Burns, Fern (Campbell) oral history interview

Authors

Don Nicoll

Document Type

Oral History

Publication Date

6-11-1999

Interview Number

MOH 113

Abstract

Fern Alice Burns was born in Portland, Maine on September 20, 1944. She grew up on a farm in West Buxton. Burns attended school with deaf children because her mother was an accountant for the deaf school in Portland. They later moved to Augusta where she and her brother attended high school. After high school she attended Boston University for one year and in 1963 she moved to Washington to work for Stanley R. Tupper, who was like a godfather to her. She ended up working for Congressman George M. Walhauser, and was then hired by George Mitchell as a case worker at Muskie’s office in January 1965. In April 1971, Fern left Muskie’s office to go back to school and work for the U.S. Postal Service and with the Universal Postal Union (UPU). She got her degree from the University of Maryland in 1982. Fern worked on the 1968 campaign doing speech production and traveling a lot for Muskie.

Scope and Content Note

Interview includes discussions of: international careers with the U.S. Postal Service; Congressman Walhauser; Chip Stockford; Water Pollution Subcommittee; Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) Subcommittee; Muskie jokes; impact of the Vietnam War on Washington, DC; 1968 campaign; draft card burning; Watts in L.A.; Model Cities; Universal Postal Union (UPU); Virginia Pitt; and Muskie’s contributions.

Use Restrictions

Copyright Bates College. This transcript is provided for individual Research Purposes Only; for all other uses, including publication, reproduction and quotation beyond fair use, permission must be obtained in writing from: The Edmund S. Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library, Bates College, 70 Campus Avenue, Lewiston, Maine 04240-6018.

Recommended Citation

Nicoll, Don, "Burns, Fern (Campbell) oral history interview" (1999). Edmund S. Muskie Oral History Collection. 57.
https://scarab.bates.edu/muskie_oh/57