Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Terrell Library
Pullman, WA 99164-5610 USA
(509) 335-6691
http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/masc/
mascref@wsu.edu
Cage
214
Johnson, Claudius Osborne Papers
Claudius Osborne
Johnson Papers
1901-1978
10 containers.
9.5 linear feet of shelf space.
11,200 items.
Correspondence with William E. Borah,
Irvin E. Rockwell, Thomas Stanford and others re: Senator Borah and Rockwell's
book manuscript; notes, drafts, correspondence and other papers re: Johnson's
Borah of Idaho (1936); also personal and professional correspondence, notes,
clippings, and other papers and printed materials. Included are records of
Johnson's proposed debate with Will Rogers and his service on the Washington State
Department of Social Security Board of Sponsors.
Collection materials are in
English
Claudius Osborne Johnson was born in Greenville, Virginia, January 6,
l894. He attended the University of Richmond from 1913 to 1917, receiving an
A.B. in 1917. His education was interrupted by service overseas with the United
States Army in World War I, where he attained the rank of first sergeant of
infantry. Upon his return he took his masters degree from the University of
Chicago, 1920-1921, and received his doctorate from that institution in l927.
Johnson taught at the University of North Dakota from 1921 through 1926 and at
the University of Chattanooga from 1926 through 1928. He came to WSU in 1928 as
the first full-time political science professor and chairman of the newly
formed Department of History and Political Science. At WSU he met Mary Wilson
Maxwell, whom he married in 1929. He served as chair of the department until
1951 and retired from the faculty in 1960. He had been described as "one of the
most stimulating people who ever entered a classroom at WSU." (Obituary,
Idahonian, February 28, 1976.)
In addition to his teaching career at WSU, Johnson was professionally
active in several capacities. Governor Clarence D. Martin appointed him to the
state Constitutional Revision Committee, 1935-1936. He received a governor's
certificate for contributions to the cultural life of the State of Washington
in 1967. Johnson served as the Vice-President of the American Political Science
Association in 1958. He was honored by his faculty colleagues in being asked to
deliver one of the first Invited Addresses at WSU. He traveled widely and was a
Fulbright lecturer at the universities of Sydney and Melbourne in Australia in
1953-1954 as well as visiting professor at the universities of Minnesota,
Illinois, Colorado and California at Berkeley. He was a Fulbright visiting
professor at the University of Athens in 1961-1962.
Johnson authored many books and scholarly articles. His textbooks have
been used nationwide. Government in the United States, American National
Government, and American State and Local Government all have appeared in
several editions. He wrote several monographs,
Carter Henry Harrison I: Political Leader (published by
the University of Chicago Press, 1928) and
Borah of Idaho (published by Longmans, Green & Co.,
1936, and reissued by the University of Washington Press, 1967) and scores of
articles for scholarly publications.
Dr. Johnson was a frequent speaker on political and international
themes and was a delegate to the peace conference at Geneva, Switzerland, in
1926 as a guest of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He was a
member of Phi Beta Kappa and a number of other professional and honorary
groups. He received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from the University of
Richmond in 1961. He belonged to Lambda Chi Alpha social fraternity.
Although he retired in 1960, Johnson remained active. He continued to
teach on visiting professor appointments and to publish. In 1967, WSU's
eight-story Claudius O. Johnson Tower, where the political science department
is now located, was dedicated in his honor. Dr. Johnson died in February,
1976.
The Claudius O. Johnson papers are arranged in three series. The first
series is
Borah of Idaho, 1908-1940. This series consists of
material related to Johnson's book,
Borah of Idaho, and includes correspondence and other
information gathered for the book, drafts of the book, and correspondence about
the book. The first subseries, Research and Chapter Notes, illustrates the
various stages in the creation of the book. It includes research notes,
clippings, newspaper articles, speeches, and manuscript notes on file cards.
The subseries is arranged by chapter, although the chapter numbering and titles
are different from the final book. The second subseries, Subject File, is
arranged alphabetically and contains mainly newspaper clippings and
correspondence about Borah and the publication of the book. Included are notes
about Borah's life that Johnson felt were inappropriate to include in the book.
The third subseries, Borah Files, is arranged alphabetically and consists
mainly of copies of correspondence by Borah to Irving E. Rockwell, C. O.
Johnson, and Thomas C. Stanford and copies of speeches made by Borah.
