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Washington Women’s Heritage Project records, 1900-2000 
University of Washington Libraries Special Collections 
Lois Imogene Bark 
April 28, 1983 
Cassette 2, Side 1 
 
 
Mary Giammona  00:01 
This is tape two, side one of the interview with Lois Bark. I'm Mary Giammona, I'm interviewing 
her on April 28, 1983. Can we talk about your, what your expectations were once you were out 
of high school? Were there certain things you expected to do with your life, or? 
 
Lois Bark  00:16 
I think, of course, as I mentioned, I had planned, always, to go to the university, so, it was hard 
for me not to be able to continue that. It did make me feel very badly. Although, I think in our 
family, not many people had attended the university, so, I think my parents probably didn't put 
pressure, you know, or find ways, really, that we could be able to go because, of course, the 
depression, you know, was very difficult for everyone. I think that is my one regret, that I was 
never able to do that. I know my mother felt very badly that I wasn't able to do that. But I think, 
on my own, I probably accomplished as much as I would have done if I had gone to the 
university; because I did get into the field that I had always been interested in and worked 10 
years in it, and was really quite successful in that phase of my life. So, I, I probably didn't lose 
anything except, I just, it was something that, a dream, I suppose, I had. And just the 
circumstances of my life that followed prevented me from going as an adult, I guess. But I think 
that is just one of the things I regret that I wasn't able to do. 
 
Lois Bark  00:24 
How did you get into the medical technician occupation? 
 
Lois Bark  01:56 
Well, I did just apply. I see, I guess, I went to an agency during the war, and of course, they were 
asking for people like that. And so I was accepted. That was the first job, you know,that I 
interviewed, and they accepted me. And I just had a very deep interest in it. And I worked for 
two doctors. And then one of the young doctors, a nephew of one of them, came back from the 
war, and he joined them in the firm. And so there were three of us, and, but I, I did a lot with 
them, and they seemed to have a lot of confidence in me, different than, perhaps, a nurse 
relationship because, like one of the doctors said, "I always like to have you Lois, because you 
have common sense, you can think of things to do for a patient that is just common sense." It 
would relieve him or make it easier for him. And they would always, if they would have 
problems with people that had, oh, sort of psychological problems, they always asked me to talk 
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to them, and so I had a little bit of a gift for that, of calming people, people who wanted me to be 
with them when they were dying, that sort of thing. And I worked with that quite often. With 
tuberculosis, of course, patients, you know, are ill a long time, and so we would see them for 
years at a time, and so we, there was quite a relationship there. Tuberculosis is kind of a different 
type of disease, because they're like, they're in prison, and they dreaded so [?to break down 
again?], to have to go back to a sanatorium. So, I was pleased when the wonder drugs did come 
and those people were released, finally. But there was a, it was a kind of a different experience, 
but I enjoyed that. 
 
Mary Giammona  04:11 
Was it very different working as a woman in this field, or? 
 
Lois Bark  04:15 
No, not then. And of course, being a war time-- you know, so many men that did some of those 
things were gone. So, women were taking their place. And so it was a wonderful time to, to be 
involved in it. 
 
Mary Giammona  04:34 
You mentioned your reading materials. What kind-- you mentioned animals, I guess. Are there 
other things that you love to study and read about? 
 
Lois Bark  04:41 
Well I am, I've always enjoyed animals, and I just like to read. I'm interested in the all the variety 
and the kinds of animals. I like, birds and but I don't know why, I've always been just interested 
in reading about that. And on television, I enjoy those kinds of things on TV, animal series and 
so on, within Africa and that kind of thing. I've never had very many pets, but I've, but I just, I 
think it's wonderful how he, the different species and how that each one is adapted to a certain 
thing. That's what interests me. I think most why he's like he is, and what does he do that's 
different than one that looks like him. 
 
Mary Giammona  05:27 
In getting into the textile department, how did you study or prepare yourself for your job? Did 
that just kind of come with it, or? 
 
Lois Bark  05:32 
Well, it was grad-- gradual thing. Of course, it's been, you know, quite some time now that I 
started doing it. I just started to read the books on fashion history, I think, and a lot of a variety of 
them. Now, I'm not a textile person so much because I don't have that background, which is a 
real science of course. I, of course, got to know the old-time fabrics and, but the the dating of 
fabrics, of fashions came, you know that, when you work with them, you just know where and 
when they are and the way the garments are put together and that sort of thing. So, I've taught 
history of costume at, at the central branch of Seattle Community College and many of the, well 
there are university classes that come and University of Puget Sound and Pacific School comes 
too, also. So, I teach, they come just directly for a day of history of costumes. So, I've done that 
for many different years. And also, some of the schools now that teach, oh, more commercial 
jobs, they have one class where the girls do costume history because I think they're teaching 
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them about their appearance. So, it's just a little extra thing that they do. And they come there, 
like modeling schools, but Peterson's Business College, those girls come, and I've done those for 
years, so, it's kind of a little different group that come. But, even though they're dressed, a lot of 
the students, I am interested to see, they're all in jeans. But when you talk about and they see the 
beautiful fabrics and styles, there's that inborn thing. I guess with girls, they all like to see it 
anyway. 
 
Mary Giammona  07:40 
Do you have a favorite, a favorite time period, or? 
 
Lois Bark  07:43 
Yeah, I like 1880s, 1870s and '80s with a bustle and the little parasols, a little tiny bonnet, so, it 
had kind of a perky, cute look, I think.  
 
Mary Giammona  07:55 
Excuse me. Is there anything else you'd like to say before I wrap this up? 
 
Lois Bark  08:01 
No, I don't think so. I've enjoyed talking to you and meeting you.  
 
Mary Giammona  08:05 
Well, I'll come back with more questions, [?I keep moving around?].  
 
Lois Bark  08:07 
Yeah,  
 
Mary Giammona  08:07 
But in the meantime, thank you very much.  
 
Lois Bark  08:09 
You're certainly welcome.  
 
Mary Giammona  08:11 
Thank you. 
 