An Interview with Vernon E. Bruckerhoff in the Carnahan Building on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Missouri 20 March 2001 interviewed by N. Renae Farris Oral History Program The State Historical Society of Missouri © 2001 Collection C3929 Politics in Missouri a.c. 284, 285 NOTICE 1) This material is protected by copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code). It may not be cited without acknowledgment to The Oral History Program of the State Historical Society of Missouri and the Western Historical Manuscript Collection, a Joint Collection of the University of Missouri and the State Historical Society of Missouri. 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For further information, contact: Western Historical Manuscript Collection 23 Ellis Library University of Missouri Columbia, MO 65201-5149 PREFACE Vernon E. Bruckerhoff was born on July 31, 1944 in St. Mary‟s, Missouri in a structure known as the old Rozier Trading Post. A graduate of Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) in Cape Girardeau, Mr. Bruckerhoff pursued a teaching career before entering the Missouri House of Representatives by special election in April 1970. Re-elected in the fall of that year, he went on to serve six full terms in that chamber as a Republican. For his most recent biographic entry, see the Official Manual of the State of Missouri, 1981-1982, page 111. Additional information may be obtained from his papers, which are housed in the University Archives in SEMO‟s Kent Library. This collection is approximately eight cubic feet in size, and is composed of two series, dating from 1963-1976 and 1971-1982. We agreed to meet on the SEMO campus in the Carnahan Building, the home of the History Department. Mr. Bruckerhoff proved to be an interesting and animated speaker. In the course of the interview, he discussed a number of topics such as the completion of I-55, Warren Hearnes‟ tenure as Governor, the lifting of tolls from the Chester, IL - Perryville, MO bridge, and Bruckerhoff‟s legislative activities. The interview was taped on Maxell COM-60 audio cassettes (normal bias), using a Sony TC-D5 ProII manual recorder and a Shure VP64 omnidirectional microphone attached to a floor stand. There are a few background sounds, but the recording is of generally high quality. The following transcript represents a rendering of the oral history interview. Stylistic alterations have been made as part of a general transcription policy. The interviewee offered clarifications and suggestions, which the following transcript reflects. Any use of brackets [ ] indicates editorial insertions not found on the original audio recordings. Physical gestures, certain vocal inflections such as imitation, and/or pauses are designated by a combination of italics and brackets [ ]. Any use of parentheses ( ) indicates a spoken aside evident from the speaker's intonation, or laughter. Quotation marks [“”] identify speech depicting dialogue, speech patterns, or the initial use of nicknames. Double dashes [--] and ellipses […] are also used as a stylistic method in an attempt to capture nuances of dialogue or speech patterns. Words are italicized when emphasized in speech. Particularly animated speech is identified with bold lettering. Underlining [ __ ]indicates a proper title of a publication. Although substantial care has been taken to render this transcript as accurately as possible, any remaining errors are the responsibility of the editor, N. Renae Farris. [tape meter, 001. Begin tape one of two. Begin interview.] RF: [I‟m Renae Farris for the State Historical Society of Missouri.] Today is March 20, 2001 and I‟m here in Cape Girardeau at the campus of Southeast Missouri State University. [I‟m] speaking with Vernon Bruckerhoff, who [as a Republican] was in the Missouri House of Representatives from 1970 through 1983. To start out, could you tell me a little bit about yourself? When, where you were born? VB: Ok, I was born in St. Mary‟s, Missouri. Unbelievably, in the old Rozier Trading Post. I went to Catholic grade school, graduated from St. Mary‟s High School, and then I had the opportunity to come to Cape Girardeau and graduated here in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education. I did my student teaching at Malden, Missouri. I taught about one year at Marquand, Missouri [and] I taught about three years at Perryville High School. I was elected to the legislature1. Served six years in the National Guard. I farmed, and I‟m presently in the land and timber business. Retired, but probably busier now than before I retired. I love the outdoors, and one of my biggest avocations is gathering wild ginseng in the fall of the year. I love politics. I love Missouri, the United States and life in general. RF: Okay, what made you decide to run for elective office? VB: Oh, when I was in high school I wrote a letter to a guy by the name of Richard Nixon. (Laughing) Unbelievably, I remember the night that I got the return letter from him. We were having a basketball game at St. Mary‟s High School. He inspired me to become active in politics. Then when I came to the campus here at Cape, I formed the Young 1 In later correspondence, Mr. Bruckerhoff noted that he had also served a term as Perry County Public Administrator. VB = Vernon Bruckerhoff; RF = Renae Farris 1 Republicans Club here. There was a fellow by the name of Gary Rust, who‟s probably one of the greatest people I‟ve ever met. Kind of took me under his wing. Gary Rust and Steve Limbaugh, [Sr.] (who‟s now a federal judge) and his family and Rush Limbaugh‟s dad2. They instilled a certain quality of conservative politics in me. I formed the Young Republicans Club here at the college, and then went on to become the President of the State College Young Republicans when I was on campus here. I ran several times. I ran for the Student Senate and I ran for Vice-President one year. Of course, the Greeks kind of controlled things. I was an independent. I did pretty well. I was beat by a guy by the name of Dick Black. Not Dick Black, but I believe David DeClue. Unfortunately, Dave went on to serve in the military and served in Vietnam. [He] came home as a trainer pilot and was killed in an accident in New Mexico. Then [in] my senior year I was elected to the Student Senate here, and then when I went to do my student teaching I resigned and let another friend of mine who wanted to be on Student Council [be appointed to serve my term.] [Ron] Colyer, who was editor of the Capaha Arrow, take my place on the Student Senate. When I was here on campus one of the biggest things we got started is we started the effort to build a new student union. RF: That would be now University Center? VB: [Affirmatively] University Center. We started paying five or six dollars a semester. I remember that myself and “Butch” Olmstead and… I can‟t remember all the people. Tom Wood, David DeClue, Dick Black. We were basically the catalyst. Mike Daniels, 2 Presumably referring to the father of radio personality Rush Limbaugh, III. 2 VB = Vernon Bruckerhoff; RF = Renae Farris John Mueller3. [We] kind of got it started and now it‟s a reality and something we‟re proud of. RF: Did your parents have any interest in politics? [tape meter, 050] VB: My dad was interested in politics. My mom… Of course, they kind of followed along and the more active I became in politics, the more active they became in supporting me in these efforts. And then I was fortunate…I was teaching school in Perry County and I‟d had the opportunity to write a column for the Perry County Republic called “The People Want To Know”. I was elected… I was a write-in candidate for Public Administrator and I was also teaching school. Back then, it was a “thank you” job. You know, it was one of those things that cost you money. Now it pays $10,000. Then Martin Degenhardt, who was a very good friend of mine, died of cancer after serving nineteen years in the legislature. I ran in a special election against a guy by the name of Dennis Brewer and I won. Fortunately, I was able to be elected to seven terms in the General Assembly. RF: What made you keep running for office? VB: Well, it gets in your blood. When you get interested in things… For example, I had a project, the Chester Bridge4. Tolls on Chester Bridge. They were taking in a million dollars a year and the people were getting nothing out of it. It was a big political deal. We got into that, and I fought that all the time that I was there.