Rodney Tripp Collection, circa 1870-2001

Title: Rodney Tripp Collection, circa 1870-2001

Predominant Dates: 1940-2001

ID: MSS Tripp

Primary Creator: Tripp, Rodney

Extent: 1.0 cubic feet. More info below.

Languages of Materials: English [eng]

The Rodney Tripp Collection documents Tripp's association with Oregon State University and consists primarily of ephemera, memorabilia, and artifacts. The collection includes buttons, a coin, a key chain, a membership card, newspaper clippings, a paddle, a patch, publications, a photograph, and a small Benny the Beaver statue. The publications include a 1940 alumni newsletter sent to graduates of the Secretarial Science Department, an 1875 edition of the Benton County Almanac, and the August 13, 2001 issue of Sports Illustrated, which featured the 2001 football team. The Almanac includes a brief introduction with information about Benton County, Corvallis, and other communities and advertisements for local and regional businesses. Tripp's membership in the Beaver Club, the booster club for Oregon State Athletics, is represented by the key chain, membership card, and the patch. The collection includes 26 buttons, most documenting Shriner's Club gatherings on Marys Peak in 1946-1981. Buttons for the 1962 homecoming football game, Bill Glass, and the 2001 OSU Alumni Association bowl tour are also included. The paddle reflects Tripp’s' membership in the Theta Xi fraternity. The Benny the Beaver statue is about 10 inches high and is modeled on the Benny the Beaver mascot of the 1990s. It was carved in wood by an unidentified artist. The coin commemorates the 1957 centennial celebration of the founding of Corvallis.

Of special note is a carte-de-visite photograph advertising the Stryker & Dohse Photograph Gallery in Corvallis. It includes portrait images of Stryker, Dohse, and W.S James (designer and illustrator) as well as a description of the gallery's services. David S. Stryker and Henry M. Dohse opened a photograph studio in Corvallis in 1867.

Rodney Tripp earned a BS in Secretarial Science from Oregon State College in 1940. After military service during World War II, Tripp returned to Albany, Oregon, and pursued business interests in real estate and restaurant development. Tripp was active in the community, co-founded the Albany Regional Museum, and was involved in the Rotary Club and Albany Jaycees.

Rodney Winfield Tripp was born on February 6, 1916 in Denver, Colorado. His family moved from Brownsville, Oregon, to Albany when he was 3 years old. Tripp graduated from Albany High School and attended Albany College for two academic years -- in 1936-1937 and 1937-1938. In fall 1938, he enrolled at Oregon State College and attended for two years until completing his degree in June 1940. Rodney Tripp died in 2011.

More Extent Information: One photograph; 1 box

Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.

Acquisition Note: These materials were transferred to the Special Collections & Archives Research Center by the Oregon State University Alumni Association in 2013.

Related Materials: The Special Collections and Archives Research Center's holdings include numerous collections documenting student and alumni activities and the Oregon State University football team. Among these are collections of other secretarial science students during the 1930s-1940s -- the Doris P. Adamson Scrapbook (MSS Adamson), Dona Dinsdale Papers (MSS Dinsdale), and the Jacquelin F. Holland Papers (MSS Holland). The OSU Memorabilia Collection (MSS MC) includes a variety of ephemeral items and additional information regarding the Beaver Club.

Preferred Citation: Rodney Tripp Collection (MSS Tripp), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Tripp, Rodney
Oregon State College. Department of Secretarial Science

Benton County (Or.)
Business education--Oregon--Corvallis.
Football--Oregon--Corvallis.
Greek letter societies--Oregon--Corvallis.
Local History
Oregon State College. Department of Secretarial Science
Oregon State University--Alumni and alumnae.
Oregon State University--Football.
Student activities--Oregon--Corvallis.
Tripp, Rodney
University History

Cartes-de-visite (card photographs).
Ephemera (general object genre)
Photographic prints.