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Mary Jane Anderson discusses her childhood in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago, her work at the Santa Fe Railroad, and her religious and family life.

Old Town School teachers Barb Silverman and Jess McIntosh talk about teaching at the school, experiences as women in a male-dominated music community, and reflections on their friendship over the years. Barb is a clogger and multi-instrumentalist who performs in...

A conversation between friends, bluegrass musicians and fellow Old Town School coworkers Colby Maddox and John Huber. Colby has been managing the Resource Center and teaching mandolin at the school since 1999. John has been working at the school since...

Lexie Hernandez, seventeen, sat down with her aunt and inspiration, Rebecca Santalo. She is the coach of the Coral Reef Senior High School dance team in Miami, Florida. For the past twenty-five years, Mrs. Santalo has been winning national championships...

“My childhood was actually great!” In November of 2018, ninth grade student, Olivia Foxman interviewed her grandmother, Shelly Foxman. Olivia learns about Shelly’s admirable  childhood post World War ll. Shelly’s story starts in 1951 in Chicago, but her family's story originates...

Talking about what life was like at Rocket Hall.

Interviewing Dad about his life on his visit to Arcata, CA summer 2018.

Sometime in the late 1970s, Skip Landt walked into the Old Town School on Armitage to sing in the community chorus. Today he's been teaching harmonica at the school for over 30 years. Here he talks to student-turned-teacher Rick Sherry,...

Jim Cunningham, Born 1933 is a man of many professions. When Lucas Grey joined by his Uncle Jim Cunningham sat down at a piano for an interview. Jim Cunningham grew up in the small town of Belpre Ohio, and was...

My grandmother and I talked about her story and her acceptance of Jesus Christ as her savior. Growing up she never really was religious however she had an experience where she started to believe in Jesus Christ. Her religion means...

Chicago public employee give her insights.

A conversation between Rebecca Armstrong & Mareva Lindo. This conversation was recorded at the school on July 13th, 2017. Go to www.oldtownschool.org/StoryCorps to hear selected excerpts from interviews collected as part of the StoryCorps-Old Town School partnership.

World-class Irish fiddler Liz Carroll talks with friend and bodhran player Mike Austin about the Irish music community in Chicago, Liz's ideas about learning music, and her time teaching at the Old Town School of Folk Music in the 1980s....

This is the life of my dad who has lived 76 years in Vermont and lived a humble, hardworking life!

Interview with Jermel Johnson.

Seto You, age 92/93 or 97/98, is interviewed by his son, Ed You, age 26, about his early days in the USA. He arrived from China in 1916, worked as a cook in this country well into his 80's. He...

Husband and wife, Victor Rickman (63) and Susan Rickman (67), come together to share and reminisce about their love story.

Raúl Fernández talks with his bandmate and mentee Camilo Rincón about Chicago's Mexican traditional music community, its connections to the Old Town School, and their experiences together as part of the group Jarochicanos. Raúl has been involved at the school...

In this interview, conducted on November 26, 2017 in Chicago, IL. Najabelle Oscar (16) interviews her mother, Magalie (47) about her teenage years and making an impact. She shares how she loved school as a teenager and how her life...

We talk about our feelings about performing arts, specifically dance and other life experiences and opinions.

[Recorded: Friday, September 22nd, 2023] Jess Haykov (19) from Hollywood, Florida, and Julia McCormack (19) from Silver Spring, Maryland participated in this One Small Step conversation as part of their Public Service Pathways 1-credit UNST course at UVA. Julia shares...

Kathleen Ulanday talks with mentor and friend, Nicole Pradas about her childhood memories, the different aspects of her life, and what the future may hold.

We talk about the future of multiculturalism

My grandmother, Elena Grogan, talks about her life in Moldova and how she moved to America, as well as her experiences here.

John Ford, a long-time client of EZRA's, sits down with a member of EZRA's Social Action team to discuss his experiences growing up as a Black man in Chicago, working with EZRA, and gentrification in Uptown, Chicago.