Edmund T. Becher Papers - Archives West

Edmund T. Becher Papers, 1850-1980

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Becher, Edmund T.
Title: Edmund T. Becher Papers
Dates: 1850-1980 (inclusive)
18501980

1900-1950 (bulk)
19001950
Quantity: 6.5 linear feet
Collection Number: SPC 982-0163 (collection)
Summary: The collection is made up primarily of newspaper clippings, student papers, classroom assignments, maps, and other research materials created and retained during Becher's teaching career. There are two folders of photographs (including some photographic negatives) of historical objects and buildings in the Spokane area, some of which no longer exist.
Repository: Eastern Washington University
Archives & Special Collections
Eastern Washington University Libraries
320 Media Lane - 100 LIB
Cheney, WA
99004-2453
Telephone: 5093592475
archives@ewu.edu
Access Restrictions: Collection is open to the public.
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

Edmund T. Becher taught history at John Rogers High School in Spokane. A pioneer of the study of Pacific Northwest history, he enlarged and developed the subject in the Spokane public schools. Through his works, including a nationally televised documentary on the Spokane Indians and authorship of the book "Spokane Corona" (published in 1974), has became a recognized authority on the Pacific Northwest.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection consists primarily of newspaper clippings and other research materials, classroom assignments, and student papers that Becher retained from his teaching career. Becher filed some correspondence related to his research and activities with his other research materials. This correspondence has not been brought together in a separate series, but correspondents have been identified in the index. In addition, there are two files containing photographs and negatives Becher took of historical objects and buildings in the Spokane area, some of which no longer exist. Additionally, there is a short file containing memorabilia collected by Becher. Maps include early topographical maps of the Spokane area, some highway maps, other geological maps, and a few photocopies of territorial maps.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Use of this collection is subject to the rules concerning access to archival and manuscript collections at Eastern Washington University. For more information, see: http://www.ewu.edu/Library/Services/Archives.xml

Copyright restrictions may apply. For more information or permission to publish, contact Eastern Washington University Libraries, Archives & Special Collections at (509) 359-2475, or archives@ewu.edu

Preferred Citation

Edmund T. Becher Papers; SPC 982-0163; box number; folder number; Archives & Special Collections, Eastern Washington University.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Becher's original filing order has been retained with only minor revisions. The file order is alphabetical by subject. Subjects which accumulate materials in more than one file have been subdivided for greater specificity and ease of use. The collection is indexed by name and by correspondents.

Acquisition Information

The Spokane County Library purchased the Becher Library and collection in 1979. The library transferred the non-monographic materials to the Eastern Washington University Library in 1982.

Related Materials

There are four copies of "Spokane Corona" held by the EWU JFK Library. Call#: F897.S7 B42

