Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Ken Metzler papers , 1934-1973
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Metzler, Ken
- Title
- Ken Metzler papers
- Dates
- 1934-1973 (inclusive)19341973
1968-1971 (bulk)19681971 - Quantity
-
3 linear feet, (6 containers)
- Collection Number
- UA 007
- Summary
- Ken Metzler was a Professor of Journalism at the University of Oregon and published a book about UO acting President Charles E. Johnson, titled Confrontation: The Destruction of a College President in 1973. The collection contains Metzler's working and research files for that book including correspondence by and about Charles E. Johnson, clippings, publications, notes, and manuscripts.
- Repository
-
University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives
UO Libraries--SCUA
1299 University of Oregon
Eugene OR
97403-1299
Telephone: 5413463068
spcarref@uoregon.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open to the public. Collection must be used in Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room. Collection or parts of collection may be stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives in advance of your visit to allow for transportation time.
- Additional Reference Guides
-
See the Current Collection Guide for detailed description and requesting options.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for production of this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Ken Metzler received his B.S. in journalism from the University of Oregon in 1956. He worked as a reporter as earned his M.S.J. at Northwestern University. In 1961, Metzler returned to the University of Oregon as Director of Student Publications and taught in the School of Journalism. Metzler is the author of five books.
In 1973, Metzler published Confrontation: The Destruction of a College President, his biography of University of Oregon acting President Charles E. Johnson. Charles Ellicott Johnson (1920-1969), accountant and university administrator, came to the University of Oregon in 1952 as an Associate Professor in Business Administration and became a full Professor in 1957. In 1959, he was appointed as Head of the Department of Accounting and Business Statistics, and then became Dean of the College of Liberal Arts in 1963. Johnson was appointed as Acting President of the University of Oregon in 1968.
Johnson's presidency was defined by several controversies, including the grape boycott in the dormitories to protest farming and labor conditions, the athletes who were disciplined for refusing to cut their hair, and the obscenities printed in the Oregon Daily Emerald. During his tenure, student activists harassed Navy recruiters, set up a shanty town on the campus lawn, and protested the Vietnam War. Charles E. Johnson was killed in an automobile accident on June 17, 1969. As Metzler's book explains, there was speculation as to whether the stress of his job as Acting President contributed to Johnson's accident.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection contains the research files Ken Metzler used to write his book, Confrontation: The Destruction of a College President, about University of Oregon Acting President Charles Ellicot Johnson. Johnson served as Acting President from 1968 until his fatal car accident on June 17, 1969. Although this collection spans from 1934 to 1973, the bulk of the material dates from 1968 to 1971. The collection contains correspondence, clippings, publications, notes, and manuscripts.
The collection is arranged into five series using Metzler's original organization: I: Files about Charles E. Johnson, II: Files by Charles E. Johnson, III: University of Oregon files, IV: Higher Education Files, and V: Miscellaneous Research Files. Metzler's original notations for his filing system are written on the top of most of the files. For example "1-B" is filed under Series I, letter B.
Series I contains interviews, correspondence, and clippings about Charles E. Johnson organized alphabetically by correspondent or subject.
Series II contains correspondence, clippings, and publications by Johnson filed alphabetically by correspondent or subject. Series II contains the oldest material in the collection from 1934.
Series III contains files from Johnson's tenure as Acting President at the University of Oregon. It is divided into two subseries: Alphabetical files and the President's Fact Notebook. Material in the alphabetical files reflect the many controversies that Johnson confronted as Acting President, including a grape boycott, athletes who refused to cut their hair, harassment of the Navy recruiters, an obscenity scandal regarding the Oregon Daily Emerald, and a poverty village erected on the University of Oregon grounds. The President's Fact Notebook contains mostly budget, salary, and statistical information.
Series IV contains materials on higher education organized alphabetically by correspondent or subject.
Series V consists of Metzler's working files which contain his notes, correspondence directly related to the book, magazine and newspaper clippings, and a draft manuscript. The clippings are organized chronologically and cover such subjects as student unrest, job stress, suicide, and higher education finances.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
| Description |
|---|
| Guide to the Ken Metzler Papers |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- College presidents--Oregon--Eugene
- Student movements--Oregon--Eugene
- Universities and colleges--Oregon--Eugene
Personal Names
- Johnson, Charles E., 1920-1969
- Metzler, Ken
Corporate Names
- University of Oregon
- University of Oregon
Form or Genre Terms
- Clippings
- Correspondence
- Interviews
- Manuscripts for publication
