Our collections exist to be used. When students work directly with primary source materials, historic photographs, and documents that are old or unique, they discover an excitement and passion not generated by textbooks.
Primary source documents can inspire, but they also teach about learning to verify sources, tracking down connections, finding evidence from content and from physical clues.
Special Collections and University Archives collects in the topical area The Conservative and Libertarian Movement with a focus is on the last half of the twentieth century and the twenty-first century; also includes writers and groups who oppose right-wing movements.
A cumulative name index to correspondents in the Conservative and Libertarian manuscript collections is available in Scholars' Bank, here:
https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/handle/1794/22012
Adamson, Lee J., 1906-
Papers, 1954-1969.
43 boxes, 1 pkg., 2 vol; 24 lin. ft.
Adamson was a Washington certified accountant, conservative activist, speaker, and writer. He received a BA in education from the University of Washington in 1929, with a concentration in economics. From 1933 to 1937 he served in the Civilian Conservation Corps. In 1946 he opened an office as a public accountant in Bellingham, WA, and sold his practice in 1966. Adamson was active in a number of professional and civic organizations, including the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Americans for Constitutional Action. He was also an organizer and secretary for the Citizens Defense Fund, and was a member of the John Birch Society. His writings include a periodic commentary about national and international affairs titled "Liberty Line," which was published in Rank and File (Portland, OR); editorials for newspapers and journals; and the handbook Accountants' Data Processing Services (Ronald Press Company, 1964).
The papers include chronologically arranged correspondence, mainly concerning the national and international issues of the 1960s such as Vietnam, civil rights, and Soviet-American relations. Much of the correspondence is also about conservative and anti-Communist individuals and activities. Some of the persons and organizations represented are Phyllis Schlafly, Robert Welch, the John Birch Society, and Mothers' Crusade for Victory Over Communism. The papers also contain about 1,000 articles and essays by Adamson, including the "Liberty Line" commentaries, and numerous writings by others.
Coll. 086, PH 066
Amoss, Ulius L., 1895-1961.
Papers, 1941-1964.
10 boxes; 5 lin. Ft.
Amoss was dedicated to a career in espionage. He started with the war work of the International Committee of the YMCA in Greece, then set up an export business, Gramtrade International Corporation, of which he was president from 1936 to 1942. In 1942, the government took over the business when Amoss was ordered to report to the army. While in the Armed Forces, Amoss served as Director of the Balkan Desk for Information, and Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. Ninth Air Force, among other positions. After his discharge in 1946, he formed the International Services of Information Foundation, Incorporated (ISI), a non-profit, privately owned and operated intelligence service whose purpose was to collect and disseminate information from overseas countries. He also formed the U.L. Amoss Syndicate in 1948, which in turn invested in other corporations. In 1954, Amoss discovered the hair restoring product Grecian Formula 16; Amoss sold his stock in the formula in 1957 after discovering it had undesirable side effects. Amoss also wrote articles for magazines and gave numerous speeches promoting ISI.
The papers include correspondence, manuscripts, speeches, espionage material, military material, and some printed matter. The manuscripts include material for an unwritten autobiography of Amoss, with the proposed title "Easier Said Than Done."
Coll. 005, PH 126
Anderson, Tom, 1910-
Papers, 1943-1986.
171 boxes; 93 lin. Ft.
Anderson is a noted conservative farm magazine publisher, editorialist, public speaker, and political activist. He graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1934 with a BA in English and economics. He served in World War II, and after the war he purchased The Arkansas Farmer. He eventually owned fourteen magazines throughout the South, making Anderson the largest farm publisher in the United States. Most noted for his "Straight Talk" editorials, Anderson became one of the country's foremost advocates of right wing conservatism. He is a member of the John Birch Society, the Rural Relations Service Committee of the Boy Scouts of America, and the American Party, an independent political party; Anderson was their Vice Presidential candidate in 1972.
The papers contain biographical materials; correspondence with such individuals as Ezra Taft Benson, Robert Welch, William F. Buckley, Barry Goldwater, and George Wallace; writings and speeches by Anderson, mainly "Straight Talk"; writings and speeches by others; and subject files.