Name Index

Adams, Glen C.	14:5
Anderson, Deyrol E. (KSPS TV)	15:2
Aronson, Governor Hugo J. (Mt)	3:6
Ayars, Albert L.	7:7
Baily, Joe Jr.	1:9
The Bank - Worley, Idaho	6:2
Bard, Harry	3:6
Bass, W.A.	3:6
Bassett, H.S.	12:10
Beck, George F.	5:5
Berman, Paul and Coffman, Carol	2:1
Boyd, Edith L.	1:9
Burns, Robert L.	3:11
Campbell, Keith H.	3:1
Carlson, W.J.	4:2
Carter, Dr. C.E.	1:2
Chambers, J.L.	13:2
Clark, Donald	1:11
Cleavinger, Howard	3:6
Coffman, Carol and Berman, Paul	2:1
Combes, John	1:4
Cunningham, Melvin	13:4
Doe, John	3:6
"Dick"	9:2
Eacho, Mr.	10:1
Ellenwood, Christine	4:2
Elliot, Mrs. Carl V.	3:12
"Expedition!" Teacher's Award Program	3:4
Fairfield Bank	4:2,5:5
Faubion, Mrs. R.C.	4:2
Ferguson, Frank C.	5:5
Ferris, Joel-President, Eastern Washington State Historical Society	2:4,5:5,13:2,14:3
Foster, Chapin D.	13:2
Fowler, Frank	3:11
The Fund for the Advancement of Education (Ford Foundation)	3:6
Gandy, Lloyd E.	1:12,1:13
Guess, State Senator Sam C.	7:7
Hagan Pauline	6:3
Haines, Francis	6:2
Hanson, E. Arnold	3:11
Happy, State Senator John	13:2
Harder, C. Wilson	4:7
Harper, Joel	9:3
Hart, Henry M. Jr.	6:2
Hoyer, Louis P.	3:6
Hunt, Herold C.	3:6
Inland Truck and Diesel Company	13:2
Jackson, Senator Henry M.	7:8
Jessett, Reverend Canon Thomas E.	13:4,14:5
Jones, Emlyn	3:6
Kelley, Raymond P.	5:4
Kingston, C.S.	3:6,13:2,14:3
Kinsel, Paul, H.	3:4
Lancaster, N.J.	11:4
Lawrence, R.S.	13:2
Little Red Schoolhouse Committee	7:7
Lowry, Olive A.	7:1
Lunenfeld, Norman A.	3:11
Luomala, Katherine	5:5
Martin, Tom	13:2
McCarty, Ella	5:6
McCormack, Lucy	1:2,3:4
McFarlane, Donald	1:11
The Methodist Church, Rockford, WA	4:2
National Education Association	3:4
Nelson, Rose Y.	1:1
Northeastern District Federation of Women’s Clubs	1:1
Oakshott, Thomas	14:3
Oves, W.G.	13:2
Owen, J.H.	14:1
Parr, Josie	5:5
Parske, F.W. and Wash, Jane	14:3
Past President's Club Spokane County Pioneer Society	13:2
Pattullo, Mrs. Stuart	5:3
Pepper, Margaret R.	3:6
Pierce, Paul R.	3:6
Pike, G.H.	5:5
"Principals and Teachers" memo	3:2
Pugsley, Paul H.	4:2
Raymond, Eva M.	4:5
Reed, Florence: Director, Eastern Washington State Historical Society	13:2,9:1,10:1
Rhode, C.J.	10:1
Rice, Barbara Anderson	4:3
Rodgers, David H.	7:8
Rowlands, Mrs. Hugh G.	14:3
Russell, Walter A.	1:9
Schaar, Walter (KSPS TV)	7:8
Shaw, John A.: Superintendent, District no. 81	3:6
Shea, Mrs. Thomas	13:2
Smith, Mrs. Clarence E.	13:1
Smithsonian Institution	1:11, 3:10
Sorenson, William C.: Superintendent Spokane Public Schools	3:4
Spalding, Horace	9:1
Spokane Chamber of Commerce	1:13
"Spokane Public Schools" memo	3:1
State Street Trust Company	3:6
Steuerwald, W.E.	3:11
Sutherlin, F.G.	13:6
Teakle, Thomas	14:4
Thomason, Edith	13:2
Thompson, Keith M.	3:11
Tyrell, William G.	3:6
United States Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service, Montana	7:3
United States Department of the Army, Judge Advocate General’s Office	13:4
United States Department of the Interior: Bureau of Land Management, Washington State Office	1:10
United States Department of the Interior: Bureau of Reclamation	12:3
United States Department of the Interior: National Park Service	1:11
Vanderzicht, John	13:2
Wash, Jane and Parske, F.W,	14:3
West Point Military Academy	13:4,14:5
White, A.L.	13:2
White, Cull A.	10:1
White, John R.	2:1,10:1
Whitford, Mrs. Alfred	5:5,6:5
Winship, Laurence	3:6
Wolf, Fred L.	14:3

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Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

