Judson Oral History Project

Ann Sindelar, is the Reference Supervisor at the Western Reserve Historical Society and explains what the special collections library at WRHS can offer patrons. She emphasizes the amount of material WRHS has on the University Circle area, the Wade family and Wade Park. She expresses her love of history and the joy in connecting researchers to the WRHS collections. WRHS partners with many cultural institutions and schools in University Circle and has recently been helping with the Circle Walk…

Gene Roy was born in Alfred, New York and first moved to Cleveland in 1947. After moving away for some time she returned to the area in 1970. She taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music. During her tenure with CIM the school moved from Mather Mansion to University Circle. She and her husband were involved in the Cleveland music scene. Her husband worked at Severance Hall with the Cleveland Orchestra and was instrumental in starting the Cleveland Art Prize. She lived in Cleveland Heights…

George Havens was born in 1924 in Cleveland and grew up in East Cleveland. He graduated from Case College, served in World War II and eventually ended up in the advertising business. The University Circle area was integral to his life, which in the 1930s and 1940s was referred to as the 105th Street area. He frequently ate at Wade Park Manor, attended programs at Severance Hall, and even took a dip in Wade Lagoon. The 105th Street area was very active and Havens shares multiple stories of his…

Kathleen Shamp, originally from Wooster, came to Cleveland to work for the Cleveland Public Library. She lived off and on at the Evangelist Church that doubled as a Salvation Army sponsored women's home. Throughout her life Shamp has been involved in the Cleveland music scene. She sang in multiple church choirs, including the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, Jewish Singing Society and took voice lessons at the Cleveland Institute of Music. She led a busy life by working at the Cleveland Public…

Robert Brooks was born in Cleveland. He spent much of his life in the University Circle area. More specifically, Brooks lived on the corner of East 105th Street and Chester Avenue. He vividly describes and shares some of the experiences he had in that neighborhood. He learned French at the Demonstration School for Foreign Languages and subsequently taught French in the Cleveland Public Schools. Later in life he dedicated his time to volunteering with the program Project Learn, as well as with…