Coll. 157, PH 201
Andrews, Thomas Coleman, 1899-
Papers, 1931-1965.
20 boxes; 30 lin. Ft.
Andrews is probably best known as the independent candidate for president in 1956. From 1931 to 1933 he was Auditor of Public Accounts, Commonwealth of Virginia; chairman of the accounting and auditing group of the first Hoover Commission in 1948; and Commissioner of Internal Revenue of the United States from 1953 to 1955. He was one of the founders of the John Birch Society.
The papers consist of correspondence, material on the American Institute of Accountants and tax reform, a campaign file, and personal material. Major correspondents include Spruille Braden, William F. Buckley, Jr., Barry Goldwater, Herbert Hoover, and Robert Welch.
Coll. 119
Beaty, John Owen, 1890-1961.
Papers, 1949-1961.
1 box; 1.5 lin. Ft.
Beaty was an educator and writer. He joined the English faculty of Southern Methodist University in 1919, became a full professor in 1922, and retired in 1957. In 1926-1927 Beaty traveled around the world on a fellowship, reporting on world affairs. His experiences were published in a report titled "Race and Population, Their Relation to World Peace." He also authored several books.
The papers include correspondence with several prominent conservatives such as William F. Buckley, Pedro A. Del Valle, Merwin K. Hart, and George W. Robnett; articles and pamphlets written by Beaty; and correspondence of his wife, Josephine Powell Beaty, who was also active in conservative circles.
Coll. 135
Butterworth, Wally, 1901-1974.
Papers, 1930-1973.
3 boxes; 3.5 lin. Ft.
Butterworth was a singer and announcer for NBC radio and the Chicago Civic Opera. He also worked as an anchorman for the Democratic and Republican conventions on ABC and NBC radio in 1932. He later hosted numerous variety and quiz shows. He became politically active in the early 1960s, and privately produced records on political subjects. He organized the Defensive Legion of Registered Americans in 1962; one of its subgroups was the Christian Voters and Buyers League, which advocated the boycott of all kosher food manufacturers and Jewish owned businesses. Butterworth also opposed gun control, sex education, parades, and the city of New York.
The papers include correspondence, scripts for radio programs, writings by Butterworth, phonograph records, and tape recordings. The early correspondence pertains to radio programs; the later correspondence reflects Butterworth's interest in the conservative movement.
Coll. 129, PH 144
Chublarian, Rouben, d. 1975.
Papers, 1949-1974.
2 boxes; 2 lin. Ft.
Chublarian, an Armenian writer, fled from Russia to Germany during World War II, preferring Nazi mistreatment to the policies of Stalin. He entered the United States in 1950 and settled in Philadelphia. He was a regular contributor to The Hairenik Weekly, a Boston newspaper printed in English for Armenian and Russian ethnic groups. His novels, short stories, and essays have the dominant theme of the struggle against totalitarian structures.
This collection is comprised of the remainder of Chublarian's papers which survived water damage to the family apartment. The papers contain correspondence; manuscripts of five books and some manuscript fragments; short stories, essays, and speeches in English, German, Russian, and Armenian; and newspaper clippings. His writings focus on the war against communism, the plight of displaced persons, and what he perceived to be the weakness in American policies toward communism.
Coll. 130
Circuit Riders, Inc.
Papers, 1949-1970.
9 boxes; 12 lin. Ft.
The Circuit Riders, Inc., was a group formed around a movement within the Methodist Church in the 1950s in opposition to the Methodist Federation for Social Action. During the late 1950s and 1960s, the focus of the organization expanded to include the investigation of socialist-communist infiltration into all churches, government, education, and the civil rights movement.
This collection consists of material compiled by Myers G. Lowman, executive secretary of Circuit Riders, Inc. It includes correspondence, research files on conservative and radical persons and organizations in the United States, pamphlets, and tape recordings.
Bx 167, PH 044
Clise, James, 1900-1961.
Papers, 1932-1961.
10 boxes; 15 lin. Ft.
