Joe O. Mattson Photograph Collection, 1923-1924

Collection Overview

Title: Joe O. Mattson Photograph Collection, 1923-1924

ID: P 145

Primary Creator: Mattson, Joe O.

Arrangement: This collection is arranged in one series: I. Photographs, 1923-1924.

Languages of Materials: English [eng]

Abstract

The Joe O. Mattson Photograph Collection consists of images taken and assembled by Mattson that document student life at Oregon Agricultural College in the mid-1920s. Mattson attended Oregon Agricultural College from the fall of 1923 through the fall of 1925.

Images from this collection have been digitized and are available in Oregon Digital.

Scope and Content Notes

The Joe O. Mattson Photograph Collection consists of images taken and assembled by Mattson documenting student life at Oregon Agricultural College (OAC) in the mid-1920s. Most of the images date from Mattson's sophomore year at OAC in 1923-1924. The images depict the sophomore-rook tug of war, the homecoming bonfire, and football and basketball players. Detailed descriptions of the photographs and recollections of the events depicted in them were provided in a letter written by Mattson that accompanied the photographs. A copy of the letter is available with the photographs. The photographs are arranged in the order they are described in the accompanying letter.

Images from this collection have been digitized and are available in Oregon Digital.

Biographical / Historical Notes

Joe O. Mattson attended Oregon Agricultural College (OAC) for two academic years plus a term, from the fall of 1923 through the fall of 1925, as a student in Commerce. Mattson was born as Oliver Philip Mattson on November 17, 1903, in Los Angeles, California, and enrolled at OAC with that name. Most references to Mattson in student publications from his student years use the name Joe Mattson. He was using the name Joe O. Mattson when the photographs were donated to Oregon State in 1974. Mattson died in Chevy Chase, Maryland, on November 1, 1988.

Mattson was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity and on the staff of the Barometer campus newspaper.

Administrative Information

More Extent Information: 38 photographs; 1 box

Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.

Acquisition Note: The Alumni Association transferred the photographs to the Archives in 1974 or later.

Related Materials: Mattson's original letter describing the photographs is part of the OSU Memorabilia Collection (MSS MC) file "MC-Tradition". The Special Collections and Archives Research Center has many collections that document student life during the early-mid 1920s, including the George J. and Florence Badura Collection (MSS Badura), Claud L. Booth Photograph Album (P 300), and Bessie Brown Lawrence Photographs (P 258).

Preferred Citation: Joe O. Mattson Photograph Collection (P 145), Oregon State University Special Collections & Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Processing Information: When the collection was received in the 1970s, the Archives assigned item numbers (P145:xx) to the photographs in a different order than that provided by the donor. In 2015, the photographs were re-arranged into the order in which they were described by the donor. Consequently, the images are not listed in this guide in numerical order by their P145:xx item number.

Box and Folder Listing

Series 1: Photographs, 1923-1924

Series I consists of photgraphs of student life at Oregon Agricultural College. The photographs are arranged in the order in which they were described by the donor in an accompanying letter, which is included with the photographs. Descriptions of the photographs as written by the donor and the numbers assigned by the donor to each image are provided with the description of each item.

Sub-Series 1: Sophomore-Rook Tug of War, 1924

A-series images.

Box-Folder 1.1

Item P145:35: Group walking to Tug-of-War: Donor's description: "We had a girl as President of the Freshman class. (Who said we didn't have Women's Lib then) Evelyn Wall: she is the gal in the dark dress. Others in the picture that I can identify; The man in front is a professor, Mitchell I think his name was. Second row -Web Edwards with his arm raised. I am over Mitchell's left shoulder and Red Denman on my left. The fellow in the black shirt on right is Louie Parker who became a Lt. General in the Air Force in W.W.II." Labeled as A-1. Image is available online.
Item P145:33-P145:34: Group walking to Tug-of-War: Donor's description: "We have lost the gals and the prof somewhere. The front row. The two outside men I don't recognize but I'm in the middle with Web on my right and Kenny Denman on my left. How you like that late model racer. Pretty good mob too." Labeled as A-3 and A-2, respectively. Images are available online: 33, 34.
Item P145:32: Group walking to Tug-of-War, from behind: Donor's description: "Same from the rear." Labeled as A-4. Image is available online.
Item P145:31: Teams preparing for Tug-of-War: Donor's description: "Preparing for the fray. I recognize 'Hippo' Dickerson as the anchorman, next 'Swede' Wermark, then Geo. Craig (my best friend, ...) Then Wes Schulmerich, then Paul Peek. (I made a mistake its Hip, Swede, then Wes, then George then Paul)" Labeled as A-5. Image is available online.
Item P145:30: Tug-of-War underway: Donor's description: "The battle." Labeled as A-6. Image is available online.
Item P145:29: The losing team in the millrace: Donor's description: "The losers. That is Web just entering the water. I'm on the other side behind Web's right hand." Labeled as A-7. Image is available online.
Item P145:28: The losing team in the millrace: Donor's description: "Web coming up. I'm still trying to get out." Labeled as A-8. Image is available online.
Item P145:27: The losing team in the millrace: Donor's description: "I think I've made it." Labeled as A-9. Image is available online.
Item P145:26: The losing team in the millrace: Donor's description: "The losers again." Labeled as A-10. Image is available online.
Item P145:25: Tug of War participants, winners running in the distance: Donor's description: "The winners running for their lives." Labeled as A-11. Image is available online.

