Author Archives: wickr

New Collections in the University Archives

MooreHere is a selected list of new collections that have come into the archives in the past four months. If you would like to see the entire list of new additions to the archives please visit our New Accessions Page.

Holderman, Woody, Photographs (P 263)

  • 1956-1975
  • 0.35 cubic foot; 1 document box
  • This accession is made up of photographs taken by Woody Holderman during his work as a stream clearance foreman with the Oregon Game Commission (OGC). Documenting OGC’s program of wood clearance from streams and rivers in Oregon coastal basin forests, these images depict active removal of wood debris by crews under Holderman’s supervision, the areas before and after the clearance projects, manmade features on the streams such as fish ladders, and river flooding. Consisting of 943 images in total (772 prints and negatives, 171 slides) the photographs are attached to and sleeved into pages arranged into a numerical order. Inventories listing the location, subject matter, and date of the images in order by page number can be found in the folders with the photographs. Among the rivers and tributaries represented in these images include the Siuslaw, Siletz, Coquille, the South Santiam, Lobster Creek, the Rogue, and Alsea.

Andresen, Paul, Photograph Collection (P 262)

  • 1998-1999
  • 0.02 cubic foot; 1 file folder
  • Andresen graduated in 1968 with a degree in engineering.
    This accession is made up of 41 slides taken by alumnus Paul Andresen depicting the construction of Goss Stadium and two baseball games. The two contests documented in these images consist of the first game to be played in Goss Stadium and a tournament game in Peoria, Arizona, in 1999.

Holland, Jacquelin F., Papers (MSS)

  • 1945-1951
  • 0.25 cubic foot; 1 16×20 oversize box
  • Born in Marshfield, Oregon, Holland graduated with a degree in secretarial science from the School of Business and Technology in 1951. She died in 2006.
  • This accession is made up of materials generated and collected by alumna Jacquelin Holland and includes commencement programs, a diploma, a game program, a copy of the Daily Barometer, a photograph, registration cards, and a scrapbook. Containing photographs, correspondence, flyers, ticket stubs, event programs, dance cards, receipts, and publications, the scrapbook documents Holland’s residence at the Winston and Linden Cooperative Houses and social life on campus. Also included in this transfer is a report prepared by Holland for the Secretarial Science Department that contains letters of recommendation, work history data, list of coursework taken, and a table rating Holland on personal characteristics such as patience, determination, sense of humor, and correct of telephone.

Moore, James A., Papers (MSS)

  • 1970-1999
  • 0.55 cubic foot; 1 archives box
  • Especializing in the study of animal waste management and water quality issues connected with livestock grazing, James A. Moore came to OSU in 1979 to work as an Associate Professor and Extension Agricultural Engineer. Later serving as head of the Bioresource Engineering Department from 1996 to 2002, Moore became professor emeritus in 2002.
  • This accession is made up of article reprints, conference papers, Extension circulars, and book chapters documenting the research of Bioresource Engineering Professor James A. Moore.

Crookham, George, Papers (MSS)

  • 1930-2006
  • 0.25 cubic foot; 1 12×17 oversize box
  • Studying botany at Oregon State from 1927 to 1932, George Crookham took over his father’s seed business in Idaho and went on to introduce the first hybrid sweet corn in that state. In addition to his business activities, Crookham was also involved in Idaho politics serving as mayor of Caldwell, a state legislator (1955-1962), and first Chairman of the Idaho Water Resources Board. As a politician, Crookham was instrumental in the introduction of the sales tax to Idaho. He died in 1999. A scholarship for OSU students interested in plant breeding research in honor was established in 2001 in honor of Crookham by his daughter, Judith Krueger.
  • This accession consists of materials pertaining to alumnus George Crookham and includes a pennant, a belt buckle featuring the words “Oregon State”, class notes, dried plant specimens, a historical essay, a laboratory notebook, newspaper clippings, photographs, publications, speeches/testimony, and two caps. The publications and clippings relate to Crookham’s seed business and race for governor of Idaho. Crookham’s family history and their involvement in introducing hybrid sweet corn to Idaho is the subject of the essay. Crookham’s speeches and testimony pertain to Idaho irrigation and hydropower projects. In addition to portrait shots, the photos include an image of Crookham and wife Bernice underneath the Trysting tree and photocopies from an album depicting Crookham’s life as a student.

