Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140

RS 11/6/13
Mervin S. Coover
Papers, 1924-1976, undated


Descriptive summary

creator:

Coover, Mervin S. (1890-1976)
title:

Papers
dates:

1924-1976, undated
extent:

1.26 linear feet (3 document boxes)
collection number:

RS 11/6/13
repository:

University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

 

Administrative information

access:

Open for research
publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections Department
preferred citation:

Mervin S. Coover Papers, RS 11/6/13, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

 

Biographical note

Mervin S. Coover was born December 9, 1890 in Shippenburg, Pennsylvania. He received an electrical engineering degree (1914) from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Coover worked as a Student Engineer (1914-1915) for the New York Central Rail Road, an Assistant (1915-1917) for the Montana Power Company, an Electrician (1917) for the Hutchinson Power and Light Company, and a Design Engineer (1917) for the Wilson Grinding Machine Company. He served with the 37th Engineers (1917-1919) of the United States Army during World War I.

Prior to coming to Iowa State, Coover was on the faculty (1919-1935) at the University of Colorado. He joined the faculty at Iowa State College (University) as Professor and Head (1935-1954) of the Electrical Engineering Department. During World War II, Coover served as the Director (1942-1945) of the Naval Training School - Electrical at Iowa State. He also held several other positions at Iowa State including Associate Dean (1954-1956) of the College of Engineering, Acting Head (1955-1956) of the Department of Industrial Engineering, Administrative Assistant (1956-1958) for the College of Engineering, Acting Head (1957-1959) of the Department of Civil Engineering, and Acting Dean (1958-1959) of the College of Engineering. After his retirement in 1959, Coover was named Dean Emeritus.

Coover was active in several scientific and professional associations including the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (President, 1956-1957), Iowa Engineering Society (President, 1944), Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, and American Society for Engineering Education. Coover was a supporter of unifying engineering associations. He was instrumental in the merger of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) and the Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE), which resulted in formation of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers in 1963. He helped establish a joint student branch of IRE and AIEE at Iowa State in 1948.

Coover received various awards and honors during his career such as the John Dunlap Memorial Award (1937) from the Iowa Engineering Society, AIEE Fellow (1942), Calling of an Engineer (1947) from the Engineering Institute of Canada, Faculty Citation (1957) from Iowa State, and Distinguished Service to the Engineering Profession Award (1958) from the Iowa Engineering Society. The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute conferred Coover with the honorary degree of Doctor of Engineering (1957). Iowa State University renamed the Electrical Engineering Building as Coover Hall (1969) in his honor.

Coover married Frances A. Potter in 1917 and they had 3 children: Mervin P., George B., and Martha C. Anderson. All three children graduated from Iowa State. Coover passed away November 24, 1976.

 

Collection description

The collection (1924-1976, undated) contains biographical information, correspondence, reports, photographs, news clippings, scripts, speeches and writings. In addition to memorials and biographies, the biographical information includes documents relating to his awards, promotions, and his wife Frances Coover. The papers contain materials relating to Coover's work with the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, particularly covering the years of Coover's presidency (1956-1957). In addition, the collection contains information of Coover's involvement in various activities at Iowa State University, such as his assistance in the campaign to raise funds for the Iowa State Center, his work in the World War II Naval training courses, and WOI. The documents also include Coover's writings, speeches, and scripts regarding electrical engineering and the engineering profession.

 

Organization

The collection is arranged in alphabetical order.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

1

Biographical information: biographies, newsclippings, personnel information sheets, memorials

1940-1976

1

2

Biographical information: certificates

1924-1960

1

3

Biographical information: Facutly Citation - congratulations

1957

1

4

Biographical information: Frances Coover - news clippings

1947-1980

1

5

Biographical information: honorary degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - news clippings, correspondence, and commencement program (2 b/w photographs)

1957

1

6

Biographical information: photographs (8 b/w and 1 color)

1950 circa-1957, undated

1

7

Biographical information: position announcement for Associate Dean of Engineering - announcements and congratulations

1954-1955

1

8

Biographical information: position announcement for Dean Emeritus - announcement and congratulations

1958-1959

1

9

Biographical information: position announcement for Interim Dean - announcements and congratulations

1957-1958

1

10

Correspondence

1940-1971

3

12

Iowa State: Dedication of Coover Hall - program and photographs (7 b/w)

1970

1

11

Iowa State: Iowa State Center Campaign - correspondence and news clippings

1961-1965

1

12

Iowa State: Khrushchev visit to campus - remembrance and nametag

1959, undated

1

13

Iowa State: WOI Tax Case - correspondence, transcript of Coover's interview and statements regarding WOI, and newsclippings

1969-1971

1

14

Iowa State: World War II training courses - reports and lists

1941-1943

1

15

Iowa State: World War II training courses, MIT Electronic Teachers Conference - correspondence with the delegates sent from Iowa State

1941-1942

1

16

Iowa State: World War II training courses, Ultra-High-Frequency Techniques Course - forms, syllabus, reports, and correspondence

1941-1942

1

17

Professional associations: American Institute of Electrical Engineers - correspondence

1940-1946, undated

2

1

Professional associations: American Institute of Electrical Engineers - correspondence

1947-1955

2

2

Professional associations: American Institute of Electrical Engineers - correspondence

1956

2

3

Professional associations: American Institute of Electrical Engineers - correspondence

1957

2

4

Professional associations: American Institute of Electrical Engineers - news clippings

1956-1957

2

5

Professional associations: American Institute of Electrical Engineers - organizational manual and stationary

1956, undated

2

6

Professional associations: American Institute of Electrical Engineers - Organizing the Engineering Profession to Achieve Unity: Manual for Section Meeting Talks and Discussions

1959

2

7

Professional associations: American Institute of Electrical Engineers - Speeches

1956-1957

2

8

Professional associations: American Institute of Electrical Engineers - Summer General Meeting - program

1957

2

9

Professional associations: American Institute of Electrical Engineers - Winter General Meeting - reports, correspondence, and news clippings (2 b/w photographs)

1957

2

10

Professional associations: American Institute of Electrical Engineers - writings - "Message from the President"

1957

2

11

Professional associations: American Institute of Electrical Engineers - writings - "Planning Subcommittee Issues Progress Report on Study of Organization of Engineering Profession"

1946

3

8

Professional associations: American Institute of Electrical Engineers - presidential correspondence

1956-1957

3

9

Professional associations: American Institute of Electrical Engineers - presidential correspondence

1956-1957

3

10

Professional associations: American Institute of Electrical Engineers - meeting materials

1956-1959

3

11

Professional associations: American Institute of Electrical Engineers - correspondence of the Executive Committee

1956-1959

2

12

Professional associations: General Electric 49th Annual Faculty Conference - remembrance, correspondence, news clipping

1973-1974

2

13

Professional associations: Iowa Engineering Society - programs, proceedings, correspondence, and news clippings

1937-1958

3

1

Scripts: Mutual Broadcasting Company - draft scripts regarding radio, motors, light, and telephone

1956

3

2

Speeches

1953-1975

3

3

Speeches: World War II Naval Training School commencement address

1943

3

4

Writings: "Outlook for Young Electrical Engineers"

1957

3

13

Writings: "Principles of Electric Traction" class notes relating to electric traction in trains

1935

3

5

Writings: "Rural School House Lighting"

undated

3

6

Writings: "Safety in College Electrical Laboratories"

1955

3

7

Writings: "Unifying Engineers"

1957-1958