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

MS 361
Roy Vernon Scott (1927-    )
Papers, 1846-2004, undated


Descriptive summary

creator: Scott, Roy Vernon (1927-     )
title: Papers
dates: 1846-2004, undated
extent: 11.45 linear feet (25 document boxes)
collection number: MS 361
repository: Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

 

Administrative information

access: Open for research
publication rights: Consult Head, Special Collections Department
preferred citation: Roy Vernon Scott Papers, MS 361, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

 

Biographical note

Roy Vernon Scott was born 26 December 1927 in Wrights, Illinois; his parents were Roy J. and Edna (Dodson) Scott. He served in the U.S. Air Force (1946-1948) prior to attending college, and he achieved the rank of Sergeant. He received the B.S. (1952) from Iowa State College (University) and the M.A. (1953) and Ph.D. (1957) from University of Illinois.

Scott was Assistant Professor (1957-1958) at University of Southwestern Louisiana and Assistant Professor at University of Missouri (1959-1960). Most of his career was spent as a member of the Department of History at Mississippi State University (MSU). At MSU he was Assistant Professor (1960-1962), Associate Professor (1962-1964), and Professor (1964-1978) prior to being named William L. Giles Distinguished Professor of History (1978-1998). He is currently Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History (1998-present) at MSU. He has also been a research associate (1958-1959 and 1963-1964) with the Business History Foundation, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Scott's fields of specialization include early and modern United States history, American economic development, and historiography and historical method. He is the author of numerous articles and books. His books include The Reluctant Farmer: The Rise of Agricultural Extension to 1914 (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1971), Railroad Development Programs in the Twentieth Century (Ames: Iowa State University Press, 1985), Wal-Mart: A History of Sam Walton's Retail Phenomenon (co-author with Sandra S. Vance) (New York: Twayne Publishers, 1994), and From Prairie Farmer to Entrepreneur: The Transformation of Midwestern Agriculture (co-author with Dennis S. Nordin) (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2005).

Scott married Jane A. Brayford in 1959. They have three children: John D., Elizabeth M., and Sarah Ann.

 

Collection description

The collection (1846-2004, undated) contains research materials on agricultural extension, railroad development programs and traffic generation, and twentieth century Midwestern agriculture. These materials were used by Scott in writing The Reluctant Farmer: The Rise of Agricultural Extension to 1914 (call no. S545 .S26), Railroad Development Programs in the Twentieth Century (call no. HE2751 .S345 1985) and From Prairie Farmer to Entrepreneur: The Transformation of Midwestern Agriculture (call no. S444 .N67 2005). The materials include photocopies, citations, and handwritten and typewritten notes on subjects such as demonstration farms, extension work, land grant colleges, agricultural and industrial development, railroad land companies, and soil conservation.

 

 

Description of series

Series 1 Agricultural Extension 1846-1977, undated
extent: 2.2 linear feet
description: This series contains citations, notes, and photocopies from newspapers, journal articles, and books related to the development of agricultural extension.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

1

Agriculture of Discontent

1895-1955, undated

1

2

Agricultural Education: Early Efforts

1846-1902

1

3

Aid to Institutes

1873-1964, undated

1

4

American Association of Farm Institute Workers

1895-1915, undated

1

5

Association of America Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations: Policy

1894-1914

1

6

Background Chapters

1911-1951

1

7

Banks

1910-1953

1

8

Broome County

1910-1948

1

9

Buck, Colon J. The Granger Movement: a Study of Agricultural Organization and its Political, Economic, and Social Manifestations, 1870-1880 (photocopied pages)

1913

1

10

Bulletin Distribution

1889-1911

1

11

Changing Attitudes Toward Agricultural Education

1889-1955, undated

1

12

Colleges

undated

1

13

County Agent Work in the North

1849-1940, undated

1

14

Demonstration Farms

1897-1917, undated

1

15-16

Demonstration Work

1901-1964, undated

1

17

Demonstration Work: African Americans

1900-1962, undated

1

18

Demonstration Work: Changes in Procedure After Early 1906

1912, 1962, undated

1

19

Demonstration Work: Local and State Aid

1906-1962, undated

1

20

Demonstration Work by Colleges

1881-1962

1

21

Dickman, Howard L. “James Jerome Hill and the Agricultural Development of the Northwest.” Ph.D. dissertation, University of Michigan (notes on dissertation)

