Beacon for Mountain and Plain Records

Beacon for Mountain and Plain Records, 1889-1962

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Rafe Gibbs, 1912-
Title: Beacon for Mountain and Plain Records
Dates: 1889-1962 (inclusive)
18891962
Quantity: 1.5 cubic feet
Collection Number: MG049 (collection)
Summary: Collected research material for the book Beacon for mountain and plain, a history of the University of Idaho: early photographs; typescript of final draft; correspondence of Rafe Gibbs with Caxton Printers; and other papers.
Repository: University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives
Special Collections and Archives
University of Idaho Library
875 Perimeter Drive
MS 2350
Moscow, ID
83844-2350
Telephone: 2088850845
libspec@uidaho.edu
Languages: English
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Raphael Sanford Gibbs, educator and writer, was born in Yakima, Washington, on April 29, 1912, to Sanford Oliver and Anna (Sandmeyer) Gibbs. He attended the University of Idaho where he majored in journalism and from which he graduated with highest honors and a Phi Beta Kappa key in 1934.

Following his graduation he was employed by the university as Director of Sports Publicity. He resigned that position in 1935 to join the editorial staff of the Milwaukee Journal where he remained until called to active military duty in 1941. He served in the Army Air Corps on the staff of the Air Inspector until 1946. Upon leaving the military he returned to the University of Idaho where, in addition to teaching, he assumed the position of Director of Information and editor of publications.

After his retirement from the university in 1970 he became Assistant Dean of University Relations at Florida International University, Miami, from 1971 to 1974.

In 1962 Gibbs published Beacon for Mountain and Plain, a history of the University of Idaho, and in 1974 was commissioned by Governor Cecil Andrus to write a history of Idaho as a bicentennial project; Beckoning the Bold (University Press of Idaho, 1976) was the result. In addition to these two books, he has, since he published his first article at the age of 13, published several hundred articles in such magazines as This Week, Ford Times, Esquire, Popular Mechanics, and Sports Afield. He is also the author of the Idaho article in the International Encyclopedia.

Rafe Gibbs married Elizabeth Ferne Egeland on October 3, 1940, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; they have two sons and three daughters. The Gibbs now live in Cape Canaveral, Florida where he divides his time between writing and fishing.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The papers relating to Rafe Gibbs Beacon for Mountain and Plain span the years 1889 to 1962, with the bulk of the material covering the years 1930 to 1961.

Included in the records are historical materials related to the University of Idaho, a typescript of the book, a few photographs, the art work used for the end-papers, correspondence with Caxton Printers relating to the publishing of the book, and correspondence from those to whom the book was sent.

The research materials of C.J. Brosnan, from which Gibbs drew heavily, are in Manuscript Group 18.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The material in this record group was in no discernable order when received. It was therefore divided into two series, research and publication during processing.

The writing of any historical work involves a great deal of research, and the history of a university is no exception. In writing his history of the University of Idaho Rafe Gibbs relied on personal interviews, correspondence, news releases, newspaper and magazine articles, as well as the extensive research files of Professor C.J. Brosnan of the University of Idaho History department. Only a small portion of Gibb's research material is in this record group, and it is contained in Series I.

Series II contains material related to the publication of Beacon for Mountain and Plain. Included are the revised typescript in three bound volumes, correspondence with Caxton Printers, mock-ups of the illustrations and end paper illustrations, correspondence from those to whom the book was sent by President Theophilus, and newspaper reviews of the book.

Photographs scattered throughout the material are listed in a separate appendix.

Acquisition Information

The papers related to the book Beacon for Mountain and Plain were donated to the University of Idaho Library by the author prior to 1970.

Processing Note

The papers were originally processed by Judith Nielsen in March 1982; when they were reprocessed in December 1997 the three volume corrected typescript of Beacon was transferred from MG 350 to this manuscript group.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I. Research, 1889-1961Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1/1	Agriculture, Grange 15 items	1919-1945
1/2	Fortieth anniversary 26 items	1932
1/3	Lewis-Clark Normal School 3 items	1940
1/4	Magazine articles 13 items	1937-1959
1/5	Margaret McCallie Moore 31 items	1897-1961
1/6	Newspaper clippings 7 items	1929-1960
1/7	Semi-Centennial 27 items	1938-1939
1/8	Semi-Centennial brochure drafts 5 items	1938
1/9	Speeches on University history 4 items	ca. 1932-1960
1/10	Student and campus life 39 items	1901-1961
1/11	Tape recording: Interview with Mervin G. Neale 1 item	1961
1/12	Typescript notes 26 items	1931-1958
1/13	University alumni 26 items	1938-1961
1/14	University faculty 14 items	1899-1961
1/15	University publications 24 items	1889-1961
1/16	University statistics 21 items	1938-1950

Series II. Publication, 1962Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1/17-19	Corrected typescript for book 3 items	1962
2/20	Correspondence with Caxton Printers 21 items	1962
2/21	Illustration mock-up 19 items	1962
2/22	Book mock-up with cover 1 item	1962
os/23	End paper illustrations 1 item	1962
2/23-24	Correspondence from recipients of book 177 items	1962
2/25	Newspaper reviews 6 items	1962

Appendix: PhotographsReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1/2	Group of notables attending Fortieth anniversary ceremonies 1 item	1932
1/2	President Mervin Gordon Neale 1 item	1932
1/2	Florence May Corbett Johnson and unidentified woman 1 item	1932
1/2	Florence May Corbett Johnson, Louis Fourniquet Henderson, Mervin Gordon Neale, John E. Ostrander, Charles Luther Kirtley 2 items	1932
1/5	Administration Building after fire 1 item	1906
1/5	Franklin B. Gault on his last day as president 1 item	1898
1/5	Aurelia Reinhardt and Permeal French 1 item	1919
1/5	Aurelia Henry Reinhardt 1 item	1919
1/5	Albert Napoleon "Nervy" and Otto Ludwick "Lude" Brunzell 1 item	1898.
1/5	Charles Armstrong, George Snow, Clem Herbert, taken in Manila, P.I. 1 item
1/5	Gub Mix, Hal Tilley, Harvey Hoagland 1 item	undated
1/5	Jim Jewell 1 item	ca. 1898
1/5	Moscow, looking east from music building driveway, showing "Lake de puddle" 1 item	ca. 1893
1/5	Moscow, looking northeast from Administration Building 1 item	1890s
1/5	Moscow, looking northwest from campus 1 item	1890s
1/13	Phillip Tillinghast (Regent, 1893-1895) 1 item	undated
1/14	Isaac J. Cogswell and John M. Aldrich 1 item	1930

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