[middtube envs0350a-f08 mp3: giesche_aroberts_102508]

Interview with Alan Roberts
10-25-08

Alan Roberts, in his 90s, is probably one of the oldest residents living in Starksboro. He told me amazing stories about growing up in the Great Depression, his first memory – the end of World War I, the hardships of aging, being a professor of French Literature, and his political views. Although Alan is not a Starksboro native, he distinctly remembers when his parents decided to move to Vermont and saw the property he now owns. The farmer living them came out and immediately asked “You want to buy it don’t you?” Half-joking, his father asked “How much?” They bought the 300 acres of land with a house and barn for $2800. When I came up and visited Alan on a rainy evening, he joked “The best part isn’t here; the view to Camel’s Hump”. In Starksboro, Alan has his best memories serving on the Solid Waste Committee, reading to young children at the library, feeling the community of his neighbors, and working on his land. In order to conserve the property and prevent it from being split up and developed, Alan Roberts recently decided to donate his land to the Vermont Land Trust.

00:00 The town clerk is skeptical of Alan
01:00 His father was a protestant minister; his parents came to Starksboro and saw the property, fell in love with the view, bought the house for $2800, and stayed there.
03:20 He and his twin brother were born on the kitchen table; doctor predicted that Alan (second-born) wouldn’t live long because he was quiet, but now he’s the only one left.
05:30 On the solid waste committee of Starksboro for 10 years; saw the shift from a conservative Starksboro to a liberal political atmosphere
07:00 Military, in the air force for 4 years and had to teach pilots how to land without seeing the ground; but hates fighting and hunting and wars
10:00 Growing up in the Great Depression; Haverford College
14:20 Teaching at the Union College
17:10 Taught at UVM – after the war they were “screaming for teachers”; was in charge of “just about everything foreign”. Looked for a pay raise, but the dean said they had to “take care of our married men first”.
22:00 Being influenced by his father with religion, his religious views
24:20 Talks about his neighbors, “delightful people… most of them have more than a college education”, house and took care of his sister-in-law when she fell during a visit
26:10 Gave his neighbor the wood to build his house with
27:40 Doesn’t want to live in an elderly homes, trying to get services
28:50 His first memory- armistice day for WWI (actually Nov 11, 1918); he was born 1917
34:00 Political talk, Hillary Clinton
38:00 Plane crash at Camel’s Hump in the 40s; his father forbade them to speak about it because it destroyed the beauty of the place
41:00 Changes in Starksboro over past thirty years- old-fashioned old timers to liberal voters
42:00 Read to young children at Robinson School for 3 years
46:00 Starksboro future- it will change with the environment.
50:00 The hardships of old age- hasn’t been able to walk his property, just got into a car accident, afraid of falling
53:00 “I don’t feel a part of Starksboro… I just feel a part of Vermont”
54:00 His neighbor is selling his property by bits; cutting it up. This is why Alan Roberts decided to give his property to the Vermont Land Trust
57:15 Favorite place is at the top of the loop on his property- up high