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

RS 13/13/51
Richard W. Beckman Family
Papers, 1870-1969


Descriptive summary

creator: Richard W. Beckman Family
title: Papers
dates: 1870-1969
extent: 8.68 linear feet (14 document boxes and 2 oversized boxes)
collection number: RS 13/13/51
repository: University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.
language: English, Chinese

 

Administrative information

access: Open for research
publication rights: Consult Head, Special Collections Department
preferred citation: Richard W. Beckman Family Papers, RS 13/13/51, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

 

Abstract

Richard W. Beckman spent several years as a newspaper reporter and magazine editor before working at Iowa State College (University) as Assistant Professor (1931-1942) of engineering journalism. During the mid-1940s, Beckman served for nearly two years in Tientsin, China, as a member of the Office of War Information staff. In 1948, he resigned from Iowa State to help his father manage the Knoxville Journal. Fred Beckman, Richard's father, served as professor and Head (1911-1927) of the Department of Technical Journalism at Iowa State. He became managing editor and editor (1927-1938) of the Farmer's Wife magazine in St. Paul, Minnesota, before returning to Iowa to manage the Knoxville Journal in 1939. Lorraine Beckman, Richard's wife taught at Iowa State as an Instructor (1929-1933) in the Department of Child Development. This collection consists of biographical information, course work, correspondence, lecture notes, and writings from all three members of the Beckman family identified above. The collection also contains a scrapbook from Richard's time in China along with travel photographs and maps of various locations around the world.

 

Biographical note

Richard W. Beckman (1903-1969) received his B.S. (1925) in civil engineering from Iowa State College (University). While attending Iowa State, Beckman served for one year as general manager of the Iowa Engineer and the Student Engineering Monthly. After graduation, he focused on a career in journalism and worked as a reporter for the Des Moines Register and Tribune. He then joined the editorial staff of Railway Age in Chicago, Illinois, for five years. In 1931, Beckman was named Assistant Professor (1931-1940) in the Department of Technical Journalism at Iowa State where he taught engineering journalism. He was promoted to Associate Professor (1940-1948) and was appointed Director of Publicity (1942-1946) for Iowa State's Information Service. He took a leave of absence (1944-1945) to join the Office of War Information, serving primarily in Tientsin, China. In 1948, he resigned from the Journalism Department at Iowa State University to help his father, Fred W. Beckman, manage the Knoxville Journal.

Fred W. Beckman graduated from Iowa State College (University) in 1897. He served as Professor (1911-1926) of Agricultural Journalism and Head (1926) of the Technical Journalism Department at Iowa State. He resigned from Iowa State and was named managing editor and editor (1927-1939) of the Farmer’s Wife magazine at St. Paul, Minnesota. In 1939 he came back to Iowa and took over active direction of the Knoxville Journal.

Lorraine Alice Sandstrom Beckman was Richard's wife. Lorraine graduated from Iowa State with a B.S. (1929) in home economics. She was affiliated with the Chi Omega National Social Sorority and Phi Upsilon Omicron, as well as the National Professional Honorary Organization. She was an instructor (1929-1933) in the Department of Child Development at Iowa State.

 

Collection description

This collection (1870-1969) contains materials of Fred W. Beckman, Richard W. Beckman, and Lorraine S. Beckman, including personal and business correspondence, photographs of the family members and their travels, newspaper clippings and articles, and information regarding the family's involvement in the two world wars.

Fred W. Beckman’s series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence, newspaper clippings and articles, class notes, journalism files, letters of appreciation and condolence, his French transportation papers, and information from the National War Work Council during World War I.

Richard W. Beckman’s collection includes biographical data, graduate work, notes, speeches, articles, materials from the U.S. Office of War Information, personal and business correspondence while in Mexico and China, Chinese newspapers, and photographs from trips to Mexico and China.

Lorraine S. Beckman’s series contains articles, notes, and lectures on child development, as well as radio talks, stories, and poetry written for children.

Materials related to the entire Beckman family include photographs of family members; photographs of their travels and group gatherings; personal correspondence and newspaper articles from Knoxville, Iowa, and Marion County; maps; a scrapbook of China; letters of congratulations; and photographic negatives depicting student activities on the Iowa State campus.

 

Organization

This collection is organized into four series:

 

Description of series

Series 1 Fred W. Beckman Papers
1870-1957
extent: 0.63 linear feet
description: Fred W. Beckman’s papers contain incoming and outgoing correspondence, newspaper clippings and articles, class notes, journalism files, letters of appreciation and condolence, his French transportation papers, and information from the National War Work Council during World War I.

