Archives West Finding Aid

Series 1 is comprised of biographical material and correspondence. The “biographical essays” include a biographical sketch written by Wilson’s sister Susan, and a document written by Wilson – Research in Home Economics – that details the motivations and methods of the various research projects undertaken by Wilson while at Oregon Agricultural College. The three pieces of correspondence in this series refer to research articles loaned by Wilson to the correspondent.

Series 2 is comprised of publications written by Wilson between 1929 and 1951, and published in or by Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletins, U.S. Department of Agriculture Farmers’ Bulletins, the Federal Cooperative Extension Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Bureau of Home Economics, and the Kitchen Reporter (published by Detroit company, Kelvinator). Topics covered in the publications include household storage, time management patterns of rural homemakers, farm home construction planning and standards, working surface height standards, and housing requirements of U.S. farm families. A selection of these publications have been bound into two volumes also included in the collection. Also included is Wilson’s Master’s thesis, “Time Spent in Meal Preparation in Private Households.” Digitized versions of several of Wilson's publications, including her Master's thesis, can be found on ScholarsArchive.

Series 3, Teaching Materials, is primarily comprised of clippings, article reprints, and draft manuscripts used in the instruction of Household Administration courses House Planning in Relation to Function (HAd 435) and Management Problems in Home-Community Relations (HAd 445). Also included are an OAC Household Account Book, and an OAC Student Account Book; both books are blank, but both have A. Grace Johnson’s name on the cover.

Included in Series 4, Reports, is Wilson’s complete report of the Purnell study, “Present Use of Time in Households and by Homemakers, 1925-1930.” Also included is a Report of the Housing Committee of the Home Economics Research section of the Association of Land Grant Colleges and Universities, in which the scope of the committee and a review of work being done by Home Economists is discussed. Of special interest is Wilson’s 1945 field study report, “Use of Electricity in Oregon Rural Homes.” Digitized versions of several of Wilson's publications, including the Purnell study, can be found on ScholarsArchive.

The 71 black and white photographs that comprise Series 5 were taken by Wilson, and feature what appear to be the kitchens, and other assorted storage spaces, in more than five different homes. The photographs appear to have been intended to illustrate different types and configurations of storage in each space. The students and houses portrayed in these images are unidentified.

Series 6 is comprised of bibliographic cards kept by Wilson in her role as Home Economics research faculty at Oregon State, and to facilitate her Master's thesis research. The cards are primarily concerned with home planning and construction.

Boxes 07 through 09 contain cards kept by Wilson while working on her Master's thesis with the University of Chicago, and include topical subdivisions such as Children and the Home, Economics of the Household, Electricity, Farm Operations, Foreign Housing, Household Management, Model Housing, and Rural Housing. A directory is included in Box 07.

Boxes 10 through 15 contain bibliographic cards dating to circa 1937, and are primarily concerned with determining and planning the various space needs of a dwelling. The cards are alpha-numerically arranged in a system of Wilson's own devising, and include subject divisions for: A. Plans and Planning; B. Space Units of the Dwelling; C. Building Practices; D. Requirements; E. Conditioning Factors; F. Housing Standards; G. Housing - General; H. Application; I. Sources of Information; J. Research Methods and Technique; K. Results of O.S.C. Studies; M. Regional Requirements; N. Inventory of Books; and O. Construction Det., Selected Items.