Archives West Finding Aid
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President's Office Records of John M. Bloss, 1892-1897
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Oregon State Agricultural College. Office of the President.
- Title
- President's Office Records of John M. Bloss
- Dates
- 1892-1897 (inclusive)18921897
- Quantity
- 0.25 cubic feet, (1 box)
- Collection Number
- RG 013 - SG 03
- Summary
- The President's Office Records of John M. Bloss are comprised of correspondence and reports related to the management and operation of the Oregon State Agricultural College between 1892 and 1897. The collection also contains an announcement from the Corvallis Gazette of Bloss' marriage to Mary A. Woods and a transcript of a speech given by Bloss to the Oregon State Horticultural Society.
- 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
-
The collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
John McKnight Bloss was born in 1839 in New Philadelphia, Indiana. After graduating from Hanover College in 1860, he joined the 27th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment and fought in several battles including the Battle of Antietam. Bloss resigned his commission in 1864 and enrolled in the Ohio Medical College in Cincinnati where he attended school through 1865. Bloss served first as a teacher and then an administrator for a number of public schools in the midwest until, in 1892, he was simultaneously appointed President of the State Agricultural College of Oregon, director of the Experiment Station, and professor of Mental and Moral Science. During his tenure as President, Bloss introduced football to the college, established a school color and mascot, oversaw the construction of several new campus buildings, and established new course offerings including the Farmer's Short Course. Bloss resigned from his post in 1896 as a result of failing health and returned to Hamilton Township in Indiana. There, he established Royerton, the first consolidated school west of the Allegheny Mountains. John M. Bloss died on April 26, 1905.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The President's Office Records of John M. Bloss contains correspondence from Bloss' presidency, a bound volume of correspondence from the Arnold, Letcher, and Bloss presidencies, a microfilmed copy of a Corvallis Gazette article announcing Bloss' marriage to Mary A. Woods, the transcript of a speech on pollination given by Bloss, two reports to the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior describing the state of the college, and information on students, faculty, and course offerings compiled for President Bloss.
In addition to the original paper documents, a partial, microfilmed copy of this collection is available upon request.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
The President's Office Records of John M. Bloss (RG 013 - SG 03), Oregon State University Libraries Special Collections & Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The President's Office Records of John M. Bloss are arranged into four series: I: Correspondence, 1892-1897; II: Marriage Announcement, 1893; III: Speeches, 1894; Reports, 1893-1894. All correspondence is arranged chronologically.
Acquisition Information
These records were transferred to the University Archives by the OSU President's Office. The collection is now held by the Oregon State University Libraries Special Collections & Archives Research Center.
Related Materials
Related MaterialsRelated content from Bloss' presidency can be found in the John McKnight Bloss Collection and Subgroup 12 of the President's Office Records. Additional materials relating to the presidents of Oregon State University include the President's Office Records (RG 013), the Presidents of Oregon State University Photographic Collection (P 001), the President's Office Photographs Collection (P 092), the President's Office Motion Picture Film and Videotapes Collection (FV P 092), the Board of Regents Records (RG 008), the Board of Trustees Records (RG 033), and the the Oregon State University Memorabilia Collection.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series I: Correspondence, 1892-1897Return to Top
This series is comprised of loose correspondence between Bloss, faculty of the State Agricultural College, the Board of Regents, employees of the State of Oregon, and private citizens. Included in this series are annual reports from the faculty of the college, correspondence regarding an exhibit at the Chicago World's Fair, inquiries from prospective students, requests for Bloss' attendance at various engagements, and communications with educators and community leaders throughout Oregon.
This series also contains bound correspondence dating from the Arnold, Letcher, and Bloss presidencies.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 1 | Correspondence |
1892 |
| 1 | Correspondence |
January - May, 1893 |
| 1 | Correspondence |
June - July, 1893 |
| 1 | Correspondence |
1894 |
| 1 | Correspondence |
1895 |
| 1 | Correspondence |
1896 |
| 1 | Correspondence |
1897 |
| 1 | Correspondence |
undated |
| 1 | Bound Correspondence |
1892-1896 |
Series II: Marriage Announcement, 1893Return to Top
This series is comprised of a photocopy of an article from the Corvallis Gazette announcing the marriage of John M. Bloss to Mary A. Woods on September 22, 1893.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 1 | Marriage Announcement |
September 22, 1893 |
Series III: Speeches, 1894Return to Top
This series is comprised of a transcript of a speech titled "Pollination" given to the Oregon State Horticultural Society in January 1894 by John M. Bloss.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 1 | "Pollination." |
January 1894 |
Series IV: Reports, 1893-1894Return to Top
This series is comprised of reports submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior, and information compiled for use by President Bloss. The reports include details of Oregon State Agricultural College student enrollment, budget information, faculty duties and schedules, and course offerings.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 1 | Reports to the Secretary of Agriculture |
1893-1894 |
| 1 | Reports to the Secretary of the Interior |
1893-1894 |
| 1 | Administrative Information |
undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- College buildings--Oregon--Corvallis.
- College presidents--Oregon--Corvallis.
- Education, Higher--Oregon.
- Universities and colleges--Curricula--Oregon--Corvallis.
- Universities and colleges--Law and legislation--Oregon.
- Universities and colleges--Oregon--Corvallis--Administration.
- Universities and colleges--Oregon--Corvallis--Finance.
Personal Names
- Bloss, John McKnight, 1839-
Corporate Names
- Oregon State Agricultural College.
- Oregon State Agricultural College. Agricultural Experiment Station.
- United States. Bureau of Education.
- United States. Department of Agriculture.
- World's Columbian Exposition (1893 : Chicago, Ill.)
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Arnold, B. L. (Benjamin Lea), 1839-1892. (creator)
- Bloss, John McKnight, 1839- (creator)
- Letcher, John D. (creator)
- Nash, Wallis. (creator)
Corporate Names
- Oregon State Agricultural College. Board of Regents. (creator)
Finding aid prepared by Trevor Sandgathe
2013
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