Faudskar, John, Papers (MSS)

  • 1942-1985
  • 0.35 cubic foot; 1 document box
  • After earning BS and MS degrees from the OSU Department of Fisheries of Wildlife, John Faudskar began working for the Extension Service as a Marine Extension Agent in 1972. Based in the Tillamook County Extension office, Faudskar also worked for the Sea Grant program. Faudskar became emeritus in 2003
  • This accession is made up of materials collected and generated by OSU Marine Extension Agent John Faudskar that pertain to the use of the pesticides Sevin and Carbaryl in the control of sand and mud shrimp for the cultivation of oysters in Tillamook Bay. Primarily documenting two major rounds of tests in 1962-63 and 1980-83, this transfer includes correspondence, legal records, meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, notes, photographs, publications, and reports. In addition to letters from Faudskar, there is also correspondence from Tillamook County Extension Agent William Wick, the Shrimp-Oyster Technical Committee, and chemical industry representatives. The legal documentation relates to challenges brought by the Oregon Audubon Society and other organizations to the use of Sevin and other pesticides in Tillamook Bay. The photographs consist of 28 slides depicting the results of an experimental application of Sevin to eradicate ghost shrimp in Grays Harbor, Washington.

Cone, Joe, Papers (MSS)

  • 1952-1994
  • 3.5 cubic feet; 3 archives boxes and 2 9×13 tape storage boxes
  • Currently serving as Assistant Director and communications leader for Oregon Sea Grant, Joe Cone has been at OSU since 1983. In addition to his work as writer and editor of books, Cone has also shot and edited films for Sea Grant. His other books include: “Fire Under the Sea” and the “Northwest Salmon Crisis.” “A Common Fate”, exploring the history and sociology of salmon depletion in the Pacific Northwest, was published by OSU Press in 1996.
  • This accession is made up of materials collected and generated by OSU Sea Grant Assistant Director Joe Cone in the process of writing the book “A Common Fate: Endangered Salmon and the People of the Pacific Northwest.” In addition to correspondence, notes, and chapter drafts, this transfer also contains reference materials gathered during research such as legislative bill statements, meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, news releases, publications, reports, speeches, statistical data, and transcripts/notes of oral interviews and meetings. Sound recordings documenting oral interviews and meetings on cassette tapes (52 in all) were also found in this accession. A CD-ROM containing files copied from Cone’s computer pertaining to “A Common Fate” was also included in this accession.

Bruce G. Marcot Spotted Owl Collection (MSS)

  • 1951-1993
  • 8 cubic feet; 8 archives boxes
  • Earning a doctorate in fisheries and wildlife from OSU in 1985, Bruce G. Marcot works as a research wildlife biologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service in Portland, Oregon. Marcot specialized in the study of habitat relationships of birds and young-growth Douglas fir in California.
  • This accession consists of materials collected and generated by research wildlife biologist Bruce G. Marcot that pertain to the study of the spotted owl, the management of its habitat, and preservation as a endangered species. The bulk of this transfer is made up of publications, reports, and studies created by a number of different agencies and organizations including: the U.S. Forest Service, OSU Fisheries and Wildlife Department, U.S. Department of the Interior, the Louisiana-Pacific Corporation, the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, and the Interagency Spotted Owl Scientific Committee. There is also correspondence between Marcot and others involved in the spotted owl research and management as well as student theses in this accession. Geographically, the focus of these materials include studies of the spotted owl in California and Mexico in addition to the Pacific Northwest.

Duerst, Elvin A., Papers (MSS)

  • 1929-1993
  • 80 cubic feet; 78 archives boxes; 1 16×20 oversize box; and 3 map folders
  • Graduating with a degree in agricultural economics from Oregon State College in 1937, Elvin Albert Duerst worked for a number of governmental agencies (International Cooperation Agency; Agency for International Development) and consulting firms as an economic consultant on agricultural and transportation infrastructure projects. Working primarily outside the U.S. in various locales including: Saudi Arabia, Brazil, El Salvador, the Philippines, and China, Duerst also worked for the Montana Extension Service as a county agent. He died in 2006.
  • This accession consists of materials generated and collected by alumnus Elvin Duerst that include correspondence, curriculum vitae, flowcharts, maps, newspaper clippings, notes, personal calendars, photographs, photograph albums, postcards, publications, reports, research data, sound recordings, student papers, and a scrapbook. Primarily reflecting Duerst’s career as an economic consultant for the federal government, the Montana Extension Service, and several private consulting firms, these materials also document his student work at Oregon State College and participation in the Future Farmers of America as a teen in Yamhill County, Oregon. Duerst’s interest in collecting art is also reflected in these papers.The photographs and photo albums, numbering 400 prints and 14 volumes in total, document work projects in China, Latin America, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, and Montana. The maps mostly depict sections of Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Bolivia, and other regions of South and Central America. The sound recordings are made up of 8 cassette tapes of presentations at a conference.

