Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Jimmie Morris Papers, 1920-2008
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Morris, James M., 1904-
- Title
- Jimmie Morris Papers
- Dates
- 1920-2008 (inclusive)19202008
1922-1965 (bulk)19221965 - Quantity
- 1.5 cubic feet, including 170 photographs, 2 reel-to-reel sound recordings, 1 motion picture film, and 1 vinyl sound recording, (4 boxes including 1 film box and 1 oversize box)
- Collection Number
- MSS MorrisJ
- Summary
- The Jimmie Morris Papers reflect Morris' life-long interest in broadcasting, his decades of service to KOAC radio and television, and the broader evolution of the station itself. The collection is particularly strong in its documentation of the emergence of television as a tool for statewide education, a development that came about after much debate in the mid-1950s. An Oregon Agricultural College graduate, Morris was on the staff of KOAC from 1932-1963 and is the author of a history of the station, The Remembered Years..., published in 1972.
- 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.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
A pioneer of broadcasting in Oregon, James Madison Morris was born on May 23, 1904 in Sumner, Washington and grew up in Eugene, Oregon, where he graduated from high school in 1923. Morris was interested in radios from an early age, constructing his first rudimentary device out of a Quaker Oats cereal box in 1919. Not long after, he incorporated a business, Eugene Radio Laboratories, where he built and sold some of the area's first radio sets. Morris was also among the region's first ham radio operators, obtaining license 7JU in 1920. While still in high school, Morris likewise spent two years writing the first radio column and program review to be published in a Eugene-area newspaper.
In 1924 Morris began an association with Oregon State University that would last for the remainder of his life. As an undergraduate at what was then Oregon Agricultural College, Morris studied electrical engineering, completing his bachelor's degree in 1928. From there, Morris moved directly into graduate studies in physics and communications, serving as a teaching fellow in Physics from 1928-1929 and as a member of the faculty from 1929-1932. KOAC radio, which began broadcasting as radio station KFDJ in 1922, was initially run out of the Physics Department, and Morris became closely aligned with the operation early in his tenure, often serving as special events engineer for radio broadcasts.
In 1932 KOAC was moved out of Physics in favor of the State System of Higher Education's General Extension Division, and Morris followed suit. As a full-time employee of the station, Morris served as producer-announcer for thirteen years until being named program manager in 1945. He remained in this position until 1963, making time along the way to complete his Oregon State College doctorate in education in 1956. Morris later worked as Head of Information Services and as Managing Editor of Publications for the state board's Division of Continuing Education before retiring in 1972.
During his three decades of direct contact with KOAC broadcasting, Morris made an important and lasting impact. In addition to producing a full complement of agricultural and educational programs, Morris wrote and directed numerous radio plays, many of which were published in two book-length compilations, both titled Radio Workshop Plays (1940 and 1942). Morris also helped to push forward remote broadcasting at KOAC and served as an early "Voice of the Beavers," relaying Oregon State football from Bell Field and basketball from the Men's Gymnasium.
Perhaps most importantly, Morris emerged as a strong advocate for the efficacy of educational television. Morris first experimented with television as a medium in 1930 and was initially exposed to the notion of educational television while attending a graduate seminar held in New York City in 1941. In 1952 Morris was charged with preparing a study on the possible implementation of educational television in Oregon. From there he worked closely with state legislators and Oregon's governors to secure funding for state-run television facilities in Corvallis and Portland. KOAC-TV went on the air in 1957 and Portland's KOAP-TV followed suit in 1961.
KOAC broadcasting celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 1972, the same year that Morris retired. In connection with the anniversary, Morris published a history of the station titled The Remembered Years... (digitized and available online). The recipient of numerous awards over the course of his career, Jimmie Morris had an annual award named after him in 1986 by the Consortium for Public Radio in Oregon. He passed away at the age of ninety on January 8, 1995, survived by his wife Lucille, son Sterling and daughter Rebecca.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Morris Papers consist of a wide variety of materials documenting Morris' life and work, as well as the evolution of KOAC broadcasting from the 1930s to the 1960s, in particular the infancy of KOAC television in the mid- to late 1950s. The collection contains a large volume of newspaper clippings, both assorted and arranged, as well as numerous additional material types, including manuscripts, correspondence, publications, photographs, audio formats and one 16 mm film.
