My Grandpa’s Experience in the CIA

The CIA is one of the world's most secretive agencies, and my grandpa was involved.  This interview for the Great Holiday listen on storycorps was about my grandpa, Lou Eisenbarth experience and memories from his time in the CIA. My name...

Liz Carroll & Mike Austin

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....

The Great Thanksgiving listen

This interview was mostly me just asking Ms. Jackson some random question. About her life, growing up, Job, and etc.

12 months, 12 camps, 12 years old: A Dark Time in History.

At just 12 years old, Edith Frankie’s life was turned upside down. She went from having friends to being called an ugly jew, having rocks and mud thrown at her, and being forced to wear the yellow star on all...

The life of Robert E. Larson

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

How Grandma found God

When life was hard she never gave up. Having a son at 16 didn’t stop her. When her parents took her money that she needed that didn’t stop her. She learned two lessons that stayed with her forever,one always believe...

Steve Rosen & Mareva Lindo

Old Town School teaching artist Steve Rosen talks with his coworker and one-time fiddle student Mareva Lindo about his long tenure at the school. Steve is a member of long-running string band The Volo Bogtrotters, winner of the Midwest Fiddle...

A Master of Music

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...

Gus and Sarah Hutchinson discuss preparing for the climate emergency

This interview covers topics of preparing for climate change-induced disasters within the scope of a large city, and how precious experiences may or may not have helped to shape those behaviors

Morals behind the Memories

“The Germans shot my father, shot my sister, she was twelve years old.” On November 28, 2019 in Studio City, California, Andrew Yotnegparian sat down with his grandfather, Maurice Yotnegparian, to learn about the struggles he faced in his life...

The Life of Joseph Wilcox

In my interview with Joseph Wilcox (my father) we discuss many different topics from many different points in my life. We talk about things from what parks he used to play at, to how our family was almost not even...

Rebecca Armstrong & Mareva Lindo

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.

The Acceptance of Jesus Christ

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...

War Can’t Destruct Love

“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...

1968 from a Chicagoan’s Perspective

An overview of major events my grandmother remembers while living in Chicago in 1968. She was twenty years old and witnessed many of the terrible and iconic events on the news.

Making an Impact

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...

Raúl Fernández & Camilo Rincón

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...

Mary Jane Anderson (my mom!) being interviewed by Annie Anderson (me!) on November 30, 2015 in Philadelphia, PA.

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.

A Gritty Childhood Growing Up in Queens

In this interview we go in depth about the childhood of one who grew up in the streets of New York, and what the life of one who grew up there may hold for them. My name is August Mazzara...

Boy Scouts in the Philippines

Gary Gell grew up in the Philippines during the Vietnam war, and had many adventures and stories about his young life. In this interview 15 year old Campbell Hall student Jeremiah Gell interviews his father Gary Gell on January 7th...

“What do you remember about growing up in Chicago?”

My Grandfather, John Grey, has had an interesting upbringing moving from place to place with his family. He was raised as a young child in Chicago Illinois, and later moved to Dallas Texas with his family. In this interview, Me...

You Are Only As Good As Your Last Croissant

Cooking is a form of art and so many people love making and eating food. On January 6th 2019 in Los Angeles California, Jack Beerman interviewed his grandmother Sarabeth Levine to learn about her early life as a pastry chef....