Archives West Finding Aid
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Louis G. Gentner Papers, 1829-1980
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Gentner, Louis G., 1892-1980.
- Title
- Louis G. Gentner Papers
- Dates
- 1829-1980 (inclusive)18291980
1914-1980 (bulk)19141980 - Quantity
- 2.2 cubic feet, including 100 photographs, (8 boxes)
- Collection Number
- MSS Gentner
- Summary
- These papers were generated by Louis G. Gentner, entomologist, alumnus and faculty member at Oregon State College. They document his coursework at Oregon Agricultural College, species identification and his field research regarding insect damage to vegetation.
- 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
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Alumnus and entomologist, Louis G. Gentner, was born in Portland, Oregon, in February 1892. Gentner received his B. S. from Oregon Agricultural College in 1915, his M. S. from the University of Wisconsin in 1918, and completed his doctorate at Oregon State College in 1953. He did his post-graduate work at Oregon State College in 1945 and 1946. After working as an entomologist in Wisconsin and Michigan, he became associate entomologist and assistant superintendent of the Southern Oregon Branch Experiment Station in Medford in 1930. Gentner's studies with alfalfa varieties led to the selection and naming of "Talent" alfalfa, now grown extensively for seed production exports. His work with beetles led to the elimination of the Klamath goat weed infestation on southern Oregon infested rangeland and enabling thousands of acres to be become viable again. Gentner retired from the station in 1962 and died July 16, 1980. Additional biographical information is included in the collection.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Gentner Papers document the entomological research conducted by Gentner, primarily on flea beetles, as well as his professional activities and undergraduate and graduate education. The collection includes correspondence, class notebooks, publications, extensive field and research notes, and photographs.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
This collection is organized into six series: I. Biographical Information; II. Correspondence; III. School Records and Materials; IV. Entomology Field Work and Research Notes; V. Organizations; and VI. Photographs.
Custodial History
A portion of these papers were donated directly to the University Archives by Louis Gentner's daughter, Laura Gentner Dunwald, in December 1985. Other materials were donated to the Horner Museum by the OSU Archives in 1985 and were subsequently returned to the Archives in August 1996. It is likely that they were also donated by Laura Gentner Dunwald. A subsequent addition to the collection was transferred from the Entomology Department in 2001.
Related Materials
Other materials relating to the Entomology Department can be found in the Agricultural Experiment Station (RG 025) and Entomology Department (RG 027) Records. Other entomological collections held by the OSU Archives are the papers of Ralph Berry, John D. Lattin, Merton Lane, Charles H. Martin, James McIver, Hugh E. Morrison, Paul W. Oman, Paul Ritcher, Robert G. Rosenstiel, and Herman A. Scullen and the A.B. Cordley Entomological and Horticultural Scrapbook. Materials relating to Gentner's research on flea beetles are held by the Smithsonian Institution Archives ( Louis G. Gentner Papers, RU 7341).
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series I: Biographical Information, 1926-1979Return to Top
Series I consists of a list of Gentner's publications and a biographical data sheet.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 1 | Biographical Information and List of
Publications of Louis G. Gentner |
1926-1969 |
| 1 | Entomological Publications |
1949-1979 |
Series II: Correspondence, 1929-1978Return to Top
Series II contains both professional correspondence relating to Gentner's Ph.D. thesis, coursework for students and entomological correspondence pertaining to specimen identification and supplies. Much of the correspondence relates to Gentner's work on his Ph.D. at Oregon State College.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 1 | Letters from Mont. A. Casier and Paul O.
Ritcher |
1955 and undated |
| 1 | Letters regarding Gentner's Ph.D.
thesis |
1951-1953 |
| 1 | Information and Procedures for Graduate
Students and County Extension Agents Seeking Master Degrees at
OSC |
1948-1951 |
| 1 | Entomology and Zoology
Correspondence |
1962-1974 |
| 1 | Professional Correspondence 2 folders
|
1930-1980 |
| 1 | Specimen Donations
Correspondence |
1940-1978 |
| 1 | Entomological Supplies
Correspondence |
1960-1970 |
| 1 | Flea Beetle Sales
Correspondence |
1929-1978 |
Series III: School Records and Materials, 1908-1963Return to Top
Series III contains various materials ranging from receipts for graduate school classes to references to textbooks. The classroom materials include laboratory notebooks dating from 1911 to 1917 for undergraduate and graduate classes in English, zoology and economic entomology. An interesting item in this series is Gentner's high school laboratory book dated 1908. Other classroom-related materials include student seminar papers, a thesis written by Gentner for a Civil Service Examination, study outlines, and teaching notes.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 1 | Grades, tuition receipts and OSC Ph.D.