1977

1

22

Early Agents in East

1911-1914

1

23

Early Agents in West

1902-1914

1

24

Early Attempts of Colleges

1868-1942, undated

1

25

Early Calls for Extension

1851-1962, undated

1

26

Early Ideas of Putting a Man in the Field in the North

1908-1962

1

27

Early Problems of the Colleges

1862-1963, undated

1

28

Establishment of Experiment Stations

1878-1961, undated

1

29

Excursions to Colleges

1911, 1942

1

30

Experiment Station Record

undated

1

31

Extension Departments: Establishment

1889-1961, undated

2

1

Extension Work: General Statements

1902,1905

2

2-3

Extension Work: Other Forms

1892-1963, undated

2

4

Extension Work: Public Schools

1906-1912, undated

2

5

Extent of Extension: Years Just Before 1914

1910-1963

2

6

Fairs

1846-1961, undated

2

7

Farm Implement Companies

1899-1946, undated

2

8

Farm Papers

1868-1964, undated

2

9

Farm Periodicals

1861-1957, undated

2

10

Farmers' View of Education

1900, 1960

2

11

Fertilizer Companies

1910-1914

2

12

First Agriculture Schools

1846-1934, undated

2

13

First Chapter

1858-1960, undated

2

14

General Views on Education for Farmer

1865-1913

2

15

Grange Educational Activities: Effect on Reading Habits of Farmers

1887, 1891, undated

2

16-17

Grange Educational Activities: How Farmers Can Help Themselves

1846-1968, undated

2

18

Hicks, John Donald, The Populist Revolt. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1961. Chapter Five, “Alliance Activities” (photocopied pages)

1961

2

19

Holden, Perry G. (notes about)

