Series

Oral history interview with Scott Teitsworth

• 2018-11-09 - 2019-01-03 (Creation)

0.1 cubic feet; 8 audiocassettes (6 hr., 55 min., 1 sec.)

This oral history interview with Scott Teitsworth was conducted by Jim Strassmaier from November 9, 2018, to January 3, 2019. The interview was conducted as part of the Oregon Labor Oral History Program, which collects oral histories of individuals who have advocated for working people of Oregon, and part of a series of interviews with firefighters. The interview was conducted in four sessions.

In the first interview session, conducted on November 9, 2018, Teitsworth speaks at length about his family background, and talks about his early life in New Jersey. He discusses his relationship with his family, his political beliefs, and his education. He describes a trip to Europe in 1969; talks about his experiences with LSD and other drugs; and shares his thoughts on citizenship.

In the second interview session, conducted on November 15, 2018, Teitsworth speaks further about his family background and about his relationship with his family. He talks about his experience at Stanford University in 1970. He speaks again about his experiences with LSD and other drugs, and speaks at length about how those experiences influenced his spiritual and political beliefs, particularly regarding the Vietnam War and Indian philosophy. He also talks about his marriage to Deborah Buchanan. He speaks about his association with Guru Nitya Chaitanya Yati and about his work on the guru's books. He also talks about the life of Narayana Guru, and speaks at length about his Hinduism and about the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita.

In the third interview session, conducted on November 22, 2018, Teitsworth continues to discuss his and Deborah Buchanan's association with Guru Nitya Chaitanya Yati. He then speaks about his career as a firefighter with the Portland Fire Bureau and with Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue. He talks about his experience of being fired from the Portland Fire Bureau, describes some of the rescues he was involved in, and talks about the dangers of the job. He discusses life in a firehouse, compares the medical services provided by firefighters to those of private ambulance companies, and talks about dealing with people in distress. He speaks about the firefighters union, about firefighter pay and benefits, and about working with his fellow firefighters. He talks about his love of music and playing piano.

In the fourth and final interview session, conducted on January 3, 2019, Teitsworth describes the fire that led him to leave firefighting. He also talks about women joining the firefighting force. He talks about the death of Guru Nitya Chaitanya Yati and about his transition from a student of Indian philosophy to a teacher. He also shares his thoughts about the September 11, 2001, attacks and aftermath. He speaks at length about his work on his books about the Bhagavad Gita, about his writings on the labors of Hercules, and about teaching classes on the Bhagavad Gita. He describes the effect accusations of child abuse had on his life, and reads from his life horoscope and discusses its accuracy. He closes the interview by talking about his inspiration for a recent talk, and about his children, their families, and their careers.

Copyright for this interview is held by the Oregon Historical Society. Use is allowed according to the following statement: Creative Commons - BY-NC-SA, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

• English

Gift of Jim Strassmaier, January 2019 (RL2019-015).

Preferred citation: Oral history interview with Scott Teitsworth, by Jim Strassmaier, SR 11333, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

A handwritten index (8 pages) is available for in-person use at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

Forms part of the Oregon Labor Oral History Program (OLOHP).

Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard), 2nd Edition.

Sarah Stroman

• Authors, American--Oregon
• Fire fighters--Oregon
• Fires--Oregon
• Gurus
• Hinduism
• Recreational drug use

• Strassmaier, James (Contributor)
• Narayana Guru, 1856-1928 (Subject)
• Nityacaitanya Yati, 1924-1999 (Subject)

• oral histories (literary works)
• Interviews