Interviewer(s): A. Gardner. New Iberia, LA

Affiliation: University of Arizona

Charles Tisdale was referred by Al Rivet. I met Charles and his wife at their house in New Iberia. It's a small house, and they were sitting around the living room near the air conditioner. During the day they sit in the living room and close all the other doors to save on cooling costs. Mrs. Tisdale is a firebrand, and she participated throughout the interview. She has a lot to say, and she says it with moxie. They were great company.

Charles Tisdale is an old oilfield hand. His friends call him "Tis". He and his wife were born in West Texas, and he had some early experience working in the oil industry there. They were able to paint a vivid picture of the wandering lifestyle of early oilfield hands in the 30's - at one point, she pulled out a list she had written on the back of an old Reader's Digest that included every place they'd ever lived. Charles seems to write a lot of stuff down, too. He had a little pocket notebook in which he'd write down stuff about the weather and whatnot. Anyway, they eventually made their way to Louisiana, and Charles spent his career working for Laughlin Brothers, one of the largest drilling contractors of the time. Charles never advanced beyond motorman - he said he was happy with that.