Bertram Rodney Bertramson papers, 1933-1993

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Bertramson, Bertram Rodney
Title
Bertram Rodney Bertramson papers
Dates
1933-1993 (inclusive)
Quantity
5.5 linear feet of shelf space, (12 containers and 1 oversize folder)
Collection Number
Cage 847 (collection)
Summary
The Bertram Rodney Bertramson Papers consist of materials documenting three specific endeavors in which Bertramson was an active member: the development of the Pioneer Heights addition to Pullman, Washington, post-World War II food production and distribution in Germany, and a U.S. Aid project in Morocco to improve dryland farming techniques. Bertramson was a professor of agronomy at Washington State University and an involved member of his community in Pullman.
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

Some materials restricted until 2034. The remainder of the collection is open and available for research use.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Dr. Bertram Rodney Bertramson (1914-2005), was a Professor in the Department of Agronomy at Washington State University. Dr. Bertramson received his Bachelor's of Science in Agronomy and Master's of Science in Soils from the University of Nebraska in 1933 and 1937 respectively. Dr. Bertramson went on to earn his Ph.D. in Soils from Oregon State University in 1941. Following his service in World War II, where he became the Food and Agriculture Officer for the Rhineland and Gross Hessen regions in Germany, Dr. Bertramson worked at the University of Wisconsin as an Assistant Soils Scientist, and later at Purdue University as an Associate Soil Chemist and Assistant Soils Scientist, before being appointed the Chairman of the Agronomy Department at Washington State University in 1949. Dr. Bertramson served in this position until he was appointed Director of Resident Instruction of the College of Agriculture in 1967, where he remained until his retirement in 1979. During Dr. Bertramson's career, he also served as the President of the Agronomic Science Foundation, the editor of the Journal of Agronomic Education, the President of the Pullman Chamber of Commerce, the President of the Pullman Community Hospital Corporation, and a member of the Pullman City Council. In 1978, Bertramson was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. (see Cage 458). In 1980 and 1981, Bertramson was Head of the U.S. Aid Morocco Dryland Farming Project.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The contents of this collection pertain to the life and work of former Washington State University Professor of Agronomy, Bertram Rodney (B.R.) Bertramson. Materials, which include letters, diaries, pictures, correspondences, and legal and military documents fall under four categories: documents relating to Bertramson role in the construction and maintenance of the Pioneer Heights neighborhood in Pullman, Washington from the 1950s-1980s, documents relating to Bertramson’s time in the Second World War and the Military Government in Allied Occupied Germany after the war, documents relating to Bertramson’s academic research, and documents relating to Bertramson’s time in the U.S. Aid Morocco Dryland Farming Project in 1981-1982. Included are both personal materials, many of which are handwritten, and published documents.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply.

Preferred Citation

[Item description]. Bertram Rodney Bertramson Papers, 1933-1993. Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The documents in this collection are arranged in four series: Pioneer Heights History, Research Files, World War II and Postwar, and University of Nebraska – U.S. Aid Morocco Dryland Farming Project.

Series 1: Pioneer Heights History, 1955-1993. This series contains materials on the creation of the Pioneer Heights addition to the city of Pullman. This series includes architectural blueprints, legal documents, purchasing contracts, pictures, and financing materials. Many of the blueprints and drawings have been separated from their original folder and placed in the oversized folder.

Series 2: Research Files, 1933-1991. This series contains a variety of materials from Bertramson’s academic career, and includes published works and articles, public speeches, and recorded oral histories by himself, his mother, and several colleagues at Washington State University.

Series 3: World War II and Postwar, 1942-1948. This series consists of materials relating to Bertramson’s officer training, service in Europe during World War II, and time in the military government in Germany following the war. It consists of 3 subseries: Officer Training and Tank Destroyer Camp and Food, Agricultural Studies Administration for Germany, and Scrapbooks and Diaries.

