Interviewer
Barbara Dent
Project
El Paso Medical History
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee
Jane S. Bargman was born in El Paso Texas in 1936. Her parents were Dr. Eric Spier and Hannah Bonwick Spier. She attended Rice University in Houston, while her older brother, Werner, attended UTEP before going to medical school.
Summary of Interview
She describes growing up in the home of a medical doctor, her father. Parents had immigrated to New York from Germany. Dr. Spier had attended medical school in Germany. The couple moved to El Paso before Mrs. Bargman was born. She recalls that her father took care of the medical needs for the family until she was six or seven. She attended Dudley School until it was shut down, and then transferred to Mesita Elementary School. Her father’s main practice was delivering babies, but he performed surgeries as well. Mrs. Bargman gained medical knowledge through taking calls and helping his practice as a child. She discusses differences between her family and other families, such as dinner table discussion etiquette. Dr. Spier never took medical vacations until older brother had completed medical school and could watch the practice. Father slowly retired from medical practice when his eyesight became too poor to practice surgery in the ‘60s. Length
Date of Interview
10-14-1993
Length of Interview
52 minutes
Listen to the Interview
Tape Number
No. 1620
Transcriber
Jose Miguel Leyva
Interview Number
No. 1620
Terms of Use
Unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Interview with Jane S. Bargman by Barbara Dent, 1993, "Interview no. 1620," Institute of Oral History, University of Texas at El Paso.