Journalism Department Records, 1918-1988

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Oregon State University. Dept. of Journalism.
Title
Journalism Department Records
Dates
1918-1988 (inclusive)
Quantity
1.35 cubic feet, (2 boxes)
11 microfilm reels
Collection Number
RG 091
Summary
The Journalism Department Records document the undergraduate and graduate instruction programs in technical journalism at Oregon State University. The records also include materials pertaining to the reorganization of higher education in Oregon in the early 1930s and the controversy between the University of Oregon and Oregon Agricultural College (OAC) in the 1920s regarding the offering of journalism degrees at OAC.
Repository
Oregon State University Libraries, Special Collections and Archives Research Center
Special Collections and Archives Research Center
121 The Valley Library
Oregon State University
Corvallis OR
97331-4501
Telephone: 5417372075
Fax: 5417378674
scarc@oregonstate.edu
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research. Access to materials in Series VII and VIII pertaining to journalism advisees is restricted and subject to review by the University Archivist.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Journalism courses were first offered at Oregon Agricultural College during the 1914/15 school year, and the Department of Industrial Journalism was created in 1918. The department's purpose was to train students "who wish to take positions on farm and trade journals, newspapers, and other publications, especially where writing on industrial subjects such as Agriculture, Home Economics, and Engineering is required" (1919/20 OAC Catalogue). On three occasions during the 1920s, the State Board of Higher Curricula was requested to consider restricting or eliminating industrial journalism at Oregon State.

During the 1930s and 1940s, journalism at Oregon State was administered jointly with the program at the University of Oregon as part of the higher education reorganization in Oregon. In 1969, departmental majors were offered for the first time; subsequently, thirty technical minors were added. In 1992, the Journalism Department was eliminated as part of university wide budget reductions.

Department chairs have included Frank Snow, 1928; Maynard Brown, 1929; Charles D. Byrne, 1929-1932; Fred M. Shideler, 1932-1967; Fred Zwahlen, 1967-1989; and Jon Franklin, 1989-1991.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Journalism Department Records document the development of undergraduate and graduate instruction programs in technical (industrial) journalism at Oregon State University. The records include materials pertaining to the reorganization of higher education in Oregon in the early 1930s and the controversy between the University of Oregon and Oregon Agricultural College in the 1920s regarding the offering of journalism degrees of OAC.

Much of the collection consists of microfilmed scrapbooks of newspaper clippings from Oregon newspapers. The clippings are of articles about Oregon State and/or ones written by Oregon State students for the newspapers. Many of the scrapbooks have accompanying subject indexes.

The remainder of the collection was created or assembled by department chair Fred Zwahlen and includes materials pertaining to accreditation and special events, including the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication annual convention in Corvallis in 1983; subject files pertaining to curriculum, faculty, budgets, and graduates and advisees; and materials assembled for the Journalism Advisory Council. Of particular note in the subject files are materials regarding former Oregon Governor Tom McCall's position at OSU in the early 1970s.

Also of note in the collection are sound recordings of Associated Press science writer and editor, Alton Blakeslee; New York Times science writer, Sandra Blakeslee (with KOAC reporter Shirley Howard); Oregonian editor, J. Richard Nokes, and KGW-TV News Director, Ed Godfrey recorded in 1970-1971.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

Journalism Department Records (RG 091), Oregon State University Archives, Corvallis, Oregon.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The records are arranged in nine series: I. Briefs and Statements, 1920-1928; II. Clippings on OSSHE Budget and Survey of Higher Education, 1930-1931; III. Miscellaneous, 1921-1925; IV. Oregon Newspaper Scrapbooks, 1918-1951; V. Accreditation, 1977-1988; VI. Special Event Records, 1979-1988; VII. Subject Files, 1966-1988; VIII. Journalism Advisory Council, 1988; and IX. Sound Recordings, 1970-1971.

Acquisition Information

Transferred in several accessions from the 1960s through 1995.

Related Materials

Photographs pertaining to the Journalism Department can be found in the Journalism Department Photographic Collection (P 208) and in Harriet's Collection. The Beaver Yearbook (P 003) and Barometer (P 035) Photographic Collections include photographs taken by student photojournalists. The Archives includes the papers or records of several journalism faculty, alumni journalists, and journalism organizations, including Fred M. Shideler, Frank H. Bartholomew, Ted Carlson, Hope Chamberlin, A. Freeman Mason, and Theta Sigma Phi (Alpha Eta Chapter).

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I:  Briefs and Statements, 1920-1928Return to Top

Series I pertains to attempts by the University of Oregon in the 1920s to discontinue or reduce the courses in industrial journalism at Oregon Agricultural College (OAC) and OAC's responses.

