By Finding aid prepared by Chris Petersen.
Title: George Edmonston, Jr. Collection, 1907-2011
Predominant Dates: 1986-2005
ID: MSS Edmonston
Primary Creator: Edmonston, George P.
Extent: 2.8 cubic feet. More info below.
Arrangement: The collection is arranged into five series: 1. Photographs, 1909-2005; 2. Subject Files, 1907-2008; 3. Manuscripts and Publications, 1994-2002; 4. OSU Alumni Association Records, 1938-2011; 5. Oregon Stater Records, 1964-2005.
Languages of Materials: English [eng]
The George Edmonston, Jr. Collection primarily consists of materials collected and generated by Edmonston over the course of his nineteen years (1986-2005) as editor of the Oregon Stater alumni magazine, during which time he wrote dozens of articles on the history of the university. The collection includes original and reproduced photographs and other primary sources used by Edmonston in his research and writing on OSU and the Willamette Valley. Also included are materials documenting the activities of the Oregon Stater, the OSU Alumni Association and the OSU 30-Staters Clubs both before and during Edmonston's time at OSU, as well as items written by Edmonston for publication outside of the Oregon Stater.
Photographs from this collection have been digitized and are available in Oregon Digital, namely of baseball teams and games associated with Oregon State at the turn of the twentieth century. Other born-digital materials in this collection, including CDs and floppy disks, require migration to a digital format and are not immediately available for patron use. Please see SCARC's "Accessing Audio-Visual Content" policy for more information.
The George Edmonston, Jr. Collection is a rich resource for those interested in the history and traditions of Oregon State University. The collection contains nearly five hundred original and reproduced photographs depicting campus events and culture from the early 1900s to the end of the 20th century. Of particular interest are a set of real photo postcards created ca. 1911-1913 for OAC student Edgar Pierce, which document numerous campus scenes and activities contemporary to the time.
The collection likewise holds an extensive set of topically organized subject files, consisting of original and reproduced primary source materials gathered by Edmonston in his research on campus history. The results of this research are presented in Edmonston's publications, many of which are compiled in manuscript form in this collection. The entirety of Carry Me Back - Beaver Eclips - an informal history of Oregon State University written by Edmonston and published as a web serial in 2001-2002 - is available in the collection, as are numerous manuscripts developed for use in various publications, including the Oregon Stater. Three books authored by Edmonston and one book manuscript are also available: Tales from Oregon State Sports (with Jeff Welsch, 2003), Double Duty. John & Dorothy Fenner: A Story of Honor, Commitment and Love (2007), Second Chance: The Cliff & Donna Grow Story (2011), and All I Wanted Was An Opportunity: The Ken Austin Story (manuscript, 2010).
The collection also features extensive sets of records reflecting the history, growth and activities of both the OSU Alumni Association and the Oregon Stater magazine. Within these materials are records of the 30-Staters Clubs, local alumni organizations created "to support and further the interests of the O.S.C. Alumni Association" by "serv[ing] as a nucleus in any community around which to rally the services of the alumni whenever the occasion warrants." The records also include documentation of numerous Alumni Association awards events, materials concerning Oregon Stater budgets and expenses, and biographical information on Edmonston himself.
In addition to the paper materials held in the collection, two compact discs and two DVDs - containing photographs, Powerpoint presentations, and an event video production - are present in series I, II and IV. These born digital materials have been copied to the SCARC file server for purposes of both preservation and access.
Photographs from this collection have been digitized and are available in Oregon Digital, namely of baseball teams and games associated with Oregon State at the turn of the twentieth century. Other born-digital materials in this collection, including CDs and floppy disks, require migration to a digital format and are not immediately available for patron use. Please see SCARC's "Accessing Audio-Visual Content" policy for more information.
George Perkle Edmonston, Jr. was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1946. Following undergraduate studies at Louisiana State University, graduate work at the University of Southwestern Louisiana and service in the United States Navy, Edmonston built a career in writing and public relations through numerous positions at LSU, ultimately serving as editor of LSU Magazine for two years.