Particular highlights of the collection include items reflecting Morris' initial exploits in radio as a teenager living in Eugene, Oregon; important early documents formalizing the establishment of KOAC radio's signal in the 1920s; typescripts of ten radio plays written by Morris circa the 1930s; and a wide swath of records related to the debate surrounding educational television in the 1950s, and its ultimate implementation in Oregon and elsewhere. Day-to-day life and smaller milestones in the history of KOAC are also recorded in multiple locations throughout the collection. The papers likewise include 170 photographic prints and color slides depicting Morris and his colleagues at KOAC, as well as the station's facilities and activities in both radio and television broadcasting.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Jimmie Morris Papers (MSS MorrisJ), Special Collections & Archives Research Center, Oregon State University Libraries, Corvallis, Oregon.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The Morris Papers are arranged into seven series: I. Morris Biographical, 1920-1995; II. Morris Publications and Other Writings, 1937-1972; III. Records of KOAC Radio, 1924-2008; IV. Educational Television, 1952-1965; V. General Broadcasting, 1922-1965; VI. Photographs, 1922-1972; VII. Multimedia, 1946-1959.
Related Materials
Several items of direct relation to Jimmie Morris have been digitized and are available online. Among them are his 1956 Ed.D. thesis, "Guides to Educational Television Programming and their Application to the State of Oregon"; a 1959 film, "Focus on ETV" for which he served as commentator and narrator; and his 1972 history of KOAC broadcasting, The Remembered Years.... Three audio recordings that Morris produced in 1939 for KOAC's "Foresters in Action" program have also been digitized: "Alouette," "Cruiser's Song," and "George W. - The Dean." A digital exhibit titled "Music, Markets and Milestones: 75 Years of KOAC Radio," is likewise available, as are a handful of images of Morris that have been digitized out of various SCARC photo collections.
Two volumes, both titled Radio Workshop Plays, that were written by Morris and published in 1940 and 1942, have been cataloged into the OSU Libraries History of the Pacific Northwest rare book collection. Additional archival information on the history of student radio, including KOAC broadcasting and its productions, can be found in the Mike Club Scrapbook and Sound Recordings (MSS Mike), KOAC Records (RG 015), KOAC Photographs (P 207) and KOAC-TV Films (FV P 207). Other collections containing substantive records pertaining to KOAC include the Library Records (RG 009) and President's Office Records (RG 013). Finally, the Barney Keep Papers document the life and work of a KOAC and Oregon State alum who became a legendary commercial broadcaster in the Portland area.
Custodial History
Collection materials were transferred to the Library in 1998 and 2001 by Peggy and Ken Munford, who received the records directly from Lucille Morris, Jimmie Morris' widow. Later accessions were received in 2008 and 2009 from Sterling Morris, Jimmie Morris' son.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
I: Morris Biographical, 1920-1995Return to Top
Series I is comprised of a wide variety of materials related to Morris' personal and professional endeavors. Included are items documenting Morris' pioneering efforts as a high school-age radio enthusiast and entrepreneur in Eugene; newspaper clippings detailing Morris' pursuits in broadcasting and elsewhere; a smattering of awards, including materials related to the first annual James M. Morris Award, granted in 1986; and personal correspondence reflecting Morris' association with the Corvallis Christian Church, among other topics.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 1 | Materials re: the early life of Jimmie Morris
File consists of mostly undated items including correspondence, business cards, newspaper clippings and letterhead. Items of note include records of the process by which Morris received a license to broadcast through his own "one-kilowatt sending station" in 1921. Also included are materials created to advertise Morris' Eugene Radio Laboratories, the first radio shop opened in Eugene, Oregon.
|
1920-1931 |
| 1 | Birth Announcement for Rebecca Morris
Announcement was written and formatted in the style of a KOAC press release.
|
February 5, 1950 |
| 1 | Autobiographical Speech Typescript
Written by Morris for presentation to the KOAC Drama Guild, this typescript speaks to his early years at KOAC radio and the station's production of radio plays.
|
circa 1950s |
| 1 | Morris Ed.D. diploma and OSC commencement program |
1956 |
| 1 | Assorted awards and certificates
File includes records related to Morris' receipt of honors from Phi Kappa Phi, the Western Radio and Television Association, and the Department of Audiovisual Instruction. Also documented is Morris' receipt of the first annual James M. Morris Award, sponsored by the Consortium for Public Radio in Oregon and granted in 1986.
