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Journalism Department Records, 1918-1988

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Oregon State University. Dept. of Journalism.
Title
Journalism Department Records
Dates
1918-1988 (inclusive)
Quantity
1.35 cubic feet, (2 boxes)
11 microfilm reels
Collection Number
RG 091
Summary
The Journalism Department Records document the undergraduate and graduate instruction programs in technical journalism at Oregon State University. The records also include materials pertaining to the reorganization of higher education in Oregon in the early 1930s and the controversy between the University of Oregon and Oregon Agricultural College (OAC) in the 1920s regarding the offering of journalism degrees at OAC.
Repository
Oregon State University Libraries, Special Collections and Archives Research Center
Special Collections and Archives Research Center
121 The Valley Library
Oregon State University
Corvallis OR
97331-4501
Telephone: 5417372075
Fax: 5417378674
scarc@oregonstate.edu
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research. Access to materials in Series VII and VIII pertaining to journalism advisees is restricted and subject to review by the University Archivist.

Languages
English
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Historical Note

Journalism courses were first offered at Oregon Agricultural College during the 1914/15 school year, and the Department of Industrial Journalism was created in 1918. The department's purpose was to train students "who wish to take positions on farm and trade journals, newspapers, and other publications, especially where writing on industrial subjects such as Agriculture, Home Economics, and Engineering is required" (1919/20 OAC Catalogue). On three occasions during the 1920s, the State Board of Higher Curricula was requested to consider restricting or eliminating industrial journalism at Oregon State.

During the 1930s and 1940s, journalism at Oregon State was administered jointly with the program at the University of Oregon as part of the higher education reorganization in Oregon. In 1969, departmental majors were offered for the first time; subsequently, thirty technical minors were added. In 1992, the Journalism Department was eliminated as part of university wide budget reductions.

Department chairs have included Frank Snow, 1928; Maynard Brown, 1929; Charles D. Byrne, 1929-1932; Fred M. Shideler, 1932-1967; Fred Zwahlen, 1967-1989; and Jon Franklin, 1989-1991.

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Content Description

The Journalism Department Records document the development of undergraduate and graduate instruction programs in technical (industrial) journalism at Oregon State University. The records include materials pertaining to the reorganization of higher education in Oregon in the early 1930s and the controversy between the University of Oregon and Oregon Agricultural College in the 1920s regarding the offering of journalism degrees of OAC.

Much of the collection consists of microfilmed scrapbooks of newspaper clippings from Oregon newspapers. The clippings are of articles about Oregon State and/or ones written by Oregon State students for the newspapers. Many of the scrapbooks have accompanying subject indexes.

The remainder of the collection was created or assembled by department chair Fred Zwahlen and includes materials pertaining to accreditation and special events, including the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication annual convention in Corvallis in 1983; subject files pertaining to curriculum, faculty, budgets, and graduates and advisees; and materials assembled for the Journalism Advisory Council. Of particular note in the subject files are materials regarding former Oregon Governor Tom McCall's position at OSU in the early 1970s.

Also of note in the collection are sound recordings of Associated Press science writer and editor, Alton Blakeslee; New York Times science writer, Sandra Blakeslee (with KOAC reporter Shirley Howard); Oregonian editor, J. Richard Nokes, and KGW-TV News Director, Ed Godfrey recorded in 1970-1971.

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Use of the Collection

Preferred Citation

Journalism Department Records (RG 091), Oregon State University Archives, Corvallis, Oregon.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The records are arranged in nine series: I. Briefs and Statements, 1920-1928; II. Clippings on OSSHE Budget and Survey of Higher Education, 1930-1931; III. Miscellaneous, 1921-1925; IV. Oregon Newspaper Scrapbooks, 1918-1951; V. Accreditation, 1977-1988; VI. Special Event Records, 1979-1988; VII. Subject Files, 1966-1988; VIII. Journalism Advisory Council, 1988; and IX. Sound Recordings, 1970-1971.

Acquisition Information

Transferred in several accessions from the 1960s through 1995.

Related Materials

Photographs pertaining to the Journalism Department can be found in the Journalism Department Photographic Collection (P 208) and in Harriet's Collection. The Beaver Yearbook (P 003) and Barometer (P 035) Photographic Collections include photographs taken by student photojournalists. The Archives includes the papers or records of several journalism faculty, alumni journalists, and journalism organizations, including Fred M. Shideler, Frank H. Bartholomew, Ted Carlson, Hope Chamberlin, A. Freeman Mason, and Theta Sigma Phi (Alpha Eta Chapter).

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Finding aid prepared by Lawrence A. Landis; revised by Elizabeth Nielsen.
2008

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