The second series is Professional and Personal Papers, 1917-1978. Some
of the items in this series belonged to his wife, Mary Maxwell Johnson. The
first subseries, General, is arranged alphabetically. It consists mainly of
correspondence but contains a variety of items, including photographs,
sketches, Christmas cards, manuscripts and newpaper clippings. Included are
records of Johnson's proposed debate with Will Rogers and his service on the
Washington State Department of Social Security Board of Sponsors. The second
subseries, Financial Records, is arranged alphabetically and consists mainly of
income tax and real estate records. The third subseries, Scrapbook, Awards, and
Certificates, contains a scrapbook with material relating to
Borah of Idaho, mainly clippings of reviews. The folder of
awards and certificates, consisting mainly of diplomas, is arranged by
recipient. They are placed together because they are oversized.
The third series, Publications, 1928-1972, consists of Dr. Johnson's
file of his books and articles. The series is arranged alphabetically and
contains several editions of most of his books. Many items, especially the
books, are annotated.
This collection is open for research use.
[Item Description]. Cage
214, Claudius Osborne
Johnson Papers . Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
The papers of Claudius Osborne Johnson were donated to the Washington
State University Libraries by Claudius O. and Mary Johnson in several
installments; the most recent being in February, 1980 (MS 80-6). A few C.O. Johnson letters received from the Pi Sigma Alpha honorary through Amy Mazur, Claudius O. and Mary W. Johnson Distinguished Professor in Political Science at Washington State University, were added in September of 2019 as folder 89.5.
The processing of the various accessions into one collection was begun by Steve Balzarini in 1981 and completed by Ann Klavano in 1984.
An unpublished biography of Johnson,
Claudius O. Johnson: Author, Biographer, was prepared for
History 513 by James L. Ratcliff in 1970. Will Rogers' newspaper debate with
Johnson is described in Stephen E. Balzarini's
The 50th Anniversary of the Time That Will Rogers Didn't Come to
the Palouse. (Bunchgrass Historian, 11:2 (Summer 1983) 3-13).
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.
Johnson, Claudius Osborne, 1894- --Archives
Rogers, Will, 1879-1935
Borah, William Edgar, 1865-1940
Rockwell, Irvin E. (Irvin Elmer), 1862-1952
Stanford, Thomas C.
Washington (State). Dept. of Social Security. Board of
Sponsors
Political
science--Study and teaching (Higher)--Washington (State)
Government and Politics
Washington (State)
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in
the collection.
Series 1:
Borah Of Idaho
1908-1940
Research and Chapter
Notes
1 / 1
Manuscript Notes (on
cards)
undated
4300
items.
Chapter Notes
2 / 1
I: Illinois
(1924-1934)
1935
20
items.
2 / 2
III: Idaho
(1909-1934)
1935
20
items.
2 / 3
IV: W.E.B. Attorney at Law,
(1910-1929)
1935
10
items.
2 / 4
VII: The Election of a
Senator - Old Style, (1902-1908)
1935
18
items.
2 / 5
VIII: The Voice of the People
(1918-1934)
1935
18
items.
2 / 6
IX: Dynamite and Politics
(1930-1934)
1935
14
items.
2 / 7
X: Idaho's Dividends
(1908-1934)
1935
44
items.
2 / 8
XI: The National Statesman
Emerges (1909-1911)
1935
7
items.
2 / 9
XI: New Horizons
(1940-1936)
1935
7
items.
2 / 10
XIII: Who Is a Republican
(1912-1933)
1935
30
items.
2 / 11
XIV: New Freedom Politics
(1913-1916)
1935
95
items.
2 / 12
XV: The Apostle of Free
Speech (1918-1925)
1935
75
items.
2 / 13
XVI: A Conception of States'
Rights (1914-1926)
1935
20
items.
2 / 14
XVII: The Mirabeau of the
Battalion of Death (1919 -1934)
1935
115
2 / 15
XVIII: Swords and
Ploughshares (1919-1935)
1935
140
2 / 16
XIX: Cleaning the Augean
Stables (1921-1928)
1935
50
items.
2 / 17
XX: The Idaho Stalemate
(1917-1924)
1935
90
items.
2 / 18
XXI: Borah-Russian Relations
(1922-1932)
1935
70
items.
2 / 19
XXII:
We Have Scotched the Snake
(1923-1929)
1935
35
items.
2 / 20
XXIII: Anti-Imperialism
(1909-1928)
1935
50
items.
2 / 21
XXIV: The Outlawry of War
(1922-1929)
1935
85
items.
2 / 22
XXV: The Hammer of Thor
(1926-1929)
1935
135
2 / 23
XXVI: Borah and Hoover
(1929-1932)
1935
150
2 / 24
XXVII: Achilles in His Tent
(1932)
1935
35
items.
2 / 25
XXVIII: The New Deal
(1932-1935)
1935
150
2 / 26
XXIX: Characteristics
(1909-1934)
1935
40
items.