Hogg, Ronald V. and John G., Papers (MSS)

  • 1918-1922
  • 0.20 cubic foot; 2 document boxes
  • Both graduates of the School of Agriculture (1922 and 1923 respectively), John and Ronald Hogg were sons of a farmer in Salem who bred prize-winning pigs.
  • This accession is made up of class notebooks and photographs generated by alumni Ronald Valentine and John Glenn Hogg. Among the courses documented in these notebooks include agricultural economics, library practice, public speaking, English, farm accounts, horticulture, American government, and comparative anatomy. Highlights in the notes include recipes from a camp cooking class and references to (an event contemporary to the class) World War I from a “war aims” military science course. The photographs consist of nitrate negatives (54 in all) depicting the Hogg family farm, their award-winning pigs, campus buildings, a vacation to the coast, and an exhibit of Oregon agricultural products at an unidentified event. Also found in this transfer are certificates for the Hoggs’ membership in the Alpha Zeta fraternity, two campus directories, and a letter from the college announcing registration information.

New Additions to Existing Collections

Van Vliet, Tony, Papers (MSS)

  • 1951-2004
  • 6 cubic feet; 5 archives boxes; 2 9×13 tape storage boxes; 1 16×20 oversize box; 1 23×31 oversize box; and 1 map folder
  • This addition to the Tony Van Vliet Papers is made up of buttons, certificates, correspondence, newspaper clippings, notes, photographs, plaques, posters, precinct maps, publications, sound recordings, speeches, stickers, videotapes, and a chart of campaign volunteers. Largely documenting Van Vliet’s career as a Oregon State representative for Benton County, these materials also pertain to Van Vliet’s participation on advisory bodies appointed by the governor and involvement in Benton County bond and fiscal measures after retiring from elective service in 1993. In addition to chronologically arranged files documenting legislative sessions and election campaigns, there are also materials in this transfer relating to particular bills and measures. Among the topics reflected in these files include: state employee retirement benefits, the Oregon Health Plan, a sales tax proposal, and statewide wrestling/boxing regulation. The photographs depict Van Vliet at work in the capitol as a representative, giving speeches, with his family, and receiving honors from the Oregon Governor and others. The sound recordings document senate sessions, campaign ads, speeches, and interviews. Wooden poles used as a prop in demonstrating the Oregon’s lack of a “three-legged” tax structure were also part of this transfer.

Courtney, E. Wayne, Papers (MSS)

  • 1960-2006
  • 0.70 cubic foot; 1 archives box
  • This addition to the Wayne Courtney Papers is made up of publications and reports that document Courtney’s career as instructor and consultant as well as his ventures into prose writing. Primarily reflecting Courtney’s teaching work before he came to OSU in 1972 and after gaining emeritus status in 1993, this accession includes textbooks relating to performance-based testing modules, reports of testing and evaluation projects in conjunction with Kasetsart University in Thailand, and yearbooks from two schools where Courtney taught before arriving at OSU. The literary materials consist of a novel, essays about Yaquina Bay shorebirds and Native Americans, and a short story about an “Indian Girl Named Sara.” Also included in this transfer are newsletters and membership lists of the genealogical group, the Courtenay Society. In addition to articles penned by Courtney that appear in the newsletters, he is also reflected in the membership lists.

Ava Helen Miller Pauling: Linus Pauling’s Greatest Discovery

Ava Helen Pauling
Ava Helen Miller was born the tenth of twelve children on a farm near Oregon City, Oregon on December 24, 1903. After graduating from Salem High School, she attended Oregon Agricultural College, where she met Linus Pauling in 1922, her teacher in a chemistry course for home economics students, though an undergraduate himself. A shy twenty-one year old, Linus had quickly learned that to earn the respect of his classes he would need to establish his authority by asking tough questions and holding high expectations of his pupils. And so it was that on the first day of the term, Pauling “stood at the front of the room” and asked, “‘Will you tell me what you know about ammonium hydroxide, Miss…’ (I then looked at my class book and selected one of twenty-five names at random) ‘…Miller?’ As it turned out, Ms. Miller knew quite a bit about ammonium hydroxide. Two years later Ava Helen and Linus were married and living in Pasadena, California, where Linus eventually distinguished himself as among the greatest scientists in human history.

