Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Bertram Rodney Bertramson Papers, 1933-1979
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Bertramson, Bertram Rodney
- Title
- Bertram Rodney Bertramson Papers
- Dates
- 1933-1979 (inclusive)19331979
- Quantity
- 5 containers., (5 linear feet of shelf space.), (4520 items.)
- Collection Number
- Cage 458
- Summary
- Correspondence, reports, minutes, speeches, articles and other papers principally relating to his editorial and executive positions with the American Society of Agronomy, including correspondence with Executive Secretary Mathias Stelly; recognition awards for Orville A. Vogel; and material, 1960-1971, on the Pullman beautification project.
- Repository
-
Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Terrell Library Suite 12
Pullman, WA
99164-5610
Telephone: 509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu - Access Restrictions
-
This collection is open for research use.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Bertram Rodney ("Rod") Bertramson was born on a livestock and grain farm near Potter, Nebraska on January 25, 1914, to James W. and Gladys Nelson Bertramson. He received his B.S. in agronomy and M.S. in soils from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in 1933 and 1937 respectively. In 1938 he married Eleanor Maloney of Omaha, Nebraska. Bertramson went on to further graduate study at Oregon State University where he earned his doctorate in soils in 1941.
After working with the Soil Conservation Service in Rapid City, South Dakota and teaching at Colorado State University (then Colorado A & M) for a short time Bertramson was drafted in 1942 as a first lieutenant. He served with the Tank Destroyer Officer Candidate School in Fort Hood, Texas. Later Bertramson was promoted to Food and Agriculture Officer for the Rhineland and Gross Hessen regions in Germany. His job was to set up an administrative organization for food and general agriculture.
At the end of World War II, Bertramson reestablished his teaching career. Initially after his discharge in 1946 he was employed by the University of Wisconsin as an assistant soils scientist, but later that year moved to Purdue University as an associate soil chemist and assistant soils scientist.
In 1949 Bertramson became the Chairman of the Agronomy Department at Washington State University and served in this capacity for eighteen years. He was appointed Director of Resident Instruction of the College of Agriculture in 1967. He served in this capacity until his retirement in 1979. During his thirty years at Washington State University Bertramson worked closely with a number of agriculture associations within the state and region. His administration was also identified with several historically significant events, including the release of high yielding Gaines wheat developed by Dr. Orville A. Vogel.
Bertramson authored or co-authored numerous articles published in various trade magazines such as Soil Scientist and Agronomy Journal. He was an active member of many professional and honorary agricultural organizations: Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America, Soil Conservation Society of America and others. In 1960 he was elected Vice-President of the American Society of Agronomy and in 1961 served as President of the Society. Later, Bertramson was elected a Fellow of the ASA. He also served as the President of the Agronomic Science Foundation and editor of the Journal of Agronomic Education. In 1978, Bertramson was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.
Not all of Bertramson's activities centered around agronomy. He was active in civic affairs and the Pullman beautification projects of the mid-1960's. He also served as President of the Pullman Chamber of Commerce, President of the Pullman Community Hospital Corporation, and a member of the Pullman City Council. For more information see "Biographical Sketch, 1967-1979," box 4, folder 107; and "Correspondence, 1946-1967," box 4, folder 110.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The papers of Bertram Rodney ("Rod") Bertramson are cover five series: American Society of Agronomy, 1952-1979; Journal of Agronomic Education, 1967-1976; Biographical Information Writings and Speeches, 1933-1979; Civic Services, 1960-1977; and Washington State University, 1942-1979.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
[Item Description]. Cage 458, Bertram Rodney Bertramson Papers . Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The first series, American Society of Agronomy, 1952-1979, has been divided into three subseries. Subseries one, Agronomy Advisory Board, 1952-1962, contains materials collected when Bertramson was Vice- President of the ASA. It includes general papers, an index of information, minutes, reports, and material concerning the Washington Association of Wheat Growers. The second subseries, Presidency of the ASA, is made up of Bertramson's presidential papers. Items such as Board of Directors' records, Committee Manual materials, correspondence, Executive Committee records, handbooks, headquarters building plans, news releases, notes on presidential addresses, luncheons, and publicity are part of this second subseries. Subseries three, General ASA Material, includes later papers pertaining to the ASA. It includes Agronomic Administrators Roundtable Committee records, an headquarters expansion study, fellow nominations, and Orville A. Vogel materials. All folders in this series have been arranged alphabetically by subject within their respective subseries.
