In the Age of Steel: Oral Histories from Bethlehem Pennsylvania -- Charles. F. Orban

Annotation Charles F. 'Curly' Orban (May 12, 1904-September 11, 1984) retired from Bethlehem Steel in 1969 after a 43 year career as a craneman and laborer in the merchant mills. In this interview Orban discusses the various jobs he performed, his father's employment at Bethlehem Steel, safety measures at the plant, his lack of interest in the union, and his family background. This interview is part of a series of interviews conducted by Lehigh University students and faculty from 1974 through 1977 focusing on retired Bethlehem Steel workers, business people, and the heirs of industrial magnates. The project was co-sponsored by Bethlehem Steel Corporation, who provided contact information for retired steel workers. An oral history interview is an act of memory and hence both highly selective and highly subjective. While it accurately reflects what a narrator remembers (or chooses to tell) of his or her experience and viewpoints, it may not accurately represent what actually transpired or what another person may have experienced. As such users should subject interviews to the same degree of critical scrutiny they would any other historical source.