[Hess] Early on, I did publish a number of papers with Kish. I
remember a paper in The American Statistician on nonresponse.
That paper was something I guess Kish shared with me, actually.
That was just shortly after I came here.
[Scheuren] That nonresponse paper that you and Kish did is a
wonderful piece of applied work. I have cited it many times. When
I used to do the History Corner in The American Statistician, I
republished it.
[Hess] After about 1960, Kish got out of the day-to-day sampling
activities. He was going to educate the world. So, we didn’t work
together much after that. For example, he did not have anything to
do with the projects that I was working on and what we were doing
with Roe Goodman. Kish was not involved with any of that. He
was just in a separate area of the center completely.
Irene Hess (left) celebrates her 97th birthday with Rhea Kish on
[Scheuren] One last item? Can you talk about your involvement
August 26, 2007.
with the Section on Survey Research Methods?
[Hess] Do you know how the section started? Within the Social
Statistics Section, there was a subsection, and I guess it existed for
retire, so it was not something for me to get into and I had enough
maybe two or three years. But anyway, at one time, I was nomi-
of these other things [talked about earlier] to finish up.
nated for chair of the subsection. There was an election within the
[Scheuren] You sure did. Look at these accomplishments, all done
Social Statistics Section and I happened to have been nominated
after you retired, too.
and then elected for chair of the subsection. In the meantime,
the powers that be decided to have a separate section for survey
[Hess] Now, I’m completely out of any project and I don’t have
research, and they said—because I had just won the election—
anything that I really want to write about. So, I figure I ought to
that I would automatically be chair of the new Section on Survey
clean up everything that I have around here and get out.
Research Methods. So, I was the first chair of the Section on Survey
[Scheuren] Don’t do that. You do have more to do. At least help
Research Methods, 1977.
me edit this interview, please?
Do you remember this [showing the engraved silver plate given
to her by the Section on Survey Research Methods in 1998]?
[Hess] Bob Groves says he just likes to have me around.
[Scheuren] You still have this? I remember it well. I think I may
[Scheuren, changing the subject] Let me ask you about your work even have given it to you.
with Kish, and then we will finish up with your stint as the first
chair of the Section on Survey Research Methods.
[Hess] That was my last annual meeting. I remember it very well.
I was surprised, overwhelmed.
[Scheuren] Irene, you have done such wonderful things for us all.
I’m going to read this inscription. The inscription says, “Irene Hess
for distinguished service and unstinting efforts in the furtherance
Books by Irene Hess
of survey research methods.”
Probability Sampling of Hospitals and Patients (1961)
[Hess] In July 1999, I had extensive surgery on my right leg, and
Irene Hess, Donald C. Reidel, and Thomas Fitzpatrick
I have never been free of some kind of health struggle since that
Sampling for Social Research Surveys (1995) Irene Hess
time. And I have never been to another meeting of the American
Statistical Association, and I guess I’ll never get there again. But
Controlled Selection Continued (2002) Irene Hess and
anyway, 1998 was very special. That was a real graduation for me.
Steven G. Heeringa
[Scheuren] Oh my, you’ve done so many things, Irene, and most
The Practice of Survey Research at the Survey Research Center,
of your major publications were finished after you retired. Earlier,
1947–1980 (1985) Irene Hess
you were so busy day-to-day that you didn’t have time to write
these books. But, you did write them, eventually. How can we all
thank you? ■
10 AMSTAT NEWS SEPTEMBER 2008
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