Sub-Series 2: Homecoming Bonfire

B-series images.

Box-Folder 1.1

Item P145:06: The bonfire at night: Labeled as B-5. Image is available online.
Item P145:07: The bonfire at night: Labeled as B-4. Image is available online.
Item P145:08: Gathering fuel for the bonfire: Donor's description: "The Gleaners." Labeled as B-1. Image is available online.; Extent: 2 prints
Item P145:09: Students preparing the bonfire: Donor's description: "I'm resting," Labeled as B-3. Image is available online.
Item P145:10: Students posing in front of students constructing the bonfire: Donor's description: "Puttin it together. I'm on the left in the white(?) shirt." Labeled as B-2. Image is available online.

Sub-Series 3: Students and student activities

C-, D-, and E-series images.

Box-Folder 1.1

Item P145:01: Burning rook lids: Donor's description: "Burning our Rook Lids" Labeled as C-1. Image is available online.; Extent: 2 prints
Item P145:02: Students fighting: Donor's description: "I don't remember what this was, but it was rough enough that they had to have a Doctor there" Labeled as D-1. Image is available online.
Item P145:03: Students fighting: Donor's description: "Whatever it was it took two of them to handle Sunny Sunstrum. Note the boots that were fairly common gear then." Labeled as D-2. Image is available online.
Item P145:04: Jousting: Donor's description: "I guess this is the same thing as it has the same photo number on the back." Labeled as D-3. Image is available online.
Item P145:11: Beta Theta Pi house members: Donor's description: "The members of the Beta house, Dan Poling is about in the middle of the next to last row, I'm on the left, back row." Labeled as E-1. Image is available online.
Item P145:12: Fred Bracher: Donor's description: "Fred Bracher. He was my roommate in the Beta house. The last I heard about him he was Professor of English and Chairman of Pomona College in Claremont, Calif. He was Editor of the 1926 Beaver yearbook. One day he gave me a camera and said "Go out and take some pictures for the Beaver. This next bunch are some of those - I think." Labeled as E-2. Image is available online.

Sub-Series 4: Football and basketball players

F-series images and other athletics photographs.

Box-Folder 1.1

Item P145:05: Red Denman, Fritz Tebbs, Wes Schulmerich, Web Edwards: Donor's description: "Red Denman, Fritz Tebbs, Wes Schulmerich, Web Edwards" Labeled as F-1. Image is available online.
Item P145:22: Clyde "Cac" Hubbard: Donor's description: "Clyde 'Cac' Hubbard, Ass't Coach" Labeled as F-2. Image is available online.
Item P145:19: Michael "Dad" Butler: Donor's description: "Michael 'Dad' Butler, Trainer and Track coach. My friend" Labeled as F-3. Image is available online.
Item P145:23-P145:24: Corvallis: Donor's description: "General views of Corvallis from the hills back of town, probably built up now. Wes Schulmerich once shot a deer up here." Labeled as F-4 and F-5, respectively. Images are available online: 23, 24.
Item P145:20: Students sending off the football team: Donor's description: "Sending the team off for the Nebraska game." Labeled as F-6. Image is available online.
Item P145:21: Students after the rally: Donor's description: "After the rally. The girl in the group of five on the right and looks like she is carrying an envelope is a girl I dated a lot - Ruth Hahn" Labeled as F-7. Image is available online.
Item P145:18: Dal Ward, Wes Schulmerich, Web Edwards, and two unknown men: Donor's description: "Leaving for Nebraska - Dal Ward, Wes and Web ? ?" Labeled as F-8. Image is available online.
Item P145:13: Carlos Steele
Item P145:14 - P145:16: Harold "Red" Ridings: Image 14 is available online.
Item P145:17: Carlos Steele
Item P145:36: Rook (freshman) football team, 1923: Includes Coach "Spec" Keene. Image is available online.

Joe O. Mattson Photograph Collection, 1923-1924

Collection Overview

Abstract

Scope and Content Notes

Biographical / Historical Notes

Administrative Information

Creators

People, Places, and Topics

Forms of Material

Box and Folder Listing