Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Chemistry Department Records, 1937-1997
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Oregon State University. Dept. of Chemistry.
- Title
- Chemistry Department Records
- Dates
- 1937-1997 (inclusive)19371997
1945-1981 (bulk)19451981 - Quantity
-
0.75 cubic foot, (1 box)
4 microfilm reels - Collection Number
- RG 098
- Summary
- The Chemistry Department Records document the research and graduate programs in chemistry at Oregon State University, primarily in the post-war period of the late 1940s to early 1960s, as well as building renovations and construction in the 1970s.
- 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
Chemistry courses have been taught at Oregon State University since the earliest years of the institution; the first doctoral degree in Chemistry was awarded in 1935. A Chemistry Building (later named Gilbert Hall for Earl C. Gilbert) was constructed in 1939; it was extensively renovated and the Gilbert Addition was constructed in 1981.
John Fulton was department head from 1907 until 1940, when Earl C. Gilbert, who had been on the faculty since 1917 was appointed head. Bert Christensen followed Gilbert as Department Head in 1956.
Oregon State College was one of the first institutions to offer a chemistry course by television and to broadcast a course to students at several institutions simultaneously.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Chemistry Department Records document the research and graduate programs of the department. Series I-IV consist of microfilmed records, primarily from the post-war period of the late 1940s to early 1960s. Of particular note are extensive correspondence between the department chair and the Dean of the School of Science, F.A. Gilfillan; materials pertaining to the department's use of educational television for teaching general chemistry courses; research proposals and summaries of research projects; and records of the department's graduate program.
The paper records consist predominantly of building renovation and construction planning records for major renovations to Gilbert Hall and the construction of the Gilbert Addition. A 1997 booklet for prospective graduate students includes profiles of all department faculty.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Chemistry Department Records (RG 098), Oregon State University Archives, Corvallis, Oregon.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The records consist of 6 series: I. General Subject File, 1937-1963; II. Research, 1958-1962; III. National Science Foundation, 1958-1961; IV. Graduate School, 1945-1961; V. Building Renovation and Construction Planning Records, 1970-1981; and VI. Promotional Materials, 1997.
Acquisition Information
Transferred from the Chemistry Department in several accessions from 1966 through 1997.
Future Additions
Additions to the collection are expected.
Related Materials
Additional materials pertaining to the Chemistry Department are available in the College of Science Records (RG 024), the Memorabilia Collection, and the Chemistry and Pharmacy Department Records. The Chemistry Department Motion Picture Films (FV P 205) include recordings of the General Chemistry course taught via interinstitutional television in 1958-1959. The Archives collections also include the Otto Ballhorn Chemistry Laboratory Notebook, the Harry Freund Collection, and the papers of Joseph S. Butts and Robert W. Newburgh.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series I: General Subject File, 1937-1963Return to Top
The General Subject File consists primarily of correspondence sent and received by the department chairs (John Fulton, E.C. Gilbert, and B.E. Christensen); much of the correspondence is with the F.A. Gilfillan, Dean of the School of Science. The series also includes reports and statistics. Topics include research activities, budgets, student enrollment, graduate programs, and faculty.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| 1937-1939 | ||
| Reel | ||
| 1 | 1: Chemistry Department
Statistics |
|
| 1 | 2: Chemistry Building
Contract |
|
| 1942-1947 | ||
| Reel | ||
| 1 | 1: Anti-malarial
research correspondence |
|
| 1 | 2: ASTP
correspondence |
|
| 1 | 3: Chemistry Department
correspondence |
|
| 1945-1950 | ||
| Reel | ||
| 1 | 1: Forest Products
correspondence |
|
| 1 | 2: Gifts to the
Department of Chemistry |
|
| 1 | 3: General
correspondence |
|
| 1 | 4: Board of Control
Oregon State |
|
Communications |
||
| Reel | ||
| 1 | 5: to the
staff |
|
| 1-2 | 6: from the
staff |
|
Correspondence |
||
| Reel | ||
| 2 | 7: School of
Science |
|
| 2 | 8: President's
Office |
|
| Reel | ||
| 2 | 9: Information Analysis,
outside requests |
|
| 2 | 10: A.B.
