Collecting the Voices of Your Past: A Guide to Oral History in Schools and Universities

Every school or university has a rich and layered history; woven from stories, traditions and the everyday experiences of students, teachers, staff and families. While photographs and yearbooks capture part of that legacy, nothing brings it to life quite like the human voice.

Oral history is a powerful way to capture memories that might otherwise be lost: the feeling of a first day in uniform, the rituals of school lunches, the pride of a final performance, or experiences during significant historical events (WW2 or COVID, for example). For schools, collecting and preserving these spoken memories adds a deeply personal dimension to your archive, and creates a legacy for future generations.

In this article, we’ll explore why this spoken heritage matters, how to get started, and how to make the most of these stories to celebrate your school’s past and strengthen its future.

Why Oral History Belongs in Schools and Universities

Oral history is the practice of recording personal recollections of events, experiences and community life. For schools, it offers a way to:

• Preserve first-hand accounts from alumni, former staff and even current students

• Capture institutional culture and traditions that may not be recorded elsewhere

• Engage the community by inviting them to contribute to the school’s story

• Enhance teaching and learning through real voices and real experiences

• Enrich the institutional archive with diverse perspectives across generations

Unlike written records, oral histories are emotional, conversational and often spontaneous. They reveal not just what happened, but how it felt. And when collected thoughtfully, they become a powerful storytelling tool for anniversaries, reunions, fundraising, engagement, and prospective students.

Where to Begin: Planning Your Oral History Project

Starting an oral history project can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. A clear purpose and simple process go a long way. Here’s how to begin:

1. Define Your Goals

Start by identifying what you want to achieve. Are you:

• Celebrating a milestone anniversary?

• Building a living archive?

• Creating a video series or podcast?

• Capturing the experiences of a specific group (e.g. boarding students, staff, 1980s alumni, experiences during COVID)?

Having a clear goal will help guide your questions, participants, and formats.

2. Identify Your Participants

Think broadly about whose voices you want to capture:

• Alumni across different decades

• Retired teachers and long-serving staff

• Parents or volunteers with long histories at the school

• Current students offering “a snapshot in time”

Aim for diversity in age, background, and experience to reflect your full story.

3. Choose a Format

Interviews can be:

• Audio-only (ideal for podcasts, virtual tours and archives)

• Video recordings (great for events and social media)

• Written transcriptions (for publication or reference)

Tools like SocialArchive’s Spoken Stories, allow you to collect video or audio stories remotely or on-site, then automatically archive, tag, transcribe, and share them across platforms.

How to Conduct a Great Interview

You don’t need to be a professional journalist to capture a compelling oral history. What matters most is creating a space where people feel comfortable sharing. Here’s how:

1. Prepare Thoughtful Prompts

Avoid rigid questionnaires. Instead, offer open-ended prompts like:

• “Tell me about your first day at school.”

• “What’s a moment you’ll never forget?”

• “Who had the biggest impact on your time here?”

• “What was your favourite place at school, and why?”

• “What advice would you give to today’s students?”

Start with easy, memory-jogging questions and gently guide toward deeper stories.

2. Create a Comfortable Setting

Whether remote or in person, ensure the speaker feels relaxed. Explain what the interview will be used for, how long it will take, and that they’re welcome to skip questions.

Tip: Encourage natural conversation, pauses and laughter are part of the story.

3. Record & Back Up

Use high-quality recording tools when possible, and always back up immediately. Tools like SocialArchive streamline this process by storing, tagging, and transcribing recordings in real time.

Creative Ways to Use Oral Histories

Once you’ve started collecting stories, don’t just file them away. Use them to connect, celebrate and communicate across your school community.

1. Anniversary Videos

Weave together montages of alumni memories for moving tributes during milestone celebrations. Pair with archival photos for maximum impact.

2. Alumni Engagement Campaigns

Feature a “Voice of the Month” in your newsletters, podcasts or social media, showcasing stories from different generations.

3. Archive Exhibitions

Use QR codes to embed audio clips into physical archive displays or exhibitions. Let visitors hear voices as they view photos or artifacts.

4. Classroom Resources

Involve students in listening to (or collecting!) oral histories as part of history or media projects. It’s a meaningful way to connect with the school’s past.

5. Legacy Fundraising

Use compelling personal stories to inspire giving, especially when tied to bursary funds, capital campaigns, or legacy appeals.

Tips for Success (and Common Pitfalls to Avoid)

✅ Do:

• Start small, one interview at a time builds momentum

• Obtain permission for use and archive storage

• Include metadata: name, graduation year, role, dates, topics

• Promote your project to the community - invite story submissions!

❌ Avoid:

• Over-editing or scripting interviews

• Forgetting to store multiple copies of your recordings

• Limiting yourself to only those community members you can meet in person

• Letting your recordings sit unused; put them to work in your engagement strategy!

Future-Proofing Your School’s Story

One of the most powerful aspects of spoken heritage is its ability to capture the present for future generations. Imagine a student in 2074 listening to what life was like at school during its 150th anniversary in 2024, or hearing students’ experiences of lockdown and home learning during 2020/21..

By recording voices today (alumni, students, staff), you’re creating a time capsule of memory, ensuring that your school’s culture is preserved not just in facts, but in feeling.

And with tools like SocialArchive, schools and universities can collect stories easily, store them securely, and make them searchable and shareable for decades to come.

The Stories That Only They Can Tell

The hallways, classrooms and playing fields of your school or university hold countless untold stories. Oral history gives those stories a voice.

It invites your community to not just look at the past, but to speak it into the present, and preserve it for the future.

Whether you’re launching a major campaign, celebrating an anniversary, or simply enriching your archive, collecting oral histories is one of the most powerful ways to honour your legacy and bring your community closer together.

SocialArchive makes it easy for schools and universities to collect, store, and share oral histories from your community, turning memories into living archives that engage and inspire.

Want to start collecting voices from your school’s past? Contact us today or book a demo to see how we can help.

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