Studs Terkel interviews the members of the Fine Arts Quartet, 1st violin Leonard Sorkin, 2nd violin Abram Loft, viola Gerald Stanick, and cello George Sopkin. The members of Fine Arts Quartet discuss the following: Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge's contributions to chamber music in America, the centennial anniversary of Coolidge's birth, the history of chamber music in America, the nature of their rehearsals, and their performances.
Edith Wilson talks about her singing and acting career in California and throughout the states. Songs have been removed due to copyright restrictions.
Rosalie Sorrels discusses her career, family, and folk music. Includes Rosalie Sorrels reading her mother's writing. The following songs have been removed due to copyright restrictions: "Traveling Lady", "You Can't Go Home Again", "Her Mantle So Green", "If You Love Me", and "The Long Memory". Cal Hans plays the dobro in the background and makes some comments. Includes performance by pianist Daniel Varsano at the end.
Sweet Honey In The Rock, an African American female vocal group, discusses their music. They talk to Studs and play folk/blues/traditional music.
Chilean folk songs have been removed due to copyright restrictions: "If We Are Americans;" a flute song for the harvest celebration; the song "Jacinto Cenobio;" song ["Winos Poinas"]; a Mexican flute song; the song "La Fiesta De San Benito;" the song "La Pulque;" and the song "El Condor Pasa." but are discussed within the program.
Elizabeth Janeway discusses the women’s movement and her book, “Between Myth and Morning: Women Awakening.” Topics include dominance and equality, women’s history, the power balance between men and women, and relationships and autonomy. Includes a recorded reading of William Butler Yeat’s Crazy Jane poem, “The Solid Man and the Cockscomb” and an excerpt from a previously recorded interview with Maggie Kuhn, founder of the Gray Panthers.
Studs Terkel interviews two representatives from Abbott Laboratories: Richard Kasperson, V.P. of corporate regulatory affairs, and Dr. Robert Janicki, V.P. of corporate clinical research. The topic of conversation is the prescribed use of Cylert, which was a trade name for the drug Pemoline. Cylert was used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. Janicki and Kasperson respond to claims that the drug was overprescribed to school-aged children.
Knud W. Jensen, founder and director of the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Humblebaek, Denmark, talks about the importance of having a place for art to be shared, stored and preserved. The Louisiana Museum is unlike traditional museums, as it is housed in what was once a residential home.
Watergate, wire tapping, and civil disobedience are among the topics covered in Frank Mankiewicz's book, "Perfectly Clear: From Nixon to Whittier to Watergate." According to Mankiewicz, Richard Nixon was involved in additional scandals, for example, how one year he only paid $700 in taxes when employees at the White House paid more than that.