2 / 27
XXX: Newspapers, Technique
& Correspondence With Other Statesmen (1923-1926)
1935
15
items.
2 / 28
Manuscript of
Borah of Idaho
1936
1
item.
Subject File
3 / 29
Bibliography and
Outline
undated
35
items.
Correspondence
3 / 30
Borah in Kansas
1934-1935
20
items.
3 / 30
General
3 / 31
1929-1936
123
3 / 32-33
1934-1940
161
3 / 34
1940-1949
150
3 / 35
Reprint of Borah
Cartoons
1935-1936
35
items.
3 / 36
Reprint of Borah
Material
1935-1936
27
items.
3 / 37
Revisions
1934-1940
20
items.
3 / 38
Election Returns,
Idaho
1890-1922
25
items.
3 / 39
Interview, Johnson and
Borah
1935
4
items.
3 / 40
Memorial Service for
Borah
1940
12
items.
3 / 41
Newspaper Article on
Borah
1942
1
item.
3 / 42
Newspaper Clippings
1907-1940
35
items.
3 / 43
Notes on Borah
1939
27
items.
3 / 44
Photographs and Drawings of
Borah
1932-1936
8
items.
3 / 45
Political Cartoons
undated
8
items.
3 / 46
Reviews of
Borah of Idaho
1936-1943
49
items.
3 / 47
The Roosevelt Club
Debate
1927
1
item.
3 / 48
Speeches About
Borah
1935-1942
3
items.
Borah Files
Correspondence
3 / 49
General (carbon and
transcribed copies, and originals)
1901-1934
133
3 / 50
C. O. Johnson (transcribed
copies)
1934-1936
31
items.
3 / 51
Irvin E. Rockwell
(transcribed copies)
1911-1940
155
3 / 52
Rockwell, Stanford, and
Johnson (carbon and transcribed copies, and originals)
1934-1943
175
3 / 53
Thomas C. Stanford
(transcribed copies)
1901-1939
115
3 / 54
Correspondence, Speeches, and
Newspaper Articles (transcribed copies)
1914-1930
75
items.
3 / 55
Foreign Relations Committee,
Letters and Newspaper Articles (transcribed copies)
1922-1929
50
items.
3 / 56
Oratory, Newspaper Articles
(transcribed copies)
1924-1929
14
items.
3 / 58
Personal Relationships in
Senate, Letters (transcribed copies)
1927-1934
17
items.
3 / 58
Speeches and Articles (carbon
and transcribed copies)
1908-1934
50
items.
3 / 59
Speeches and Articles Since
1920 (transcribed copies and originals)
1922-1935
100
items.
Series 2: Professional and Personal
Papers
General
American Political Science
Association Annual Meeting:
4 / 60
Atlanta, Georgia
1935
25
items.
4 / 61
Political Parties Session
1941-1942
150
4 / 62
Army Insignia
1918
2
items.
4 / 63
Blanket Primary
Notes
1932-1938
50
items.
4 / 64
Christmas Cards
(photographs)
1960
1966
1970
1971
9
items.
Correspondence:
4 / 65
Condolences and
Memorials
1976-1977
70
items.
4 / 66
T.Y. Crowell, and Harper and
Row
1958-1978
15
items.
4 / 67
Former Colleagues
1943-1970
24
items.
4 / 68-69
Former Students
1942-1970
350
4 / 70
General
1938-1960
140
4 / 71
Paulino Maximo
Sebastian
1941-1945
13
items.
4 / 72
County Government
Conference
1936
92
items.
4 / 73
Distinguished Virginians'
Homecoming
1957
10
items.
4 / 74
Documents
1926
1948
1949
3
items.
4 / 75
Family and Other Intimates
(correspondence and clippings)
1972-1978
25
items.
4 / 76
The Girl Graduate
Book
1917
1
item.
4 / 77
Johnson Tower (congratulations
and correspondence)
1964-1967
75
items.
4 / 78
Letters to Johnson Upon His
Retirement
1960
1
item.
Manuscripts:
4 / 79-81
From Dawn to Sunup
undated
441
4 / 82
From Dawn to Sunup
1966
194
4 / 83
George Douglas Minnick
undated
18
items.
4 / 84
Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother
undated
54
items.
5 / 85
Memorial Service
1976
14
items.
Newspaper
Clippings:
5 / 86
General
1928-1960
83
items.
5 / 87
Obituaries and
Tributes
1976
18
items.
5 / 88
Odd and Rare
Material
1922-1960
65
items.
5 / 89
Photographs
1904-1969
86
items.
5 / 89.5
Pi Sigma Alpha
1939-1951
6
items.
