Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Eldon G. Schafer Papers, 1916-1990
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Eldon G. Schafer
- Title
- Eldon G. Schafer Papers
- Dates
- 1916-1990 (inclusive)19161990
- Quantity
- 12.0 cubic feet, (19 document boxes, 2 tubes, 3 oversized folders, 14 audio cassette tapes, 9 video tapes)
- Collection Number
- M-001
- Summary
- The collection contains personal and professional papers from Eldon Schafer's career as president of Lane Community College, 1970-1985. The collection documents Schafer's personal and family history, his military service, and his death.
- Repository
-
Lane Community College Archives
4000 East 30th Avenue
Eugene, OR
97405
Telephone: 5414635466
archives@lanecc.edu - Access Restrictions
-
There are no access restrictions. The collection is open for research.
- 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
Eldon Guy Schafer (1922-1985) was president of Lane Community College for fifteen years, 1970-1985.
Schafer was born in Molalla, Oregon, to Lillian M. and Guy F. Schafer on February 27, 1922. He attended rural elementary and secondary schools in the Canby and Molalla area, and after high school graduation in 1939, he attended Oregon State University in 1941. In 1942 he joined the U.S. Army and entered an engineering program at Pomona College in California. He was sent to Europe in 1943 and served with the 124th Armored Engineers and 13th Armored Division in France, Germany, and Austria.
After the war he returned to Pomona College, where he was active in sports, and graduated with a B.A. in 1948. He continued his education in California, receiving an M.A. (1960) and a Ph.D. (1965) in Education Administration from Claremont Graduate School.
He married Lucy Jane Brokaw in Los Angeles in 1947; their son, Kenneth, joined the family in 1961.
Schafer began his teaching career at Capistrano High School in California where he taught and coached sports, 1950-1952 and served as dean of students, principal, and district superintendent, 1957-1966. He was associate dean of instruction at Riverside City College, 1966-1967.
Schafer moved to Oregon in 1967 to become the founding president of Linn-Benton Community College, 1967-1970. From there he moved to the presidency of Lane Community College, 1970-1985.
Schafer was active in many regional and national educational organizations and served as officers for the Oregon Community College Association, the Northwest Association of Community and Junior Colleges, the League for Innovation in the Community College, the Commission on Colleges of Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, and the Oregon Community College Presidents' Council.
He traveled to China twice, in 1982 and 1984, as a member of the International Visiting Team of the World Bank Educational Advisory Group. The group assisted China in restructuring its vocational education.
Dr. Schafer resigned as president of the college on April 30, 1985. He died on August 6, 1985 following a long battle with leukemia and multiple myeloma (cancer of the bone marrow).
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Eldon G. Schafer Papers document Schafer’s personal life as well as certain aspects of his professional career as president of Lane Community College, 1970-1985. The collection contains biographical information about Schafer’s college days, his military service, his career in education, and his death. The collection also contains personal records of the Schafer and Brokaw (wife Lucy’s family) families. Other records that document his personal and professional career can be found in the series of correspondence, speeches and writings, and subject files as well as in the photographs, slides, audio recordings, and video recordings.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
There are no use restrictions.
Preferred Citation
Eldon G. Schafer Papers, 1916-1990 (M-001), Lane Community College Archives, Eugene, Oregon
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection is divided into seven series.
Series A: Biographical Records/Eldon G. Schafer, 1947-1986
Series B: Biographical Records/Family History, 1916-1990
Series C: Correspondence, 1940-1985
Series D: Speeches and Writings, 1960-1985
Series E: Subject Files, 1950-1985
Series F: Photographs, Slides, Video Tapes, and Audio Tapes, 1932-1985
Series G: Ephemera, 1939-1985
Acquisition Information
The collection was donated to the college archives by Lucy B. Schafer on January 9, 1992, in two separate accessions.
Processing Note
The collection was inventoried, arranged and described by Michael Ridderbush in 1991. The finding aid was completed by Elizabeth Uhlig in 1998 and revised in 2007 merging the two original accessions.