 

Container list

 

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

1

Correspondence - Incoming and Outgoing

1908-1956

1

2

Newspaper Clippings and Articles

1870-1957

1

3

Interviews, Addresses, and Honors

1912-1955

1

4

National War Work Council Correspondence and French Transportation Papers (World War I)

1917-1919

1

5

Class Notes

1896-1897

1

6

Bound Letters of Appreciation from Iowa State College

1952

1

7

Letters of Condolence at Death of F.W. Beckman

1957

2

1-2

Technical Journalism Reference Files

1916-1939

2

3

General Reference File: Public Relations as a Career

1927

2

4

Letters from F.W. Beckman to son R.W. Beckman

1919-1930

 

Description of series

Series 2 Richard W. Beckman Papers
1913-1969
extent: 2.1 linear feet
description: Richard Beckman’s papers include biographical data, graduate work, notes, speeches, articles, materials from the U.S. Office of War Information, personal and business correspondence while in Mexico and China, Chinese newspapers, and photographs from trips to Mexico and China.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

2

5

Letters from Anna (Mrs. F.W.) Beckman and Betty (sister) R.W. Beckman

1928-1957

2

6

Personal Correspondence (incoming)

1925-1930

2

7-8

Biographical Data

1918-1969

2

9

Railway Age Correspondence and Articles

1913-1932

3

1

Mexico Trip: Notes and Correspondence

1931-1932

3

2-3

Mexico Trip: Pamphlets and Photographs (48 b/w)

1931-1932

3

4

Japanese Government Railways Information and Blueprints

1933

3

5-6

Graduate Work

1933-1940

3

7

Correspondence - Incoming and Outgoing

1946-1965

3

8

Knoxville Journal

1948-1960

3

9

Speeches and Radio Talks

1937-1948

4

1

Correspondence, notes, and articles for Compressed Air magazine

1947-1948

4

2

U.S. Office of War Information: Personnel

1930-1946

4

3-4

Training for Overseas Asian Service

1944-1945

4

5

U.S. Office of War Information: Organization and Psychological Warfare material

1944-1945

4

6

United States Government Publications

1943-1951

4

7

Financial Matters (China)

1944-1946

4

8-9

Personal Correspondence (incoming and outgoing) while in China

1945-1946

4

10

Radiograms and Messages

1945-1946

5

1-2

Newspaper Clippings and Articles on China

1946-1969

5

3

Newsletters of the Overseas Branchers

1948

5

4

Notes and Memorabilia - Air travel authorizations, maps, business cards, notes during trip, Chinese newspapers, and travel agenda

1945-1947

5

5

Articles on China - Post-China tour lecture notes and a letter to Henry A. Wallace concerning Chinese agriculture

1946

5

6-7

The Tientsin Chronicle

1945-1946

5

8

The Peiping Chronicle and other newspapers

1945-1946

6

1-2

U.S. Office of War Information

1945

6

3-5

U.S. Information Service

1946

6

6

Chinese News Service

1946-1947

7

1

News Items, Dispatches, and Broadcasts - Casablanca meeting of Roosevelt, Churchill, DeGaulle

1945-1947

7

2

Chinese News Broadcasts

1945

7

3

News Manuscript

undated

 

Description of series

Series 3 Lorraine S. Beckman Papers
1930-1953
extent: 0.84 linear feet
description: Lorraine S. Beckman’s papers contain articles, notes, and lectures on child development, as well as radio talks, stories and poetry written for children.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

7

4

Articles and Radio Talks

1930-1933

7

5

Child Development Lectures

1933

7

6

Stories for Children

1914-1935

7

7

Articles and Notes on Child Development

1928-1950

7

8

Collected Poetry

undated

7

9

Children's Poetry with Betty/Lorraine S. Beckman

undated

7

10

Children's Poetry Verses Drafts

undated

9

1

Poems for Children

undated

9

2

Fairy Poems

undated

 

Description of series

Series 4 Beckman Family Papers
1879-1966
extent: 5.11 linear feet
description: The Beckman Family papers contain items kept by multiple family members, including photographs of the family, photographs of their travels and group gatherings, personal correspondence and newspaper articles from Knoxville and Marion County, Iowa, oversized maps, a scrapbook of China, and letters of congratulations. The collection also contains over 200 photographic negatives depicting activities on the campus of Iowa State, including VEISHEA, Farm Bureau Sports Festivals, and Track Meets.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