Container(s) Description Dates
Reel
1
Correspondence
1920-1922
1
Statements on Industrial Journalism at Oregon Agricultural College
1920
1
Correspondence regarding establishment of a Sigma Delta Chi chapter at OAC
1920-1921
1
Correspondence regarding the OAC industrial edition of the Albany Herald
1921
1
Statements by OAC deans and extension agents, editors of student publications, and farm paper and other editors on the value of industrial journalism training
1922
1
Statement by the University of Oregon regarding alleged violations of rulings by the State Board of Higher Curriculum by Oregon State Agricultural College
1928

Series II:  Clippings on OSSHE Budget and Survey of Higher Education, 1930-1931Return to Top

Container(s): Reel 1

Series II contains newspaper clippings about the Oregon State System of Higher Educations' budget and the survey of higher education in Oregon in the early 1930s which led to the reorganization of higher education and the transfer of academic programs between Oregon State College and the University of Oregon.

Series III:  Miscellaneous, 1921-1925Return to Top

Series IIII pertains to attempts by the University of Oregon in the 1920s to discontinue or reduce the courses in industrial journalism at Oregon Agricultural College (OAC) and OAC's responses.

Container(s) Description Dates
Reel
1
Briefs, statements, and studies, pertaining to elimination of Industrial Journalism at Oregon State Agricultural College
undated
1
Correspondence from editors of Oregon farm journals and newspapers
1921-1925
1
Correspondence from graduates of Oregon Agricultural College who studied Industrial Journalism
1925
1
President Kerr's response to the Board of Higher Curricula regarding the University of Oregon's petition to eliminate or reduce Industrial Journalism at Oregon Agricultural College
April 15, 1922

Series IV:  Oregon Newspaper Scrapbooks, 1918-1951Return to Top

Series IV consists of 68 newspaper clippings scrapbooks that include articles about Oregon State and/or that were written by Oregon State students for the newspapers. Indexes are available for some of the scrapbooks. A few of the volumes have handwritten indexes. The scrapbooks are only available on microfilm; the indexes are available in original paper form.

Container(s) Description Dates
Indexes
1923-1940
Reel
box 1
Oregonian and Portland News
1923-1924
box 1
Oregonian
1928-1931
box 1
Oregon Journal
1930-1931
box 1
Oregonian
1931-1932
box 1
Oregon Journal
1931-1937
box 1
Oregonian
1934-1937
box 1
Oregon Journal
1937-1939
box 2
Oregon Journal
1939-1940
Reel
reel 2
Oregonian, Oregon Journal, Portland Telegram and Portland News
1918-1921
reel 2
Corvallis Gazette-Times and Benton Courier
1920-1921
reel 2
Oregonian, Oregon Journal, Portland Telegram and Portland News
1921-1922
reel 2
Corvallis Gazette-Times and Benton Courier
1921-1922
reel 3
Oregonian, Oregon Journal, Portland Telegram and Portland News
1922-1923
reel 3
Corvallis Gazette-Times and Benton Courier
1922-1923
reel 3
Oregonian and Portland News
1923-1924
reel 3
Oregon Journal and Portland Telegram
1923-1924
reel 3
Gazette Times and Benton Courier
1923-1924
reel 3
Oregonian and Portland News
1924-1925
reel 3
Oregon Journal and Portland Telegram
1924-1925
reel 3
Corvallis Gazette-Times
1924-1925
reel 4
Oregonian and Portland News
1925-1926
reel 4
Oregon Journal and Portland Telegram
1925-1926
reel 4
Corvallis Gazette-Times
1925-1926
reel 4
Oregonian and Portland News
1926-1927
reel 4
Oregon Journal
1926-1927
reel 5
Oregon Journal, Portland Telegram and Portland News
1929-1930
reel 5
Oregonian
1929-1931
reel 5
Oregon Journal
1930-1931
reel 5
Portland News and Portland Telegram
1930-1931
reel 5
Oregonian
1931-1932
reel 6
Oregonian
1933-1934
reel 6
Oregon Journal
1933-1934
reel 6
Oregonian
1934-1935
reel 6
Oregon Journal
1934-1935
reel 6
Oregonian
1935-1936
reel 6
Oregon Journal
1935-1936
reel 6
Oregonian
1936-1937
reel 6
Oregon Journal
1936-1937
reel 7
Oregonian
1937-1938
reel 7
Oregon Journal
1937-1938
reel 7
Oregonian
1938-1939
reel 7
Oregon Journal
1938-1939
reel 7
Oregonian
1939-1940
reel 7
Oregon Journal
1939-1940
reel 7
Oregonian
1940-1941
reel 8
Oregonian
1941-1942
reel 8
Oregon Journal
1941-1942
reel 8
Oregonian
1942-1943
reel 8
Oregon Journal
1942-1943
reel 8
Oregonian and Oregon Journal
1943-1944
reel 8
Oregonian
1944-1945
reel 8
Oregon Journal
1944-1945
reel 9
Oregonian
1946-1947
reel 9
Oregon Journal
1946-1947
reel 9
Oregonian
1947-1948
reel 9
Oregon Journal
1947-1948
reel 9
Oregonian
1948-1949
reel 9
Oregon Journal
1948-1949
reel 9
Oregonian
1949-1950
reel 9
Oregon Journal
1949-1950
reel 10
Oregonian, Oregon Journal, Portland Telegram and Portland News
1919-1920
reel 10
Oregon Journal and Portland Telegram
1926-1927
reel 10
Oregonian, Oregon Journal, Portland Telegram and Portland News
1927-1928
reel 10
Oregonian
1928-1929
reel 10
Oregon Journal, Portland Telegram and Portland News
1928-1929
reel 11
Oregon Journal
1931-1932
reel 11
Oregonian
1932-1933
reel 11
Oregon Journal
1932-1933 and 1940-1941
reel 11
Oregonian
1945-1946
reel 11
Oregon Journal
1945-1946
reel 11
Oregonian
1950-1951
reel 11
Oregon Journal
1950-1951

