Entomology Department Records (RG 27)
1887-2003 (inclusive), 1954-2002 (bulk)
17 cubic feet and 4 reels of microfilm.
Scope and Content Note
These records were generated and collected by the Entomology Department and pertain to the development and administration of the department. They document policy formulation, compilation of departmental information, faculty research, committee activity, and interaction between the Extension Service and the department, and also reflect the department's acquisition and loan of entomological specimens.
The Entomology Department records are organized into twelve series: I. General Correspondence; II. Questionnaires; III. Reports; IV. Research Projects; V. Faculty and Staff Meetings; VI. Curriculum Development and Instruction; VII. Faculty Information; VIII. Organizations; IX. Newspaper Clippings; X. Committees; XI. Publications; and XII. Specimen Collection and Tracking Records.
Series I consists primarily of correspondence and memoranda, but also includes reports, architectural drawings and book plans, meeting minutes, and newspaper clippings. Documenting the general administration of the department, subjects covered in this series include: accreditation, building renovation, long range planning, gifts and endowments, budgets, special events and conferences, the OSU Extension Service, the Integrated Plant Protection Center, and department personnel and staffing.
The questionnaires in series II relate to hop lice infestation and include handwritten notes in addition to the completed survey forms. The survey was coordinated through the Agricultural Experiment Station Entomologist. In addition to biennial department reports, the reports in series III document department accreditation, long range planning, Extension Entomology activity, regional conference research abstracts, insect collection policy development and analysis, and essays on the history of department. This series also includes related correspondence and notes.
Research projects of department faculty constitute series IV, which includes correspondence, grant proposals, newspaper clippings, notes, publications, reports, and research project lists. Series V documents department faculty and staff meetings. Consisting of meeting minutes and agendas, memoranda, notes, and reports, these records address various administrative matters such as budget preparation, committee activity, curriculum development, equipment needs assessment, and staffing.
Series VI relates to instruction, curriculum development, academic programs outside the department, student scholarships and fellowships, graduate theses, and the Ken Gray Slide Collection of entomological images. Included in this series are category I and II proposals, class notes and guides, correspondence, course descriptions, degree recipient lists, reports, seminar announcements, survey materials, and television scripts on insect control and pesticide application developed by the U. S. Department of Agriculture.
Entomology faculty information constitutes series VII, and includes article reprints, correspondence, curriculum vitae, employment records, monthly narrative reports, newspaper clippings, publication lists, and reports. The bulk of this series is organized in the form of biographical files that are arranged alphabetically by faculty member.
Series VIII is made up of materials collected from non-OSU professional associations, committees, advisory councils, and other organizations involved in entomology, agriculture, and pesticide research and regulation. These records consist primarily of correspondence, meeting minutes, and publications. The newspaper clippings of series IX document entomology faculty research, department events and news, the OSU arthropod collection, and insect control efforts throughout Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. The clippings were mostly taken from the Corvallis Gazette-Times, the Oregonian, and the Daily Barometer.
Series X contains records generated by various Entomology Department and university committees and consists of committee membership lists, correspondence, meeting minutes, and reports. The subjects covered by these committees include curriculum development, Greenhouse/Entomology Farm operations, the Biology Program, space usage in Cordley Hall, equipment maintenance and purchase, the Integrated Plant Protection Center, collections policy, and computer organization in the College of Agricultural Sciences.
The publications in series XI consist primarily of department and Entomology Club newsletters, but also include informational brochures about the department, Extension Entomology circulars, and published matter about the history of Entomology in the Pacific Northwest. The Specimen Collection and Tracking Records in series XII document the lending, purchase, and acquisition on loan of entomological specimens by the department from museums, other universities, or individuals. Organized by name of institution or individual with whom specimens were lent or acquired, this series is primarily made up of correspondence and invoice statements.
Historical Note
Entomology has been taught at Oregon State since 1873. A Department of Zoology and Entomology was established in 1889, with F. L. Washburn as the chair. In 1914, Entomology was made a separate department and an undergraduate major was created. An M.S. in Entomology was begun in 1911, and in 1938 a Ph.D. program began. Since 1923, the department has been a part of both the Colleges of Science and Agricultural Sciences.
Originally housed in Benton Hall, the department moved to Education Hall in 1902, then moved again in 1910 to Strand Hall, and finally relocated to Cordley Hall in 1957. Arthur Burton Cordley served as a professor of Zoology and Entomology and Experiment Station Entomologist.
In 2003, due to budget reductions, the Entomology Department was eliminated as a separate organizational unit and the core instructional, scientific, and service functions were transferred to other OSU departments.
Department Chairs:
- Frederick L. Washburn (1889-1912)
- H.F. Wilson (1912-1915)
- A.L. Lovett (1916-1924)
- Don C. Mote (1924-1952)
- Paul O. Richter (1952-1971)
- Knud G. Swenson (1971-1973)
- Paul M. Oman, Sr. (Acting, 1973-1974)
- Carlton Koehler (1975-1976)
- John D. Lattin (Acting, 1976-1978)
- Bruce Eldridge (1978-1986)
- Ralph E. Berry (1986-1991)
- Gerald W. Krantz (1991-1994)
- Paul C. Jepson (1995-2002)
- Timothy Schowalter (2002-2003)
Related Materials
In addition to institutional records, the Archives also has a photographic collection (P 55) of images from the Entomology Department, which include images transferred from the record group. Other photographs related to Entomology can be found in Harriet's Collection (#948) and the Herman A. Scullen Photograph Collection (P 141). The publication, OSU Monographs Studies in Entomology (PUB 5-43e), can also be found in the holdings.
There is also documentation of entomological activity in the records of other departments and colleges at OSU. The Extension Service Records (RG 111) include extension specialists reports as well as records of entomology extension activities. The Agricultural Experiment Station Records (RG 25) include entomology course outlines and records of numerous entomological research projects. The College of Agricultural Science Records (RG 158) and College of Science Records (RG 24) also include materials pertaining to the Entomology Department.
Papers generated and collected by Entomology Department faculty can also be found in the Archives. These manuscript collections include the papers of: Ralph Berry, Willard Joseph Chamberlin, Louis G. Gentner, John D. Lattin, Charles H. Martin, James McIver, Hugh E. Morrison, Paul W. Oman, Paul Ritcher, and Robert G. Rosenstiel, Herman A. Scullen.
Container Note
These records are housed in 17 cubic foot boxes, 1 document box, 1 oversize map drawer, and four microfilm reels.
Inventory