Related Materials
For records from the President's Office that document Schafer's tenure as president of LCC, 1970-1985, see Guide to President's Office (Eldon G. Schafer) Records, 1964-1985 (A-036).
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Series A: Biographical Records/Eldon Schafer, 1947-1986Return to Top
This series contains biographical records of Eldon Schafer that document his college days, his employment before coming to Lane Community College, his military career, and his death.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box-Folder | ||
| 1/3 | Award Certificates |
1973-1985 |
| 1/4-5 | Awards: Clippings |
1965-1985 |
| 1/2 | Biographical Profiles |
1970-1985 |
| 5/8-10 | Career: Capistrano Union High School District
|
1950-1965 |
| 5/11 | Career: Claremont Graduate School |
1961-1966 |
| 6/1-2 | Career: Linn-Benton Community College |
1967-1970 |
| 6/3 | Career: Lane Community College |
1970 |
| 5/12 | Career: Riverside City College |
1966-1967 |
| 1/1 | Curriculum Vitae |
1950-1985 |
| 18/5-7 | Death announcement and news clippings |
1985-1986 |
| video tape box 4 | Death announcements and memorial service, video
recordings |
1985 |
| 22 (oversize) | Diploma: B.A., Pomona College |
1949 |
| 22 (oversize) | Diploma: M.A., Claremont College |
1961 |
| 22 (oversize) | Diploma: Ph.D., Claremont Graduate School |
1966 |
| 6/8 | Illness |
1979, 1985 |
| audio tape box 1 | Memorial Service, audio cassette recording |
1985 |
| 18/21 | Memorial Service, correspondence and programs
|
1985 |
| 19/17 | Memorial Service, guest book |
1985 |
| 18/10 | Mollala Union High School |
1939, 1974-1984 |
| 18/11 | Pomona College |
1947-1986 |
| 18/20 | Post-death |
1985 |
| 1/6 | Presidential Evaluation |
1980 |
| 22 (oversize) | Scrapbook with clippings about athletics |
1939-1956 |
| 22 (oversize) | U.S. Army - 124th Armored Engineer Battalion, 13th
Armored Division: publications |
1945 |
| 18/12-19 | U.S. Army, records about service Europe in World War II,
publications, clippings, maps, |
1944-1945 |
| 18/9 | U.S. Passports |
1978, 1983 |
| 18/8 | Veteran's Administration |
1946-1949 |
Series B: Biographical Records/Family History, 1916-1990Return to Top
This series contains correspondence and scrapbooks about the Schafer family, including Eldon’s father Guy Schafer, as well as some records from the Brokaw family, the family of Eldon’s wife Lucy.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box-Folder | ||
| 16/2 | Brokaw Family |
undated |
| 20/7 | German postcard |
1916 |
| 19/17 | Memorial Service for Guy Schafer (father), guest book
|
1982 |
| 16/1 | Schafer Family |
1974-1990 |
| 16/3 | Schafer Family, German relatives, correspondence
|
1978-1986 |
| 22 (oversize) | Scrapbook with clippings about Guy Schafer’s (father)
army service |
1919 |
Series C: Correspondence, 1940-1985Return to Top
This series contains letters and cards of condolences to the Schafer family following the death of Eldon Schafer in 1985. The series also contains cards marking Schafer’s retirement in 1985 as well as some birthday and Christmas cards.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box-Folder | ||
| 7/4-12 | Cards: Birthday, Retirement |
1981-1985 |
| 18/3 | Christmas cards |
1970-1985 |
| 1/7-9 | Commendations |
1965-1985 |
| 17/1-13; 18/1-2 | Condolences following Schafer’s death |
1985 |
| 18/4 | Miscellaneous |
1940-1961 |
Series D: Speeches and Writings, 1960-1985Return to Top
Schafer's speeches and writings include writings from his student days such as term papers, M.A. thesis, and Ph.D. dissertation; speeches given at in-service (annual staff orientation); and other speeches and writings from his career at the college. Some of the speeches are preserved on video tape and sound tape in Series F.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box-Folder | ||
