Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140
RS 2/7
Raymond A Pearson (1873-1939)
Papers, 1892-1983
Descriptive summary
creator: |
Pearson, Raymond A. (1873-1939) |
title: |
Papers |
dates: |
1892-1983, n.d. |
extent: |
7.36 linear ft. (6 document boxes, 1 oversize box, and 2 map case folders) |
collection number: |
RS 2/7 |
repository: |
University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library. |
Administrative information
access: |
Open for research |
publication rights: |
Consult Head, Special Collections Department |
preferred citation: |
Raymond A. Pearson Papers, RS 2/7, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library. |
Biographical note
The son of an Indiana railroad executive, Pearson was a Cornell University graduate in dairy industry, did government and commercial dairy laboratory work, and in 1903 returned to Cornell to organize a department of dairy industry. He headed the New York Department of Agriculture for four years prior to his appointment as president of Iowa State College (University) (1912-1926). Pearson completed the divisional organization of undergraduate programs; strongly promoted the graduate program, which was given divisional status in 1915; broadened extension service; and gave wholehearted support to "big-time" goals in athletics. While at Iowa State College (University) he served as Assistant Secretary of Agriculture during the war emergency period of 1917-18. Campus construction during his administration surpassed that of any other era prior to the post-World War II boom; 14 academic buildings in service during the 1970s were constructed during Pearson's term. He resigned to become president of the University of Maryland (1926-1935). |
Collection description
This collection contains biographical information, correspondence, addresses and speeches, newspaper clippings, family and professional photographs, reports, and printed materials. Of particular interest is Pearson's communications with the State Board of Education as well as its Buildings and Business Committee. A number of blueprints submitted to the Buildings and Business Committee (State Board of Education) have been removed for conservation work. |
Organization
This collection is unarranged. |
Container list
Box |
Folder |
Title |
Dates |
1 |
1 |
Biographical information |
1912-1968 |
1 |
2 |
Obituaries, testimonials, letters of condolence |
1939 |
1 |
3 |
Agreements |
1915-1920 |
1 |
4 |
Correspondence with the Board of Education |
1913, 1926 |
1 |
5 |
Correspondence |
1913-1926 |
1 |
6 |
Committee on Education and Special Training |
1918 |
1 |
7 |
Correspondence |
1917-1918 |
1 |
8 |
Clippings |
1917-1918 |
1 |
9 |
Itinerary and map |
1917 |
1 |
10 |
Association of Land-Grant Colleges and Universities correspondence and resolution |
1933-1937 |
1 |
11 |
McKinley inauguration |
1901 |
1 |
12 |
Final Report by Dr. Pearson and responses |
19126 |
1 |
13 |
Addresses |
n.d. |
1 |
14 |
Addresses and speeches |
1907-1911 |
1 |
15 |
Addresses and speeches |
1913-1917 |
2 |
1 |
Photographs (7) |
1889-1900 |
2 |
2 |
Photographs (12) |
1905-1910 |
2 |
3 |
Photographs (13) |
1912-1917 |
2 |
4 |
Photographs (10) |
1919-1929 |
2 |
5 |
Correspondence with Mrs. Pearson in regards to Ross' "History of Iowa State" |
1953-1958 |
2 |
6 |
State Board of Education meeting |
1922 |
2 |
7 |
State Board of Education meeting |
1919 |
2 |
8 |
State Board of Education reports |
1922 |
2 |
9 |
State Board of Education ISC capital improvements |
1925-1926 |
3 |
1 |
Clippings-letters and speeches |
1918-1925 |
3 |
2 |
Addresses and speeches |
1918-1925 |
3 |
3 |
Addresses and clippings |
1926-1938 |
3 |
4 |
"An Answer to Criticisms" |
Ca. 1915 |
3 |
5 |
Memorandum |
1913-1925 |
3 |
6 |
Lake LaVerne-O.C. Simond's report |
1919 |
3 |
7 |
Clippings-demands for resignation |
1922 |
3 |
8 |
Court proceedings and depositions in regards to land use near Lake LaVerne/Ash Avenue |
1923-1925 |
3 |
9 |
Clippings-resignation |
1926 |
3 |
10 |
Correspondence |
1913-1921 |
3 |
11 |
"Statement regarding recommendations for Appropriations for ISC" |
1921 |
3 |
12 |
President's Office personnel-Clarence Pickard |
1973, 1983 |
4 |
1-2 |
President's Office personnel-Franklin Reck |
1924-1967 |
4 |
3 |
President's Office personnel-Carl H. Scheman |
1917-1975 |
4 |
4 |
President's Office personnel-John McKee |
1922-1932 |
4 |
5 |
State Board of Education correspondence |
1924-1925 |
4 |
6 |
State Board of Education correspondence |
1922 |
4 |
7 |
Correspondence with Carrie Chapman Catt |
1927 |
4 |
8 |
State Board of Education |
1925-1926 |
4 |
9 |
Capital improvements |
1924 |
4 |
10 |
Correspondence relating to students |
1924-1926 |
4 |
11-12 |
Buildings and Business Committee |
1924-1927 |
4 |
13 |
State Board of Education budget |
1923 |
5 |
1 |
Correspondence, memoranda, and minutes |
1922-1927 |
5 |
2 |
State Board of Education correspondence |
1922 |
5 |
3 |
State Board of Education authorizations |
1925 |
5 |
4 |
State Board of Education Buildings and Business Committee |
1926 |
5 |
5 |
State Board of Education agendas and correspondence |
1925-1926 |
5 |
6 |
State Board of Education agendas and minutes |
1924 |
5 |
7 |
State Board of Education minutes |
1924-1925 |
5 |
8 |
State Board of Education budgets, correspondence, and minutes (Acting President: Herman Knapp) |
1926 |
5 |
9 |
State Board of Education budgets, correspondence, and minutes (Acting President: Herman Knapp) |
1927 |
5 |
10 |
State Board of Education budgets, correspondence, and minutes |
1923-1924 |
5 |
11 |
State Board of Education budgets, correspondence, and minutes |
1923-1926 |
6 |
1-7 |
State Board of Education meetings |
1921-1926 |
7 |
OVR |
Diplomas and certificates |
1905-1938 |
7 |
OVR |
Scrapbook |
ca. 1905-1938 |
Map case |
1 |
Cornell University Diplomas, degrees, honors, certificates: First Lieutenant (1892); Captain (1893); B.S. in Agriculture (1894) |
1892-1894 |
Map case |
1 |
Masons-Binghamton |
1910 |
Map case |
1 |
National Grant Degrees of Ceres and Flora |
1908; 1911 |
Map case |
1 |
University of Nebraska Doctor of Agriculture honorary degree |
1917 |
Map case |
1 |
Sigma Xi Membership |
1894 |
Map case |
1 |
State Historical Society of Iowa |
1912 |
Map case |
1 |
U.S.D.A. letters of introduction |
1912; 1926 |
Map case |
1 |
Resolutions honoring Pearson's retirement |
1935 |
Map case |
2 |
Capital Improvements: Blueprints for proposed men's dormitories, dairy building, livestock sheds, horse barns |
1922-1926 |