1900-1963

2

20

Individuals

1934-1964, undated

3

1-2

Institutes

1870-1957

3

3

Institutes: Attendance

1888-1915, undated

3

4

Institutes: Decline

1881-1951

3

5

Institutes: Demonstration Materials

1889-1904, undated

3

6

Institutes: Follow Up

1912

3

7

Institutes: Form of Organization

1909-1914

3

8

Institutes: Innovations

1900-1913, undated

3

9

Institutes: Miscellaneous

1880-1963, undated

3

10

Institutes: Modifications

1877-1897

3

11

Institutes: Number Held per Year

1887-1913, undated

3

12

Institutes: Operation

1873-1948, undated

3

13

Institutes: Origins

1891-1955, undated

3

14

Institutes: Relationship with Agricultural Colleges

1903-1953, undated

3

15

Institutes: Relationship with Other Agencies

1889-1912

3

16

Institutes: Role of USDA

1889-1928, undated

3

17

Institutes: Roundup or Normal

1900-1914, undated

3

18

Institutes: Special

1899-1953, undated

3

19

Institutes: Status in 1900

1884-1903, undated

3

20

Institutes: Values

1887-1925, undated

3

21

Institutes: Weaknesses

1889-1955, undated

3

22

Institutes: Women

1880-1914

3

23

Institutes: Young People

1910-1961, undated

4

1

Institutes: Alabama

1900, undated

4

2

Institutes: Arizona

1900, undated

4

3

Institutes: Arkansas

1900, undated

4

4

Institutes: California

1892-1930, undated

4

5

Institutes: Colorado

1900-1964, undated

4

6

Institutes: Georgia

1900, 1956, undated

4

7

Institutes: Florida

1900, undated

4

8

Institutes: Idaho

1900, undated

4

9

Institutes: Kentucky

undated

4

10

Institutes: Maryland

undated

4

11

Institutes: Mississippi

1884-1953

4

12

Institutes: Montana

1900, undated

4

13

Institutes: Nevada

undated

4

14

Institutes: New England

1873-1945, undated

4

15

Institutes: New Jersey

1901, undated

4

16

Institutes: New Mexico

1900, undated

4

17

Institutes: New York

1887-1963, undated

4

18

Institutes: North Carolina

1900, undated

4

19

Institutes: Oklahoma

1900

4

20

Institutes: Oregon

1898-1900, undated

4

21

Institutes: Pennsylvania

1896-1955, undated

4

22

Institutes: South Carolina

1900, undated

4

23

Institutes: Southern States

1902, undated

4

24

Institutes: Tennessee

1899-1900, undated

4

25

Institutes: Texas

1890-1893, undated

4

26

Institutes: Utah

1897-1938, undated

4

27

Institutes: Washington

1892-1964, undated

4

28

Institutes: West Virginia

1937, undated

4

29

Institutes: Wyoming

undated

4

30

Jordan, S. M. (notes about)

1912-1941, undated

4

31

Knapp’s (Seaman A.) Demonstration Work in South

1905-1969, undated

4

32

Knapp, Seaman A.: Extent of the Work (1904) and Expansion (1905)

1904-1949, undated

4

33

Knapp, Seaman A.: Ideas

1904-1949, undated

4

34

Knapp, Seaman A.: Objectives

1907-1910, undated

4

35

Knapp, Seaman A.: Reactions to Work

1905-1962, undated

4

36

Knapp, Seaman A.: Relations with the Bureau of Entomology

1903-1910

4

37

Knapp, Seaman A.: Shortage of Finds, 1905

1904-1906

4

38

Knapp, Seaman A.: What He Tried to Teach the First Years

1905-1938, undated

4

39

Lack of Students

1875-1904

4

40

Land Grant Colleges

1887, undated

4

41-43

Land Grants in Mississippi

1832-1971

4

44

Later Groups

1877-1941, undated

5

1

Legislation

1910-1955

5

2

Michigan Experiment

1875-1922, undated

5

3

Miscellaneous Businesses

1906-1963

5

4

Mississippi

1902-1905

5

5

Missouri Map

1885

5

6

Morrill Act

1895-1924, undated

5

7

Morrill Act: Establishment of Colleges

1863-1916, undated

5

8

National Soil Fertility League

1911-1953

5

9

Need for Federal Money but Fear of the Federal Domination

1907-1916

5

10

Nixon Act: Extension Work at Cornell

1894-1914

5

11

Reading and Correspondence Courses

1892-1955

5

12

Relations between Colleges and Commercial Interests

1913, 1915, undated

5

13

Ross (A. B.), in Bedford County, Pa.

1909-1955

5

14

Short Courses

1898-1912

5

15

Short Courses: Campus

1890-1913

5

16

Short Courses: Moveable

1892-1957

5

17

Smith: Lever Act

1940

5

18

Smith: Lever Chapter

1851-1956

5

19

Societies

undated

5

20

Special Problems in the South

1892-1909

5

21

Spillman’s (W. J.) Work in the North

1901-1931

5

22

State Agencies for Agriculture

1887-1963, undated

6

1

State Boards of Agriculture

1873-1955

6

2

State Boards Take Up the Work

1873-1934, undated

6

3

Support for Education: General

1900-1935, undated

6

4

Support for Home Study (Reading Courses)

1873-1937, undated

6

5

USDA Cooperative Demonstration Work in Dairying

1907-1915, undated

6

6

Used Notes (Grange, other farm organizations, and other topics)

1872-1955, undated

6

7

Weaknesses of These Efforts

1913, 1933

6

8

Work with African Americans

1904-1961, undated

 

Description of series

Series 2 Railroad Traffic Generation 1871-1974, undated
extent: 3.68 linear feet
description: This series contains citations, notes, and photocopies from newspapers, journal articles, and books related to railroad development programs to encourage economic development and increase rail traffic.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