By assuming the responsibilities of their home life and four children, Ava Helen enabled Linus to spend his time immersed in scientific study. Perhaps more importantly however, it was Ava Helen who persuaded Linus to devote half of his time to the pursuit of world peace. Horrified by the nuclear destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the close of World War II, Ava Helen successfully convinced her husband that if he did not contribute his fame and intellect to the burgeoning anti-nuclear movement, there may soon cease to be a world in which he could pursue his primary passion – that of scientific research and discovery.

Together, Linus and Ava Helen worked tirelessly on behalf of numerous peace, civil liberties and women’s rights causes. Most significantly, the Paulings organized the Appeal to Stop the Spread of Nuclear Weapons, a petition signed by approximately 9,000 scientists when submitted to the United Nations in 1958.

In 1961, Ava Helen and Linus arranged the Oslo Conference Against the Spread of Nuclear Weapons, a symposium on the prevention of further development of nuclear weapons. Sixty scientists from fifteen countries attended. The conference’s recommendations were essentially identical to the nuclear nonproliferation policies announced by President John F. Kennedy the next year – a landmark achievement which garnered Linus Pauling his second Nobel Prize, for Peace, in 1963. In accepting the prize, Linus was quick to point out the major contributions made to the petition effort by his wife, noting that “In the fight for peace and against oppression, she has been my constant and courageous companion and coworker. On her behalf, as well as my own, I express my thanks.” In addition to inspiring her husband’s humanitarian causes, Ava Helen was closely involved with several peace and civil liberties organizations herself. For three years, she served as National Vice-President of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. She was a board member of the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union for seven years and a lifelong member of Women Strike for Peace. In various capacities, Ava Helen likewise traveled throughout the world giving lectures on peace and human rights. On one notable occasion in 1964, she delivered an address to an audience of over 100,000 people at a peace rally in Athens, Greece.

Among the several awards that Ava Helen Pauling received are: the Janice Holland Award of the Pennsylvania chapter of Women Strike for Peace, an honorary doctorate (Doctor of World Peace) from San Gabriel College, and the Ralph Atkinson Award of the Monterey County Chapter of the ACLU. This last honor reads: “…to Ava Helen Pauling, who spoke out against the internment of Japanese-Americans in 1942… challenged the inquisitorial committees of Congress in the 1950s and 1960s… and has actively supported the ACLU and its programs for half a century.”

Ava Helen passed away on October 7, 1981. She and Linus Pauling shared fifty-nine remarkable years together. Whenever asked what his greatest discovery was, Linus always replied, “My wife.”

Mercedes Bates, also known as Betty Crocker

Mercedes BatesIn honor of Women’s History Month, University Archives will be posting items on strong, pioneering women who have worked at or attended Oregon State University. It is fitting that we start our first post with a woman who helped shape the image of an endearing female American icon — Betty Crocker.

Mercedes Bates was born in Portland, Oregon and was a 1936 Home Economics graduate of Oregon Agricultural College (now Oregon State University). After leaving OAC, Bates began her career working with southern California Gas Company overseeing their home service department. Then in 1948 she decided to go into business for herself, with a loan from her father, she opened a freelance food consulting business. Her food consulting business gave experience with food presentation in TV commercials. Bates was able to parlay her experience in 1960 as a senior food editor for McCall’s magazine, where she worked for four years.

In 1964 Mercedes Bates embarked on long career with General Mills, serving as the director of the Betty Crocker Kitchens. During her tenure as director, Bates was responsible for updating Betty’s persona as American women’s roles were changing. In 1966 Bates became the first female vice president in General Mills history. Not only was this a first of General Mills but this was also a first in the food industry itself. Bates would remain at General Mills until her retirement in 1984.

Retirement did not slow Bates down. She was active with a number of charities and other organizations including, the Girl Scout Council, the 4H Clubs of Minnesota, and the American Home Economic Association. It was while serving on the board of American Home Economic Association that Bates came back to OSU. A site visit by Bates lead to a generous gift for OSU, and in 1989 donated $3 million dollars to OSU. At the time it was the largest one-time donation to the University. The Mercedes A. Bates Family Study Center was opened in 1992 in her honor. The building housed programs that focused on studying families throughout their lifespan. Bates passed away in 1997 at the age of 81.