|
1956-1986 |
| 2 | Plaque: "Distinguished Service Award," issued by the Western Radio and Television Association |
undated |
| 1 | Newspaper Clippings: Morris Biographical
File includes articles documenting Morris' work in radio as well as his involvement with the Corvallis Parent-Teacher Association. File also includes two Morris obituaries.
|
1940-1995 |
| 1 | Correspondence: Corvallis Christian House and Oregon Christian Student Foundation
File includes histories of the Corvallis Christian House and the Oregon Christian Student Foundation. Morris, the son of a minister, served on the board of the foundation as a representative of the Corvallis Christian Church.
|
1955 |
| 1 | Radio Operations License
Granted to Morris by the Federal Communications Commission and authorizing Morris to operate a station in the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service.
|
1963 |
| 1 | Materials re: Division of Continuing Education
File documents Morris' association with the umbrella division that governed his work for the vast majority of his career. Includes a feature article on Morris as well as materials related to DCE Publications, a unit that Morris founded in 1969.
|
1964-1972 |
| 1 | Correspondence: Assorted Personal
File is mostly comprised of letters of congratulation upon Morris' retirement in 1972. File also includes correspondence with state legislators concerning a property at Odell Lake and a Senate bill related to public broadcasting.
|
1971-1979 |
| 1 | Notes: "Covering the Opening Session of the UN"
Written by Morris on the fortieth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations.
|
1985 |
| 1 | Memorial Service Eulogy
Text written and presented by Morris' daughter, Rebecca.
|
1995 |
II: Morris Publications and Other Writings, 1937-1972Return to Top
Morris' writings, including his speech manuscripts, are collected into Series II. Highlights of the series include typescripts of ten radio plays that Morris wrote circa the 1930s, and a bound copy of The Remembered Years..., Morris' fiftieth-anniversary history of KOAC broadcasting.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 1 | Typescript: "The Radio Follies," stage play designed for the Majestic Theatre, Corvallis, Oregon |
1937 |
| 1 | Radio Plays written by Jimmie Morris
File contains undated typescripts of ten radio plays written by Morris. Titles are as follows: "Archimedes"; "An Astonishing Visitor"; "Father and Son"; "The Little House"; "My Client Curley"; "The Story of the Grocer"; "Refuge"; "There are Smiles"; "The White-Headed Eagle"; and "The Work of the World." Five of the scripts were developed in concert with writing seminars that Morris attended at New York University and Columbia University. In 1940 and 1942, two books of Morris' plays, both titled Radio Workshop Plays were published by H.W. Wilson Company for junior high, high school and college workshop groups. The 1942 volume included two of these typescripts, "Refuge" and "The Work of the World."
|
circa 1930s |
| 1 | Correspondence re: publication of Morris radio plays
File contains exchanges with publishing houses in which Morris solicits publication of various radio plays that he has written.
|
1940-1942 |
| 1 | Typescript: "Today's Challenge to Oregon Teachers." A talk on educational television delivered at a combined meeting of the Division of Audio-Visual Instructors and the Oregon Chapter of the Association for Education by Radio and Television. Portland, Oregon |
October 23, 1952 |
| 1 | Typescript, Program: "New Vision for These Times." Commencement Address, Scappoose High School, Scappoose, Oregon |
May 21, 1954 |
| 1 | Typescript: "Opportunities for Television in the Oregon State System of Higher Education" |
circa 1956 |
| 1 | Typescript: "ETV in Oregon...Now and Tomorrow!" Talk delivered at the Thirty-Second Annual Education Conference, Monmouth, Oregon |
April 26, 1958 |
| 1 | Typescript: "Statement on KOAC for the Western Speech Association" |
November 1958 |
| 1 | Typescript: "The Story of KOAC-TV Channel 7, Corvallis" |
circa 1958 |
| 1 | Typescript: "Tools for the Home Workshop"
A lecture on outfitting one's home workshop with a proper complement of tools to address multiple types of projects.
