Imholte, Bettina Blake, Bill Stewart, and Bill and Ida Stewart.
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Ralph Williams Interview, 1978
Ralph Williams
Ralph Williams was born in 1916 in the Glenwood area. He first traveled to Morris in 1928 to a regional music contest. After graduating from college, he became a teacher of music at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, eventually coming to Morris in 1960 to teach at UMN Morris. Ralph Williams has written and published over 100 choral or band works, mostly of a spiritual or religious nature. The interview discussed his musical career from the early days to the present, UMN Morris, the area's growth and development, jazz, and composition.