5 / 90
Professional Recognition
I
1935-1970
120
items.
5 / 91
Professional Recognition
II
1942-1971
180
items.
5 / 92
Resume
1972
4
items.
Rogers-Johnson
Debate
5 / 93
General
1933
1964
81
items.
5 / 94
Newspapers
1933
7
items.
5 / 95
Sketches of Johnson
1930
1961
2
items.
5 / 96
Speeches and Addresses
(including notes and correspondence)
1952-1965
250
items.
5 / 97
Student Manual to Accompany
Textbooks
1958
1
item.
5 / 98
Third Invited Address
Announcement
1958
1
item.
5 / 99
Transcripts, College and
University
1920
1927
3
items.
Turner, George
5 / 100
Correspondence Regarding
Turner
1940-1944
264
5 / 101
Manuscript
undated
207
5 / 102
Papers
1925-1931
24
items.
5 / 103
U'Ren, William S.
1941
1964
5
items.
5 / 104
Various Writings
undated
76
items.
6 / 105
Washington State Department of
Social Security Board of Sponsors
1937
150
items.
6 / 106
Whiskers
1935-1938
7
items.
6 / 107
Writing
Possibilities
1955
1959
7
items.
Financial Records
6 / 108-115
Income Tax
(Federal)
1967-1975
172
items.
Real Estate:
6 / 116
Cope House
1953-1962
110
Correspondence and Legal
Documents:
6 / 117
1933-1953
110
6 / 118
1956-1961
11
6 / 119
Stocks
1929
1938
3
items.
Scrapbook, Awards, and
Certificates
7 / 120
Scrapbook
1936
1
item.
Awards and
Certificates:
7 / 121
Claudius O. Johnson -
Diplomas, Certificates, Appointment, and Citation
1913-1960
11
items.
7 / 121
Mary Wilson Maxwell Johnson -
Diplomas and Certificate
1917-1923
3
items.
7 / 121
Helen Balch - Diplomas and
Endorsement
1905-1909
3
items.
7 / 121
Harold Eugene Culver -
Diplomas
1906-1923
5
items.
Series 3: Publications
1928-1972
8 / 122
The Adoption of the Initiative and Referendum in
Washington, reprint from The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. 35:4.
291-303.
October 1944
1
item.
8 / 123
American Government National,
State, and Local. New York, Crowell. First Printing. Annotated.
1951
1
item.
8 / 124
American National Government. New
York, Crowell. Annotated.
1945
1
item.
8 / 125
American National Government. New
York, Crowell. Fourth Edition, Annotated.
1955
1
item.
8 / 126
American National Government,
Instructors Manual. With David M. Ogden. Jr; H. Paul Castleberry; and Thor
Swanson.
1970
1
item.
8 / 127
American State and Local
Government. New York, Crowell. With H. Paul Castleberry; Thor Swanson; Daniel
M. Ogden Jr; Fourth Edition.
1965
1
item.
8 / 128
American State and Local
Government. New York, Crowell. With Daniel M. Ogden. Jr; H. Paul Castleberry;
Thor Swanson; Fifth Edition.
1972
1
item.
8 / 129
Autori e Difensori Delle Liberta Civili, reprint
from Rivista Internazionale di Scienze Economiche e Commerciali 9:11. 1-15.
Annotated.
1962
1
item.
8 / 130
Borah - His Political Impact, Borah Foundation
Lectures. University of Idaho, Moscow, 27-36.
1964
1
item.
8 / 131
Borah of Idaho. New York,
Longmans, Green and Co. Annotated, Copies of Political Cartoons Pasted
In.
1936
1
item.
8 / 132
Borah of Idaho. New York,
Longmans, Green and Co. Annotated.
1936
1
item.
8 / 133
Borah's Bequest to Democracy, Idaho Yesterday.
1:4
Winter,
1957-1958
1
item.
8 / 134
Carter Henry Harrison I.
Political Leader. Chicago, University of Chicago Press
1928.
1
item.
8 / 135
Civil Liberties: The Citizens Business, reprint
from Western Political Quarterly. 3:4. 501-511.
Winter, 1950
1
item.
8 / 136
Did Judah P. Benjamin Plant the 'States' Rights'
Interpertation of the British North American Act?, Reprint From The
Canadian Bar Review. 454-477.
September
1967
1
item.
8 / 137
George Douglas Minnick.
Contributions to the History of the Pacific Northwest. Pullman, The State
College of Washington
1939.
1
item.
8 / 138
George Turner, Attorney-At-Law, Research Studies
of the State College of Washington. 11:3. 171-192.