|
circa 1950s |
| 1 | Untitled lecture notes re: the emergence of television both regionally and nationwide |
circa 1950s |
| 1 | "A Considered Word..." Oregon Audio-Visual News
Published editorial concerning changes in the duties of AV coordinators in regional schools.
|
May 1962 |
| 1 | "Challenge of Change," Corvallis Gazette-Times
Published editorial concerning the potential impact of mass media in the advancement of continuing education programs.
|
circa 1967 |
| 1 |
The Remembered Years..., by James M. Morris. Corvallis, Oregon: Continuing Education Publications
Morris gave this history of KOAC the following subtitle: "A Personal View of the 50 Years of Broadcasting - Radio and ETV - that We Call KOAC, Corvallis. Service to People of Oregon from 1922 through 1972 with Program Philosophies, Historical Evolution of Facilities - and the People Who Kept it All Happening..." This publication has been digitized and is available online.
|
1972 |
III: Records of KOAC Radio, 1924-2008Return to Top
Materials documenting the evolution of KOAC radio, most of them dating to the years of Morris' direct association with the station, have been gathered into Series III. A small collection of important early documents related to the formal establishment of the station's signal have been described on the item level. Additional records have been grouped thematically, either by date range or material type. The series contains a great many newspaper clippings concerning day-to-day programming as well as noteworthy events in the station's history. Two material sets of particular import are Morris' direct-mail audience studies, conducted in 1954 and 1955, and an assemblage of items related to the proposed sale of KOAC radio to a commercial interest, a topic that was discussed and ultimately rejected following the creation of KOAC-TV in 1957.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 1 | Typescript: "Digest of Radio Activities of the O.A.C. Extension Service," by Wallace L. Kadderly |
October 10, 1925 |
| 1 | Typescript: "Brief to Accompany Application for: a) Increase in Power to 1000 Watts. b) Assignment to Frequency of 830 Kilocycles. Oregon State Agricultural College, Corvallis, Oregon. Radio Station KOAC" |
December 31, 1927 |
| 1 | Application for Radio Station Construction Permit
Application completed by the OSAC Physics Department and submitted to the Federal Radio Commission.
|
January 4, 1928 |
| 1 | Typescript: "Brief to Support Petition of the Oregon State Agricultural College for a Wave Length that will Permit KOAC Programs to be Satisfactorily Heard in the State of Oregon," by Wallace L. Kadderly |
March 15, 1928 |
| 1 | Typescript: "Why Programs Broadcast by KOAC Service Public Interest, Convenience and Necessity: Statement Prepared for Federal Radio Commission in Support of Claim to a Wave Length Permitting Reception of KOAC Programs Without Interference," by Paul V. Maris |
October 15, 1928 |
| 1 | Assorted KOAC Records
File includes program schedules and an editorial in praise of KOAC that was published in "The Oregon Clubwoman." File also includes a transcript titled, "State Station KOAC Presents First Experimental Program Direct from Campus of the University of Oregon," November 15, 1937.
|
1932-1938 |
| 1 | Arranged KOAC-related newspaper clippings
Clippings were collected, arranged and pasted onto scrapbook leaves. Scrapbook has since been disbound.
|
1937-1939 |
| 1 | Assorted KOAC Records
File includes materials related to the KOAC "School of the Air" educational service, as well as a typescript titled "A Survey of the Radio Station KOAC Program Service," January 1946. File also includes the script for a radio play, "Buckskin Needles," written by Ruby Scullen circa 1940s.
|
1944-1947 |
| 1 | KOAC Audience Study
A direct-mail inquiry into the demographics and media consumption habits of the KOAC listener base.
|
May 1954 |
| 1 | KOAC Audience Study - Part II
A follow-up to the 1954 study, part II focused on listener habits as they related specifically to KOAC programming.
|
February 1955 |
| 1 | Materials re: proposed sale of KOAC radio
Following the creation of KOAC-TV, the Oregon State System of Higher Education considered selling KOAC radio to a commercial interest with the intent of redirecting the radio budget to further bolster KOAC's new television ambitions. This proposal was met with wide resistance and was ultimately rejected. File contains correspondence, press releases and newspaper clippings.
|
1957-1958 |
| 1 | Television Script re: production to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of KOAC |
December 7, 1962 |
| 1 | Correspondence re: KOAC operations and activities |
1924-1960 |
| 1 | Assorted KOAC publications
Publications are mostly comprised of KOAC programming schedules and broadcast guides.
