Document Qk759KbzgJk5Bv6L8rL4K7ekk

FILE NAME: ALCOA (ALC) DATE: 2002 DOC#: ALC055 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Oral History Summary of Dr. B. Dinman FILE NAME: ALCOA (ALC) DATE: 2002 DOC#: ALC055 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Oral History Summary of Dr. B. Dinman FILE NAME: ALCOA (ALC) DATE: 2002 DOC#: ALC055 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Oral History Summary of Dr. B. Dinman Pittsburgh and Beyond: The Experience o f the Jewish Community A Guide to the NCJW Pittsburgh Section Oral History Collection National Council of Jewish Women, Pittsburgh Sectipn i- Pittsburgh; Pennsylvania 2002 f NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN ORAL HISTORY PROJECT 1970: to ward of revolt after Watts; touches on other NCJW projects: Women and Girl Offenders and Call for Action: concerned with tenant and landlord problems in public housing. [T2S3] R provides names of parents: father, Samuel Bairn, mother, Esther Smith Baim; gives names of siblings, notes cause o f mother's death: blood clot, describes circumstances; adds information to early years: not an outdoor person, average student; mentions brothers served in World War II. R describes family conditions: father poor, started as shoe maker then owned shoe store; mentions husband served on patrol craft during war; describes daughter Terry's work; reflects on husband's sister, her influence to become involved with NCJW; did publicity. R mentions accepting position as vice president for Community Service, 1970-1972; served as president, 1978-1980; compares earlier presidents to today's presidents: recent ones have more self confidence; adds information to Council House: social place for people coming out of mental institutions and their return to society; husband on board of directors; reflects on South Oakland Center: result of juvenile justice program o f NCJW. R touches on Call for Action Program with KDKA: focused on housing; mentions involvement with SWIM: Single Women in Mid Life Crisis, concerned widows and divorcees; notes chairmanship o f Council Care, 1986-1990; initiated by NCJW, last of original, creative programs, notes many programs started by NCJW now being done by others. R explains present involvement with NCJW: developing programs from Oral History project, gives purpose: showcase Oral History; mentions 2 programs: "History o f the Jews in the Pittsburgh Area" and "Living Judaism"; repeats information on previously mentioned projects. [T2S4] R discusses family life: gives names of husband's sister's children, their work; gives names o f Universities attended by three daughters, their present status; husbands large amount of business travel and R's travels with daughters as adults; enjoys annual Thanksgiving celebration with family; feels Jewish community very visible and has contributed much to total community; reflects on large group of friends: greatest achievement. R discusses concerns for future of NCJW: declining membership, duplication o f activities, similar to other groups; mentions Ruth Garfinkel's positive influence on NCJW; comments on rearing her children. Interviewers: Gershon and Schwartz Indexer: Betty Berger Hours o f Tape: 2 Dinman, Bertram David Date of Interview: 1994 Subjects: ALUMINUM COMPANY OF AMERICA (ALCOA); CONCENTRATION CAMPS: OHRDURF; DR. THOMAS DETRIE; HEALTH and SAFETY; HOSPITALS: MONTEFIORE HOSPITAL, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH MEDICAL CENTER (UPMC); INTERNATIONAL LAW ORGANIZATION; PHYSICIANS and MEDICINE: OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE; JEFFREY C. ROMOFF; UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH GRADUATE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH; WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION R Physician, bom 1925. [T1S1] R provides family background: gives names of parents, Minnie Kaufman and Meyer Dinman, insurance agent; one sister, artist. R describes early years in Philadelphia and attendance at Central High School; reflects on home life: grandparents lived with family; mentions Bar Mitzvah and describes neighborhood; comments on changes in neighborhood today and extended family, touches briefly on high school. [T1S2] R details Army life in United States and Europe: Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP), entered 1944, worked as combat engineer, helped liberate Ohrdruf concentration camp in Germany: details experiences and conditions in camp. [T2S3] R explains University programs set up by Army in England and France: faculty from various universities; set up for service people not wanting to go home, R chosen to participate in England for 6 months, describes curriculum and life in university: contacts with Jewish family. R continues discussion on overseas experiences: visit to Paris and continuation of university studies: able to transfer credits to United States; describes trip back home and discharge from Army, 1946. R describes entering Temple University; notes school filled with returning veterans, highly motivated; applied to medical school, recounts quotas for Jews: a fact of life in 1946; accepted for class of 1947, notes value of credits received while in army through university programs in Europe, graduated, 1951. R reflects on meeting wife, Gabrielle Stamm; describes courtship and marriage in father-in-laws home; recounts honeymoon, touches on graduation from medical school and internship at Albert Einstein Medical Center; details life as intern, three years, salary: $50.00 per month, describes wife's work: electro cardiology