University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
The University of Montana—Missoula
Missoula, MT 59812
406-243-2053
http://www.lib.umt.edu/asc
library.archives@umontana.edu
Mss
717
Toole, K. Ross (Kenneth Ross) 1920-1981
K. Ross Toole Papers
1867-1992 (bulk 1961-1981)
16 linear feet
K. Ross (Kenneth Ross) Toole was a
well-known historian of Montana and the American West. This collection largely
contains correspondence, research materials and writings, and faculty materials
from 1961, when he was named the A.B. Hammond Professor of Western History at
the University of Montana in Missoula, to his death in 1981.
Materials are in English,French,
German, and Spanish
Biographical Note
Kenneth Ross Toole was born August 8, 1920 in Missoula, Montana. After
serving in the Navy during World War II, Toole received a B.A. in History in
1946 and M.A. in History, American West, in 1948, both from the University of
Montana – Missoula (then called Montana State University – Missoula). He
finished his Ph.D. in History, American West, from the University of California
– Los Angeles in 1955. He taught at the University of Montana as the A.B.
Hammond Professor of Western History from 1965 until his death in 1981.
Toole served as the first Director of the Montana State Historical
Society in Helena (1951-1958), Director of the Museum of the City of New York
(1958-1960), and Director of the Museums of New Mexico in Santa Fe (1960-1963).
He was also the President of K-J Ranches near Red Lodge, Montana, from
1950-1965. Toole was a fourth-generation Montanan whose relatives had always
been heavily involved in Montana’s business, politics, and academia. His older
brother, John Toole, served as Mayor of Missoula and held various other
political offices.
K. Ross Toole was a prolific writer and one of the foremost historians
of Montana. His books included Montana: An Uncommon Land (1959),
The Time Has Come (1971), Twentieth-Century Montana: A State
of Extremes (1972), and The Rape of the Great Plains: Northwest
America, Cattle, and Coal (1976). His many articles and frequent
speeches addressed a variety of historical and contemporary topics. One article
in particular, “The Tyranny of the Spoiled Brats,” started as a letter to his
brother John concerning student activism and the “generation gap.” It became a
world-wide publishing sensation after the Billings Gazette and,
later, Readers Digest, U.S. News and World Report,
and a multitude of other periodicals in the U.S. and abroad reprinted it under
various titles. Toole received thousands of letters in response and a book deal
that led to The Time Has Come.
At the University of Montana, Toole taught and advised graduate
students in the History Department and taught one undergraduate history course
every year called “Montana and the West.” The course attracted over 1000
students annually in Toole’s last years at the University. Toole also served on
numerous University committees and worked to establish and gather materials for
a working historical archives on campus.
K. Ross Toole married Barbara Jean McCullough in 1945. They had one
son, Kenneth Ross Toole, Jr., born in 1955. In 1960 Toole and Barbara Jean
divorced. That same year he married Joan Trimble. They had two children: Dana
(born 1960) and David (born 1962). Joan also had four children from her
previous marriage to John Marchi: Jon (born 1946), Jael (born 1948), Charis
(born 1950) and Peter (born 1951). Kenneth Ross Toole died of cancer on August
13, 1981.
The Archives in the Mansfield Library at the University of Montana was
officially dedicated as the K. Ross Toole Archives on November 4, 1983.
This collection contains both personal and academic correspondence
from Toole’s years at the University of Montana, including seven boxes of
letters responding to his article “The Tyranny of the Spoiled Brats.” Drafts
and publishing materials from his books written after 1965 are also included.
There is one copy of his doctoral thesis on the Anaconda Copper Mining Company.
Additional materials concern the University of Montana Graduate School,
Department of History, Faculty Senate, and other administrative divisions.
Lecture notes and other papers from Toole’s courses are included, as well as
his speeches and addresses from various events. There are also some materials
from Toole’s work outside the University, such as with the Northern Rockies
Foundation, the Conrad-Campbell Historic Mansion, and Montana’s 1972
Constitutional Convention. Finally, there are various research materials and
subject files used in his teaching and writing on Montana history, the
environment, conservation, higher education, prose writing, campus violence,
and the “generation gap.”
This collection has been divided into six series.
Series I: Correspondence, 5.5 linear feet, 1961-1982
Series II: Speeches and Writings, 2.75 linear feet, 1954-1989
Series III: University of Montana, 2.5 linear feet, 1962-1981
Series IV: External Business, 0.5 linear feet, 1954-1992
Series V: Research and Clippings, 3.5 linear feet, 1867-1981
Series VI: Biographical and Ephemera, 0.25 linear feet, 1949-1985
Series VII: Media, 0.75 linear feet, undated
Series VIII: Audio Recording, 0.25 linear feet, 1975
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of
Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and
The University of Montana-Missoula.
Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and
any other applicable statutes. Non-exclusive copyright transferred to The
University of Montana.
[Name of document or photograph number], K. Ross Toole Papers,
Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The
University of Montana-Missoula.
A portion of these materials was likely transferred to the Archives
directly from Toole's campus office. Other materials in this collection were
likely in the possession of K. Ross Toole's family prior to their placement at
the Archives. The collection was officially gifted to the Archives in 2011.
It is not known how or when the audio recording of K. Ross Toole providing testimony
to the Montana State Legislature was gifted to the Archives.
This collection was likely delivered to the Archives in 1982 or 1983
by K. Ross Toole's family.
The original arrangement of many of the materials was haphazard,
although some partial attempts at organization had apparently been started by
previous processors. During processing in 2009-2010, correspondence, writings,
and research materials were generally sorted and rearranged chronologically or
by topic. Series notes in this guide will indicate where some clear
organization on Toole’s part was preserved. Some additional materials were
added to the collection after Toole’s death by Professor Harry Fritz or
Archivist Dale Johnson. These additions will generally be indicated by their
later date and attached correspondence.
Some materials which contain sensitive or confidential information,
such as correspondence with students, student evaluations, and letters of
recommendation, have been removed or restricted. After the publication of
“Tyranny of the Spoiled Brats,” Toole was inundated not only with personal
letters, but also a multitude of promotional material from various individuals
and religious and political groups. Items directly concerned with Professor
Toole’s article in particular or with student unrest and campus violence in
general were retained. Clippings and pamphlets which were not considered to
bear significant research value were removed.
Access to this collection was fully restricted until 2011. At that
time the collection was reviewed by family, two personal documents were
removed, and restrictions were lifted.
In 2017 an audio recording, originally processed as OH 176, was added to this collection.
Two collections held at the University of Montana's Archives and
Special Collections are related to this colletion because of family
connections. Mss 680, John R. Toole Family Papers (John R. Toole was K. Ross
Toole’s paternal grandfather) and Mss 156, Kenneth Forbes Ross Papers (Kenneth
Ross was K. Ross Toole’s maternal grandfather.)
K. Ross Toole's family removed personal correspondence prior to
placing this collection in the Archives.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
Toole, K.
Ross (Kenneth Ross), 1920-1981--Archives
Toole, K.
Ross (Kenneth Ross), 1920-1981--The tyranny of the spoiled brats
Conrad
family--Homes and haunts--Montana--Kalispell
Montana.
Constitutional Convention (1971-1972)
Anaconda
Copper Mining Company
Conrad-Campbell Historic Mansion (Kalispell, Mont.)
Northern
Rockies Foundation
University
of Montana (Missoula, Mont.)--Administration
University
of Montana (Missoula, Mont.)--Faculty
University
of Montana (Missoula, Mont.). Dept. of History
Kalispell
(Mont.)--Buildings, structures, etc
Montana--History--Study and teaching
Montana--Politics and government--20th century
Campus violence--United
States
Conflict of
generations--United States
Conservation of natural
resources
Constitutional
conventions--Montana
Education, Higher
Historic
buildings--Montana--Kalispell
Colleges and Universities
Montana
College teachers--Montana--Missoula
History teachers--Montana--Missoula
The Time has Come
Series I
Correspondence
1961-1982
5.5 linear feet
This series consists of two subseries. Subseries 1, General
Correspondence, is arranged chronologically and includes wide range of
correspondence, personal and professional, covering Toole’s time at the
University of Montana. Note: Former Archivist Dale Johnson, who worked with and
studied under Toole, indicates that Toole often would write letters without
ever sending them, just to get his thoughts down on paper. Subseries 2 is
Responses to “Tyranny of the Spoiled Brats.” Toole’s original arrangement and
categorization of this correspondence has been preserved. Letters were
organized by their origin or by their argument. Some letters in Subseries 1,
General Correspondence, also relate to the article, but were not separated by
Toole from other correspondence.
Correspondence with students and correspondence that contains
student evaluations are currently restricted.