Scott |
|
| 2 | 11: Dr. J.S.
Butts |
|
| 2 | 12: W.E.
Caldwell |
|
| 1946-1950 | ||
| Reel | ||
| 2 | 1: General
Correspondence |
|
| 2 | 2: Office of Naval
Research U.S. Navy |
|
| 2 | 3: Information and
Analysis |
|
| 2 | 4: Personal - E.C.
Gilbert |
|
| 2 | 5: President's Office
Dr. Strand |
|
Communications |
||
| Reel | ||
| 2 | 6: To and from
staff |
|
| 2 | 7: To and from other
departments |
|
| Reel | ||
| 2 | 8: Gifts to the
Department |
|
| 2 | 9: Information
Analysis |
|
| 2 | 10: Oregon State Civil
Defense Agency |
|
| 2 | 11-14: School of Science
F.A. Gilfillan |
|
| 2 | 15: Personal E.C.
Gilbert |
|
| 2 | 16: Gifts to the
Department |
|
| 2 | 17: Presidents Office
A.L. Strand |
|
| 1950-1955 | ||
| Reel | ||
| 2 | 1: Interdepartmental
Correspondence |
1952-1953 |
| 2 | 2: Gifts to the
Department |
1950-1951 |
| 2 | 3: President's Office
A.L. Strand |
1950-1953 |
| 2 | 4: School of
Science |
1950-1955 |
| 2-3 | 5: E.C. Gilbert
Personal |
1950-1955 |
| 3 | 6: Graduate Assistance
Correspondence |
|
| 1955-1963 | ||
Educational TV |
||
| Reel | ||
| 3 | 1957-1958 | |
| 3 | 1958-1959 | |
| 3 | 1959-1960 | |
| 3 | 1960-1961 | |
| Reel | ||
| 3 | 5: Departmental
Seminars |
1962-1963 |
| 3 | 6: Gilfillan
Dinner |
|
Planning
Committee |
||
| Reel | ||
| 3 | 7: Minutes |
|
| 3 | 8: Reports |
|
Publications |
||
| Reel | ||
| 3 | 1961 | |
| 3 | 10: Staff |
|
| 3 | 11: Department of
Chemistry and Exchanges from Other Colleges |
|
| Reel | ||
| 3 | 12: Richland General
Electric Graduate Work |
|
| 3 | 13: General
Chemistry |
|
| 3 | 14: Kasetsart
University |
|
| 3 | 15: Gifts for
Commencement Program |
|
| 3 | 16: Interdepartmental
Correspondence |
1955-1956 |
| 3 | 17: Gifts and
Awards |
|
| 3 | 18: Interdepartmental
Correspondence |
1956-1957 |
President's Office |
||
| Reel | ||
| 3 | 1957-1958 | |
| 3 | 20: Report |
|
| 3 | 1959-1960 | |
| Reel | ||
| 3 | 22: School of
Science |
1962-1963 |
| 3 | 23: President's
Office |
1955-1956 |
| 3 | 24: Gilbert
E.C. |
1955-1956 |
President's Office |
||
| Reel | ||
| 3 | 1956-1957 | |
| 3 | 1960-1961 | |
| 3 | 1961-1962 | |
School of
Science |
||
| Reel | ||
| 3 | 1957-1958 | |
| 3 | 1955-1957 | |
| 3 | 1956-1957 | |
| 3 | 31: Gifts |
|
| 3 | 32: Registration
Report |
1959-1960 |
| 3 | 1959-1960 | |
| 3 | 1961-1962 | |
| 3 | 1958-1959 | |
| 3 | 1960-1961 |
Series II: Research, 1958-1962Return to Top
Series II consists of research proposals and applications for graduate fellowships; proposals to the National Science Foundation for research projects and equipment purchases; and summaries of research being conducted in the Chemistry Department.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
Research
Proposals |
||
| Reel | ||
| 3 | 1958-1959 | |
| 3 | 1959-1960 | |
| 3-4 | 1960-1961 | |
| 4 | 1961-1962 | |
| Reel | ||
| 4 | 2: Research Project
Outline |
1958 |
| 4 | 3: Shell
Fellowship |
|
| 4 | 4: Research Reports
of |
1959-1960 |
| 4 | 5: Fellowship
bulletins |
Series III: National Science Foundation, 1958-1961Return to Top
Series III includes announcements and publications issued by the National Science Foundation (NSF) as well as correspondence with NSF regarding research programs in chemistry at Oregon State.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Reel | ||
| 4 | 1958-1959 | |
| 4 | 1959-1960 | |
| 4 | 1960-1961 |
Series IV: Graduate School, 1945-1961Return to Top