8

1

Slide Files of photographs taken by Richard W. Beckman while on duty in China

1945-1946

9

3-4

Family Ephemera - Ding Darling stencil, berthing passes, notebooks, Christmas cards, and programs of meetings and conventions

1907-1953

9

5

Personal Correspondence and Newspaper Clippings

1927-1966

9

6

Fred W. Beckman Photographs (11 b/w)

undated

9

7-8

Richard W. Beckman and Lorraine S. Beckman Photographs (83 b/w)

1923-1936

9

9

Beckman Family Travel Photographs - Postcards and photographs of England and Northeast Iowa (26 b/w)

1879

10

1

Group Photographs - Des Moines Register Staff and the Engineering College Magazine Associated Conference (4 b/w photographs)

1937

10

2

Betty Beckman Photographs (14 b/w)

undated

10

3

Group Photograph - Sigma Delta Chi Convention

1922

10

4-5

Beckman Family Photographs (106 b/w)

undated

10

6

Journalism Scrapbook - Newspaper articles concerning AAA, Auto Accidents, Cattle Associations, Church Affairs, City, Community Club, Conservation, Courts, Cooking School, Des Moines River Project, and  General Farm Data

1942

10

7

Journalism Scrapbook - Newspaper articles concerning Marion County, Marion County Fair, Marion County Health, Mines, Red Cross, Schools, Sports, and Rationing

1943

10

8

Journalism Scrapbook - Newspaper articles concerning Politics, Public Improvement, Ration Board, Red Cross, Highways, School, County Board, Sports, Weather, Water Works, and Youth

1945

11

1

Journalism Scrapbook - Newspaper articles concerning Marion County, Sports, Transportation with Buses and Railroads, U.S. Agencies, Veteran Hospitals, the War Effort, Weather, Students

1946

11

2-3

Journalism Scrapbook - Newspaper articles concerning the Farm Bureau, 4-H Clubs, Health, Human Interest, Livestock Associations, Land Data, State Guard, Mines, Miscellaneous, Politics, Public Improvement, Ration Board, Real Estate Development, Returning Veterans, Red Cross, Transportation with Buses and Railroads, U.S. Agencies, Veteran Hospitals

1947

11

4-5

Journalism Scrapbook - Newspaper articles concerning AAA, Marion County, City, Crime, Dam Site Rise, Fires, Highways, 4-H Club, Land Data, Marion County Board, Girl Scouts, Hospitals, Pipeline Construction, Veterans, Farm Land, Politics

1948

11

6-7

Journalism Scrapbook - Newspaper articles concerning Court Cases, the Des Moines River, Draft Enlisting, Drives, Employment Extension, Farm Crop Dairy, Farm Bureau, Fires, National Guard, Production and Marketing Administration, Politics, Safety, School/City/Rural, Taxes, Transportation, Veterans Hospital, Water Works, Weather, Y.M.C.A., Youth

1950

12

1

Journalism Scrapbook - Newspaper articles concerning Accidents, Adult Education Programs, Building Construction, Business, Centennial, Chamber of Commerce, Churches, City, County, Court and Crime, Defense, Des Moines River, Draft Board and Enlisters, Drives, Employment, Extension

1955

12

2

Journalism Scrapbook - Newspaper articles concerning Accidents, Adult Education, Agricultural Stabilization Committee, Business, Chamber of Commerce, City, Clubs, County

1956

12

3-4

Journalism Scrapbook - Newspaper articles concerning Accidents, Adult Education, Agricultural Stabilization Committee, Business, Chamber of Commerce, City, Clubs, County

1957

12

5-6

Journalism Scrapbook - Newspaper articles concerning Accidents, Adult Education, Agricultural Stabilization Committee, Business, Chamber of Commerce, City, Clubs, County

1958

13

1-2

Journalism Scrapbook - Newspaper articles concerning Courts and Crimes, Drives, Extension Services, Farm Bureau, Farming, Fires, 4-H Clubs

1958

13

3-4

Journalism Scrapbook - Newspaper articles over Accidents, Adult Education, Agricultural Stabilization Committee, Business, Chamber of Commerce, City, Clubs, County, Courts and Crime, Drives, Extension Service, Farm Bureau

1959

13

5-6

Photograph Negatives of Iowa State activities (118 5x7" b/w)

1927-1945

14

1-3

Photograph Negatives of Iowa State activities (143 5x7" b/w)

1927-1945

14

4

Letters of Congratulations (F.W. Beckman)

1952

15

1

China Photograph Scrapbook (228 b/w)

1945-1946

16

1

Oversize Maps - China, France, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and New York City

1935-1952