Series II, Journal of Agronomic Education, 1967-1976, contains papers concerning meetings of the ASA Educational Board, correspondence, editorials and letters to the editor, information about professionalism, promotion, publishing policy and the Society, and work lists and files. All folders are arranged alphabetically by subject.
The third series, Biographical Information, Writings, and Speeches, 1933-1979, includes papers on agronomy, biographical sketches and personal correspondence, dedications, publications and various speeches on a wide variety of topics. All folders have been arranged alphabetically by subject.
Series IV, Civic Services, 1960-1977, is made up of papers collected during Bertramson's community work in Pullman on a number of projects centering around city beautification. The series includes records of clean-up projects, mass transit studies, shopping centers, and environmental quality. All folders are arranged alphabetically by subject.
Series V, Washington State University, 1942-1979, contains various material which Bertramson collected in his association with the College of Agriculture at Washington State University. The material spans the period from 1942 through 1979 and includes such things as reports (e.g., from the Seed Laboratory), a history of the Department of Plant Pathology, correspondence regarding WSU short courses, College of Agriculture Awards, committee work, and a file called "Archives" which consists of material relating to agriculture. This series has been arranged alphabetically by subject.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Series I. American Society of Agronomy, 1952-1979Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Agronomy Advisory
Board |
1952-1962 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
1 | 1-5 | General
Correspondence 339
items.
|
1959-1962 |
1 | 6 | Index of Information for
Agronomy Advisory Board 1
item.
|
1952 |
Minutes: |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
1 | 7-9 | General 275
|
1952-l960 |
1 | 10-11 | Meetings 55
items.
|
1959-1960 |
Box | Folder | ||
1 | 12 | Report on Research for
Meeting 1
item.
|
1952 |
1 | 13 | Washington Association of Wheat
Growers 22
items.
|
1956-1958 |
Presidency of ASA |
1959-1966 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
1 | 14 | Award for Industrial
Agronomists 50
items.
|
1960-1962 |
1 | 15 | Banquet Program and Other
Details 35
items.
|
1961 |
Board of Directors: |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
1 | 16 | Bylaws: Revisions 15
items.
|
1960 |
1 | 17 | Committee Reports 30
items.
|
1962 |
1 | 18-19 | Directors--General
Correspondence 81
items.
|
1959-1961 |
1 | 20 | Meeting Session I 150
|
1961 |
1 | 21 | Minutes 50
items.
|
1950-1962 |
Committee Manual: |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 22 | Comments on 31
items.
|
1961 |
2 | 23 | Manual 1
item.
|
1961 |
2 | 24 | Supplements 2
items.
|
1961 |
Correspondence: |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 25 | Bertramson as President,
ASA 35
items.
|
1961 |
Congratulations to
Bertramson: |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 26 | President of
ASA 30
|
1960-1961 |
2 | 27 | Vice-President of
ASA 19
|
1959-1960 |
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 28 | Matt Stelly 50
items.
|
1961 |
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 29 | Early Daze 8
items.
|
1960 |
Executive
Committee: |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 30-32 | General
Correspondence 91
items.
|
1960-1962 |
2 | 33 | Meetings 81
items.
|
1961-1962 |
2 | 34-35 | Reports 40
items.
|
1960-1961 |
2 | 36-37 | Secretary 91
items.
|
1960-1963 |
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 38 | General Big Meeting
Program 21
items.
|
1961 |
2 | 39 | Handbook for President and
Vice-President 6
items.
