View XML QR Code

Agricultural Economics Department Records, 1912-1949

Overview of the Collection

Title
Agricultural Economics Department Records
Dates
1912-1949 (inclusive)
Quantity
56.4 linear feet
Collection Number
MSU.00002
Summary
The Agricultural Economics Department Records are an extensive set of files consisting of correspondence, administration files, faculty files, and Fairway Farms Corporation records. The records span the years 1912-1949.
Repository
Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections
Montana State University-Bozeman Library
Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT
59717-3320
Telephone: 4069944242
Fax: 4069942851
Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Languages
Collection materials are in English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities
Return to Top

Historical Note

The roots of the Agricultural Economics Department at Montana State University reach back to the Farm Management program in 1913. Classes in the beginning stages were instructed by E. L Currier, whose main priority was teaching basic accounting principles to working farmers after these practices were found to be deficient. With the passage of the Purnell Act in 1925, the college was granted much needed funds to begin a curriculum focusing on the agricultural economics field. Director Linfield dismantled the Farm Management Department and put this new field under the wing of the Experiment Station. Although M. L. Wilson was named its first head, actual leadership came from former M. S. C. president James Hamilton while Wilson finished up his graduate work at the University of Wisconsin. Once Mr. Wilson took charge of the department in 1925, he was not an instructor but a researcher with the Experiment Station. His projects in collaboration with E. A. Starch deal with transforming dry farming and making agriculture more profitable. Their main focus dealt with the "Fairway Farms project." This farming revolution was based on the premise that through technological innovation and economic principles dry farming could be operated like a cooperative business. They also delved into mechanization, first through "Big Teams" where a large line of horses would pull large implements; then with the study of how motorized implements could increase output. When Wilson left the University to take a post within the Roosevelt administration, E. A. Starch took over as Head of the Department in 1933. While classes were offered in the field of Agricultural Economics from the Department's inception, it was not until the early 1930's that an undergraduate degree was offered in this field. In 1936, Dr. Roland Renne became head of the department, signaling a shift from a research-based focus to educational based one. Along with the undergraduate degree, a Master's course was adopted in 1937. When Dr. Renne became President of the University in 1943, R. B. Tootell became the new acting head for three years. After the departure of Dr. Tootell, Robert Eckert returned from his graduate work at Ohio State University to lead the Agricultural Economics department through 1949.

Return to Top

Content Description

The Agricultural Economics Department Records are an extensive set of files that document the department's administration, faculty, and research initiatives. Series 1-5 concern the papers and correspondence of E. L. Currier and M.L. Wilson, followed by those of each of the Department heads through 1949. These records document the overall administration of the department, but the files do not follow any alpha-numeric order within each box. Series 6 and Series 7 are the files of individual members of the department faculty or the Extension Service, with subdivisions based on individual name or staff position held. Series 8 concerns the origin, operation, and reports pertaining to the Fairway Farms corporation and its individual farms. The numerous subdivisions in this series pertain to functional or individual farm topics. The last identified series consists of a miscellaneous batch of files retrieved from a closet in M. L. Wilson's office and are mostly, but not entirely, concerned with the Fairway Farms Corporation.

Return to Top

Administrative Information

Arrangement

Series 1 Currier/Wilson Administration files, 1916-1934

Subseries 1 - E. L. Currier files (Original Series C), 1916-1925

Subseries 2 - General Departmental Correspondence (Original Series CA), 1924-1933

Subseries 3 - Instructional Activities of the Department (Original Series CB), 1927-1932

Subseries 4 - Research and Extension Activities (Original Series CC), 1926-1937

Subseries 5 - Farm Relief Files (Original Series CD), 1925-1933

Subseries 6 - Miscellaneous Wilson Files (Original Series CE), 1926-1933

Series 2 E. A. Starch Administration Files, 1912-1941

Subseries 1 - General Departmental Correspondence (Original Series CF)

Subseries 2 - Agricultural Adjustment Administration (Original Series CG), 1933-1935

Subseries 3 - Land Use Planning (Original Series CH), 1933-1935

Subseries 4 - Sub-Marginal Lands (Original Series CJ), 1933-1935

Subseries 5 - Agricultural Statistics (Original Series CK), 1933-1936

Series 3 R.R. Renne Administration Files, 1934-1943

Subseries 1 - General Departmental Records (Original Series CL), 1934-1943

Subseries 2 - Miscellaneous files (Original Series CM), 1936-1943

Subseries 3 - Agricultural and Economic Conditions (Original Series CN), 1930s-1940s

Subseries 4 - Public Finance, Taxation and Land (Original Series CP), 1930s-1940s

Subseries 5 - Special Project (Original Series CQ), 1930s-1940s

Series 4 Robert B. Tootell Administration Files, 1943-1945

Series 5 Robert S. Eckert Administration Files, 1945-1949

Series 6 Individual Agricultural Economics Faculty Member Files, 1925-1943

Subseries 1 - E. J. Bell (Original Series DBE), 1925-1930

Subseries 2 - G. H. Craig, 1940-1943 (Original Series DCR)