SERIES I: RESEARCH MATERIALSReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description
Box/Folder
1:1	Admission to the Union — Washington State
1:2	Anecdotes for speeches
1:3	Anthropology
1:4	Archeological
1:5	Architecture
1:6	Ballots
1:7	Banks, Early
1:8	Borah, Senator William Edgar
1:9	Buildings, Early
1:10	California Ranch (Settlement at California Creek, near Mica)
1:11	Cannon, AM
1:12	Centennial — Spokane
1:13	Chamber of Commerce — Spokane
1:14	Chinese in Pacific Northwest, B-S
1:15	Cities, A-Na
2:1	Cities, No-Y
2:2	Civic Center — Spokane
2:3	Climate — Pacific Northwest
2:4	Cook, Silas and Francis
2:5	Cowles, Mr. and Mrs. William
2:6	Counties — Pacific Northwest
2:7	Custer, General George A.
2:8	Desperados
2:9	Doctors and Dentists, Early
2:10	Drumheller Springs
2:11	Dunning, Mrs. Chappie
3:1	Education, C-Sc
3:2	Education, Sp-Y
3:3	Ella (Mrs. Ella McCartley-Butcher)
3:4	Expedition! (teacher travel award)
3:5	Explorations — Northwest Coast
3:6	Fellowship (Ford Foundation)
3:7	Ferries and Bridges
3:8	Field Trips
3:9	Fires
3:10	Flag, Use of
3:11	Forest Service
3:12	Forts
4:1	Fur Traders
4:2	Garry, Spokane; Bible-Nina
4:3	Garry, Spokane; Notes-Student Papers
4:4	Geography
4:5	Geology
4:6	Glover, James N.
4:7	Government, Economics
4:8	Graft and Corruption
5:1	Goetz, Jacob "Dutch Jake" B-C
5:2	Goetz, Jacob "Dutch Jake" D-Z
5:3	Havermale Island
5:4	Historic Spots
5:5	Indians, A-Co
5:6	Indians, Cu-E
5:7	Indians, F- Na
6:1	Indians, Ne-0
6:2	Indians, P-R
6:3	Indians, S
6:4	Indians, T to Treatment A-0
6:5	Indians, Treatment R-Z to Y
7:1	Joseph, Chief
7:2	Labor
7:3	Lewis and Clark, A-L
7:4	Lewis and Clark, Ma
7:5	Lewis and Clark, Me-Z
7:6	Lions Club
7:7	Little Red Schoolhouse, Becher's index
7:8	Little Red Schoolhouse, Materials not listed on Becher's Index, N-W
8:1	Mail, Early
8:2	Mining B-L
8:3	Mining M-T
8:4	Mining W-Y
8:5	Missionaries "Blanchet-Lee"
9:1	Missionaries "Northwest-Whitman"
9:2	Missionaries, Missions
9:3	Missionaries, Subject C-S
9:4	Mullan, Captain John
9:5	Newspapers
9:6	Oregon Trail
9:7	Palouse
9:8	Parks, Present Day
10:1	Pioneer Life, A-C
10:2	Pioneer Life, D-H
10:3	Pioneer Life, I-M
10:4	Pioneer Life, N
10:5	Pioneer Life, 0-P
11:1	Pioneer Life, R-Si
11:2	Pioneer Life, Reminiscences A-D
11:3	Pioneer Life, Reminiscences E-J
11:4	Pioneer Life, Reminiscences K-R
11:5	Pioneer Life, Reminiscences S-W
11:6	Pioneer Life, Spo-W
11:7	Population
12:1	Power. Canadian Power Treaty
12:2	Power. Dams, Rivers B-Columbia River A-Sn
12:3	Power. Dams, Rivers Columbia River Su-U to F
12:4	Power. Dams, Rivers Grand Coulee Dam A-S
12:5	Power. Dams, Rivers Grand Coulee Dam T-Z
12:6	Power. Dams, Rivers J-T
12:7	Power. Subject A-W
12:8	Prisons
12:9	Roger's Faculty Questionnaire
12:10	S.B. Scranton and J.J. Downing
13:1	Smith Funeral Home
13:2	Spokane House B-M
13:3	Spokane House N-T
13:4	Steptoe
13:5	Stevens, Isaac I.
13:6	Swah-Netk-Qhu (student project to name reservoir of Grand Coulee Dam)
13:7	Team Teaching
14:1	Transportation A-P
14:2	Transportation R-W
14:3	Thompson, David (Explorer ca. 1811)
14:4	Westerners
14:5	Wright, Colonel George A-H
14:6	Wright, Colonel George N-Se
14:7	Wright, Colonel George Sl-T

SERIES II: MANUSCRIPTSReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description
Box/Folder
15:1	Cowan, George F., Experience in Yellowstone Park 1877
15:2	Chinese
15:3	Early History of Spokane Falls
15:4	Goetz Interviews
15:5	Irrigation in the Spokane Valley
15:6	Reminiscences of Pioneers in the Inland Empire
15:7	Spokane House Manuscript
15:8	Valley of the Sun
15:9	Western Architect Spokane Edition, 1908

SERIES III: PHOTOGRAPHSReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description
Box/Folder
15:10	Prints
15:11	Negatives

SERIES IV: MAPSReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description
Box/Folder
16:1	Maps A-So
16:2	Maps Sp-Z

SERIES V: MEMORABILIAReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description
Box/Folder
16:3	Memorabilia

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