Series IV provides information about graduate programs in the Chemistry Department including degree requirements and curriculum; graduate assistantships; and applications and inquiries from prospective graduate students.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Reel | ||
| 4 | 1945-1946 | |
| 4 | 1946-1947 | |
| 4 | 1947-1948 | |
| 4 | 1948-1953 | |
| 4 | 5: Graduate Student
Notices |
|
| 4 | 6: Graduate
Committee |
1946-1951 |
| 4 | 7: Graduate
School |
1955-1961 |
| 4 | 8: Graduate School
Committee Departmental |
Series V: Building Renovation and Construction Planning Records, 1970-1981Return to Top
The Building Renovation and Construction Planning Records pertain to the renovation of Gilbert Hall and the construction of the Gilbert Addition and include meeting minutes for various building committees, proposals, students, program descriptions, reports, correspondence, and dedication materials. All files include correspondence.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 1 | Space Requests Design Literature Space
Requirements Committee |
1968-1970 |
| 1 | Minutes of New Building Committee
Planning Records Reports |
1969-1974 |
| 1 | New Building Priorities |
1969-1974 |
| 1 | Building Committees |
1970-1974 |
| 1 | Building Program Reports |
1970-1974 |
| 1 | Program Design Standards |
1971-1974 |
| 1 | Proposal Planning Review |
1972-1978 |
| 1 | Exhaust and Cross Contamination
Study |
1973 |
| 1 | Feasibility Study |
1973-1974 |
| 1 | Architects' Folios Facilities
Inventory |
1973-1974 |
| 1 | Program |
1974 |
| 1 | New Building (Executive Order Space
Inventory) |
1974 |
| 1 | Architects Proposals |
1974 |
| 1 | Project Description Preliminary
Estimate |
1974-1975 |
| 1 | Award of Contract |
1976 |
| 1 | New Building Early |
1975-1977 |
| 1 | New Building Committee Fall |
1977 |
| 1 | Proposal Ways and Means |
1977 |
| 1 | Energy Requirements |
1977-1978 |
| 1 | Movables |
1977-1978 |
| 1 | Space Utilization (Lab) |
1978 |
| 1 | Project Summary |
1978 |
| 1 | Final Review |
1978 |
| 1 | Bids Clippings |
1978 |
| 1 | New Building Dedication |
1981 |
Series VI: Promotional Materials, 1997Return to Top
The Promotional Materials consist of a booklet for prospective graduate students about the Chemistry Department graduate and research programs that includes profiles of all faculty.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 1 | Booklet for Prospective Graduate
Students |
1997 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Chemistry--Research--Oregon.
- Chemistry--Study and teaching (Higher)--Oregon.
- College buildings--Oregon--Corvallis.
- Research grants--Oregon.
- Television in higher education--Oregon.
Corporate Names
- National Science Foundation (U.S.)
- Oregon State College--Graduate students.
- Oregon State College. School of Science.
- Oregon State University--Buildings.
- Oregon State University--Faculty.
- Oregon State University--Graduate students.
- Oregon State University. School of Science.
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Christensen, Bert Einar, 1904- (creator)
- Fulton, John, 1868-1953. (creator)
- Gilbert, Earl C. (creator)
- Gilfillan, F. A. (Francois Archibald), 1893-1983 (creator)
Corporate Names
- Oregon State College. Dept. of Chemistry. (creator)
Finding aid prepared by Elizabeth
Nielsen.
2008
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