Clise graduated from Yale in 1922 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He settled in Seattle, where he held executive positions in Asbestos Supply Companies, 1923-1951, and several vermiculite companies. He maintained several mailing lists, and acted as an unofficial hub of conservative and libertarian political interchange. He worked in numerous organizations, including For America, the Church League of America, Foundation for Economic Education, and Youth for Goldwater. Clise also conducted public opinion polls in order to locate some of the causes of friction between economic groups and to facilitate better understanding.
The papers contain correspondence with numerous conservative and libertarian individuals, including
T. Coleman Andrews, James C. Ingebretsen, Lawrence Timbers, and William C. Mullendore. Also included are subject files on individuals and organizations, and business files relating to Clise's business endeavors.
Coll. 114
Crain, Lucile Cardin, 1901-1983.
Papers, 1920-1978.
96 boxes; 48 lin. Ft.
Crain was born in Canada. She attended school in Minnesota, and was employed by the American Library Association in Chicago beginning in 1922. In 1929 she moved to New York. From 1949 to 1953 she edited The Educational Reviewer, a quarterly publication which reviewed high school and college textbooks, analyzing their contents for a "leftist\" or "collectivist\" bias. After this stopped publication in 1953, Crain remained active in political and civic organizations such as the American Progress Foundation and Operation Textbook.
The papers include correspondence, materials on The Educational Reviewer, writings, and subject files. Most of the material spans the late 1940s through the early 1960s, and chiefly relates to the 20th century conservative movement in the United States.
Coll. 095, PH 107
Del Valle, Pedro Augusto, 1893-1978.
Papers, 1949-1978.
6 boxes; 9 lin. Ft.
Del Valle was born in Puerto Rico, educated in Baltimore, and graduated from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1915. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and commanded the 1st Marine Division in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He retired from the Marine Corps in 1948 and became vice-president of International Telephone and Telegraph, retiring in 1952 to devote his time to his beliefs in American ideals. He helped found the Defenders of the American Constitution (DAC), an non-profit educational organization dedicated to defending the ideals of patriotism, constitutionalism, and Christian society. Del Valle also supported conservative organizations such as the National Economic Council, Christian Crusade, and the Committee to Restore the Constitution.
The papers consist mainly of correspondence, most of it relating to the DAC. Also included are a few speeches and publications, and a copy of Del Valle's autobiography, Semper Fidelis.
Coll. 126, PH 076
Disque, Brice Pursell, 1879-1960.
Papers, 1899-1957.
11 boxes; 15.5 lin. Ft.
Disque was an Army officer, best remembered as the officer in charge of the Spruce Production Division of the Bureau of Aircraft Production, and as President of the United States Spruce Production Corporation, 1917-1919. He served as president of other corporations such as the Anthracite Equipment Corporation and the Sulphide Ore Process Company, and corresponded with other conservatives.
The papers include correspondence, business records, speeches, and personal material. Correspondents include Herbert Hoover, American Crusaders, American Economic Foundation, and Edward A. Rumely.
Coll. 115, PH 159
Flynn, John Thomas, 1882-1964.
Papers, 1928-1961.
32 boxes; 48 lin. Ft.
Flynn was a newspaperman, essayist, radio commentator, biographer, and author of books on current affairs. He was editor of the New Republic from 1931-1940, and commentator on the Mutual Broadcasting System from 1954-1963. His articles were published in magazines such as Harpers, National Review, and Reader's Digest.
The papers include manuscripts for books and articles written by Flynn; correspondence; and research files on education, government, social security, and other subjects.
Coll. 116
Folts, Merton B., 1902-1967.
Papers, 1942-1961.
2 boxes; 1.5 lin. Ft.
Folts graduated from the University of Oregon in 1922, and made his living managing commercial property in Eugene, OR. He was an ardent member of the John Birch Society and several other right-wing organizations such as the Conservative Education Center and the Eugene Freedom Club. Folts was also interested in the outdoors, and was a member of the Izaak Walton League and the Outdoor Legion.
The papers consist of correspondence, writings by Folts, newspaper clippings, and miscellaneous documents. Most of the material concerns the Izaak Walton League.