| 3/6 | Commencement address - "A Lexicon for the Good Life,"
delivered by Lucy Schafer |
1985 |
| 2/4-6 | In-Service Speeches |
1972-1984 |
| 1/10 | MA Thesis: "A Study of Growth Factors Relating to Growth
Problems of Capistrano High School |
1960-1961 |
| 2/1 | Ph.D. dissertation: "Unification: A Change of Power
Structure Reflected in Board Composition |
1966 |
| 3/9-13 | Speech Material - quotations, jokes, etc. |
undated |
| 2/7 | Speeches |
1968-1977 |
| 3/1-5 | Speeches, General |
1978-1985 |
| 2/2-3 | Term Papers and Book Reviews about Education
|
undated |
| 3/7-8 | Writings |
1966-1983 |
Series E: Subject Files, 1950-1986Return to Top
This series contains some records from Schafer’s tenure as college president. The records also document Schafer's involvement in international education. He participated in a World Education Seminar month-long tour of educational institutions in Europe and Asia in 1970. He traveled twice to China, in 1982 and 1984, as a member of the World Bank Educational Advisory Group which advised China on restructuring its vocational education. The collection contains correspondence and clippings that document Schafer's participation in the China advisory group; related ephemera are in Series G.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box-Folder | ||
| 6/4 | CASE District VIII Conference |
1970 |
| 6/5 | Commendation: LCC ranked among top five community
college in nation |
1985 |
| 6/7 | Evaluation - Presidential |
1979-1980 |
| 5/3 | Ginkgo Tree Dedication |
1985 |
| 7/13 | Guest Books |
1981-1985 |
| 6/6 | Hult, Nils B., Humanitarian Award |
1985 |
| 6/9 | LCC Budget |
1970-1977 |
| 5/7 | LCC Contracts |
1970-1984 |
| 6/10 | LCC President, Richard Turner |
1985-1986 |
| 6/11 | LCC Presidential Search |
1984 |
| 6/12 | Los Angeles Times article |
1966 |
| 7/1-3 | Marie Y. Martin Professional Educators Award, letters,
clippings |
1981 |
| 6/15 | Miscellaneous |
1975-1985 |
| 5/6 | News Clippings |
1966-1985 |
| 5/5 | Programs |
1980-1986 |
| 6/13-14 | Retirement: correspondence, clippings, program
|
1984-1985 |
| 5/4 | Schafer Drive Dedication |
1986 |
| 6/16-18 | Tribute to a Friend: President Eldon Schafer: Ten Years
of Dedication, 1970-1980” (scrapbook |
1980 |
| 4/3-19 | World Bank Educational Advisory Group (correspondence,
writings, clippings, ephemera about |
1982-1985 |
| 5/1-2 | World Bank Educational Advisory Group (photograph
albums, photographs, and slides about |
1982-1984 |
| 4/1-2 | World Education Seminar |
1970 |
Series F: Photographs, Slides, Video Tapes, and Audio Tapes, 1932-1985Return to Top
This series contains a great number of photographs including many portraits of Schafer; photographs taken at college activities and special events; photographs and slides from his trips to China; photographs from his college and army days; and photographs of the Schafer and Brokaw (family of his wife, Lucy) families. The audio recordings are mainly of college events and speeches; the video recordings are from his China trips and some college events, including his retirement party.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box-Folder | ||
| 22 (oversize) | Photographs: Army basic training unit |
1944-1945 |
| 23 (oversize) | Photographs: Army Special Training Unit 3921, Company B
|
1944 |
| 20/6 | Photographs: Bandon |
1985-1987 |
| 19/15 | Photographs: Brokaw, Lucy Jane, portraits |
1934-1978 |
| 19/16 | Photographs: Brokaw, Arthur and Beatrice |
circa 1929, 1949-1950 |
| 20/1 | Photographs: Brokaw, Lucy and Carolyn |
1932, 1962, 1985 |
| 20/2 | Photographs: Brokaw, Lucy and Beatrice |
1964, 1978, 1984 |