|
1943-1962 |
| 1 | Assorted KOAC-related newspaper clippings |
1953-1958 |
| 1 | Assorted KOAC-related newspaper clippings |
1960-1965 |
| 1 | Assorted KOAC-related newspaper clippings |
1972-2008 |
| 1 | "For 75 Years, a Vision and a Voice for Oregon"
Glossy brochure produced by Oregon Public Broadcasting to commemorate its seventy-fifth anniversary. Brochure includes a historical timeline of public broadcasting in Oregon beginning with the building of a fifty-watt transmitter at Oregon Agricultural College in 1922.
|
1997 |
IV: Educational Television, 1952-1965Return to Top
Series IV holds materials related to the debate over educational television, both in Oregon and nation-wide, and its ultimate implementation in the form of KOAC-TV Corvallis (1957) and KOAP-TV Portland (1961). The series includes a handful of influential reports prepared by Morris and others for use by state policymakers weighing the potential costs and benefits of funding a state-owned educational television enterprise. The series also includes proposals for extending the reach of educational television following its creation in Oregon. The larger arc of educational television as an item of public debate is likewise documented through an extensive collection of newspaper clippings. Note as well that relevant articles and speeches written by Morris have been arranged into Series II and that a film titled "Focus on ETV" has been arranged into Series VII.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 1 | "The Television Report," prepared by Glenn Starlin, Grant S. Feikert and James M. Morris
This report was commissioned by the Oregon State System of Higher Education to explore the potential entry of Oregon's schools into the field of educational television. The report presents a plan for creating an educational television curriculum and discusses start-up costs, proposed annual budgets, and the potential impact of state-owned television on existing public radio activities. Authors Starlin, Feikert and Morris represented the University of Oregon, Oregon State College and the General Extension Division, respectively. Morris chaired the task force.
|
July 1, 1952 |
| 1 | Assorted Records re: Educational Television in Oregon
File includes materials compiled by the Oregon Citizens' Committee for Educational Television reflecting the group's lobbying efforts in support of state-wide educational television programming.
|
1953-1955 |
| 1 | "The Educational Television Report to the Governor of Oregon," prepared by James M. Morris, Donald R. Larson, Grant S. Feikert and D. Glenn Starlin
A follow-up to the 1952 report, the 1956 document was the result of a year-long "intensive study of the problems inherent in the development of educational television for the State of Oregon." The report discussed methods of financing, proposed the placement of two television transmitters (one for channel 7 in Corvallis and another for channel 10 in Portland), commented on sources of programming and their estimated costs, and also assessed experimental programs that had already been broadcast in concert with commercial stations in Oregon. In addition to the three authors who also compiled the 1952 report, Donald R. Larson, Assistant to the Dean of the General Extension Division, contributed to the 1956 document. Two outside consultants were also enlisted for the report: Armand L. Hunter, Director of Television at Michigan State College, and C.M. Braum, Consulting Engineer from the Joint Council on Educational Television in Washington, D.C. A digest of the report was prepared for popular dissemination by the Inter-Institutional Committee of the State Board of Higher Education.
|
December 15, 1956 |
| 1 | Materials re: dedication event for KOAC-TV |
1957 |
| 1 | Assorted Records re: Educational Television at KOAC and in Oregon
File includes Morris' early notes sketching out a television programming schedule for KOAC-TV.
|
1957 |
| 1 | Assorted Records re: Educational Television at KOAC and in Oregon
File includes two typescripts: "Brief on Activities of the Educational Radio and Television Department, General Extension Division, Corvallis, Oregon," February 1958; and "National Network Television for KOAC-TV," circa 1958.
|
1958 |
| 1 | Assorted Records re: Educational Television at KOAC and in Oregon
File includes a grant application titled "An Experiment in the Use of Educational Broadcasting to Meet the Growing Needs of the Junior College Program for the Youth of Oregon," prepared by Jimmie Morris, January 26, 1959; and a typescript: "Progress Report on Oregon's TV Junior College Project," by Jimmie Morris, September 15, 1959.