Coll. 060, PH 060
Groseclose, Elgin E., 1899-1983.
Papers, 1912-1983.
30 boxes; 15 lin. Ft.
Groseclose graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1920, and spent time in Persia, Armenia, and the Soviet Union. While in the Soviet Union, he was arrested and imprisoned by the Soviet secret police; he was eventually exiled and returned to Washington, D.C. He became an authority on the fields of economics, finance, and monetary policy. From 1923 to 1930 he was an economist in various Federal organizations, and was financial editor of Fortune from 1930 to 1932. He later founded his own firm of economic advisors and financial analysts. Groseclose also wrote several novels; one, Ararat, was based on his experiences in the Soviet Union. Other groups that Groseclose founded and/or supported, such as the Welfare of the Blind, Inc. and the Washington City Bible Society, appealed to his deeply religious beliefs.
The papers consist of correspondence; diaries; material on economic, monetary, and foreign aid policies; manuscripts; and materials on the organizations in which Groseclose actively participated.
Coll. 102, PH 069
Hart, Merwin K., 1881-1962.
Papers, 1929-1962.
8 boxes; 12 lin. Ft.
Hart graduated from Harvard in 1904, and was admitted to the New York bar in 1911. After serving in World War I, Hart became increasingly concerned about the problems of government and taxation. He planned and held the New York Statewide Economic Congress in April 1929; out of this came what would later be the National Economic Council, which actively promoted conservatism in politics and economics. Hart was also a member of the John Birch Society and served as the head of the New York City branch.
The papers consist almost entirely of records of the National Economic Council and its related organizations. Major correspondents include William F. Buckley, Robert LeFevre, Robert A. Taft, and George W. Robnett.
Coll. 121
Holden, Ashley E., 1894-
Papers, 1910-1976.
21 boxes; 10.5 lin. Ft.
Holden was a Washington State journalist active in conservative political causes, particularly the right to work issue. He served as executive secretary for the Japan Society of Seattle from 1922 to 1932, and as publisher of the Tonasket (WA) Tribune from 1959 to 1973. He authored two books and numerous editorials and columns.
The papers include some personal material, mainly correspondence, and materials on Pacific relations, Holden's political activities, and his newspaper editorship.
Coll. 138, PH 078
Holdridge, Herbert Charles, 1892-1974.
Papers, 1953-1970.
6 boxes; 9 lin. Ft.
Holdridge was educated at the United States Military Academy, West Point, and Columbia University. He became an Assistant Professor of History and Social Sciences at West Point, and served as commandant of the Adjutant General's School, Ft. Washington, MD, retiring with the rank of brigadier general in 1944. After his retirement, Holdridge became interested in fringe causes, conservative politics, the plight of the American Indian, and the influence of the Roman Catholic Church. He founded the Minute Men for the Constitution organization in 1957, and in 1960 he established the Constitutional Provisional Government of the United States, claiming that the Hopi Indians had never signed a peace treaty with the United States and therefore the Hopi constituted a sovereign nation.
The papers consist of correspondence, manuscripts, background material for speeches, and material on the organizations founded by Holdridge.
Coll. 124, PH 075
Ingebretsen, James C., 1906-
Papers, 1941-1977.
131 boxes; 70.5 lin. Ft.
Ingebretsen received his A.B. and J.D. degrees from Stanford University. He practiced law in Los Angeles until 1939, when he went to Washington, D.C. to serve as counsel for the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. In 1945, he returned to Los Angeles. In 1950, he retired in order to devote his time to organizations promoting libertarian and conservative ideas from spiritual and ethical perspectives. He has served as president of Spiritual Mobilization and the Foundation for Social Research.
The papers include material on the organizations Ingebretsen has been involved with, including the Council for Social Action, Foundation for Social Research, and the League to Uphold Congregational Principles; correspondence; speeches; and subject files.
Coll. 147, PH 079
Kershner, Howard Eldred, b. 1891.
Papers, 1939-1970.
44 boxes, 3 pkg.; 66 lin. Ft.
