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David and Timm talk about their artistic mentorship and friendship.

Ben Sachs-Cobbe talks with his Aunt Toni about her childhood in a crowded apartment in Chicago's west side, her getting an education, falling in love, and surviving cancer.

Mary Suzanne Chladek Gehardt (77) discusses about where she grew up and what was it was like to live in Southside, Chicago. She also discusses about her work life starting at hospice to real estate to becoming the first woman...

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Sandis Wright was born in a rural Swedish community in northern Maine, where he always dreamed of living in the big city. After moving to both Chicago and Atlanta, and getting married, he decided to...

David Anderson (72) and Stef Leinwohl (73) discuss going to design school at Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.

Musician and historian Stephen Wade talks with his friend Matt Brown about Stephen's musical beginnings, studying banjo with his mentor Fleming Brown in the 1970s, and his reflections on the Old Town School then and now. Since learning to play...

Katherine Noone Interviewing her 75 year old grandmother, Dolores Mirabelli

A conversation between friends, longtime musical collaborators, and fellow Old Town School teachers Jonas Friddle and Anna Jacobson. Jonas is a singer, songwriter and old-time banjo player whose songs have received The John Lennon Songwriting Award, First Place in the...

Lee Littlewood talks to Ann Littlewood about his mother, with their son Daniel facilitating the interview.

When a young Reggio "The Hoofer" McLaughlin first started tap dancing in Chicago, venues turned him away at the door, saying "we haven't booked a tap dancer since 1945!" In this conversation with his coworker Mareva Lindo, he talks about...

My mother shares the story if fishing at Belmont Harbor in Chicago for dinner during the Great Depression.

A conversation between Ron Cohen & Bob Riesman. This conversation was recorded at the school on May 8th, 2017. Go to www.oldtownschool.org/StoryCorps to hear selected excerpts from interviews collected as part of the StoryCorps-Old Town School partnership.

In this interview, conducted in November 17th , 2017, in Lincoln Park High School, Chicago, Illinois, Biljana Tanceva (16) interviews her Law teacher Miss Douglas (53) about her childhood and the beginning of her adulthood. Miss Douglas shares her story...

In this interview, conducted in November 2018 in Chicago, Illinois, Athena Johnson (16) interviews her grandma Barbra Johnson (71) about her childhood in the country and her adult life in the city. Mrs.Johnson shares stories about her Christian faith. She...

Richard Daley and the 1968 Democratic Convention

Julian Ross has taken classes at the Old Town School for over 10 years. In this conversation with his son Christopher, Julian reflects on why this place has remained such a constant in his life, and Christopher shares some of...

Don Anderson discusses his childhood growing up in Chicago, what he's grateful for, and what kind of legacy he will leave to his children and grandchildren.

In this interview, conducted in November 2017 in Chicago, Illinois, Holly Graham (17) interviews her mother Stephanie Graham (52) about her childhood years through her college years. Mrs. Graham talks a lot about her husband, their wedding and their honeymoon....

A conversation between Andrew Sa and Mareva Lindo. Andrew talks about his experiences taking the class Songwriting and the Creative Process with Sue Demel and describes the experience as group therapy and recommends the experience to everyone because it teaches...

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...

Andy and Sharon talked about what it was like growing up in Chicago in the 30/40/50s.

Life in Argentina and as an immigrant in Chicago.

Betty Nudelman speaks with documentarian Mareva Lindo about her memories of the Old Town School community in its early years, when it was housed within the Immigrant State Bank Building at 333 W North Ave--in the Old Town neighborhood from...

A conversation between Mehran Jalili & Maya Tatiana. This conversation was recorded at the school on July 25th, 2017. Go to www.oldtownschool.org/StoryCorps to hear selected excerpts from interviews collected as part of the StoryCorps-Old Town School partnership.