Subseries 1
General
Correspondence
1961-1982
2.0 linear feet
1/1
Correspondence
1961 and 1965-1966
1/2
Correspondence
1966
1/3
Correspondence
1967
1/4
Correspondence
1968
1/5
Correspondence
1969
1/6
Correspondence
1970
2/1
Correspondence
1971
2/2
Correspondence
1972
2/3
Correspondence
1973
2/4
Correspondence
1974
3/1-2
Correspondence
1975
3/3-4
Correspondence
1976
3/5-6
Correspondence
1977
4/1
Correspondence
1978
4/2
Correspondence
1979
4/3
Correspondence
1980
4/4
Correspondence
1981-1982
4/5-6
Correspondence
undated
32/1
Correspondence with students *RESTRICTED*
1965-1981 and undated
32/2
Letter of Recommendation, Faculty
*RESTRICTED*
1969-1980 and undated
32/3
Letters of Recommendation, Students
*RESTRICTED*
1966-1980 and undated
Subseries 2
Responses to “Tyranny of the
Spoiled Brats.”
1970
3.5 linear feet
5/1
Alabama
1970
5/2
Alaska
1970
5/3
Arkansas
1970
5/4
Arizona
1970
5/5-11
California
1970
6/1
Colorado
1970
6/2
Connecticut
1970
6/3
Delaware
1970
6/4-5
Florida
1970
6/6
Georgia
1970
6/7
Hawaii
1970
6/8
Idaho
1970
6/9-10
Illinois
1970
6/11
Indiana
1970
6/12
Iowa
1970
6/13
Kansas
1970
7/1
Kentucky
1970
7/2
Louisiana
1970
7/3
Maine
1970
7/4
Maryland
1970
7/5
Massachusetts
1970
7/6
Michigan
1970
7/7
Minnesota
1970
7/8
Mississippi
1970
7/9
Missouri
1970
7/10-11
Montana
1970
7/12
Nebraska
1970
8/1
Nevada
1970
8/2
New Hampshire
1970
8/3
New Jersey
1970
8/4
New Mexico
1970
8/5-9
New York
1970
8/10
North Carolina
1970
8/11
North Dakota
1970
9/1-2
Ohio
1970
9/3
Oklahoma
1970
9/4
Oregon
1970
9/5-7
Pennsylvania
1970
9/8
Rhode Island
1970
9/9
South Carolina
1970
9/10
South Dakota
1970
9/11
Tennessee
1970
9/12
Texas
1970
10/1
Utah
1970
10/2
Vermont
1970
10/3
Virginia
1970
10/4-5
Washington
1970
10/6
Washington, D. C.
1970
10/7
West Virginia
1970
10/8
Wisconsin
1970
10/9
Wyoming
1970
10/10
Military Overseas
1970
10/11
Canada
1970
10/12
Foreign
1970
10/13
No Address
1970
10/14
Invitations
1970
10/15
Hofstadler's Paranoid Right
1970
10/16
Articulate "Pro" or Reps. of different arguments
1970
10/17
Articulate "Con"
1970
10/18
Articulate "Con" or unusual arguments
1970
10/19-21
Con
1970
10/22
Strange
1970
11/1-3
Unsorted
1970
Series II
Speeches and Writings
1954-1989
2.75 linear feet
This series consists of two subseries. Subseries 1, Short Works,
is arranged by topic and includes articles, speeches, book reviews, and
prefaces written by Toole, as well as essays on his family history. Subseries
2, Books, is arranged chronologically and includes his doctoral dissertation,
the manuscript of an untitled novel, and drafts of several books Toole
published while at the University of Montana.