Kershner received a BA degree from Friends University in Wichita, KS, in 1914. From 1916 to 1918 he was editor and publisher of the Dodge City Daily Journal, and later worked for the War Industries Board. In 1939, he retired and became involved with the welfare of children war victims in Europe. He helped found the Christian Freedom Foundation in 1950, and served as its president until 1970.
The papers consist of materials on the Christian Freedom Foundation, American Friends Society, and International Children's Relief agencies, including correspondence and publications. Also included are personal papers and copies of several books written by Kershner.
Coll. 128, PH 161
King, Willford Isbell, 1880-1962.
Papers, 1912-1962.
89 boxes; 46.5 lin. Ft.
King was educated at the University of Nebraska and earned a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin in 1913. In 1917, he became a statistician with the United States Public Health Service, and later became the economist for the National Bureau of Economic Research in Washington, D.C. He later taught economics at New York University. King opposed the New Deal, and advocated a sliding scale of wages based on production, no government intervention in business, currency expansion, the reduction of taxes in upper brackets, and the abolition of all levies on incomes of corporations and from invested capitol. He founded the Committee on Economic Accord in 1933, and served as chairman of the Committee for Constitutional Government, Inc.
The papers consist of correspondence, printed material written by King and others, and organizational records for the Committee for Constitutional Government. Correspondents include Harry F. Byrd, Frank E. Gannett, Sumner Girard, Norman Lombard, and Samuel Pettengill.
Coll. 089, PH 067
Knight, Granville F., 1904-1982.
Papers, 1920-1981.
10 boxes, 5 vol.; 6 lin. Ft,
Knight was a physician. After his internship, he practiced medicine in White Plains, NY, specializing in allergies and ear, nose, and throat disorders. In 1948, Knight moved to Santa Barbara, CA and set up a practice specializing in nutrition and allergies. Form 1963 to 1979, he practiced in Santa Monica. He was a member of the Los Angeles County Medical Commission, 19689-1979, and was a founding member of the California branch of the John Birch Society. He resigned from the Council of the John Birch Society in 1961 but remained actively concerned about communist influences in America.
The papers include correspondence, and speeches and writings by Knight and others. Most of the material concerns fluoridation of public water, mental health, the John Birch Society, anti-communism, and Knight's theories about nutrition and allergies.
Coll. 082, PH 064
LeFevre, Robert, 1911-1988.
Papers, 1946-1981.
68 boxes, 4 vol.; 36 lin. Ft.
LeFevre served in World War I, and after the war he worked in real estate in San Francisco. He became involved with the San Francisco Group, an organization formed to impart the religious and educational views of its members to the general public. During the late 1940s and early 1950s he became more involved in right-wing anti-union and anti-communist political organizations, such as the Wage Earners Committee, and he served as Executive Director of the Congress of Freedom. In 1954 he charged that the Girl Scout Handbook contained "socialist" and "one world government" propaganda; due to the national attention generated by this, changes were made to the Handbook. Also in 1954, LeFevre started the Freedom School, a small private school dedicated to teaching free market and anti-government principles. After leaving the school in 1973, he continued to lecture, write, and publish material on libertarian subjects.
The papers consist of correspondence; materials on the organizations LeFevre was associated with, including the San Francisco Group and the Freedom School; manuscripts; speeches; and some personal material.
Coll. 202, PH 179
Lyons, Eugene, 1898-
Papers, 1929-1964.
2 boxes; 3 lin. Ft.
Lyons was born in Russia as Morris Gebelow, and came to the United States in 1907. He began a career in journalism in 1919 as a reporter and editor for several eastern newspapers. In 1928, he was hired as a foreign correspondent for United Press and was stationed in Moscow. During this assignment, he became the first foreign reporter granted an interview with Joseph Stalin. From 1939 to 1944 he served as editor for The American Mercury, and from 1946 until his retirement in 1968 he was on the editorial staff of Reader's Digest. Lyons helped found and served as the first president of the American Committee for the Liberation of Peoples of Russia (later the Radio Liberty Committee), and was a founding member of the Overseas Press Club.
