Matt McGrew with friend Ken Hechler
Ken Hechler was interviewed by Matt McGrew, a new staff member of The WV State Archives, for 6 hours on Wednesday, April 1. McGrew videotaped the entire interview. This is NO joke. From 10:45 am straight through to 4:45 PM, Mr. McGrew talked to Dr. Hechler about many, many subjects.
McGrew is from Ripley. His father worked for Hechler as an intern when he was a U.S. Congressman. Hopefully, researchers will be able to watch these tapes when doing research on Hechler’s 50 years in West Virginia, and his career in teaching and politics, lasting more than 70 years.
Here is some info that Mr. McGrew sent -
- My father’s name is Mike McGrew (Congressional intern in 1971).
- I’ve always had an interest in Dr. Hechler’s life due to the fact that I grew up hearing stories from my father about his time in Washington – not to mention the hundreds of times I have watched The Bridge At Remagen.
- I graduated from Marshall University in December 2008 with a BA in History (completed in three and one-half years).
- I prepped for a long time prior to the interview so that I could ask the important questions that only Dr. Hechler could answer – which was a great success!
- I hope to digest the information from Wednesday and talk more with Dr. Hechler in the near future.
- Ultimately, the footage I shot will help me with research that I intend to conduct during graduate school (history).
Joe Geiger, director of the WV State Archives, visiting with Ken Hechler
Joe Geiger, director of the WV State Archives, teaches a WV history course for Marshall University. He recently told me that he always makes a point of telling the future teachers about the rare WV politician who cared about the people of the state, not themselves.
If you search the WV State Archives for “Ken Hechler,” you will find 60 items listed.
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Thanks for doing this. I have been a big fan of Hechler’s ever since I received a hand-written reply from him to a letter I wrote when he was in Congress. I have followed his career closely and I would very much enjoy viewing the video interview when it becomes available.
Mike Harman
St. Albans, WV