Extension and Experiment Station Communications Records, 1934-2009

The Extension and Experiment Station Communications Records have been preliminarily arranged into nine series. Series one consists of audio tapes and cue sheets of radio programs produced by this office. Series two consists of reel-to-reel, public service announcement audio tapes (PSAs). Series three consists of audio tapes used for other productions. Series four consists of speeches, lectures and interviews audiotaped by this office. Please note: SCARC does not currently have in-house equipment allowing access to the the reel-to-reel tapes included in these series.

Series five consists of news releases, including News Tips, Home Ec.; Oregon Farm Calendar; Speaking to the Consumer; Food Facts, Home Ec.; and Tips for Type and Mike. Series six consists of audio and video projects production records, including costs, correspondence and reports. Series seven consists of reports on Agricultural Communications and on an Extension information project, correspondence about radio broadcasts, lists of award winners, and notes on the Agricultural Conservation Program. Series eight consists of publications records: index cards listing information on technical papers issued by the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station costs, information, correspondence, drafts, reviews, and evaluation reports. Series nine consists of biographical files of extension agents and specialists who are no longer affiliated with the OSU Extension Service because they have resigned, retired, or are deceased. These files include biographical data sheets, info sheets, resumes, position announcements, job appointment news releases, and death announcements.

Accession 2005:036 consists of a board game developed by the OSU Extension Service and produced as a special publication entitled "Trade-Off: The Land Use Simulation Game." In the development of this game, the OSU Extension Service received financial support from Chevron Inc. and the State of Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development.

Accession 2008:066 is made up of copies of the "Communicate!" and "Communicaids" newsletter.

Accession 2009:011 is made up of materials reflecting the management of OSU Extension publications by the Office of Extension and Experiment Station Communications. About half of these records document the process of accounting for and resupplying lost titles after a 1992 fire of the Industrial Building destroyed 90% of the publication inventory. Consisting primarily of index cards, inventories, and reports tracking publication quantities, titles, and other details, this transfer also contains correspondence, newspaper clippings, and publications. One of the subjects covered in the correspondence is the lawsuit that OSU filed against Snyder Roofing for damages in the fire. In addition to the paper records, this transfer also includes three videotape recordings that document the fire.

Accession 2010:010 consists of materials documenting the involvement of OSU Extension and Experiment Station Communications in the Pacific Northwest Cooperative Extension Publication program and the Western Regional Extension Publications cooperative (WREP). Primarily made up of correspondence, this transfer also contains meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, agreements, and brochures. Established in 1949 by Extension Directors at Oregon State University, Washington State University, and the University of Idaho, the Pacific Northwest Cooperative Extension program publishes bulletins and circulars as a joint venture between the three participating universities.

Accession 2011:036 is made up of materials generated by the Office of Extension and Experiment Station Communications that document the printing and distribution of various Extension publications. Made up primarily of correspondence, notes, handbooks, and reports, these records relate to particular publication series, the impact of state legislative bills, distribution statistics, publishing guidelines, changes in logos/emblems, budgets, mailing policies, use of sexist language, and the transition to the use of computers in the publishing process. Also included in this transfer are materials from the Extension Administrative Group and Pacific Northwest Cooperative Extension Publication Committee.

Accession 2014:097 consists of materials generated and collected by the Extension and Experiment Station Communications (EESC) Office that were arranged into a subjectlevel filing system. With about half of this transfer comprised up of press releases issued by the EESC, these files also include article reprints, correspondence, curriculum vitae, event programs, Extension circulars, newsletters, newspaper clippings, photographs, presentations/speeches, reports, and transcripts of interviews. The files document research by OSU faculty from various departments and colleges, focusing in particular upon projects in the agricultural and animal sciences.

A Videotape Catalog prepared by Extension Communication in January 1977 is part of Series 7.

Biographical / Historical Notes

The Extension Information Office (which later became Extension Communications) and the Agricultural Experiment Station Information office (which later became Agricultural Experiment Station Communications) were separate units until 1983, when they were combined into a single unit in the College of Agricultural Sciences. This new unit was called Agricultural Communications. The name was changed in March of 1996 to Extension and Experiment Station Communications to reflect the move at OSU to make Extension a university-wide outreach activity. Extension and Experiment Station Communications is a department in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Unit Leaders of the combined unit have included Ken Kingsley, Department Head from April 1995 to the present, and as the interim department head from November 1991 to April 1995; Gwil Evans was department head from 1983 to 1991.

The Extension Service appointed the first editor of bulletins, C. J. McIntosh, soon after the receipt of federal funds in 1914. Other heads of Extension Information included Arnold Ebert, who was head from 1956 to 1972, and Gwil Evans, from 1972 to 1983. This unit has provided training for Extension staff in such areas as: newsletters, writing for newspapers, radio, photography, etc.

The first experiment station bulletin was written by Director Edgar Grimm and published in 1889. Between 1889 and 1899, the Station published 58 bulletins and circulars on a variety of topics, many in response to farmers' questions. The Experiment Station Editor position was created in 1947 with Arland R. Meade filling that position until 1948. Other heads of the Agricultural Experiment Station Information office included Dick Floyd (1970 until 1983), Robert G. Mason (1953-1970), Norville Gish (1950-1953) and Sam Bailey (1948-1950). The Agricultural Experiment Station communications unit has worked with researchers to distribute the results of research to other researchers (via technical bulletins, etc.), and to make the public aware of and value the impact of research on their lives via newspaper and television releases, and Oregon's Agricultural Progress magazine.

The communication units were located in Extension Hall (previously Snell Hall), then moved to one of the upper floors of Waldo Hall, and moved into the Kerr Administration Building when it opened in 1971.

Administrative Information

More Extent Information: 14 boxes, including one oversize box and 3 microfilm reels; 548 audio tapes

Related Materials:

The Agricultural Experiment Station Records (RG 025) and the Extension Service Records (RG 111) contain records with information on Extension and Experiment Station Communications. The Extension and Experiment Station Communications Photographs (P 120) contain photographs taken by the Communications office personnel and the Extension and Agricultural Experiment Station Communications Moving Images (FV 120) contain films either used in Extension television programs or that were produced by the Agricultural Experiment Station Communications office.

Preferred Citation: Extension and Experiment Station Communications Records (RG 069), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Other URL:

A preliminary container list was created for this collection on or before November 19, 2015.

A container list for Accession 2014:097 is also available online.

Extension and Experiment Station Communications Records, 1934-2009

Collection Overview

Abstract

Scope and Content Notes

Biographical / Historical Notes

Administrative Information

Creators

People, Places, and Topics

Forms of Material