Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140
RS 16/3/63
Gerald Edward Parsons (1931- )
Papers, 1957-[ongoing]
Descriptive summary
| creator: | Parsons, Gerald Edward (1931- ) |
| title: | Papers |
| dates: | 1957-[ongoing] |
| extent: | 1.05 linear feet (2 document boxes and 1 half-document box) |
| collection number: | RS 16/3/63 |
| repository: | University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University. |
Administrative information
| access: | Open for research |
| publication rights: | Consult Head, Special Collections Department |
| preferred citation: | Gerald Edward Parsons Papers, RS 16/3/63, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library. |
Biographical note
Gerald "Jerry" Edward Parsons was born July 7, 1931, in Iowa City, Iowa. He completed his high school education at the Tipton Consolidated School District in Iowa. Parsons received his B.S. (1952) in agricultural education, his M.S. (1959) in rural sociology, and his Ph.D. (1970) in adult education from Iowa State University. He also studied at the Merrill-Palmer Institute in Detroit, Michigan, in 1968. Parsons served in the United States Navy (1952-1954) after completing his bachelor's degree at Iowa State. He then took a position with the Cooperative Extension Service at Iowa State University as a County and Area 4-H Staff Member (1954-1961). Parsons was then promoted to Assistant State Leader (1961-1968) for 4-H and Youth Programs. In 1968, he became the Campus Coordinator (1968-1970) for Foreign Contracts and an Instructor (1968-1970) in the Department of Family Environment at Iowa State University. Parsons left Iowa State University and joined the staff at North Carolina State University as Associate Professor (1970-1977) of Adult and Community College Education and State Training Leader (1970-1977) for the Agricultural Extension Service. During his time at North Carolina State University, Parsons directed a national research and development project, "Incentives in 4-H," served as Editor of the Journal of Extension, and for three years was Graduate Administrator for the Department of Adult and Community College Education. Kansas State University offered Parsons the position of Professor (1977-1980) of Adult and Continuing Education, which he accepted. At Kansas State, Parsons taught graduate and undergraduate courses, advised doctoral and master's students, served as Director of the National Adult Education Institute, and participated in numerous extension and adult education activities and associations. Parsons returned to Iowa State University in 1980 as State Leader (1980-1988) for 4-H and Youth Programs. In this position, Parsons was the chief administrative officer for the Iowa 4-H and Youth Program which reached 132,000 young people and 10,000 volunteers in 1988. His duties included supervising staff, managing annual budgets, supervising fund raising activities, coordinating curriculum development, and overseeing a 1000-acre camp facility. Parsons also served on state 4-H program review committees in Wisconsin and Kansas, directed a national 4-H research and development project on incentives and recognition, chaired a national 4-H task force and two national 4-H staff development workshops, presented staff training workshops in three states, and served as a trustee on the Iowa 4-H Foundation board. He retired on May 15, 1988. Parsons married Diane Hollingsworth of Oelwein, Iowa in 1955. They had three children. |
Collection description
This collection (1957-[ongoing]) contains material related to Jerry Parsons' professional career. The records include biographical materials and also papers written by Parsons concerning adult education and 4-H and youth programs. The collection also contains national and Iowa 4-H publications, several of which were authored by Parsons. Some materials of interest are a set of publications created by Parsons for the National 4-H Recognition Program and sent to state 4-H youth staff members. These particular materials are intended to help train 4-H volunteers and staff on how to use recognition to enhance the development of young people. |
Organization
The collection is arranged alphabetically. |
Container list
Box |
Folder |
Title |
Dates |
1 |
1 |
Biographical Information |
1957 |
1 |
2 |
Book Review of The Professors |
1976 |
1 |
3 |
Iowa 4-H and Youth Staff Members Newsletter: Leadership Leads |
undated |
1 |
4 |
Iowa 4-H Publication: "A Statement of Position on Teaching Tools in the 4-H Youth Program" |