|
1959 |
| 1 | Correspondence re: Educational Television activities nationwide |
1959 |
| 1 | "Television Junior College in Oregon, 1959-1963: Its Potential as an Accelerated Program for the High School Gifted Student." Report prepared by Mrs. Arthur Stump, Oregon Educational Television Network |
May 1, 1963 |
| 2 | Arranged Newspaper Clippings re: Educational Television in Oregon
Clippings were collected, arranged and pasted into a scrapbook.
|
1952-1953 |
| 1 | Assorted Newspaper Clippings re: Educational Television at KOAC |
1953-1957 |
| 1 | Assorted Newspaper Clippings re: Educational Television in Oregon |
1953-1965 |
| 1 | Assorted Newspaper Clippings re: Continuing Education in Oregon |
1964-1965 |
| 1 | Assorted Publications re: Educational Television Nationwide |
1952-1965 |
V: General Broadcasting, 1922-1965Return to Top
Series V reflects Morris' broader interest in broadcasting as both a profession and a technical exercise. A particular highlight of the series is its assemblage of records, including several newsletters, related to the Oregon State Broadcasters Association.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 1 |
Radio magazine |
July 1922 |
| 1 |
Radio News magazine |
April 1923 |
| 1 | "The Spirit of American Music: A Musical Drama," a play for stage or broadcast by Morris A. Epstein and Louis Bachmann, published by the National Committee on Boys and Girls Club Work |
1934 |
| 1 | Materials re: Western Radio and Television Conference, Portland, Oregon |
March 5-7, 1953 |
| 1 | Assorted Records: Oregon State Broadcasters Association
File includes several issues of The Oregon Broadcaster newsletter as well as correspondence and broadcast cue sheets for OSBA events.
|
1955-1956 |
| 1 | Materials re: Western Radio and Television Conference, Portland, Oregon |
February 17-20, 1965 |
| 1 | Assorted Newspaper Clippings re: General Broadcasting |
1956-1965 |
VI: Photographs, 1922-1972Return to Top
Series VI contains photographic prints and slides depicting Morris and other KOAC staff, as well as various station activities and facilities. Virtually all of the prints held in this series are black and white, while the series' slides are mostly in color. Items have generally been arranged thematically, though certain images or groups of images for which description is available have been itemized in greater detail.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 3 | Itemized Photographs
|
1922-1972 |
MorrisJ:001: Professor Jacob Jordan with his radio class students
Print is captioned: "Professor Jacob Jordan holds the microphone to his first radio broadcast transmitter which he built to go on the air in 1922 as KFDJ. Shown with Jordan are students from his class in radio."
|
circa 1922 | |
MorrisJ:002: Unidentified man in the KOAC control room, OAC Physics Department
Print is captioned: "Fall 1928 - KOAC control room, formed by Physics Dept."
|
1928 | |
MorrisJ:003: OAC Homecoming
Nine of the prints arranged here depict the "Beaver card trick" enacted by students assembled in the Bell Field stands for the homecoming football game. The card trick consisted of students holding up arranged cards in series to spell out the word "Beavers" as well as an image of a beaver. Also included in the set are images of the homecoming bonfire and ROTC formations. The images are believed to be contemporary to Jimmie Morris' undergraduate days at Oregon Agricultural College in the mid- to late 1920s.
|
circa 1920s | |
MorrisJ:004: Members of a jazz ensemble posing in the KOAC studio
Members of the ensemble are identified as Bill Gaskins, Rodney Schultes, Phil Brandt, Biff Gellatly, Dick Mote, George Fuller and Roger Barnes. A second image also includes Ruth Rossman, Jimmie Morris, Bill Lawrence and Lucille Morris.
|
1930 | |
MorrisJ:005: Two unidentified men working near the Western Electric radio transmitter
Print is captioned: "1933, 1,000 watt Western Electric transmitter. First commercially made broadcasting unit used by KOAC."
|
1933 | |
MorrisJ:006: James W. Sherburne, Dean of the General Extension Division, seated at a piano adjacent to a KOAC radio microphone
Print was removed from an embrittled scrapbook. Adjacent scrapbook leaf notes that Sherburne was speaking for the Oregon Educational Broadcasting Network (OEBN), possibly at Portland station KOAP-FM.