September
1943
1
item.
8 / 139
George Turner. Part I: The Background of a
Statesman, Reprint From The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. 34:3 (July
1943) 243-269. Bound With:
George Turner. Part II: United States Senator and Counsel
and Arbiter for the United States, Reprint from The Pacific Northwest
Quarterly. 34:4 (October 1943) 367-392.
George Turner of Supreme Court of Washington
Territory, Oregon Historical Quarterly. 44:4 (December 1943) 370-385.
Annotated.
George Turner, Attorney-At-Law, Research Studies
of the State College of Washington, 11:3 (September 1943) 171-192.
George Turner, a Character from Plutarch,
Washington Law Review and State Bar Journal. 18:4 (November 1943) 167-181.
Continued in next issue. 18-36. Annotated.
1943
1
item.
8 / 140
George Turner. Part II: United States Senator and Counsel
and Arbiter for the United States, Reprint From The Pacific Northwest
Quarterly. 34:4. 367-392.
October 1943
1
item.
8 / 141
George Turner of Supreme Court Washington
Territory Oregon Historical Quarterly. 44:4. 370-385.
Annotated.
December 1943
1
item.
9 / 142
Government in the United States.
New York, Crowell. Annotated.
1953
1
item.
9 / 143
Government in the United States.
New York, Crowell. Revised Edition, with Supplement. Tenth Printing.
Annotated.
1939
1
item.
9 / 144
Government in the United States.
New York, Crowell. Revised Edition, Eleventh Printing. Annotated.
1940
1
item.
9 / 145
Government in the United States.
New York, Crowell. Third Edition. Annotated. Page Missing.
1944
1
item.
9 / 146
Government in the United States.
New York, Crowell. Fourth Edition. Annotated.
1947
1
item.
9 / 147
Government in the United States.
New York, Crowell. Fifth Edition
1951
1
item.
9 / 148
Government in the United States.
New York, Crowell. Sixth Edition.
1956
1
item.
9 / 149
Identification of the Principal Issues, The
Annals. Vol. 283
September, 1952
1
item.
9 / 150
The Initiative and Referendum in Washington,
Proceedings of the Public Affairs Conference. The State College of Washington,
Pullman
1949
10 / 151
The Kind of Post-War World We Want, Washington
Education Journal. 23:1. 6-7.
October 1943
1
item.
10 / 152
Review of The Direct Primary in Idaho by Boyd A.
Martin, Pacific Historical Review, 17:1. 95.
February, 1948
1
item.
10 / 153
Review of The Elements of Modern Politics by Francis
Graham Wilson, The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. 27:4. 401.
October
1936
1
item.
10 / 154
Review of How They Became President: Thirty-Five Ways to
the White House by Rexford G. Tugwell, The Pacific Northwest Quarterly.
56:4. 184.
October 1965
1
item.
10 / 155
Review of Papers of Edward P. Castigan Relating to the
Progressive Movement in Colorado by Colin B. Goodykoontz, The Pacific
Northwest Quarterly. 33:2. 222-223.
April 1942
1
item.
10 / 156
Review of Pressure Politics in New York: A Study of Group
Representation Before the Legislature by Belle Zeller, The Pacific
Northwest Quarterly. 28:4. 430.
April 1937
1
item.
10 / 157
Review of Sweet of Colorado by Wayne C. Williams,
The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. 35:1. 80-81.
January 1944
1
item.
10 / 158
State Government (U.S.) reprint from Encyclopedia
Britannica. 148-150.
1971
1
item.
10 / 159
State and Local Government. New
York, Vail-Ballou Press
1950.
1
item.
10 / 160
The Status of Freedom of Expression Under the Smith
Act, The Western Political Quarterly. 11:3. 469-480.
September
1958
1
item.
10 / 161
Strain and Restraint: The Impact of Subversive Control on
Personal Freedom, Washington State Review. 3:4. 4-11.
Summer 1960
1
item.
10 / 162
The Story of Silver Politics in Idaho, 1892-1902,
The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. 33:3. 283-296.
July 1942
1
item.
10 / 163
Washington's Blanket Primary Reviewed, The Pacific
Northwest Quarterly. 48:4. 113-119.
October 1957
1
item.
10 / 164
When William E. Borah was Defeated for the United States
Senate, Reprint from The Pacific Historical Review. 12:2.
125-138.
June 1943
1
item.
10 / 165
William E. Borah: The Issue First, The Party
Second, Northwest Science. 27:3. 95-106.
1953
1
item.
10 / 166
William E. Borah: The People's Choice, The Pacific
Northwest Quarterly. 44:1. 15-22.
January 1953
1
item.