program notes |
1945-1953 |
OAC
Class Notebooks |
||
| Box | ||
| 1 | English 32 and English 42 |
undated |
| 1 | Animal Parasitology |
1914 |
| 1 | Zoology 302 |
1914 |
| 1 | Zoology notebook with insect pencil
drawings |
1916 |
| 1 | Zoology 315
Entomology of Field Crops
|
1913 |
| 1 | Zoology 301
Introductory Entomology
|
1913 |
| 1 | Zoology 107
With bird pencil drawings
|
1913 |
| 1 | Zoology I
With mollusks pencil drawings
|
1911 |
| 1 | Zoology II
With chordata pencil drawings
|
1912 |
| Box | ||
| 1 | Economic Entomology 105 |
1916-1917 |
| 1 | Student Lab Book |
1908 |
| 1 | Student Seminar Papers |
1917 |
| 1 | Photography |
1916 |
| 1 | Thesis in Connection With United States
Civil Service Examination for Scientific Assistant in
Entomology |
circa 1917 |
| 1 | Class Study Outline for Economic
Entomology |
circa 1917 |
| 1 | Teaching notes and outlines |
1946 |
| 1 |
Insects Injurious to Grapes
talk delivered at Michigan State College |
1927 |
| 1 | Entomology Books and Price
Lists |
1936-1963 |
Series IV: Entomology Field Work and Research Notes, 1829-1975Return to Top
Series IV includes tables, field notes, handwritten manuscripts, outlines, and articles written by Gentner. It also contains four card file boxes of detailed entomology research field notes and bibliographies.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 1 | Research tables, field notes, portion of
handwritten manuscript |
undated |
| 1 | Miscellaneous entomology outlines and
notes |
circa 1916 |
| 1 | Typescripts of published articles by
Gentner |
undated |
| 1 | Articles published in Wisconsin
Horticulture by Gentner |
1919-1920 |
| 1 | List of Species Collected by
Gentner |
circa 1924-1975 |
| 1 |
Haltica Identification
notes |
undated |
| 1 |
Coleoptera
notes |
1931 |
| 1 | Aphids(Cenara)
|
1961 |
| 1 |
Epitrix notes |
undated |
| 1 |
Chaetocnema semichalcea
(flea beetle) Identification |
1951 |
| 1 | Citations and Notes on Various
Entomology Topics |
undated |
| 1 | Techniques for Mounting and Preserving
Specimens |
1922-1946 |
| 1 | Potato Flea Beetle Projects |
1963-1964 |
| 1 | Field and Research Notes |
undated |
| 1 | Plant Identification
Collections |
1939-1958 |
| 1 | Flea Beetle and Distribution
Information |
1914-1975 |
| 1 | Herbarium Specimens of Flea Beetle
Damage
Specimens discarded.
|
1924-1940 |
| 1 |
Systematic Catalogue of British
Insects
Photocopy from microfilm.
|
1829 |
| 1 |
Illustrations of British
Entomology
Photocopy from microfilm.
|
1830 |
| 2 | Reference notes on index
cards |
undated |
| 3 |
Halticinae References Under
Species |
undated |
| 4 |
Halticinae Field Notes and
Data Distribution |
undated |
| 5 |
Halticinae
Bibliography |
undated |
Series V: Organizations, 1916-1980Return to Top
Series V documents Gentner's membership in various entomological organizations.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 6 | Entomological Society of America |
1916-1980 |
| 6 | Biological Research Institute of
America |
1973-1976 |
| 6 | North American Beetle Fauna
Project |
1972-1976 |
Series VI: Photographs, 1914-1936Return to Top
Series VI includes approximately 100 black and white photographs documenting insect damage to vegetation. One photograph of Gentner, taken in 1914, is also included.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 7 | Black and white photographs showing
insect damage apx. 100
|
1916-1929 |
| 7-8 |
Haltica probata Fall,
leaves of a wild rose showing larval injury Print and nitrate negative.
|
1936 |
| 7 | Louis Gentner holding a bug
net |
1914 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Beneficial insects.
- Entomology--Research--Oregon.
- Entomology--Study and teaching (Higher)--Oregon.
- Flea-beetles--Oregon.
Personal Names
- Gentner, Louis G., 1892-1980.
Corporate Names
- Oregon Agricultural College.
- Oregon State University. Dept. of Entomology.
Form or Genre Terms
- Nitrate negatives.
- Photographic prints.
Finding aid prepared by Faye Harkins;
updated by Elizabeth Nielsen.
2009
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