The papers consist mainly of manuscripts, some correspondence, and a typed copy of the Lyons/Stalin interview.
Coll. 117
McMillen, Wheeler, 1893-1993.
Papers, 1923-1978
15 boxes; 22.5 lin. Ft.
McMillen began his newspaper career in 1911 as a reporter and editor for several Midwestern newspapers. In 1914 he bought the Covington, IN Republican and became the youngest publisher in the state. He sold the paper in 1918 and worked on his farm in Hardin County, where he began writing articles about agriculture. In 1939, he became editor-in-chief of Farm Journal; under his editorship, Farm Journal became the nation's top agricultural magazine. McMillen had thirteen books published between 1924 and 1969, mainly on agricultural issues. He was one of the founders of the chemurgy (the industrial uses of farm products through applied chemistry) movement in the U.S.
The papers include correspondence, which reflects McMillen's activities in Republican politics; manuscripts for articles and books; speeches; and published books.
Coll. 120, PH 074
Miles, Stephen B., 1916-
Papers, 1938-1974
1 box; .5 lin. Ft.
Miles, an author, secondary education teacher, newspaper man, and public relations director, has been primarily concerned with developing a philosophy which would lead to a revival of political conservatism. He is the co-author (with Paul Sexson) of the book Challenge of Conservatism.
The papers consist of correspondence and writings by Miles.
Coll. 034
Mullendore, William C., b. 1892.
Papers, 1930-1968.
5 boxes; 7.5 lin. Ft.
Mullendore received a Doctor of Law degree from the University of Michigan in 1914, and began his law practice in Winfield, KS. After serving in World War I, he became a principal member of the U.S. Food Administration. He established a law practice in Los Angeles in 1923, and became special counsel to Southern California Edison Company in 1925, where he later served as chairman of the board, 1954-1959. He helped form the Foundation for Economic Education in 1946, and was a frequent speaker and writer in the field of government and economics.
The papers consist mainly of correspondence with conservative thinkers and organizations. Also included are speeches and material on Southern California Edison.
Coll. 125
Opitz, Edmund A., 1914-
Selected papers, 1946-1974.
9 boxes; 4.5 lin. Ft.
Reverend Opitz is the founder (1957) of the Remnant, a national fellowship of ministers predominantly conservative in their political and economic outlook. He is also a founder (1963) of the Nockian Society, an organization of admirers of Albert Jay Nock, an influential individualist of the first half of the 20th century. He has served as editor for Faith and Freedom, the magazine of Spiritual Mobilization, and has written several books and articles.
The papers consist mainly of correspondence pertaining to Spiritual Mobilization, the Remnant, and the Nockian Society. Also included are speeches and printed materials.
Coll. 009
Pettengill, Samuel Barrett, 1886-1974.
Papers, 1849-1975.
35 boxes; 18 lin. Ft.
Pettengill was a graduate of Yale Law School. He practiced law in Indiana and represented the third Indiana District in Congress from 1931 to 1939. He was a member of the House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce and its Subcommittee on Petroleum for six years. He helped formulate the Securities Act, the Stock Exchange Act, and other legislation dealing with railroads, public utilities, and the Panama Canal. In 1939 he returned to the practice of law and wrote articles and books, including Jefferson, the Forgotten Man and Smoke Screen. In 1956, he retired to Vermont, where he engaged in writing and speaking in defense of Constitutional Government and the competitive free enterprise system.
The papers consist of correspondence, manuscripts, speeches, subject files, and articles. Most of the later letters concern his dealings with various conservative political organizations.
Coll. 015, PH 134
Purinton, Frank R., 1895-
Papers, 1970-1980.
3 boxes; 1.5 lin. Ft.
Purinton was born in Iowa and served in World War I. He became a retail shop owner in Iowa, and in 1929 opened the largest independently owned Ben Franklin store in the state. He was involved in the American Legion and was avidly against communism. He subscribed to numerous "patriotic Christian letter services," and later started one of his own. Purinton was actively involved in forming theories regarding the "Communist-Zionist-Satanist" plot to take over the world.