Subseries 1: Officer Training and Tank Destroyer School, Camp Hood, Texas, 1942-1943. This subseries consists of materials from Bertramson’s training as an officer in the United States Army, specifically with the Tank Destroyers, in preparation for deployment in the European Theater of the Second World War. Included are military documents, training materials, and personal documents and correspondences.

Subseries 2: Food and Agricultural Studies and Administration for Germany, 1944-1948. This subseries consists of materials from Bertramson’s time in the Food and Agriculture Administration of the military government of Allied Occupied Germany during and following the conclusion of the Second World War. Bertramson specifically worked with food distribution and food rationing in the Rhineland and Gross Hessen. Included are military documents and orders, personal correspondences with family members and German civilians, collected ephemera, and images. Within these materials is also information on denazification (capitalization?) and postwar American policy in Europe.

Subseries 3: Scrapbooks and Diaries, 1942-1946. This subseries consists of a variety of personal documents from Bertramson’s time in the United States Army, including officer training, combat experiences, and his time in the military government. Included are scrapbooks with annotated pictures and collected ephemera, diaries, joke books, collections of personal correspondences and personal reflections.

Series 4: University of Nebraska – U.S. Aid Morocco Dryland Farming Project, 1981-1983. This series consists of materials from Bertramson’s participation in the U.S. Aid Morocco Dryland Farming Project through the University of Nebraska. Much of this collection is currently restricted, though Bertramson's reflections on his experiences in Morocco and general notes and correspondences are available.

Acquisition Information

The Bertram Rodney Bertram Papers were donated to Washington State University by Bertramson to the Washington State University Libraries in 1992 and 1993 (MS 1992.71, MS 1993.01, MS 1993.05).

Processing Note

This collection was processed by Colin Rau and Steven Bingo in 2016.

Related Materials

Rodney Bertram Bertramson (Cage 458)

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series 1:  Pioneer Heights history, 1955-1993Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1
History: Pioneer Heights - Pioneer Heights Addition of Pullman, 1955-1993
1955-1993
1 2
Pioneer Heights Addition: Pictures/Maps
1958
2 3
Pioneer Heights: Belleville Street - Belleville and Thompson Street Developmental
1968-1972
1 4
Pioneer Heights Business: Acquisition, Legal - Acquisition and Financing
1955-1958
1 5
Pioneer Heights Business: Acquisition, Legal - Plottings, Dedication, etc.
1957-1970
1 6
Pioneer Heights Business: Acquisition, Legal - Expenses
1956-1985
1 7
Pioneer Heights Business: Acquisition, Legal - Allocation and Costs
1956-1970
1 8-9
Pioneer Heights Developmental
1955-1961
2 10-11
Pioneer Heights Developmental
1962-1968
2 12
Pioneer Heights Purchase - Purchase Contracts
1965-1974
2 13
Pioneer Heights Purchase - Purchase Contracts
1965-1976
2 14
Pioneer Heights Public Relations: Enforcement/Problems - Pioneer Heights Taxes and Evaluation
1971-1973
2 15
Pioneer Heights Public Relations: Enforcement/Problems - The Errant Patio, Lot #7, Schwendiman
1982
2 16
Pioneer Heights Public Relations: Enforcement/Problems - TV Lane's 50' Foot Trailer and Parking on the Street
May 1985
2 17
Pioneer Heights Public Relations: Enforcement/Problems - Pioneer Heights Lot #8
1984-1985
2 18
Pioneer Heights Sales - Pioneer Heights Lots
1957-1965
3 19-20
Pioneer Heights Sales - Pioneer Heights Lot Sales
1975-1985
3 21
Pioneer Heights Sales - Pioneer Heights Lot Sales
1980-1985
3 22-23
Pioneer Heights Sales - Sales and Communication
1965-1974
Map drawer
Pioneer Heights Second Addition
1963
Map drawer
Pioneer Heights Separated Oversize

