Topeka Archives - Kansas Oral History Project

Interview of Cynthia Hornberger, April 10, 2026

Interviewed by Robert St. Peter

Dr. Cynthia Hornberger is a nurse-leader in nursing education and health care. In this 2026 interview she explains how nursing education evolved at Washburn University, and how the status and competency of nurses has grown in hospitals across the country. Hornberger sees advanced practice-trained nurses as critical components of the health care team and critical to delivering health care in rural settings. Today the demand for nurses often exceeds the supply. She traces the history of the development of nursing programs in Kansas to the Axtell Hospital, Axtell, Kansas and overall, to Lillian Wald who in 1893 who Show Moreadvised Dr. Samuel Crumbine, Kansas' most famous public health official. When asked why Kansas is slipping in health rankings compared to other states, she suggests Kansas lacks access to services to prevent, monitor and treat illnesses. Shortage of health care professionals is another cause. She notes there are political ramifications - politicians who do not prioritize the health and well-being of infants and children or people who are socioeconomically challenged. The discussion of how the role of nursing changed over time reflects changing attitudes about gender roles and nurses' desire for more training and a larger leadership role. Hornberger believes some things in health care eventually will be replaced by artificial intelligence (AI), such as diagnostics. The interview ends with her summarizing of her 50 years in nursing and describing her passion for gardening.

Highlights -- short excerpts from the interview

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Interview of Mary Briscoe, March 23, 2026

Interviewed by Richard Ross

This interview of Mary Beck Briscoe, a former judge in both state and federal courts, describes being one of the first women in law in Kansas. The interview covers three primary areas, Briscoe's service on the Kansas Court of Appeals and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, a comparison of the two, and lessons learned. Briscoe described an instance of discrimination on the basis of sex from Georgia Pacific Paper when she was denied entry into management training. She cites that experienceas the trigger that led her into the legal profession. Briscoe co-chaired the Gender Bias Show MoreTask Force of the Kansas Bar Association in the eighties. She discusses the concept of merit selection of judges and why, at the time of the interview, she opposed a proposed constitutional amendment to elect Supreme Court Judges. She described the "Blitz Docket" on the state court of appeals and how much the appellate court judges traveled to hear cases which resulted in them getting to know each other very well. In 1990 a position on the federal Court of Appeals opened up. Kansas' US Senator Bob Dole was totally focused on getting her the appointment, despite the fact she was a Democrat. She paints a picture of how differently the federal court operated, as compared to the Kansas court, and suggests the Kansas court process is a better model.

Highlights -- short excerpts from the interview

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Interview of Tom Bell, March 6, 2026

Interviewed by Robert St. Peter

Tom Bell served as CEO of the Kansas Hospital Association from 2012 - 2020 when he retired. As the leader of the trade association representing Kansas hospitals, he provided education and advocacy for the 120 hospitals that were his association's members. Bell describes his work mainly as advocating for hospitals in the Kansas Legislature and with the Kansas Congressional Delegation on federal issues. During his interview he identifies several big state issues that impacted his members: Certificate of Need, scope of practice, rural hospitals, medicaid expansion and reimbursements (DRG's). The passage of the Critical Access Hospital Show Morelegislation saved a lot of hospitals and helped solve some problems. Bell said he was constantly looking for ways to balance the competing interests of all the parts of the health care system. He also noted the COVID pandemic had huge, negative impacts that are still being felt. The interview looks at the advantages or disadvantage of being a non-profit hospital vs a for-profit model. It also discussed the need for a state health planning agency to set policy. In response to the question, what are the "top issues that you think we as a state need to be addressing right now for the well-being of hospitals... and the community", Bell indicated workforce was at the top of the list as well as reimbursement and how to help the community access the best level of health care. He concluded the interview by saying, "...what's good for the hospital ought to be what's good for a particular community." Show Less

Interview of Maynard Oliverius, March 6, 2026

Interviewed by Robert St. Peter

Maynard Oliverius lays out in clear terms the policy choices the federal government made that shaped the health care system in the country today. Starting in 1946 with the Hill-Burton Act that paid for new hospital facilities, then the creation in 1965 of Medicare and Medicaid to ensure that seniors had a way to pay for health care and medical research, he tracks federal changes through the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid Expansion. He also notes that Kansas was leading other states in health rankings in the early 1990's, but now has fallen significantly behind other states' efforts Show Moreto improve the health of their residents. Access to health care has become a major problem for many Kansans. The interview also touches on the growth of Stormont Vail under his leadership and how it is now a major medical center serving northeast Kansas and is a locally owned, locally operated nonprofit organization. Oliverius concludes by offering his opinion that ideally the country needs to move to a single payer system in order to provide access for all - he describes it as "medicare for all." He expressed concern about the current direction of health policy nationally. Show Less

