Oregon State University Libraries, Special Collections & Archives Research Center
Special
Collections & Archives Research Center
121 The Valley Library
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331-4501
Phone: 541-737-2075
Email: scarc@oregonstate.edu
Web:
http://scarc.library.oregonstate.edu
MSS Drama
Oregon State
University. Dept. of Speech.
Drama, Debate, and Oration Clippings Scrapbooks
1920-1963
3 cubic feet
2 oversize boxes
The Drama, Debate, and Oration Clippings Scrapbooks consist of clippings from the campus, local, and regional newspapers documenting speech, debate, oratory, and dramatic activities at Oregon State University from the 1920s to early 1960s.
Materials in English.
Historical Note:
The Department of Public Speaking and Dramatics was
established in 1920, as the first Speech Department in Oregon, and grew
quickly during the 1920s. When higher education in Oregon was re-organized in the early
1930s, responsibility for speech degrees was transferred to the University
of Oregon and several faculty moved to establish the program. However, the
service department at Oregon State continued to offer courses in debating,
extempore speaking, oratory, voice and diction, and radio speech and
coordinated an extensive program of forensics and dramatic activities for
students.
C.B. (Charles Buren) Mitchell joined the faculty of Oregon Agricultural
College in 1920 to head the new Department of Public Speaking and
Dramatics. As department head, he established and developed the dramatics and forensics programs at Oregon State. Earl W. Wells joined the department at about the same time
(1921); he was instrumental in developing the forensics and public
speaking program and coached orators who gained national prominence. Wells
served as Speech Department Chair from 1952 until his retirement in
1962. Elizabeth Barnes also joined the faculty in the early 1920s (1922) and was the main force behind the theater program until her retirement in 1946.
The Drama, Debate, and Oration Clippings Scrapbooks document speech, debate, oratory, and dramatic activities at Oregon State University from the 1920s to early 1960s. The scrapbooks include clippings, arranged chronologically, from the
Barometer campus newspaper and the local Corvallis newspapers as well as newspapers published in Portland, Oregon, and elsewhere in Oregon. The clippings announce the results of speech and debate events; profile students participating in speech and drama activities; and includes announcements and reviews of dramatic performances at Oregon State.
The collection consists of 4 volumes. These are for 1920-1930 (volume 1); 1930-1937 (volume 2); 1937-1955 (volume 3); and 1959-1962 (volume 4). Loose clippings for 1962-1963 are included in a separate folder in the front of the 4th volume. Many of the clippings, especially in volumes 3 and 4, are detached from the scrapbook pages.
It is likely that the scrapbooks were assembled by the Speech Department.
Collection is open for research.
Drama, Debate, and Oration Clippings Scrapbooks (MSS Drama), Oregon State University Special Collections & Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.
The immediate source of the scrapbooks is unknown.
The Speech Communication Department
Records (RG 181) document speech,
debate, and drama activities, especially during the 1920s through 1950s. The Speech Department Photographs (P 088) include images of students
who participated in speech and debate activities, faculty, and facilities.
The
Effie L.
Wagner Scrapbook of the Women's Debate Tour documents the 1928
Women's Debate Tour of several colleges and universities in the western
United States. Two compilations of Oregon State's achievements in
intercollegiate oratorical competition for 1920-1945 by Earl W. Wells are
available in the Special Collections & Archives Research Center's
History of the Pacific Northwest book collection. Extensive documentation of theater and dramatics
programs are available in the
University
Theater Records (RG 180),
University
Theater Photographs (P 112), and
C.B.
Mitchell University Theater Scrapbooks. Additional information about
speech, drama, and forensics activities is available in the
Memorabilia
Collection.
Oregon
Agricultural College--Students.
Oregon State
College--Students.
Oregon State
University--Students.
Oregon State
Agricultural College. Dept. of Public Speaking and Dramatics.
Oregon State
College. Dept. of Speech.
College and school drama,
American--Oregon--Corvallis.
College orations--Oregon State
College.
Debates and
debating--Oregon--Corvallis.
Drama--Study and
teaching--Oregon--Corvallis.
Forensics (Public
speaking)
Oratory--Societies,
etc.
Oratory--Study and
teaching--Oregon--Corvallis.
Student
activities--Oregon--Corvallis.
Scrapbooks.
Colleges and Universities
Performing Arts
Student Life
Women
Oregon
Corvallis
Scrapbooks