History: Kinsey Institute for Sex Research

Frank Beach, born in 1911, recalls his impressions of Dr. Kinsey. A psychologist and specialist in animal sexual behavior, Mr. Beach had the opportunity to meet Dr. Kinsey in the 1940s and provides some detail about his interview methods. He also discusses the dissolution of the National Research Council's Committee for Research in Problems of Sex and provides reasons for refusing a position at Indiana University working with Dr. Kinsey.

Harry Benjamin, born in Berlin, Germany in 1885, discusses his professional relationship with Dr. Kinsey. He comments on Dr. Kinsey's expertise as an interviewer and lecturer and reflects on his influence on science and general societal attitudes towards sex. Dr. Benjamin also talks about what motivated Dr. Kinsey to begin studying sexual behavior from a biologist's point of view, and he contemplates the future of sex research.

Robert Bugbee, born in 1907 in Bemus Point, New York, discusses his experience both as a graduate student and research assistant at Indiana University. Bugbee describes his working conditions at the Institute and goes into detail about Dr. Kinsey's personality and dedication to sex research.

Dorothy Collins, born in 1912, discusses her experience as a research assistant in the Kinsey Institute. She speaks about her responsibilities, which mostly involved calculations, and reflects on Dr. Kinsey's personality. She discusses his attitude toward the press, his response to criticism, and his expertise at interviewing, among other things. She also speculates about Dr. Kinsey's reaction to increasingly open attitudes toward sex.

George Corner, born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1889, discusses his experience as chairman of the National Research Council's Committee for Research in Problems of Sex during the 1940s and 1950s. Dr. Corner mentions his impressions of Dr. Kinsey as an interviewer, man, and scientist. He also goes into detail about Dr. Kinsey's funding from the Rockefeller Foundation and his relationship to the National Research Council in general.

William Dellenback, born in 1917, discusses his career as photographer for the Kinsey Institute. He discusses Dr. Kinsey's character and the working atmosphere of some of his colleagues and reflects on changes that have taken place in the Institute since Dr. Kinsey's death. He also talks about Dr. Kinsey's sense of humor and thoughts on sex offender laws.

Frank Edmondson, born in 1912, discusses his relationship with Dr. Kinsey from the early days of the marriage course to the sex researcher's death. Dr. Edmondson, a professor of astronomy at Indiana University, was asked for professional advice relating to technology and acted as a consultant to the Institute. Dr. Edmondson mentions the public reaction to and Dr. Kinsey's influence on science and on Indiana University in general.

Margaret Edmondson, born in 1914 and Frank Edmondson's wife, reflects on her memories of Dr. Kinsey. She discusses her experience in the controversial marriage class and provides insight into how Dr. Kinsey began the process of conducting interviews. She also describes Kinsey's Sunday night gatherings with great detail.

Paul Gebhard, born in Colorado in 1917, provides an enormous amount of insight into the character of Dr. Kinsey. He elaborates on his introduction to Dr. Kinsey's work and their first meeting. He also discusses the working atmosphere of the Institute and his relationship to Mr. Pomeroy and Mr. Martin. Dr. Gebhard details his duties at the Institute, particularly after Dr. Kinsey's death when he became the new director. He adds some anecdotes that illustrate Dr. Kinsey's personality and explains his method of running the Institute in a democratic manner as opposed to Dr. Kinsey's methods.

Congressman Wayne Hays shares his memories of the Reece Committee hearings on tax-exempt foundations. He then offers his opinion of Dr. Kinsey's research and discusses Mr. Reece's character.

Clara Kinsey, born in Brookville, Indiana in 1898, sheds light on the personality and work of her late husband. She discusses the circumstances of their first meeting and brief courtship. She explains her husband's nickname "Prok" and talks about his research. She also discusses her husband's opinions on sex offender laws and birth control.

Clyde Martin, born in 1918, discusses his experience as a research assistant at the Institute. He briefly describes how he became involved in working with Dr. Kinsey and learning more about the interview process. Dr. Martin talks about the security of the Institute and its gradual evolution into a research center after Dr. Kinsey's death. He also discusses the development of the library and methods of acquisition of materials. Finally, he comments on Dr. Kinsey's relationship with the press.

Robert Morison, born in 1906, discusses his experience serving on the medical division of the Rockefeller Foundation during the time that the Kinsey Institute lost its funding. Dr. Morison characterizes Dr. Alan Gregg's influence as encouraging medical research particularly involving problems of sex. He also provides a brief history of the National Research Council and discusses their relationship with the Foundation. He mentions the influence of the Reece Committee on pulling funding from the Kinsey Institute in 1954.