Subseries 3 - S. E. Johnson (Original Series DJO), 1926-1929

Subseries 4 - O. A. Parsons (Original Series DPA), 1939-1943

Subseries 5 - R. R. Renne (Original Series DRE), 1930-1935

Subseries 6 - M. Saunderson (Original Series DSA), 1931-1938

Subseries 7 - P. L. Slagsvold (Original Series DSL), 1929-1936

Subseries 8 - E. A. Starch (Original Series DST), 1930-1932

Series 7 Individual Extension Service Faculty Member Files, 1955-1943

Subseries 1 - Extension Director F. S. Cooley (Original Series EA), 1915-1917

Subseries 2 - County Agent Leader, Wilson, M. L. (Original Series EB), 1913-1919

Subseries 3 - Farm Management Demonstrator, Chase, F. J. (Original Series FFA), 1916-1918

Subseries 4 - Farm Management Demonstrator, Copeland, A. J. (Original FFB), 1918-1921

Subseries 5 - Extension Economist, Wilson, M. L. (Original Series FFC), 1922-1924

Subseries 6 - Farm Management Demonstrator, Gilman, V. D. (Original Series FFD), 1924-1927

Subseries 7 - Farm Management Demonstrator, Alvord, Ben F. (Original Series FFE), 1927-1928

Subseries 8 - Farm Management Demonstrator, Gilman, V. D. (Original Series FFF), 1929-1931

Subseries 9 - Farm Management Demonstrator - Goth, Austin (Original Series FFJ), 1934-1935

Subseries 10 - Farm Management Demonstrator, Howard, Clyde, 1936-1937 (Original FFK)

Subseries 11 - Extension Economist, Carpenter, Paul (Original Series FGD), 1929-1934

Subseries 12 - Extension Economist, Lamphere, Willard (Original Series FGL), 1939-1940

Subseries 13 - Extension Land Economist, Tootell, R. E. (Original Series FLA), 1932-1934

Subseries 14 - Extension Land Economist, Bolster, H. G. (Original Series FLE), 1935-1941

Subseries 15 - Marketing Specialist, Beers, W. L. (Original Series FMB), 1916-1919

Subseries 16 - Marketing Specialist, Conner, C. C. (Original Series FMC), 1930-1933

Subseries 17 - Statistician, Patton, S. (Original Series FST), 1925-1927

Subseries 18 - State B. A. E. Representative, Haight, R. B. (Original Series GA), 1937-1942

Series 8 Fairway Farms Corporation Records, 1924-1943

Subseries 1 - Corporation Organization (Original Series SA)

Subseries 2 - Financial Matters and Taxation (Original Series SB and SC)

Subseries 3 - Publicity (Original Series SD)

Subseries 4 - Reports on Research and Farming Activities (Original Series SE)

Subseries 5 - Extension-Type Activities (Original Series SF)

Subseries 6 - Special Correspondence with Cooperators (Original Series SG)

Subseries 7 - Organizations, General (Original Series SH)

Subseries 8 - Rockefeller Foundation (Original Series SI)

Subseries 9 - Board of Directors, Individual Correspondence, etc. (Original Series SJ)

Subseries 10 - H. C. Taylor and Farm Foundation Correspondence (Original Series SK)

Subseries 11 - Miscellaneous Individual Correspondence (Original Series SL)

Subseries 12 - Purchases and Loans (Original Series SM, SN, SO)

Subseries 13 - Wheat and Seed Sales and Livestock (Original Series SP and SQ)

Subseries 14 - Indian Lands (Original Series SR)

Subseries 15 - Cloverleaf Farm (Original Series SS-1)

Subseries 16 - Comanche Farm (Original Series SS-2)

Subseries 17 - Lone Warrior Farm, Brockton (Original Series SS-3)

Subseries 18 - Richland Farm (Original Series SS-4)

Subseries 19 - Rosebud Farm (Original Series SS-5)

Subseries 20 - Taiyan Farm (Original Series SS-6)

Subseries 21 - Wiota Farm (Original Series SS-7)

Subseries 22 - Woanlo Farm (Original Series SS-8)

Subseries 23 - Yanktonai (Cartee-Bureau) Farm (Original Series SS-90)

Subseries 24 - Farm Account Books and Misc. Financial Statistics (Original Series ST, SV, R)

Series 9 Miscellaneous Records

Processing Note

This collection was processed 2009 April 28

Processing Note

When the collection was first transferred to the MSU University Archives, files were kept in their original order and inventoried by two separate numbering systems. The original file system used a system based on a letter code, followed by F and a number. At some point another system (using a red typewriter ribbon) was added, overlaying the original system but indicating how many folders were used to hold one of the original breakdowns (for example, C F2 became A-2 and A-3). To assist researchers, a comprehensive subject index was created that referred back to the alphabetic/numeric filing system, but its use was complicated by the inventory's lack of identifying in which of the 46 boxes individual files could be found. In 2002, the collection was renumbered according to a simple sequential box and folder number configuration.

Return to Top

Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Agriculture, Cooperative-Montana
  • Agriculture-Economic aspects-Study and teaching (Higher)-Montana
  • Agriculture-Technological innovations
  • Dry farming-Economic aspects
  • Dry farming-Technological innovations

Kim Allen Scott, 2009. Updated by Heather Mulliner, 2022.
2022

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

About Creative Commons Licenses in Archives West

Loading...
Loading...