| 8/3 | Photographs: Capistrano Union High School District
(California) |
1957-1965 |
| 19/14 | Photographs: Chisholm, John |
undated |
| 19/9 | Photographs: Christmas photo postcards |
1947-1949 |
| 19/11 | Photographs: Claremont Graduate School, graduations
|
1961, 1966 |
| 22 (oversize) | Photographs: Fishing trip |
circa 1962 |
| 8/5-11, 17-18 | Photographs: Lane Community College Events |
1971-1984 |
| 8/4 | Photographs: Linn-Benton Community College |
1969-1971 |
| 19/13 | Photographs: Miscellaneous |
1970s-1985 |
| 19/8 | Photographs: Pomona College |
1947-1985 |
| 22 (oversize) | Photographs: Pomona football |
1945-1948 |
| 19/10 | Photographs: Pomona home |
1950-1955 |
| 8/1-2 | Photographs: Portraits |
1960s-1980s |
| 20/4-5 | Photographs: Post-Death |
1985 |
| 19/1-6 | Photographs: Schafer Family |
1917-1981 |
| 19/12 | Photographs: Schafer Family Portraits |
1970-1985 |
| 20/3 | Photographs: Schafer, Kenneth |
1982, 1986 |
| 8/12-16,19-20 | Photographs: Special Events |
1970-1982 |
| 9/1-14 | Photographs: Special Events |
1983-1986 |
| 9/15-18, 10/1-9 | Photographs: World Bank Educational Advisory Group
(China project) |
1982-1984 |
| 19/7 | Photographs: World War II service |
1944-1945 |
| 12 | Slides: World Bank Educational Advisory Group (China
project) |
1982-1984 |
| audio tape box 1 | Audio Recordings: China trip |
1982,1984 |
| audio tape box 1 | Audio Recordings: Commencement address, "A Lexicon for
the Good Life," delivered by Lucy |
1985 |
| audio tape box 1 | Audio Recordings: Leon Lessinger, introduced by Dale
Parnell |
undated |
| audio tape box 1 | Audio Recordings: Personal ID and the Administrative
Spouse, panel at American Audio |
circa 1979 |
| audio tape box 1 | Audio Recordings: Retention and Recruitment Seminar,
panel at American Association of |
circa 1979 |
| audio tape box 1 | Audio Recordings: Schafer Drive dedication |
1986 |
| audio tape box 1 | Audio Recordings: Speech to Region X, National
Conference of Community Relations People |
1984 |
| audio tape box 1 | Audio Recordings: State of the College |
1981 |
| video box 4 | Video Recordings: China trip |
1984 |
| video box 4 | Video Recordings: Ginkgo tree dedication on LCC campus
|
1985 |
| video box 4 | Video Recordings: Press conference |
1984 |
| video box 4 | Video Recordings: Retirement party, A Tribute to Dr.
Eldon Schafer |
1985 |
| video box 4 | Video Recordings: Speech, Historical Overview of
Innovation in Community Colleges |
1985 |
Series G: Ephemera, 1939-1948Return to Top
This series contains ephemera from Schafer’s college and army days, from his trips to China, and other miscellaneous cards and items.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box-Folder | ||
| 21 | Athletic letters, employee badges, army insignia and dog
tags |
1939-1946 |
| 11 | Badges, pins, key chains, paper weight, name plates,
ribbons |
undated |
| 13 | Banner reading "Good Luck" in Chinese |
undated |
| 14 | Chinese silk tapestry of bird on blossoming tree
|
undated |
| 24 (oversize) | Drawing : "Moose" - colored drawing of Schafer,
nicknamed 'Moose' |
1947 |
| 13 | Ink rubbing from stone carving of Chinese aristocrat or
soldier |
undated |
| 15 | Retirement card signed by college staff |
1985 |
| 20/8-12 | Wallet, flower cards, postcards |
1917-1985 |
| 10/10 | Hat from China, calling cards |
undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Community colleges--Oregon
- Universities and colleges--Oregon
Personal Names
- Schafer, Eldon G.
- Schafer, Lucy B.
Corporate Names
- Lane Community College (Eugene, Or.)
- Lane Community College (Eugene, Or.). President's Office
Finding aid prepared by Michael
Ridderbusch in 1991 and Elizabeth Uhlig in 1998 and 2007.
2006
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
