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State College of Washington Department of Agronomy Records, 1940-1973

Overview of the Collection

Creator
State College of Washington. Department of Agronomy
Title
State College of Washington Department of Agronomy Records
Dates
1940-1973 (inclusive)
Quantity
9.5 Linear feet of shelf space, (10 Boxes)
Collection Number
Archives 61 (collection)
Summary
The State College of Washington Department of Agronomy Records includes: correspondence; memoranda; minutes and proceedings of professional meetings; reports; newsletters; student and faculty information and research information; financial statements; vouchers; and reports on program progress.
Repository
Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Terrell Library Suite 12
Pullman, WA
99164-5610
Telephone: 509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu
Access Restrictions

This collection is open and available for research use.

Languages
English
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Historical Note

Agriculture has always been part of Washington State University's curriculum. In the earliest days of the Agricultural College, Experiment Station, and School of Science of the State of Washington (later the State College of Washington, before becoming WSU), all of its disciplines were taught in one department, the Department Of Agriculture. By 1918 these agricultural disciplines including farm crops, soils, etc., had expanded enough to warrant the formation of separate departments. The Department of Farm Crops and Soils were consolidated into a Department of Agronomy in February 1928. This name was changed in November 1969 to Department of Agronomy and Soils.

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Content Description

The State College of Washington Department of Agronomy Records includes: correspondence; memoranda; minutes and proceedings of professional meetings; reports; newsletters; student and faculty information and research information; financial statements; vouchers; and reports on program progress.

Series 1: Subject File, 1940-1972, contains records dating from 1940 through 1972, however, the bulk of the material deals with the period after 1963. It consists of correspondence, memoranda, minutes and proceedings of professional meetings, reports, newsletters, student and faculty information and research information. Major headings in the subject file include such topics as: Agronomy & Men (publication of the Agronomy Club), Extension Administration, annual reports of county Extension Agents, Outlying Testing Program of the Washington experimental stations, Pacific Northwest Fertilizer Conference, Pacific Northwest Crop Improvement Association, Pacific Northwest Plant Food Association, teaching and course content in the department, Washington State Crop Improvement Association, USDA correspondence, and wheat research.

Series 2, Tennessee Valley Authority files, 1951-1972, consists of correspondence, financial statements, vouchers, and reports on program progress. Through an agreement with Washington State University, the TVA sold fertilizer to Washington state farmers. These records document this agreement, the shipment of the fertilizer, and the farmers who participated in the program.

Series 3, Correspondence Files, 1965-1971, consists of correspondence to and from various agencies, including county extension agents, professional organizations, private industry, governmental departments, and individuals.

Principal correspondents are: B. Rodney Bertramson (former department chairman and Director of Resident Instruction), Harry A. Cosgriffe, Irving Dow (Extension Specialist), James C. Engibous (chairman of the department), C. B. Harston, A. G. Law (professor Of Agronomy), L. L. Madsen (Dean, College of Agriculture), C. Dawson Moodie (professor of Agronomy), Kenneth Morrison (Extension Specialist), J. S. Robins (Director of Research, College of Agriculture), Leland Streit, and R. M. Turner.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply.

Preferred Citation

[Item description]

State College of Washington Department of Agronomy Records, 1940-1973 (Archives 61)

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Organized into three series. Series 1 is arranged alphabetically by subject; Series 2 is arranged chronologically to be consistent with its original order; Series 3 is arranged chronologically by year and alphabetically within each year.

Acquisition Information

The records of the Department of Agronomy and Soils were transferred to the University Archives, Washington State University in June 1976 and March 1979 (UA 78- 16) according to the approved records schedules.

Processing Note

The records were processed by Michael Sampson from December 1980 to March 1981.

Related Materials

History of the Department of Agronomy and Soils, and related USDA programs, Washington State University, circa 1988-1989 (Cage 746)

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Finding aid prepared by Michael Sampson
2025

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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