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S. Rae Logan Papers, 1897-1971

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Logan, S. Rae (Simon Rae), 1885-1970
Title
S. Rae Logan Papers
Dates
1897-1971 (inclusive)
Quantity
7.75 linear feet, (16 boxes)
Collection Number
Mss 054
Summary
S. Rae Logan was a Montana and Illinois progressive educator. The collection provides extensive documentation of Logan's career as an educator in rural Montana schools and in the well-known progressive Skokie School of Winnetka, Illinois. It also documents his lifelong and in-depth interests in progressive education, character and religious education, right-wing extremism and its relationship to academic freedom in both K-12 schools and universities, and taxation and its relationship to education funding.
Repository
University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu
Access Restrictions

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.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for creating this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historic Publications and Records Commission. Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Biographical Note

Simon Rae Logan was born on April 29, 1885 in Rutherford County, North Carolina. He came with his parents to Montana in 1898 and for a time lived near Stevensville, Montana. He attended the University of Montana--Missoula for one year, but graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in 1908. From 1909 to 1912, he ranched near Arlee, Montana. He was a manager of Theodore Roosevelt's Bull Moose campaign for Missoula County in 1912. In 1913, he was asked to become school superintendent of District 28, Missoula County, when it included a large area from Pablo to south of Arlee. He was a pioneer in the consolidation of one-room schools into centers that offered schooling through high school. He was also instrumental in the formation of the County and Village Teacher's Association in 1913; the group later became a department of the Montana Teacher's Association. He taught school and was a school administrator in Lake County and was school superitendent in Hardin, Montana, from 1919 to 1926. While there he pioneered methods of individual instruction and conducted short winter courses for adults. During those years he was a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Executive Board of the Montana Farmer's Union, and the Legislative Committee of the Montana Teacher's Association. He led the fight for a graduated income tax to provide state support for public schools. This measure failed at the time, but gained support in later years.

He then became a school administrator in Winetka, Illinois, in 1926 and remained in that position for 21 years. He believed deeply in citizen responsibility in a democracy, and worked actively to promote democratic citizen education at the junior high school leve. He was active in the Northern Illinois Superintendents' Round Table and headed a committee that studied and reported on conditions in the state's correctional schools. He also taught summer school at the University of Montana, Northwestern University, the University of Nevada, and Brigham Young University. As a longtime member of the Progressive Education Association, he was asked to address the International Education Association meeting in Nice, France.

He retired from school work to homestead at Charlo, Montana, where he raised cattle until he was 80 years old. He received distinguished service awards from the Lower Flathead Schoolmasters' Association and the University of Montana chapter of Phi Delta Kappa.

He was married to Frances Logan; they had five children: Herma Biermann, Eileen Hodges, Katherine Tugendhat, Ernest Logan, and Frank Logan. He died in February 1970. She was later married to Harold Guy Merriam; she died in 1993.

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Content Description

The collection contains biographical materials, correspondence, subject files, speeches and writings, printed materials, materials of the Logan's ranch in St. Ignatius, and photographs. It provides extensive documentation of Logan's career as an educator in rural Montana schools and in the well-known progressive Skokie School of Winnetka, Illinois. It also documents his lifelong and in-depth interests in progressive education, character and religious education, right-wing extremism and its relationship to academic freedom in both K-12 schools and universities, and taxation and its relationship to education funding. His autobiography, begun by him and completed by his wife, Frances, documents his career and beliefs as an agitator for educational and social change. There are materials on the Logan's St. Ignatius, Montana, ranch. Family and professional photographs document his ancestors in North Carolina, educational experiences, and schools in which he worked.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to the University of Montana.

Preferred Citation

[Name of document or photograph number], S. Rae Logan Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in seven series:

Series I: Biographical1969-1971, 5 folders

Series II: Correspondence, 1906-1970, 2.23 linear feet

Series III: Subject, 1926-1949, 2.5 linear feet

Series IV: Speeches and Writings, 1923-1968, 1 linear foot

Series V: Printed Materials and Scrapbooks, 1913-1970, 1.75 linear feet

Series VI: Logan Ranch, 1931-1948, 0.25 linear feet

Series VII: Photographs, 1897-1968, 0.5 linear feet

Custodial History

The papers remained in the possession of Logan's wife until they were donated to the Archives.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Frances Logan, 1973 and 1981.

Processing Note

The collection was originally arranged and described as LC 54; materials received in 1981 were integrated into the collection but not reflected in the finding aid. In 2004, the collection was re-numbered as Mss 054, rearranged, and a new finding aid was prepared and encoded.

Separated Materials

Photographs of Logan's classmates at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, were separated and transferred to the North Carolina Collection at the University of North Carolina Library, Chapel Hill.

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Detailed Description of the Collection