6

9

Advertising

1926-1964

6

10

Aerial Surveys

1944-1972

6

11-12

Agricultural and Industrial Development Departments

1905-1960

6

13

Agricultural and Industrial Development Departments: By Railroad

1911-1970

6

14

Agricultural Credit Corporation

1925-1932

6

15-20

Agricultural Development

1903-1974, undated

7

1

Agricultural Development: 1930s and Later

1931-1970

7

2

Agricultural Development and Women

1928

7

3

Agricultural Labor

1923, undated

7

4

Agricultural Surveys

1920-1958

7

5

Agriculture Agents

1936-1965

7

6

Aid to Agricultural Youth

1922-1958

7

7-9

Aid to Agriculture

1871-1959

7

10

Aid to Agriculture: Distribution of Purebred Series

1920-1950

7

11

Aid to Agriculture: Helping Farmers Get Stock

1924-1929

7

12-16

Aid to Agriculture Institutes

1875-1951

7

17

Aid to Agriculture: Promoting Livestock and Dairying

1921-1959

7

18

American Railway Development Association: Memberships

1938-1971

8

1

American Railway Development Association and Regional Groups: History

1900-1962

8

2

Awards to Farmers

1912-1942

8

3-5

Colonization

1901-1959

8

6

Colonization: Advertising

1920-1958

8

7

Colonization: Before 1920

1901-1917

8

8-10

Colonization: Early

1901-1957

8

11

Colonization, Early: Results

1901-1917

8

12

Colonization

1920-1926

8

13

Colonization: Value of Settlers

1917-1946

8

14

Colonization: Northwest

1901-1938

9

1

Colonization: South

1901-1957

9

2

Colonization: Southwest

1902-1936

9

3

Cooperation with Other Departments

1930-1970

9

4

Cooperation with Other Groups

1947-1973, undated

9

5

Crop Development

1930-1961

9

6-8

Departments

1907-1974, undated

9

9-10

Development Agents and Organizations

1907-1966

9

11

Disasters Relief

1911-1930

9

12

Distribution of Literature

1901-1958, undated

9

13

Drought and Disaster

1930-1959

9

14-18

Educational Trains (folders 1-5 of 8)

1900-1971

10

1-3

Educational Trains (folders 6-8 of 8)

1900-1971

10

4

Educational Trains: Good Roads Trains

1901-1924

10

5

Educational Trains: Land Clearing Specials

1903-1962

10

6

Educational Trains: Soil Testing

1921-1939

10

7

Educational Trains: East

1904-1958

10

8

Educational Trains in the South

undated

10

9

Educational Trains in the West

1905-1962

10

10

Exhibits

1907-1926

10

11

Farm Labor

1904, undated

10

12

Factors in Industrial Development

1949-1969

10

13

Financing

1949-1961

10

14

General Statements of Railroad Philosophy

1912-1917

10

15

Hill, J. J. (notes about)

1890-1906, undated

10

16

Industrial Agents

1904-1956

10

17

Industrial Development

1903-1973

11

1

Industrial Development: Advertising, pre-1945

1901-1940

11

2

Industrial Development: Brochures, pre-1945

1902-1950

11

3

Industrial Development: Getting Tops

1955, 1963

11

4

Industrial Development: Guides, pre-1945

1905-1924

11

5

Industrial Development: Mode of Operation

1947-1971

11

6

Industrial Development: Motives

1949-1973

11

7

Industrial Development: Nature of Work

1946-1973

11

8

Industrial Development Objectives

1920

11

9

Industrial Development 1900 to 1945

1912-1952

11

10

Industrial Development Publications

1940-1973

11

11-14

Industrial Districts

1946-1973

11

15

Industrial Districts: Before 1945

1922-1950

11

16

Industrial Land: Pre-1945

1922-1930

11

17

Industrial Realtors

1946-1954

11

18-19

Industrial Surveys

1899-1963

11

20

Industrial Tours

1907-1966

11

21

Irrigation and Dry Farming

1900-1958

11

22

Land

1965

11

23

Land: Leasing of Land and Buildings

1925-1963

11

24

Land: Purchases (folder 1 of 4)

1905-1973

12

1-3

Land: Purchases (folders 2-4 of 4)

