Open to public research.
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from the Harry Reuben Reynolds papers must be obtained from the
Papers donated to Utah State University, Special Collections and Archives department by Reynold's widow.
The initial processing of the Reynolds papers was done by manuscript librarian R. Bradford Cole. A year after this work was completed, Professor Reynold's widow made an additional donation to USU of the remainder of her husband's papers. These were held in a satchel and in two cardboard boxes. The inclusion and processing of these additional materials was done by Scott Christensen. An attempt has been made to present the material in a way that allows maintenance of the organizational form the originator intended while still making them useful and simple to access by researchers.
Alterations to the subject files were made as follows: each topic was sorted so that newspaper clippings, correspondence, and other miscellaneous materials were brought together in separate folders within the topic area. It was felt that this arrangement would leave correspondence and other materials in the context in which they were created. A correspondence section was created with letters that did not pertain to any of the heretofore identified subjects.
Photographs have been removed to the photographic collection P0004.
Harry Reuben Reynolds papers, 1929-1973. (COLL MSS 106). Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives department.
Harry Reuben Reynolds came to Utah State University in 1923 as an art instructor. For the next forty-five years, Reynolds taught in the Art Department at Utah State. During his time at the college, Reynolds played an important role in promoting the arts at the university and in the community and state. His papers reflect that involvement and are a testament to the recognition he received as an artist and as a civic leader.
Reynolds was born in Centerburg, Ohio on January 29, 1898, and passed away in Logan, Utah on March 10, 1974. Reynolds received his initial schooling in art at the Chicago Art Institute and graduated from that school in 1923. During his time at Utah State, Reynolds continually worked at furthering his education. In 1930, he spent nine months touring in France, Spain, and the Canary Islands. While in Europe, he studied and photographed sculpture, paintings, and formal gardens. After returning to USU, he incorporated these photographs into his art classes as visual aids. In 1939, he spent a year taking classes in art history at the University of Iowa, and in 1961, he completed a short course at the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California.
In addition to his ongoing efforts to enhance his education, Reynolds was involved in promoting the arts in Utah. One area in which he made an impact was his involvement with the Utah State Fair. Reynolds served on the Board of Directors from 1940 until the 1960sand in 1962, was elected president of that board. As general art chairman for the Days of '47 Centennial Celebration Committee, he was instrumental in bringing the noted art exhibit 100 Years of American Painting to Utah from the Whitney and the Metropolitan Museums of Art in New York.
As a recognition for his promotion of and contributions to the advancement of art in Utah, Reynolds was selected as the Distinguished Service Award recipient by the Utah Art Educators Association. Reynolds was also honored in an appointment by the governor to spearhead the major project of inventorying all art owned by the state of Utah.
At Utah State University, in addition to his duties as an instructor and lecturer, Reynolds was also involved in many extracurricular activities. Reynolds served as the faculty advisor to the
H. Reuben Reynold's civic work aside probably his most important contributions came as a professional photographer. Reynolds did pioneering work in the use of slides as backdrops for theater performances. He was also one of the first to produce quality photomicrographs and was asked to do such work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Reynold's work was of such high quality that he was often invited to display his art at shows throughout the country. He was specially invited to show his work at the National Professional Photographers Convention, and in 1939, was asked to lecture on the topic "The Why of the Additive and Subtractive Processes in Direct Color Portraitures."
Reynolds in his years at Utah State University brought a lasting quality and reputation to Utah art and to the Utah State University Art and Photography Departments.
The Harry Reuben Reynolds papers span a forty-year period from the 1930s to the 1970s. The Reynolds papers reflect his involvement in art and theater while at Utah State University.
The papers came to Utah State organized in subject areas. This organization was refined but mainly kept intact. In addition to the many subject files, there were two portfolios containing newspaper clippings chronicling the highlights of Reynold's career and a collection of photographs by and of Reynolds.
Organization: Alphabetical within subject.
H. Reuben Reynolds photograph collection
Photographs removed
Also, State of Utah Travel expense papers.