The papers consist of correspondence and manuscripts by Purinton. Also included is printed material collected by Purinton, such as newsletters, pamphlets, and fliers on Anti-Communism, Christianity, Communist-Zionist-Satanist plot, and politics/government.
Coll. 210
Robnett, George W., 1890-1970.
Papers, 1937-1975
5 boxes; 3 lin. Ft.
Robnett, author and advertising executive, co-founded in 1937 the National Layman's Council, Church League of America, in Chicago. He served as executive secretary of the League and editor of its publication, News and Views, until his retirement in 1957. After retiring, Robnett concentrated his efforts on the Middle East conflict and made three trips to the area. His book, Conquest Through Immigration, was published in 1968.
The papers consist of correspondence, reports and booklets, speeches, and copies of News and Views. The correspondence concerns the Church League of America and Robnett's book.
Coll. 077
Root, E. Merrill, 1895-1973.
Papers, 1917-1967.
4 boxes, 1 pkg., 11 vol.; 4 lin. Ft.
Root dedicated his life to crafting poetry, teaching college English, and rooting out communist and Marxist propaganda from the American educational system. He studied under Robert Frost at Amherst College. During World War I he was a conscientious objector, and went to France under the auspices of the American Friends Service Committee. In 1920 he joined the faculty of Earlham college, a small Quaker institution in Richmond, IN, where he taught until his retirement in 1960. In the late 1930s, Root became an active rightist. Most of his writings were on subversion in education, but he also published several books of poetry.
The papers include correspondence, manuscripts, published poetry and articles, lectures, and collected conservative materials. (NOTE: Amherst College also has a collection of E. Merrill Root papers.)
Coll. 051, PH 057
Ruhtenberg, Polly King, 1907-1983.
Papers, 1946-1983.
13 boxes, 1 pkg.; 7.5 lin. ft.
Ruhtenberg, a libertarian and children's author, was active in social and civic organizations. She helped organize the New York City Maternal Health Centres, was the Committeewoman of the Republican Party of El Paso County, CO, from 1952 to 1962, and served as the Colorado Coordinator for the Vigilante Women for the Bricker Amendment, 1954-1957.
The papers include correspondence, manuscripts, speeches, research materials, and tape recordings of speeches.
Coll. 081, PH 143
Rumely, Edward Aloysius, 1882-1964.
Papers, 1904-1959.
3 boxes; 3.5 lin. Ft.
Rumely received an M.D. degree from Freiburg University in 1906. In 1907, he founded the Interlaken School in Rolling Prairie, IN; this was based on the school systems in Europe, emphasizing individual initiative and responsibility. In 1915, he purchased the New York Evening Mail with the goal of presenting, without bias, the news and views of the Central Powers as well as the Allies, advocating social and industrial reorganization, and protesting the British blockade. In 1918, Rumely was charged with failure to report that the majority of the stock in the Mail was owned by Germany; he was pardoned in 1924. During the Depression, Rumely began trying to educate the public on monetary reforms, farm credits in agriculture, and the value of the Constitution.
The majority of the papers pertain to the case U.S. vs. Rumely (1918-1924). Other materials include an unpublished autobiography as dictated to his daughter, Dr. Niles Newton; a biography by his wife, Fanny Scott Rumely; and material relating to the Buchanan Committee, Interlaken School, and the Committee for Constitutional Government.
Coll. 122, PH 088
Schaper, Edward A., 1885-1964.
Papers, 1900-1964.
49 boxes; 52.5 lin. Ft.
Schaper entered medical school at Stanford University in 1917, and received his M.D. in 1922. Also in 1922, he became director of Stony Brook Retreat, a tuberculosis sanitarium in California. After resigning in 1937, Schaper worked at various hospitals and tuberculosis sanitaria in England and California. He was avidly interested in tape recording, taping several radio programs each day, such as programs by Paul Harvey, Edward R. Murrow, and Dan Smoot. During the 1950s Schaper started the Maximum Life Club, in which he corresponded weekly with several young girls, sharing with them his strategy for living an orderly, productive life. Although Schaper never formally belonged to any political organizations, his guiding philosophies were essentially conservative.