Kate Hevner Mueller, former dean of women at Indiana University, discusses her experiences with Dr. Kinsey during the controversy over the marriage course. She explains how the course came about and her husband's role in it as a sociology lecturer. She also talks about the complaints against Dr. Kinsey for taking the sexual histories of college girls. Dr. Mueller mentions a particular incident in which she had an argument with Dr. Kinsey, but maintains that her relationship with him was generally cordial.

Fernandus Payne, Zoology professor at Indiana University (IU) from 1909 and Dean of IU Research & University graduate School from 1927-1947, discusses the work of Alfred C. Kinsey. He recalls the beginning of Kinsey's interest in sex research. He discusses the criticism Kinsey dealt with, the support he received from IU, and the contributions he made to the field. Payne discusses Kinsey's skills as a biologist and a teacher, and talks about his personality and hobbies outside of his work.

Wardell Pomeroy, born in 1913, discusses his experience as a research associate of sexual behavior at the Institute. He sheds light on working conditions under Dr. Kinsey and discusses the process of conducting sexual history interviews. He also outlines Dr. Kinsey's expectations of his workers and addresses the changes that took place in the Institute after his death.

Virginia Prince, editor of magazine, discusses her impressions of the Institute in furthering sex research. She talks about the need for more efforts to study gender roles and mentions that the Institute is hindered by lack of funding to conduct this kind of research. Miss Prince also offers many insights about the future of human sexuality.

Glenn Ramsey, born in 1910, discusses his experiences as a research associate for the Institute upon finishing his doctoral work in 1941. He speaks at length about Dr. Kinsey's personality and his duties at the Institute. He emphasizes the efforts of Dr. Kinsey to keep the sexual histories both confidential and secure. He also mentions his role in establishing the research library and Dr. Kinsey's feelings about the Second World War. At the end of the interview, there is an addendum which addresses Dr. Kinsey's move from researching gall wasps to human sexuality.

Joan Kinsey Reid, born in 1925, discusses growing up in the Kinsey household. She addresses her father's attitudes toward child-rearing and sex education and talks about how she felt individually respected. She also discusses her parents' attitudes towards religion and describes some of the activities the family engaged in.

Eleanor Roehr, born in 1914, discusses her experiences as secretary for the Institute. She describes her relationship with Dr. Kinsey and speaks about the personalities of the research associates there, particularly Dr. Gebhard and Dr. Pomeroy. She speaks candidly about Dr. Kinsey's wishes for the leadership of the Institute upon his death. She also addresses his relationship with the press.

Dean Rusk, former Secretary of State, discusses his term as president of the Rockefeller Foundation. He describes the role of the trustees of the Foundation in allocating grants. He addresses the termination of funding for the Institute in January 1954 and asserts that the Reece Committee hearings had no bearing on that decision.

Dr. Edith Schuman, born in 1907, discusses her role as a lecturer in the marriage course designed by Dr. Kinsey. As a trained physician, she felt overshadowed by Dr. Kinsey's lectures because they were so popular with the students. She talks briefly about her impressions of Dr. Kinsey.

Dr. Theodore Torrey, born in 1907, shares his impressions of Dr. Kinsey while a professor in Indiana University's Zoology Department. Dr. Torrey shares several anecdotes that offer insight into Dr. Kinsey's personality. He also discusses his role as a trustee of the Institute after Dr. Kinsey's death and addresses some of the changes that have taken place since. Finally, he comments on Dr. Kinsey's sense of humor and ability to engage in small talk.

Cecilia Wahl, born in 1916, discusses the involvement of the former Association of Women Students at Indiana University in the creation of the marriage course. As a postscript to the interview, Ms. Wahl provides an anecdote concerning former president William Lowe Bryan and the required hygiene class all students took in the 1930s.

Andrew Warren, born in 1891, shares his knowledge of the circumstances surrounding the Rockefeller Foundation's decision to cut aid to the Kinsey Institute in 1954. He recalls his career with the Foundation and his impressions of Dr. Alan Gregg, who was a proponent of Dr. Kinsey's research. He also discusses the influence of the Reece Committee hearings on the Foundation.

Herman B Wells, born in 1902 and former president of Indiana University, recalls his dealings with Dr. Kinsey and the Institute. He speaks of the establishment of the marriage course and the Institute's incorporation in 1947. He also discusses the Customs case incident in which the Institute library was scrutinized for purchasing erotic materials. Mr. Wells mentions the importance of this case in maintaining academic freedom. He also speaks about Dr. Kinsey's character and his influence on science and academics in general.

Mary Winther, administrative secretary for the Kinsey Institute between 1956 and 1965, discusses her impressions of Dr. Kinsey. She mentions attending several Sunday evening parties and discusses Dr. Kinsey's character. She also describes members of the Institute's staff and goes into detail about the library and its access policies. She describes the city of Bloomington in the 1930s and talks about changes in the Institute after Dr. Kinsey's death.