Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 2002 - 66

we discovered this and were trying to bring the books together. In
the end the conference did okay. But I had just trusted him too far.
It was really a tough issue. We really worked with the board through
that part. Ed Peterson was the one that helped discover it. It was a
real tough learning process, and such a big lesson. Until you
brought it up, I really forgot a lot about this. It was one of the stunning things in the early history-too naive, too naive. I mean he had
been so involved in helping to plan the conference. There were
about three of us in St. Louis who put it together. It just didn't occur
to any of us, either on the committee or on the board, that another
theatre person, a colleague, might not be trustworthy. I think that
everyone felt that "there but for the grace of God go I" sort of thing,
because we realized how vulnerable we had all been. But the board
was really heroic. I've always been appreciative of that.
Interviewer: I had heard a rumor; and that's all I knew.
PS: Well, I guess that no one held a grudge, because the next year I was
voted onto the Board of Directors. An interesting thing that came
out of that was when I became secretary a few years later, they tried
to get me to have a rubber stamp for the membership cards. I said,
"Absolutely not. I will not do that." And Herb (Greggs) said, "How
are we going to do this, you're in St. Louis, you have to sign these
new membership cards." "I'll sign them," I said, "and get them out.
I just don't do that." Finally, Herb persisted and I gave him a rubber
stamp with my signature. The minute I stopped being secretary he
handed it back to me. I still have it in my desk drawer. He promised
me that he would do that and he did. I am so paranoid about that
type of thing. If you get a letter or anything from me it is hand
signed. But you will never see me use a signature stamp.
Interviewer: Well, you are certainly right about this being a good lesson
learned. In the Institute, we're all friends and colleagues. It's hard
to imagine that one of our own might not be trustworthy.
"When we first went west in1966, we promised each other it
would only be for two years," Peter Sargent confided during our interview. "But obviously that soon changed." Now thirty-six years
later, Peter continues to serve Webster University as Dean of the Leigh
Gerdine College of Fine Arts. He still teaches classes, and continues to
design lights for Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. Since becoming Dean,
Peter has not attended as many of our conferences as he would like
because he feels that the younger faculty needs to have the first call at
such professional development opportunities. But he has promised
me that he will do his best to be there in Minneapolis this spring
when the clans next gather. I'm sure that many old friends join me in
wishing him well 'til then. ❖

Dazian LLC; PMS032; p/u

Sculptural Arts Coating,
Inc.; b/w; p/u

THE LIVING HISTORY PROJECT is jointly sponsored and funded as an
all-commission project by the Commissioner's Fund and the commissions of the Institute. The objective is to video tape interviews with those
individuals that have had significant involvement with the history of the
Institute from its founding to the present. This process was initiated at
the 1999 conference at Toronto. It is envisioned that over the next few
years some 75 to 100 individuals will be interviewed. The ongoing
project will then continue to record the Institute's history as it unfolds.
The Living History Project is chaired by Richard D. Stephens, who
authored the above article. He wishes to thank Sarah B. Faszholz for assistance with transcription and editorial suggestions, as well as Douglas
C. Taylor and the USITT office staff for research assistance.
TD & T

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