|
1934 | |
MorrisJ:007: Jimmie Morris in the KOAC studio with Student Guild Players: Ralston Smith, Lester Lynch, Stella Shuck, C. Arnold and Dick Vogel
Printout created from a digitized image. Original print is not held in this collection.
|
1935 | |
MorrisJ:008: Jimmie Morris posing with KOAC sound effects equipment
Print is captioned: "The sound effect corner of the main studio of KOAC, showing some of the sound equipment used to lend realism to dramatic productions. This equipment includes a library of over a hundred commercial sound recordings, a 'sound truck' to play them into the studio microphones, and many manually operated effects which have been constructed in the station shops."
|
1937 | |
MorrisJ:009: A group of women knitting and listening to the radio
Print is captioned: "Study clubs have always played an important part in the success of programs planned 'Especially for Women' by the state-owned station KOAC. Here is shown a very early neighborhood study group listening to a KOAC broadcast.
|
circa 1930s | |
MorrisJ:010: A speaker presenting at a meeting of the Oregon State System of Higher Education
Print was removed from an embrittled scrapbook. Adjacent scrapbook leaf identifies event participants as: Kerr, Hunter, Packer, Byrne, Richards, Lieuallen.
|
circa 1930s | |
MorrisJ:011: Jimmie Morris posing with Tom McCall in KOAC's Salem studio
Print is captioned: "Governor Tom McCall in a 1950 pose as a commercial broadcaster. McCall was one of the first to use KOAC's new studio in the State Capitol in Salem. The facilities of the new studio were made available to all agencies of state government as well as to commercial stations of Oregon in addition to serving KOAC as a source of legislative and governmental programming."
|
1950 | |
MorrisJ:012: Rep. John Hounsell posing in KOAC's Salem studio
Print is captioned: "Representative John Hounsell, of Hood River, was typical of many Oregon Legislators appearing on KOAC programs from the new studio in the Capital Building in Salem during the 1951 session."
|
1951 | |
MorrisJ:013: "Choo Choo Charlie" presenting on KOAC-TV
Print is captioned: "Charlie Colacci, 'Choo Choo Charlie,' KOAC-TV circa 1959-60. Back row children, L-R: Rebecca Morris, Margie Tucker, Sterling Morris."
|
circa 1959-1960 | |
MorrisJ:014: A KOAC radio interview involving Donald Baker, Supervisor of Program and Methods, Benefits Division, Oregon Employment Department |
1950s | |
MorrisJ:015: Engineers Cecil L. Corlew, Robert Apperson and Joe Amicarella testing television reception at Healy Heights, location of a new educational television transmitter for use by KOAC-TV Corvallis and KOAP-TV Portland
|
1950s | |
MorrisJ:016: Jimmie Morris posing with Oregon Secretary of State Earl T. Newbry
Photo is captioned: "Secretary of State Earl T. Newbry draws names of Senators and Representatives for KOAC's legislative series from the capitol studio in Salem. Morris assists."
|
1950s | |
MorrisJ:017: A recording studio, possibly at Columbia Hall, Vanport Extension Center, Portland
Print was removed from an embrittled scrapbook. Adjacent scrapbook leaf included a promotional card for Columbia Hall,"the site of an auxiliary recording center where many programs originating in Portland are transcribed for delayed broadcast."
|
1950s | |
MorrisJ:018: Herbert E. Childs presenting English 104 by television for the Division of Continuing Education, KOAC-TV |
1960 | |
MorrisJ:019: KOAC 5,000-watt transmitter and directional array, Granger, Oregon |
1960s | |
MorrisJ:020: Dr. Beck [James R. Beck?] supervising student participation in an experiment shown on one of his televised classes |
1960s | |
MorrisJ:021: A Continuing Education night class assembled in Portland
Print is captioned: "Recent college graduates and grey-haired alums register for night classes in the Division of Continuing Education as they seek to examine in depth rapid economic, social, political and spiritual shifts in our way of life."
|
1960s | |
MorrisJ:022: A Continuing Education seminar class assembled at a table
Print is captioned: "Groups of adults meet informally around the seminar table in both credit and non-credit programs offered by Continuation Centers all over Oregon."
|
1960s | |
MorrisJ:023: Jimmie Morris shaking hands with Oregon Governor Tom McCall
Image is believed to be contemporary to Morris' retirement in 1972. Print is inscribed: "All Oregon thanks you, Jimmy [sic] Morris, for a job well done! Governor Tom McCall."