Series V:  Accreditation, 1977-1988Return to Top

Series V documents accreditation of the department by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication in 1977 and 1985.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
1
Accreditation and Evaluations
1984-1988
1
Materials (portion of) Assembled for Site Visit
1984
1
Pre-Visit Report
1977

Series VI:  Special Event Records, 1979-1988Return to Top

Series VI contains special event records from the 1983 annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication held in Corvallis and from the department's 75th anniversary activities in 1988.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
1-2
Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication - 1983 Annual Convention in Corvallis
2 folders
1979-1983
1
75th Anniversary
1988

Series VII:  Subject Files, 1966-1988Return to Top

Series VII consists of subject files pertaining to advising, affirmative action, budgets, curriculum, faculty, and graduates. Many of the materials were created or assembled by department chair, Fred Zwahlen.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
1
Affirmative Action Plan
1974
1
Budgets
1980-1981 (including Program Improvement Requests for 1981-1983)
1
Correspondence
1985-1988
1
Curriculum and Instruction
1973-1979
1
Department Brochure
1982
1
List of Graduates
1968
1
Technical Journalism - Advisees and Minors
Restricted and subject to review by the University Archivist.
1980
1
Budgets
1977-1979
1
CETA position
1978
1
Curriculum Proposal for M.S. in Technical Writing
2 folders
1977
Faculty
Box
1
McCall, Tom
1973-1975
1
Scheel, Jean
1976-1977
1
Shideler, Fred
1969-1975
1
Smith, Robert Burr ("Bob")
Environmental and wildlife photography.
1978-1979
Box
2
Faculty - General
1967-1977
1
Forestry annual report
1980
1
Journalism 110 study guide
undated
1
Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association (ONPA) Board of Directors
1978-1979
1
Promotion and Tenure Policies and Procedures
1972-1976
1
Liberal Education by Kenneth D. Patterson
1966
1
Anderson, N. Christian (Chris)
Alumnus.
1988
2
Teaching Assignments
1977-1980

Series VIII:  Journalism Advisory Council, 1988Return to Top

Container(s): Box 1

Series VIII consists of an information book assembled for the Journalism Advisory Council. It includes summary and promotional information about the department and includes a curriculum proposal for a master's degree in scientific and technical communication, budget information, a site visit report, a list of journalism advisees, and a paper by Edwin J. Peterson, Black Hats: The Inevitable Garb of Lawyers and Reporters.

Access to materials pertaining to journalism advisees is restricted and subject to review by the University Archivist.

Series IX:  Sound Recordings, 1970-1971Return to Top

Container(s): Box 1-2

The sound recordings consist of 13 reel-to-reel tape recordings, primarily of journalists. Several of the tapes are of Alton Blakeslee (Associated Press Science Writer) with Fred Zwahlen and Sam Bailey. The tapes also include recordings of Sandra Blakeslee (Science Writer with the New York Times), Science Journalism in the '70s, with KOAC radio reporter Shirley Howard; a news seminar with Richard Nokes of the Oregonian and Ed Godfrey of KGW; and a Professor of Journalism at the University of Wisconsin (Tickener?).

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • American newspapers--Oregon.
  • Journalism--Study and teaching (Higher)--Oregon.

Personal Names

  • Blakeslee, Alton L.
  • Blakeslee, Sandra.
  • McCall, Tom, 1913-1983.
  • Nokes, J. Richard.

Corporate Names

  • Oregon State System of Higher Education.
  • Oregon State University--Faculty.

Form or Genre Terms

  • Audiotapes.
  • Scrapbooks.

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Howard, Shirley Jean, 1928- (creator)
    • Zwahlen, Fred C., 1924- (creator)
    Corporate Names
    • Oregon Agricultural College. Dept. of Industrial Journalism. (creator)
    • Oregon State College. Dept. of Journalism. (creator)