The papers consist of Schaper's autobiographical writings, correspondence, writings by Schaper, newspaper clippings, and numerous tape recordings.
Coll. 218
Shearon, Marjorie O'Connell, 1890-1974.
Papers, 1938-1973.
5 boxes; 6.5 lin. Ft.
Shearon was a public health expert and opponent of nationalized medicine. After receiving a doctoral degree in paleontology from Columbia in 1916, she was affiliated with the American Museum of Natural History until 1922. In 1946, she accepted a post in the Bureau of Research and Statistics of the Social Security Board. She traveled extensively in the United States, Canada, and Europe as a lecturer and observer of national health systems, and was influential in the passage of the Alaska Mental Health Bill of 1956.
The collection contains only the papers which were saved from a flood at the Shearon home. This includes correspondence, manuscripts, subject files, publications by Shearon, and some financial records.
Coll. 131
Stimely, Keith, 1957-1992.
Papers, 1957-1986.
55 boxes; 27.5 lin. Ft.
Stimely received a B.S. degree in History from the University of Oregon in 1980. He conducted his own researches into modern American and European political and intellectual movements since 1974, and from 1981-1984 worked professionally as an editor and writer, specializing in problems of revisionist historiography relating to the two world wars.
The papers consist of material on "Revisionism" relating to the two world wars, 1970s-1980s American and European political movements of a Neo-Fascist/Neo-Nazi/Racialist/Anti-Zionist character, mainstream conservatism, libertarianism, and opponents of "the Right."
Coll. 183
Stone, Willis Emerson, 1899-1989.
Papers, 1955-1982.
40 boxes; 60 lin. Ft.
Stone was a newspaper reporter, advertising executive, and a realtor. From 1930 to his retirement in 1958 he was an industrial engineer. After retirement, he devoted his time to the ratification of the 23rd Amendment, which called for the elimination of the federal income tax. Stone founded the National Committee for Economic Freedom in 1959 to assist states groups supporting the Liberty Amendment. He was also active in the American Progress Foundation and the Organization to Repeal Federal Income Taxes, Inc. He wrote a syndicated newspaper column, "American Way," which was featured in about 3000 newspapers. He also served as publisher of American Progress magazine and Fact Sheet.
Most of the papers center around the issue of tax reform, and include correspondence, publications, and administrative materials from the organizations mentioned above. Also included are research materials for Stone's books, articles, and radio broadcasts; copies of the articles; newspaper clippings; and scrapbooks.
Coll. 118
Timbers, Lawrence, 1897-
Papers, 1949-1978.
5 boxes; 6 lin. Ft.
Timbers was a job printer engaged in conservative political activities. Between 1955 and 1958 he served as chairman of the Un-American Activities Committee of the Washington State American Legion. He was active in other organizations such as Americans for America (which he founded in 1956) and For America. In 1958 he launched a nationwide campaign to expose UNICEF for using their funds to bolster the economies of communist governments. Timbers also published and edited "Washington Summary" and "Timber."
The papers consist primarily of correspondence, with some drafts of articles and speeches, and collected conservative pamphlets.
Coll. 123
Williams, Chester S., 1907-
Papers, 1926-1976.
14 boxes, 1 pkg., 5 vol.; 9 lin ft.
Williams was an educator, lecturer, author, and politician. He worked in fourteen countries between 1928 and 1929 as representative of the Confederation des Etudients. During the 1930s and 1940s he held several positions in the Educational Branch of Government. From 1952-1963 he operated a private business and did public relations work for agencies such as the American Cancer Society and the Hudson Institute. After his retirement to Florida in 1968, he conducted a weekly radio hour and a television talk show, and was active in community affairs. He wrote extensively on education, was active in the push towards global awareness, and advocated an educational focus emphasizing internationalism and pacifism.
The papers are arranged in chronological order, and include information on education, international awareness, and other issues that concerned Williams.
Coll. 018, PH 135
[Identification of item], Date (if known), Collection Title, Collection Number, Box and Folder number [or photo ID number], Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries, Eugene, Oregon.
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