1968 |
1 |
5 |
Iowa 4-H Publication: "Iowa 4-H Organization Leaders' Manual" |
undated |
1 |
6 |
Iowa 4-H Publication: "New Dimensions for 4-H and Youth Education in Iowa" |
1968 |
1 |
7 |
Iowa 4-H Publication: "This is 4-H in Iowa" |
undated |
1 |
8 |
Kansas Adult Educator Guest Editorial: "Some Reflections from a New Member" |
1977 |
1 |
9 |
National 4-H Competition Task Force: "Competition and Youth: Research Based Conclusions for 4-H" |
1988 |
1 |
10 |
National 4-H Council: "History of the National 4-H Awards Program" |
1982 |
1 |
11 |
National 4-H Council: "National 4-H Awards Program Study: Review of Literature" |
1982 |
1 |
12 |
National 4-H Council: "National 4-H Awards Program Study: Survey Results" |
1982 |
1 |
13-14 |
National 4-H Recognition Program: Master Set of Publications for Reproduction |
1996 |
1 |
15 |
National 4-H Recognition Program: Presentation ("Thomas's Four Wishes") and Handouts |
undated |
1 |
16 |
National 4-H Recognition Program: Slide Presentation (10 color slides) |
undated |
1 |
17 |
North Carolina Adult Education Association Annual Report |
1975 |
2 |
28 |
Oral History: Interview by Parsons with C. J. Gauger Regarding Iowa 4-H (1 reel to reel audiotape) |
undated |
1 |
18 |
Paper: "4-H Makes a Difference: Or Does It?" |
1983 |
1 |
19 |
Paper: "4-H Paraprofessionals: Defining Their Tasks" |
1979 |
1 |
20 |
Paper: "The 4-H Program Assistant's Role" |
1975 |
1 |
21 |
Paper: "Adult Education Graduate Students: A Profile" |
1979 |
1 |
22 |
Paper: "The Adult Learner: An Expanded Perspective" |
1978 |
1 |
23 |
Paper: "Adults Learn Differently Than Children: An Examination of an Old Assumption" |
1978-1979 |
1 |
24 |
Paper: "An Array of Evaluation Instruments for Use in Adult Education Learning Efforts" |
1978 |
1 |
25 |
Paper: "Competencies Needed by 4-H Volunteers for the Use of Incentives" |
1975 |
1 |
26 |
Paper: "Competencies Needed by 4-H Volunteers for the Use of Incentives: A Needs Assessment" |
1975 circa |
2 |
1 |
Paper: "A Concept of Continuous Education" |
1970 |
2 |
2 |
Paper: "Continuing Education: Where It's At" |
1970 |
2 |
3 |
Paper: "Dreaming Dreams" |
1984 |
2 |
4 |
Paper: "Extension: General or Cooperative or University (University Extension and Its Place in Higher Education)" |
1967 |
2 |
5 |
Paper: "Guidelines for Developing and Implementing an Educational Program for Youth in the Inner City" |
1967 |
2 |
6 |
Paper: "Helping a Learning Group Mature" |
1974 |
2 |
7 |
Paper: "How Mature is Your Learning Group?" |
1974 |
2 |
8 |
Paper: "Inner-City Youth Programs: Guidelines" |
1971 |
2 |
9 |
Paper: "Iowa 4-H Teaches Life Skills" |
undated |
2 |
10 |
Paper: "Jonathan Livingston Seagull Revisited" |
1980 |
2 |
11 |
Paper: "Meeting the Needs of Adult Students in the Community College Classroom" |
1977 |
2 |
12 |
Paper: "Model for Recognizing 4-H'ers" |
1985 |
2 |
13 |
Paper: "Needs and Interests of Iowa State University Alumni in Continuing Education" |
1971 |
2 |
14 |
Paper: "A New Approach to Group Learning" |
1976 |
2 |
15 |
Paper: "New Directions for Attracting Able Teachers of Adults" |
1979 |
2 |
16 |
Paper: "Paper for Selecting, Evaluating, or Developing Learning Modules" |
1976 |
2 |
17 |
Paper: "Planning a Meeting on the Telephone" |
1982 |
2 |
18 |
Paper: "A Planning Strategy for Learning Groups" |
1975 |
2 |
19 |
Paper: "A Program Planning Model for Adult Education" |
1969 |
2 |
20 |
Paper: "Selecting, Evaluating, Developing Modules: Criteria" |
1976 |
2 |
21 |
Paper: "A Series of Essays on Adult Education" |
1969 |
2 |
22 |
Paper: "Should English Teachers Allow Student Dialects?" |
1977 |
2 |
23 |
Paper: "So Your Committee is Meeting on the Telephone" |
1982 |
2 |
24 |
Paper: "Volunteer Adult Teachers: A Dimension of Adult Education" |
1967 |
2 |
25 |
Paper: "Who are the Women Who Take Part in the Home Economics Extension Program?" |
1959 |
2 |
29 |
Recording of Parsons as State Leader of Iowa 4-H and Youth Programs Describing His Plans for the Future of Iowa 4-H (1 audio cassette) |
1981 |
3 |
1 |
Report: "Incentives in 4-H: An Overview of National Diffusion with Indicators of Application in County-Level Programming" |
1978 |
3 |
2 |
Report: "Incentives in 4-H: A Review of Literature on Awards, Competition, and Motivation" |
1975 |
2 |
26 |
Thesis: "Attitudes Toward Incentives and Competition: Their Relationship to Selected Characteristics of 4-H Volunteer Leaders," by Kathryn R. Treat |
1976 |
2 |
27 |
Untitled Paper on Adult Education |
undated |
3 |
3 |
Writings: "My 4-H Story" (draft) |
2011 circa |