ORIS HYDER FILM COLLECTION
c. 1937-60

East Tennessee State University
Archives of Appalachia
Box 70295
Johnson City, Tennessee 37614

E-mail: archives@etsu.edu
Telephone: (423) 439-4338

INTRODUCTION

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Provenance: The Oris Hyder Film Collection was donated to the archives by Oris Hyder on September 11, 1985.

Access: The collection is open for research.

Processing Information: Marie Tedesco completed processing and the collection was opened in March, 1989. The collection and the finding aid were reorganized and revised by Arnie Hughes in 2005

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Oris Doyle Hyder was born on September 30, 1919 at Milligan College, Carter County, Tennessee. His parents were Sam Jack Hyder (b. May 23, 1892; d. May 24, 1970), a Milligan College mathematics professor, and Mary Ellen Thomas Hyder. Oris Hyder graduated from Science Hill High School in Johnson City, Tennessee in 1937 and from Milligan College in 1941. Shortly after American entry into the Second World War in December 1941, Hyder joined the Army Air Corps in January 1942 and remained on active duty until November 1945. He joined the Air Force reserves in 1945 and remained an active reserve officer until 1972. At present he holds the rank of Colonel, Retired, United States Air Force.

After the war, Hyder attended Vanderbilt University School of Law, Nashville, Tennessee and earned a J.D. in 1948. Hyder began his legal career as Clerk and Master, Chancery Court, Johnson City, Tennessee, 1948 and continued in this post until 1950. Subsequently, he practiced law in Johnson City, 1950-1958, and served as a city judge, 1952-58. On September 1, 1958, he was elected Criminal Court judge, First Judicial Circuit of Tennessee (Carter, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington Counties). Eight years later Hyder was re-elected Criminal Court judge. In 1969, Governor Buford Ellington appointed Hyder to the position of judge on the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals. Hyder retired from the judiciary on September 1, 1970.

Throughout his life, Hyder has been active in both community affairs and organizations, and statewide organizations. Among the Johnson City organizations he has served are the Kiwanis Club, United Way, Chamber of Commerce, Salvation Army, and the Johnson City Medical Center Hospital. He also has served as a member or officer of the Tennessee Law Enforcement Advisory Agency, the Tennessee Mental Health Commission, and the Tennessee Court Modernization Commission.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The films in the collection were taken by Hyder's father, Sam Jack Hyder who began taking 16 mm home movies after he purchased a movie camera in 1937. The films focus on family members and life, and on life at Milligan College. The collection is shelved in the audio-visual storage area.

The 19 films in the collection were copied onto three separate formats for preservation and public access. Betacam and DVD preservation copies plus VHS public-access copies were made available. The films were organized in a single series and are arranged first by film length with 100 ft. films preceding the 400 ft. films. Within these two groups, the films are arranged chronologically.

Important subjects covered in the collection include:

Grain--Harvesting
Hyder, Oris D., 1919-
Hyder family
Milligan College--History
Tennessee, East--Description and travel
United States. Navy--History--World War, 1939-1945

FILM LIST

1. [Harvesting Grain and Rural Scenes, 100 ft. 1940] Rural farmland; mountains and fields; grain fields and forested areas; reaping and threshing grain, straw stacks, straw/hay press.

2. [Bird Watching, 100 ft., 1945] Various clips of bird watching in wooded areas in and around Milligan College campus.

3. [Texas and Grandchildren,100ft., 1950] Family on Texas beach with high white sand dunes; desert scenes; scenic vistas; children with pets.

4. [Danny and Schery, 100ft., 1953] May Day celebration, Milligan College; Milligan graduation; graduates filing by camera; Hyder children.

5. [Grandchildren, 100 ft., 1955] Various clips, Hyder family grandchildren outdoors.

6. [Easter Egg Hunt, 100 ft., 1955] Adults and children at Easter egg hunt; young adults filing past camera.

7. [Christmas, 100 ft., 1955] Hyder family indoors at Christmas; children opening presents.

8. [Milligan campus, 100 ft., 1957] Milligan graduation processions; scenic Milligan campus clips.

9. [Various Home Movies, 400 ft., 1939-1940] Milligan campus autumn scenes; rural spring scenes; various Milligan campus scenes; rhododendron in bloom; Nelta with Lamb; Milligan Campus Event; Farming with horse dawn play; Erwin fish hatchery; Milligan campus indoor play.*

10. [Unaka/Milligan Schools, 400 ft., 1940] Unaka School classrooms and students; Unaka boys and girls basketball teams; Milligan campus scenes; college football game; football practice; indoor classroom scenes.

11. [Hyder Grandchildren, 400 ft., 1940] Playing tennis; children playing; blooming rhododendron; Milligan campus views; rural scenes.*

12. [Milligan College, 400 ft., 1940-1941] Milligan campus and students; Milligan in Winter; playing tennis; Hyder family; Milligan in Springtime; May Day celebrations; mountain vistas; swimming; Oris Hyder; Air Force; big snow on campus.*

13. [Various Home Movies, 400 ft., 1941-1950] Children with lambs and playing; Easter egg hunt; mountain vistas; rhododendron; Mike Hyder as a baby; 1943 class flagpole dedication; bear.

14. [Navy, 400 ft., 1943-1944] Navy sailors in uniform training; obstacle course; assembly; exercise; rhododendron.*

15. [Various Home Movies, 400 ft., 1944] Hyder family children playing; owl; various scenes of Hyder family; rhododendron; Milligan snow scenes.

16. [Milligan College, 400 ft., 1953-1955] May Day celebrations; tennis; baseball; picnic at lake; graduation; campus activities.

17. [Milligan College, 400 ft., 1953-1955] May Day celebrations; Milligan campus; snow scenes, students working on campus; Roan Mountain; raking leaves; children playing; groundbreaking for library; excavating.

18. [School of Ministry, 400 ft., 1956] School of Ministry Campus Community Event.

19. [East/Graduation, 400 ft., 1957] Easter Egg Hunt; May Day celebrations; graduation; Hyder family.

* These films have been removed to different storage because of deterioration.

ANALOG PRESERVATION COPIES (BETACAM)
1. Films 1-10
2. Films 11-15
3. Films 16-19

DIGITAL PRESERVATION COPIES (DVD)
1. Films 1 -10
2. Films 11-15
3. Films 16-19

PUBLIC ACCESS COPIES (VHS)
1. Films 1-10
2. Films 11-15
3. Films 16-19