technician; happy times, gives lengthy discussion on differences between interns then and now: harder in earlier days, long hours leading to mistakes; comments on differences in salaries: Interns now receive $24,000 per year. R reminisces on residency in internal medicine; practiced part time with general practitioner in North NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN ORAL HISTORY PROJECT Philadelphia: blue collar neighborhood, hard work, made house calls. [T2S4] R continues discussion from previous tape: describes work with general practitioner, disturbed by what he saw; mentions small advertisement that appeared in Medical Journal for Residency in University of Cincinnati: Occupational Medicine with salary of $4100.00 per year; accepted into program as Fellow, happy with choice. R reflects on program leading to Dr. of Science: Sc. D; gives lengthy description o f thesis on cardiography; notes in third year o f program sent to Wilmington, Delaware to work for E. I. DuPont Company: learned about various chemicals used, gives details. R reflects on work at University of Michigan School of Public Health: professor, 19651973, provides lengthy discussion; approached by i Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA), served i as corporate medical director, 1973-1978; served as vice president, Health and Safety, 1978-1987, details years spent with ALCOA. R mentions appointment to Armed Forces Epidemiology board; sent to make investigations for the Military; mentions involvement with research, monitoring and evaluation o f space capsule: helped set standards. [T3S5] R adds additional information to previous tape; discusses work with World Health Organization, traveled throughout world, gives detailed description of conditions in countries he visited: responsible for health and safety. [T3S6] R repeats information on work with ALCOA: asked to join International Law Organization as U.S. delegate, details responsibilities, traveled to many countries; notes no experiences with anti-Semitism while working for ALCOA, retired, 1987. [T4S7] R provides information on 4 children: names, education and careers; comments on Rodef Shalom Temple: admiration for Rabbi Freehof and his vitality; particularly enjoyed Bar Mitzvah services. R begins discussion on decline o f Montefiore Hospital: gives negative comments on Dr. Thomas Detrie and his position with University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), discusses situation regarding take over of Montefiore Hospital: "people responsible should have their heads examined, the last word has not been said." R adds lengthy information on work of International Law Organization. [T4S8] R reflects on University of Pittsburgh: unimpressed with administration, board of trustees useless, poor crisis managers, some members of board totally incompetent, notes Chancellor O 'Connor big disappointment to University community. R sheds light on appointment o f Jeffrey C. Romoff as vice chancellor for Health Finances and Management at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC): a studied maneuver to keep Dr. Detrie at University for straight forward reasons, details 3 reasons. R adds extensive information on Dr. Detrie: "control freak", discusses other candidates for Dr. Detrie's position and their reaso n s for not taking position: bad situation at UPMC, gives additional negative comments on Dr. Detrie; explains differences between university politics and corporate politics. R reflects on problems at University of Pittsburgh: "no one manages administrators," among problems, "too large a board"; explains impact o f university situation on University o f Pittsburgh Graduate School o f Public Health: "Dr. Detrie had no vision for Public Health": explains at length. R comments negatively on power held by Dr. Detrie: it's effect on school's of medicine, public health and dentistry, "sad for people who have spent their entire lives there"; discusses religious beliefs and family vacations; mentions position with University o f Pittsburgh Graduate School o f Public Health, 1987: clinical professor of Occupational Health and Environmental Health. Interviewers: Schwartz and Braun Indexer: Betty Berger Hours of Tape: 4 Collateral Materials Dizenfeld, Sam Date of Interview: 1969 Bom: Emigrated: Country: Profession: Residence: Work: 1885 1905 Russia tinsmith (Eu, US), produce business Hill District, Townsend St. Westinghouse; Pennsylvania Railroad Subjects: Craftsmen and Craftsmanship; Marriages Arranged; Theater (Yiddish) Provides biographical details. R mentions cheder attendance and town's synagogues. Work as tinsmith in Russia is described. R 's expectations o f U.S., motivation for emigration, and choice o f destination are noted. R indicates conveyances and route to U.S. R's arrivals in U.S. and in Pittsburgh are noted. R's wages and hours as machinist at Westinghouse and as tinsmith at Pennsylvania Railroad are detailed. R 's Pittsburgh residences are mentioned, as are his changes of occupation. R indicates not having to speak English at work. R's Yiddish theater attendance and Workmen's Circle membership are reported. Minor changes in R's religious observance and synagogue attendance are indicated. [T1S2] Pittsburgh doctor R consulted is noted. R reports organizational affiliations but lack of time for recreation. R notes his use of Irene Kaufmann Settlement. R's socializing with relatives and friends in Pittsburgh is mentioned. Citizenship information is provided. R recounts arranged marriage and married life. Children's secular and Jewish educations and