Cornelia Hopkins Allen

Social worker

professor

University of Buffalo. School of Social Work--History

Cradle Beach Camps

Professor of Social Work at the University of Buffalo and the State University of New York at Buffalo, 1936-1966. Interview concerns Hull House, Cradle Beach Camp, family, School of Social Work, comments on Dean Lyndon, comments on Amherst Campus, personal memories.

Interviewer's Observations: Mrs. Allen retired from her position as professor in the school of Social Work with a plethora of academic, community and benevolent accomplishments and contributions. As a result of a stroke suffered a few years back her health and mobility have been affected; making participation in on-campus University events nearly impossible. Mrs. Allen remains apart from University affairs today and reflects upon her former participation with little sentimentality, a degree of separateness but with unspoken satisfaction. Mrs. Allen lives in a large, decaying house in need of outside repair and painting. Barely shoveled, the path leading to the front door proved to be an obstacle. Inside, the potentially spacious home was congested with books, couches, chairs, piano and a large wooden bed that stood boldly in what must have been a dining room off the kitchen. Atop the bed lay Julia, an old white poodle, surrounded by books, piano music and papers. Mrs. Allen sat a few feet away from the over-stuffed bed in a large arm chair with her feet supported by a foot-stool and her legs covered with a blanket. During the interview she clearly recalled events and in a sequence congruous with written information this interviewer had examined in her biographical file. Yet her orientation for time was somewhat vague. Mrs. Allen was not able to pinpoint years of important events in her life. The noises in the background in one segment of the tape recording are those of Cathy preparing food in the kitchen. Cathy is a young woman whose husband and she rent the third floor apartment of Mrs. Allen's home. After the interview she informed me that Mrs. Allen has a nurse, two maids and a handyman who regularly assist Mrs. Allen.

1978-02-28

Sound recording

Interviews

Sound

OH-2

5/9/2013

UA014-allen-cornelia.mp3

1 Sound cassette

ca. 60 min.

Peterzell, Jenny

Allen, Cornelia Hopkins, 1896-1979