In 1986 Edmonston was hired to the position of Editor of the Oregon Stater alumni magazine, which he held until retiring in 2005. During his tenure, the alumni publication switched from newsprint tabloid format to a glossy magazine, and received eight national awards as well as six regional awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. A prolific writer, Edmonston published dozens of articles focused on the history, traditions and culture of Oregon State University, and is the author of three books. Edmonston also regularly engaged with the campus community, speaking at numerous OSU-related events, especially those sponsored by the OSU Alumni Center. In 2007 Edmonston's service to OSU was formally recognized when he was named an Honorary Alumnus of Oregon State University.
More Extent Information: 497 photographs, 2 compact discs and 2 DVDs; 717 megabytes born digital; 6 boxes including 2 oversize boxes
Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.
Related Materials:
The history of the Oregon Stater alumni magazine is outlined in the Chuck Boice Papers (MSS Boice), editor from 1969-1986, as well as the Oregon Stater Photograph Collection (P 195), which is largely comprised of images taken for use in the publication. The OSU Libraries hold a complete run of the Oregon Stater (PUB 3-11a) as well as the publication that preceded it, Oregon State Monthly. A detailed index to both publications is available online. Also available online are many of the OSU-related pieces that George Edmonston wrote for the Oregon Stater and the Alumni Association.
The activities of the OSU Alumni Association are also reflected in multiple collections held by SCARC, including the Alumni Association Records (RG 035), the Alumni Association Motion Picture Films and Videotapes (FV 017), and the Alumni Relations Photographs (P 017). The papers of several individuals who served as Director or Executive Secretary of the Association or were significantly involved with alumni matters are also part of SCARC's holdings. These individuals include Edward C. Allworth Papers (MSS Allworth), Ted Carlson Collection (MSS CarlsonT), Crawford Henderson ("Scram") Graham Collection (MSS GrahamC), E. B. Lemon Papers (MSS LemonEB), and Edwin T. Reed Papers (MSS Reed).
Components of the George Edmonston Collection have been separated out for inclusion in the Oregon State University Memorabilia Collection (MSS MC), which is itself a major resource for research on the history of OSU.
Preferred Citation: George Edmonston, Jr. Collection (MSS Edmonston), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.
Processing Information:
We acknowledge that materials in SCARC collections and the language that describes them may be harmful. We are actively working to address our descriptive practices; for more information please see our SCARC Anti-Racist Actions Statement online.
The archivist-prepared description of this collection uses the phrase “Civil War” to refer to the long-standing athletic rivalry between Oregon State University and the University of Oregon. A history of this athletic rivalry, and use of the phrase “Civil War” to describe it, is available online in The Origins of the "Civil War" Football Game blog post.
In June 2020, Oregon State University President Edward J. Ray announced that the term “Civil War” will no longer be used by either university because it “represents a connection to a war fought to perpetuate slavery.”
We acknowledge the racism represented by the use of this phrase and the harm it may cause our users. In order to provide historical context and to enable standardized searching and access across our collections, we have retained the use of this phrase in the collection description.
[Date of acknowledgement: November 2021]
Edmonston, George P.
Oregon State University. Alumni Association
College environment--Oregon--Corvallis.
College sports--Oregon--Corvallis.
College students--Oregon--Corvallis.
Edmonston, George P.
Oregon Agricultural College--Alumni and alumnae.
Oregon Multicultural Archives
Oregon State College--Alumni and alumnae.
Oregon State University--Alumni and alumnae--Periodicals.
Oregon State University--Alumni and alumnae.
Oregon State University--History.
Oregon State University--Sports.
Student activities--Oregon--Corvallis.
Students' songs--Oregon--Corvallis.
Universities and colleges--Alumni and alumnae--Oregon.
Universities and colleges--Public relations--Oregon.
University History
Born digital.
Compact discs.
DVDs.
Film negatives.
Photographic prints.
Slides (photographs).