Series 2:  Research files, 1933-1991Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
3 24
Additional Files on Professionalism, World Hunger, and International Aid Programs
1933-1979
3 25
Bertramson Oral History Tape, 1890-1938 (I-III)
October 1984-February 1985
3 26
Bertramson's Speeches, Part I
1946-1955
4 27
Bertramson's Speeches, Part II
1956-1973
4 28
Gladys Bertramson Recollections, 1891-1985 (I-II)
December 1985
4 29
B.R. Bertramson Publications, Part I
1938-1950
4 30
B.R. Bertramson Publications, Part IV
1974-1979
4 31
Rodney Bertramson WSU Recollections, 1949-1985 (I-III)
December 1985
4 32
Charles Byron ("CB") Jones, WSU Recollections
October-November 1990
4 33
Journal: People to People Agronomy Delegation to Australia and New Zealand
November 3-24, 1986
4 34
Journal: People to People Agronomy Delegation to the Soviet Union
June 7-28, 1988
4 35
Harold and Evelyn Miller, WSU Recollections
May 1986
4 36
Remarks at Memorial Service for Orville Vogel and other Speeches
1987-1991
4 37
Gordon Soderholm, WSU Recollections
May 1985
Map drawer
Research Files Separated Oversize

Series 3:  World War II and Postwar, 1942-1948Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Subseries 1: Officer Training and Tank Destroyer School, Camp Hood, Texas
1942-1943
Box Folder
4 38
Guide for Company Officers, O.C.S. Regiment, Tank Destroyer School
1942-1943
4 39
Officer Candidate School, Camp Hood, TX
February 1943
5 40
Officer Candidate School, Tank Destroyers
1943
5 41
Other Presentations
1942-1943
Subseries 2: Food and Agricultural Studies and Administration for Germany
1944-1948
Box Folder
5 42
Bertramson Military Government Ephemera
1945
5 43
Farming Scenes in Southwestern Germany
1945
5 44
Food and Agriculture Administration of Germany: Administrative, Meetings, Reports, etc.
1945
5 45
Food and Agriculture Administration of Germany: Directives and Charts on Organizational
1945
5 46
Food and Agriculture Administration of Gross Hessen
July 1945-1947
5 47
Food and Agriculture Administration of the Rhineland, Germany
November 1944-June 1945
6 48
Military Government School, Fort Custer, MI
1943
12
Memory Album Gift from German Civilians of Land Gross Hesse to B.R. Bertramson
1946
6 49
Observations and Meditations of a Military Government Officer in the European Theater of Operations
1944-1945
6 50
The Smallest Farm in Germany
October 1945
6 51
Speech given by B. Rodney Bertramson about Military Government in Europe
January 15, 1948
Subseries 3: Scrapbooks and Diaries
1944-1946
Box Folder
7 55
Jokes, Communications, and Diaries
1943-1944
7 56
Diaries
June 1944-April 1945
7 57
Diary
August 1944-Septmeber 1944
7 58
Diaries
April 1945-December 1945
12
Diary
1944
12
Diary
1945
12
Diary
1946
12
Letters to Orie from the E.T.O.
1944-1946
10
Army Experiences of "Or" n "Rod"
1942-1943
10
Two Years of Service in the European Theater of Operations
1944-1945
11
Souvenirs from my Two Years in Europe
1944-1945

Series 4:  University of Nebraska – U.S. Aid Morocco Dryland Farming Project, 1981-1983Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
6 52
Musings on Moroccan Mission
1981-1982
6 53
Moroccan Dryland Project: General Notes and Correspondence
November 1981-January 15, 1982
8-9
Restricted materials

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Agriculture -- History -- Sources.
  • Agriculture -- Morocco -- History.
  • International Relations.
  • Marshall Plan
  • World War, 1939-1945 -- Germany -- Sources -- Photographs.

Personal Names

  • Bertramson, Bertram Rodney--Archives.

Geographical Names

  • Pullman (Wash.) -- History -- Sources