|
circa 1972 | |
| 3 | Portraits of Jimmie Morris
Though mostly undated, the Morris portraits held in this file are believed to date to the mid-1940s and the early 1970s. Original prints of the file's two printouts are not held in the collection.
|
1946-1972 |
| 3 | KOAC Staff
Images include group photos of KOAC staff as well as portraits and scenes of staff in action. The large majority of these images are undated and unannotated. Individuals who are identified include: Ainslee Bricker, Bob Crooks, James Groshong, Shirley Howard, Phil Kalar, Don Larsen, John McDonald, Bill McGrath, Les Mock, Jimmie Morris, Lee Stringfellow Nelson, Howard Paine, Betty Patapot, Bob Roberts and Mack Schwab.
|
1931-1961 |
| 3 | KOAC Productions
File includes images of KOAC radio and television production activities through the years. None of the prints are dated or annotated. Jimmie Morris appears in one image, posing in the KOAC studio with a group presumably assembled to perform a radio play.
|
circa 1930s-1960s |
| 3 | KOAC Facilities and Equipment
File includes images of KOAC's technical infrastructure, including transmitters - both permanent and portable - and an undated photo of KOAC's first radio station set-up in Covell Hall. Also included is a photo of Jimmie Morris' office in Covell Hall, dated 1961.
|
circa 1920s-1960s |
| 3 | Slides
The slide set includes images of KOAC radio and television activities, KOAC staff and facilities, and assorted buildings on the Oregon State campus. The set also holds informational slides prepared as titles for television programs and for use in presentations. A subset of the slides documents KOAC's participation in the Oregon State Fair. Jimmie Morris is also represented during his time with DCE Books. The slides are mostly undated but many are annotated. Individuals identified include: Mershawn Ballard, Gladys Chambers, Bev Chilcolt, Helen Dates, Arnold Ebert, Elaine Fritchle, Colleen Glenn, Shirley Howard, Don Larsen, John McDonald, Bill McGrath, Jimmie Morris and Bill Smith.
|
circa 1940s-1960s |
VII: Multimedia, 1946-1959Return to Top
Series VII contains the collection's multimedia pieces, including two reel-to-reel tapes, a vinyl record and a 16-mm film. The film, "Focus on ETV," has been digitized and made available online.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 2 | "Science News of the Week," James Morris, broadcasting. KOAC radio
|
1946 |
| 2 | "The Face of Oregon." Oregon Centennial Concert, Gill Coliseum
This concert featured the Oregon State College Concert Band, OSC Madrigal Club, OSC Glee Club, and OSC Choralaires. It has been digitized and made available online: Side A; Side B; Text and Notes.
|
April 23, 1959 |
| 2 | "The Name of Oregon," James M. Morris and the OSC Music Department
|
1959 |
| 4 | "Focus on ETV," produced at KOAC-TV by the Educational Radio and Television Department of the General Extension Division
"Focus on ETV" shows examples of collaboration between classroom teachers and educational TV programs taught by "TV teachers," circa 1959. The film was shot at Roosevelt High School in Portland, Oregon; Jimmie Morris serves as its main commentator and narrator. The film has been digitized to Mini-DV and DVD, and is also available online.
|
circa 1959 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Continuing education--Oregon.
- Public radio--Oregon.
- Public television--Oregon.
- Radio in higher education--Oregon.
- Radio programs--Oregon.
- Radio scripts.
- Radio stations--Oregon.
- Television in higher education--Oregon.
- Television viewers--Oregon.
Personal Names
- Kadderly, Wallace L. (Wallace Ladue), 1892-1983.
Corporate Names
- KFDJ (Radio station : Corvallis, Or.)
- KOAC (Radio station : Corvallis, Or.)
- KOAC (Television station : Corvallis, Or.)
- Oregon State Broadcasters Association.
- Oregon State System of Higher Education. Division of Continuing Education.
- Oregon State System of Higher Education. General Extension Division.
Form or Genre Terms
- Motion pictures (visual works)
- Photographic prints.
- Scrapbooks.
- Slides.
- Sound recordings.
- Tape reels.
Finding aid prepared by Chris Petersen.
2014
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