Subseries 1
Short Works
1957-1989
0.75 linear feet
12/1
Articles/Speeches - Campus Unrest, Academic
Freedom
1966-1970 and undated
12/2
Articles/Speeches - Conservation and
Environment
1970-1979 and undated
12/3
Articles/Speeches - Education
1961-1975 and undated
12/4
Articles/Speeches - History, Museums
1956-1989
12/5
Articles/Speeches - History, Museums
1976 and undated
12/6
Articles/Speeches - Legislative and
Political
1972-1983 and undated
13/1
Articles/Speeches - Miscellaneous
1966-1979 and undated
13/2
Articles/Speeches - Montana and Region
1957-1980
13/3
Articles/Speeches - Montana and Region
undated
13/4
Articles/Speeches - University of Montana
1968-1978
13/5
Book Reviews
1966-1976 and undated
13/6
Forewords and Prefaces for Other Authors
1973-1980 and undated
13/7
Toole Family Histories
undated
Subseries 2
Books
1954-1978
2.0 linear feet
14/1
A History of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company: A
Study in the Relationships Between a State and Its People and a Corporation:
1880-1950. (Ph.D. Dissertation, UCLA)
1954
14/2
The Time Has Come Drafts: Introduction, Chapters
1-4
1971
14/3
The Time Has Come Drafts: Chapters 5-9,
Bibliography
1971
14/4
The Time Has Come Annotated Draft
1971
14/5
The Time Has Come Annotated Printer's
Proof
1971
15/1
The Time Has Come Annotated Galley Prints
1971
15/2
Twentieth-Century Montana: A State of Extremes Drafts:
Introduction
1972
15/3
Twentieth-Century Montana: A State of Extremes Drafts:
Chapters 1-2
1972
15/4
Twentieth-Century Montana: A State of Extremes Drafts:
Chapters 3-4
1972
15/5
Twentieth-Century Montana: A State of Extremes Drafts:
Chapters 5-6
1972
15/6
Twentieth-Century Montana: A State of Extremes Drafts:
Chapters 7-8
1972
15/7
Twentieth-Century Montana: A State of Extremes Drafts:
Chapters 9-10
1972
15/8
Twentieth-Century Montana: A State of Extremes Drafts:
Chapters 11-12
1972
16/1
Twentieth-Century Montana: A State of Extremes
Annotated Draft
1972
16/2
Twentieth-Century Montana: A State of Extremes Photo
Prints and Captions
1972
16/3
The Rape of the Great Plains: Northwest America,
Cattle and Coal Drafts: Outlines, Intro.
1976
16/4
The Rape of the Great Plains... Drafts: Chapters
1-3
1976
16/5
The Rape of the Great Plains... Drafts: Chapters
4-6
1976
16/6
The Rape of the Great Plains... Drafts: Chapters
7-9
1976
16/7
The Rape of the Great Plains... Drafts: Chapters 10,
12-13
1976
16/8
The Rape of the Great Plains... Drafts: Other
Chapters
1976
17/1
The Rape of the Great Plains... Partial Draft of
Chapters 1-8
1976
17/2
The Rape of the Great Plains... Draft of Chapter 12,
correspondence with publisher
1976
17/3
The Rape of the Great Plains... Annotated Draft:
Introduction, Chapters 1-5
1976
17/4
The Rape of the Great Plain... Annotated Draft,
Chapters 6-14, Bibliography and Index
1976
17/5
The Rape of the Great Plains... Master Galley
Print
1976
18/1
Montana: Images of the Past Chapter Drafts,
Correspondence with co-author William Farr
1978
18/2
Montana: Images of the Past Complete Draft
1978
18/3-5
Untitled Novel Manuscript
undated
Series III
University of Montana
1962-1981
2.5 linear feet
This series has been divided into two subseries. Subseries 1,
Administrative, includes meeting minutes, various reports, and other materials
from the Faculty Senate and committees, the History Department, the Graduate
School, and the Library. Toole’s organization has been preserved where
possible, but much of the correspondence originally with these materials was
integrated into Series I, Correspondence. Subseries 2, Classes, includes mostly
lecture notes, exams, and course evaluations from Toole's popular course
History 367: Montana and the West. Some materials from other courses are also
included.
Student coursework and evaluations are currently restricted.
Subseries 1
Administrative
1948-1981
1.25 linear feet
18/6
Ad Hoc Committee on English Composition
1968-1969
19/1-2
Budget and Policy Committee
1969-1971
19/3
Center for Natural Resources
1968-1969
19/4
Committee on University Research
1964-1968
19/5
Consortium - Indian Community Action
Program
1968-1969
19/6
Faculty Senate
1970-1973
19/7
Graduate Council (1 of 2)
1966-1969 and undated
20/1
Graduate Council (2 of 2)
1966-1968 and undated
20/2
Hammond Committee
1975-1981
20/3
Hammond Professorship
1962-1980
20/4
History Department
1966-1978 and undated
20/5
K. Ross Toole (Personnel File)
1966-1980
21/1
Library and Archives
1948-1979 and undated
21/2
Miscellaneous University of Montana Administrative
Materials
1965-1980 and undated
21/3
Research Advisory Council - Norman Taylor
1969
21/4
Response to Legislative Audit
1970
21/5
Travel, Leave, and Expenses
1966-1980 and undated
Subseries 2
Classes
1971-1981
1.25 linear feet
21/6
History 367 Course Evaluations
1971
21/7
History 367 Exams and Keys
1971-1978 and undated
21/8-9
History 367 Lecture Notes
undated
22/1
History 367 Subscription Lecture Notes
1978-1980
22/2
History 598 Seminar Materials
undated
22/3
Miscellaneous Class Materials
1972-1980 and undated
22/4
Montana History Newspaper Course
1975
32/4
Student Evaluations and Advising
*RESTRICTED*
1965-1981 and undated
32/5
Student Work *RESTRICTED*
1966-1969
32/6
Student Work *RESTRICTED*
1970-1973
33/1
Student Work *RESTRICTED*
1973
33/2
Student Work *RESTRICTED*
1974-1980
33/3
Student Work *RESTRICTED*
Undated
Series IV
External Business
1954-1992
0.5 linear feet
This series is arranged by organization or project and includes
materials related to Toole’s consulting and various projects outside of the
University of Montana, including a conservation plan for his ranch near Luther,
Montana.