|
1961 |
Headquarters
Building: |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 40-42 | General
Correspondence 195
|
1959-1962 |
2 | 43 | Site and Plans 18
items.
|
1961 |
Tjog Case: |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 44 | Correspondence 36
|
1961 |
2 | 45 | Replies for
Material 26
|
1961 |
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 46 | News Releases 15
items.
|
1960-1961 |
2 | 47 | Option Number Four--ASA
Dues 35
items.
|
1960-1961 |
President: |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 48 | Address 34
items.
|
1961-1964 |
2 | 49 | Luncheons 7
items.
|
1954-1961 |
2 | 50 | Publicity on 12
items.
|
1961 |
2 | 51 | Welcome to
Students 4
items.
|
1961 |
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 52 | Programs 46
items.
|
1960 |
2 | 53 | Regional Branch Officers'
Handbook 1
item.
|
1962-1966 |
Stelly, Matthias: |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 54 | Employment as Executive
Secretary 42
items.
|
1960-1961 |
2 | 55 | Personal 3
items.
|
1961 |
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 56 | Tax Exemption/ASA and Legal
XXXII 11
items.
|
1960-1961 |
General ASA Material |
1968-1979 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
3 | 57 | Agronomic Administrators
Roundtable Committee 11
items.
|
1969 |
American Society of
Agronomy: |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
3 | 58-69 | ASA General
Correspondence 348
|
1968-1979 |
3 | 70 | Council for Agricultural.
Science and Technology 38
items.
|
1972-1978 |
3 | 71 | Feasibility of Headquarters
Expansion Committee 17
items.
|
1974-1975 |
3 | 72 | Fellow
Nominations 25
items.
|
1977-1979 |
3 | 73-74 | Journal of Agronomic
Education 33
items.
|
1978 |
3 | 75-76 | Meetings 41
items.
|
1973-1974 |
Dr. Orville A.
Vogel: |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
3 | 77 | Browing Award 33
items.
|
1971-1972 |
3 | 78 | General File 6
items.
|
1972-1977 |
3 | 79 | National Medal of Science
Award 21
items.
|
1975-1976 |
3 | 80 | Wolfe Prize 14
items.
|
1978 |
Series II. Journal of Agronomic Education, 1967-1976Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Folder | ||
3 | 81 | ASA Meetings of Educational
Board, JAE 24
items.
|
1972 |
3 | 82 | Bertramson Expenses 6
items.
|
1972 |
Correspondence: |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
3 | 83 | Authors 35
items.
|
1972-1974 |
3 | 84 | Beatty, Marvin T. 5
items.
|
1971-1972 |
3 | 85 | Carson, E. W. 9
items.
|
1971 |
3 | 86 | Cuyno, Rogelio V. 6
items.
|
1971 |
3 | 87 | Forward and
Editorial 14
items.
|
1971-1972 |
3 | 88 | Form Letter to Association
Editors 1
item.
|
undated |
3 | 89-90 | General 55
items.
|
1970-1976 |
3 | 91 | "Getting
Started," 21
items.
|
1971-1972 |
3 | 92 | Larson, K. L. 5
items.
|
1971 |
3 | 93 | Reviewers 32
items.
|
1971-1973 |
Box | Folder | ||
4 | 94 | Editorials and Letters to the
Editor 26
items.
|
1973 |
4 | 95 | Materials Concerning
Professionalism and Promotion 45
items.
|
1967 |
4 | 96 | Publishing Policy and the
Society 150
items.
|
1970-1971 |
4 | 97-99 | Work Files 87
items.
|
1969-1974 |
4 | 100 | Work Lists 8
items.
|
1972-1973 |
Series III. Biographical Information, Writings and Speeches, 1933-1979Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Agronomy: |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
4 | 101-102 | Agronomy 27
items.
|
1951-1956 |
4 | 103 | Farm 53
items.
|
1952-1956 |
4 | 103.1 | Nebraska (thesis) 1
item.