1905-1973

12

4

Land: Sales

1953-1968

12

5

Land: Zoning

1930, undated

12

6

Limestone

1919-1930

12

7

Livestock Development

1930-1964

12

8

Marketing

1913-1958

12

9

Marketing Problems

1920-1929

12

10

Miscellaneous Meetings

1922-1958

12

11-12

New Crops

1898-1959

12

13-14

New Trends After 1945

1944-1973

12

15

Poultry

1920-1959

12

16

Prizes for Adult Farmers

1930-1968

12

17

Public Relations

1904-1944

12

18-19

Publications

1930-1969

12

20

Publications: Distribution

1920-1957

12

21

Purdue Short Courses

1925-1971

13

1

Radio

1928

13

2

Railroad Land Companies

1956, 1962

13

3

Real Estate Departments

1903-1942

13

4

Regional Promotional Trains

1926-1929

13

5-14

Results

1900-1973

13

15

Side Tracks (folder 1 of 2)

1909-1973

14

1

Side Tracks (folder 2 of 2)

1909-1973

14

2

Soil Conservation

1930-1966

14

3

Traffic Clauses

1949-1969

14

4

Transportation for Agricultural Workers

1916-1933

14

5

Use of Agents in Fields: Cooperation with County Agents

1906-1958

14

6

Values of Work

1915-1937

14

7

Warehouse Construction

1946-1967

14

8

Youth Work

1905-1924, undated

14

9-11

Youth Work: Demonstration Farms

1890-1959

14

12

Youth Work, 1930 to Present

1930-1963

14

13

Zoning Problems

1947-1968

 

Description of series

Series 3 Twentieth Century Agriculture 1912-2004, undated
extent: 5.57  linear feet
description: This series contains citations, notes, and photocopies, and statistics from newspapers, journal articles, and books related to the development of Roy Scott and Dennis Nordin’s 2005 book, From Prairie Farmer to Entrepreneur: The Transformation of Midwestern Agriculture.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

Artifact collection

 

Button (Artifact 2008-114.01)

1979 circa

15

1

Biographical Information and Vita

undated

15

2

Correspondence

1986-2004, undated

15

3

Directories

2001, undated

15

4

Historiography

1950-1979, undated

15

5

Oral History Interview Notes

undated

15

6

Oral History Interview Transcripts

1972-1973

15

7

Primary Sources and Oversize Manuscripts (1 of 2)

1920-1983, undated

16

1

Primary Sources and Oversize Manuscripts (2 of 2)

1926-1989

16

2

“Rural Development News”

1989-1994

16

3

Rural Life Publications

1974-1991, undated

16

4

Sales Literature, Irrigation

2003, undated

16

5

Sales Literature, Tractors (1 of 2)

200-2003, undated

16

6

Sales Literature, Tractors (2 of 2)

1999-2003, undated

17

1

Secondary Sources Notes and Excerpts, by Author, A-B

1942-2003, undated

17

2

Secondary Sources Notes and Excerpts, by Author, C-E

1997, undated

17

3

Secondary Sources Notes and Excerpts, by Author, F-G

1951-1997, undated

17

4

Secondary Sources Notes and Excerpts, by Author, H-J

1944-1998, undated

17

5

Secondary Sources Notes and Excerpts, by Author, K-M

1964-1974, undated

17

6

Secondary Sources Notes and Excerpts, by Author, N-R

2000, undated

17

7

Secondary Sources Notes and Excerpts, by Author, S-V

1937-1957, undated

17

8

Secondary Sources Notes and Excerpts, by Author, W-Y

1912-1950 undated

18

1

Secondary Sources, Notes and Excerpts, Railroads and Agriculture

1932-2001, undated

18

2

Secondary Sources Notes, Half-Sheets, by Author, A-Z

undated

18

3

Statistics, Midwest Agriculture

1967 circa-2003, undated

18

4

Statistics, Midwest Agriculture

undated

19

1

Statistics, Midwest Agriculture

1975, undated

19

2

Statistics, Midwest Agriculture

1931, undated

19

3

Statistics, Midwest Agriculture

1942-2003, undated

19

4

Statistics, Midwest Agriculture

1955-2001

19

5

Statistics, Notes on Census Terminology

undated

20

 

Notes, Half Sheet

undated

21

 

Notes, Half Sheet

undated

22

 

Notes, Half Sheet

undated

23

 

Notes, Half Sheet

undated

24

 

Bibliographic Reference Cards, by Author, A-O

undated

25

 

Bibliographic Reference Cards, by Author, P-Z

undated