Interview of Gianfranco Pezzino, January 23, 2026

Interviewed by Robert St. Peter

This interview with Dr. Gianfranco Pezzino is the second in the Healthy Kansans series and sets the stage for understanding the concern that Kansas has slipped considerably in the nationwide rankings of health in the states over the last 30 years. His explanation of how the rankings work and why they are important is clear and understandable. Pezzino stated, "In the end, I became more and more convinced that the important thing was not the numbers. It was the communication that we could build around those numbers." His discussion of the social determinants of health is Show Moreimportant to understanding the rankings. He recalls a controversy covered by the local newspaper that quoted the county commissioner saying, "What does education have to do with health.?" He used that as a opportunity to begin a community conversation about those linkages. As an epidemiologist, Dr. Pezzino has played many roles in health policy in Kansas - from the local health officer to state policy maker. He recounts the stresses of being the county health officer during COVID and comments that the "social contract has been broken." He comments that there is still value in providing accurate data as a public health person but now a lot of the authority has been moved from public health officers to local elected officials. That has created a tension between individual rights and the social good. Show Less

Interview Excerpt of Foster Chisholm by Joan Wagnon, December 5, 2025

This four minute excerpt from Foster Chisholm's interview, which is a part of the "Statehouse Conversations" collection, discusses school segregation in Topeka. Chisholm's experiences were remarkably similar to those described in Carolyn Campbell's interview. He also talks about experiencing discrimination at the VA Hospital in Topeka when he was passed over for a job.

Interview of Foster Chisholm, December 5, 2025

Interviewed by Joan Wagnon

Foster Chisholm, in retirement after a 25 year career working in the Topeka Post Office, went to work as Doorman for the Kansas House of Representatives. In his 2025 oral history interview he describes growing up in North Topeka, attending segregated schools, and being discouraged by his high school counselor from going to college. Chisholm worked for 35 years at the VA Hospital and at the Post Office in Topeka. After he retired, a friend told him about an opening for a Doorman in the Kansas House of Representatives. He got the job and after Show More3 years became the first Black Sergeant-At-Arms in the Kansas Capitol. Chisholm describes his nonpartisan role in assisting the Legislature as it did its business. He also has a few funny stories about what happened during those 15 years. His biography really showcases his commitment to improving his Topeka community with his volunteerism. A short excerpt highlights his comments about segregated schools; it also appears in the Diversity Collection. The photograph of the armed doormen triggered a conversation off camera about the Legislative Uprising of 1893 and their role, and also the most famous Kansas doorman, Boston Corbett. Materials about both the legislative uprising and Corbett appear in Resources for Educators/History. Show Less

Interview of Connie Hubbell, May 21, 2025

Interviewed by Mark Tallman

Connie Hubbell is well-known in state government circles as an effective advocate for education, mental health, and health care for seniors. In this oral history interview, she recalls her service on the State Board of Education -- for three terms -- and her time as President of the National Association of State Boards of Education. She recalls one of the significant accomplishments while on the Kansas state board leading it to mandate human sexuality AIDS education in Kansas public schools. Hubbell also recalls setting the stage for the inclusion of special education students into regular classrooms. Show MoreThat move began under her leadership of the National Association of State Boards of Education. She followed that experience with a run for Kansas Lt. Governor on the ticket with gubernatorial hopeful Fred Kerr. Although they were not successful, three governors subsequently noticed her management skills and offered her positions in their administrations, beginning with Governor Graves who appointed her Secretary of Aging. She retired from the position of Director of Governmental Affairs for the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services in 2021. Show Less

Interview of Dale Cushinberry, May 21, 2025

Interviewed by Mark Tallman

In his interview, Dale Cushinberry describes how the adults in his life provided opportunities for him and led him to a career in education in the Topeka area. He taught elementary school, coached basketball, and counseled students. He moved into school administration as a principal when he spent four years at Highland Park High School as assistant principal. Washburn University offered him a position in the Education department where he served for seven years. Throughout his career, he has tried to also have a positive influence on his students’ lives. Cushinberry states during his Show Moreinterview, that “… our kids are victims of our system failures. Systems that fail around them, whether it be the home front, whether it be our school, whether it be our churches, on and on.” He believes that “It’s our job to create an environment, to create a culture where our kids can meet success.” He created that environment at Highland Park High School as its principal for 16 years. Cushinberry discusses his strategies and his philosophy for working with students and their families.

Highlight -- short excerpt from the interview

All the Oars in the Water

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Interview of Frank Henderson, May 21, 2025

Interviewed by Mark Tallman

At the time when a group of high school students discovered that Fred Seaman, the namesake of Unified School District 345 was the Exalted Cyclops of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920's, Frank Henderson was President of the Seaman School Board. In this oral history interview, he describes the process the board went through to investigate and analyze the students' recommendations to change the district name. At the end of the process, the name remained, but Fred Seaman's photo and memorabilia were removed from the school buildings and placed in the museum. He said the outcome didn't Show Moresatisfy anyone but it was unanimous. Henderson described many challenging situations at the local, state and national levels as he served on various state and national boards of education. Henderson's observations highlights major issues in education that affected school boards and local communities. The interview reflects Henderson's view that "Every Student Matters." He believes, "we, as fellow humans, have the responsibility to see the value in every person and do what we can to ...help that person fulfill their potential." Show Less

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