Added to collection, 2004
|
1936-1937 |
4 | 104 | Program and
Facilities 38
items.
|
1950-1964 |
4 | 105 | Publications 6
items.
|
1965-1970 |
Box | Folder | ||
4 | 106 | Appreciation of Dr. O. A. Vogel's
Forty Years of Plant Breeding and Testing Program 1
item.
|
1970 |
4 | 107 | Biographical Sketch 14
items.
|
1967-1979 |
4 | 108 | "The Challenge to Students
in Agriculture," 1
item.
|
1975 |
4 | 109 | Columbia Plateau Resource
Council 30
items.
|
1965-1968 |
4 | 110 | Correspondence 28
items.
|
1946-1967 |
4 | 111 | Dedication of Compton Union
Building 25
items.
|
1969 |
4 | 112 | Growth of WSCIA Pure Seed
Project 15
items.
|
1978 |
4 | 113 | Kennewick Plant
Dedication 20
items.
|
1969 |
4 | 114 | Making the Most of
Seminars 17
items.
|
1948-1960 |
4 | 115 | Outlying Testing 20
items.
|
1952-1954 |
4 | 116-119 | Publications 101
items.
|
1938-1979 |
4 | 120 |
Pullman Herald
3
items.
|
1972 |
4 | 121 | Remarks for Beef Center
Dedication 1
item.
|
1974 |
4 | 122 | Salute to Paul
Abendroth 2
items.
|
1973 |
4 | 123 | Studies on Phosphorus
Assimilation of Higher Plants 2
items.
|
1933; 1946 |
4 | 124 | Twenty-five Years: Retrospect and
Predictions-- Regional Fertilizer Conference 35
items.
|
1974 |
4 | 125 | "What the Industry Looks for
at Washington State University in Teaching," 9
items.
|
1970 |
Series IV. Civic Services, 1960-1977Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Environment: |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
5 | 126 | Environment and
Ecology 22
items.
|
1970-1973 |
5 | 127 | Environment Quality
Commission 37
items.
|
1970-1973 |
5 | 128 | Miracle on the Land 20
items.
|
1971 |
5 | 129 | Role of Agriculture in a
Quality Environment 1
item.
|
1971 |
Pullman: |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
5 | 130 | Chamber of Commerce 16
items.
|
1971-1977 |
City
Beautification: |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
5 | 131 | 22
items. |
1964-1966 |
5 | 132 | 200 |
1969-1971 |
Box | Folder | ||
5 | 133-135 | Clean-Up Project 186
items.
|
1964-1965 |
5 | 136 | Community
Beautification 3
items.
|
1960 |
5 | 137 | Community
Development 6
items.
|
1968-1969 |
5 | 138 | Mass Transit Feasibility
Project 100
items.
|
1974-1976 |
5 | 139 | Shopping Centers 25
items.
|
1971 |
Box | Folder | ||
5 | 140 | Steptoe Canyon and Harry
Sever 41
items.
|
1967-1975 |
Series V. Washington State University, 1942-1979Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Folder | ||
5 | 141 | Agriculture Awards 11
items.
|
1964-1979 |
5 | 142 |
The Agriculturalist
34
items.
|
1942-1966 |
5 | 143 | "Archives
File," 25
items.
|
1968-1979 |
5 | 144 | Plant Pathology Department,
History of 2
items.
|
1949 |
5 | 145 | Recognition Assembly, College of
Agriculture 18
items.
|
1950-1951 |
5 | 146 | Seed Laboratory
Report 9
items.
|
1950-1951 |
5 | 147-148 | Short Course 17
items.
|
1951-1955 |
5 | 149 | Soils Seminar 11
items.
|
1952 |
5 | 150 | Space Priorities
Committee 8
items.
|
1951-1953 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Civic improvement--Washington (State)--Pullman
Personal Names
- Bertramson, Bertram Rodney --Archives (creator)
- Stelly, Matthias
- Vogel, Orville Alvin, 1907-
Corporate Names
- American Society of Agronomy