22/5
American Indian Hall of Fame
1978
22/6
Conrad Mansion Historic Site
1968-1977 and undated
22/7
Great Plains Cultural History (Television Course,
University of Nebraska - Lincoln)
1974
22/8
Great Plains Cultural History - Critiques
1974
22/9
Great Plains Cultural History - Unit 2
1974
22/10
Great Plains Cultural History - Unit 4
1974
22/11
Great Plains Cultural History - Unit 5
1974
23/1
History - Public School Requirements
1975-1976
23/2
Miscellaneous External Business
1954-1978 and undated
23/3
Montana Constitutional Convention
1971-1972
23/4
Northern Rockies Foundation
1976
23/5
USDA Soil Conservation Plan - Carbon County,
Montana
1957-1964, 1992
Series V
Research and Clippings
1867-1981
3.5 linear feet
This series is arranged topically and includes primary- and
secondary-source materials related to Montana and the region, particularly
regarding coal-mining and other topics of conservation and pollution. Also
included are materials on Montana history and clippings related to Toole's “The
Tyranny of the Spoiled Brats” article, campus violence, and “the generation
gap.”
23/6
Articles - Culture, History, and Writing
1953-1970 and undated
23/7
Articles - Miscellaneous
1974 and undated
24/1-2
Articles - Montana History
1958-1973 and undated
24/3
Air and Water Pollution in Montana
1969
24/4
Bibliography Cards (1 of 2)
Undated
25/1
Bibliography Cards (2 of 2)
Undated
26/1-3
Coal and Montana
1973-1974 and undated
26/4
Coal and North Dakota
1973-1976 and undated
26/5
Environment and Conservation
1936-1981 and undated
26/6
Environmental Quality Council
1972-1973
27/1
Montana, 1900-1910
1968
27/2
Montana Banks and the Federal reserve
1921-1967 and undated
27/3
Montana Statistics
1974-1975 and undated
27/4
Montana and Western Maps and Mapmaking
1922-1945 and undated
27/5
Miscellaneous Bibliographies and Archival
Research
1949-1975 and undated
27/6
Miscellaneous Research Notes and Primary
Documents
1867-1918 and undated
28/1-2
Northern Cheyenne Petition on Coal Leases
1974
28/3
Northern Cheyenne Petition - Related
Materials
1969-1979
29/1-3
Clippings - Campus Unrest, Generation Gap
1968-1972 and undated
30/1
Clippings - Education, Montana
1966-1971 and undated
30/2
Clippings - K. Ross Toole
1970-1981 and undated
30/3-5
Clippings - "The Tyranny of the Spoiled Brats"
February - May 1970
31/1
Clippings - "The Tyranny of the Spoiled
Brats"
June - October 1970 and undated
31/2-3
Clippings - "The Tyranny of the Spoiled Brats"
Responses
February - December 1970 and undated
31/4
Clippings - Toole's Response to Letters
May 1970 and undated
Series VI
Biographical and
Ephemera
1949-1985
0.25 linear feet
This series includes memorials and obituaries, a few photos and
postcards, materials from Toole’s study at UCLA, curricula vitae, and
publication lists.
31/5
Curricula Vitae and Publication Lists
1970-1980
31/6
Ephemera
1949-1977 and undated
31/7
Obituaries and Memorials
1981-1985
Series VIII
Audio Recording
1975
1 audio cassette
This series includes a single audio recording produced by K. Ross Toole of taped testimony on House Bill 656. Toole recorded his testimony voicing his concerns
about funding for the University of Montana and sent it to the Montana State Legislature.
34
OH 176
K. Ross Toole Taped Testimony
1975