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Jimmie Morris Papers, 1920-2008

By Finding aid prepared by Chris Petersen.

Collection Overview

Title: Jimmie Morris Papers, 1920-2008

Predominant Dates: 1922-1965

ID: MSS MorrisJ

Primary Creator: Morris, James M. (1904-)

Extent: 1.5 cubic feet. More info below.

Arrangement: The Morris Papers are arranged into seven series: I. Morris Biographical, 1920-1995; II. Morris Publications and Other Writings, 1937-1972; III. Records of KOAC Radio, 1924-2008; IV. Educational Television, 1952-1965; V. General Broadcasting, 1922-1965; VI. Photographs, 1922-1972; VII. Multimedia, 1946-1959.

Languages of Materials: English [eng]

Abstract

The Jimmie Morris Papers reflect Morris' life-long interest in broadcasting, his decades of service to KOAC radio and television, and the broader evolution of the station itself. The collection is particularly strong in its documentation of the emergence of television as a tool for statewide education, a development that came about after much debate in the mid-1950s. An Oregon Agricultural College graduate, Morris was on the staff of KOAC from 1932-1963 and is the author of a history of the station, The Remembered Years..., published in 1972.

Scope and Content Notes

The Morris Papers consist of a wide variety of materials documenting Morris' life and work, as well as the evolution of KOAC broadcasting from the 1930s to the 1960s, in particular the infancy of KOAC television in the mid- to late 1950s. The collection contains a large volume of newspaper clippings, both assorted and arranged, as well as numerous additional material types, including manuscripts, correspondence, publications, photographs, audio formats and one 16 mm film.

Particular highlights of the collection include items reflecting Morris' initial exploits in radio as a teenager living in Eugene, Oregon; important early documents formalizing the establishment of KOAC radio's signal in the 1920s; typescripts of ten radio plays written by Morris circa the 1930s; and a wide swath of records related to the debate surrounding educational television in the 1950s, and its ultimate implementation in Oregon and elsewhere. Day-to-day life and smaller milestones in the history of KOAC are also recorded in multiple locations throughout the collection. The papers likewise include 170 photographic prints and color slides depicting Morris and his colleagues at KOAC, as well as the station's facilities and activities in both radio and television broadcasting.

Biographical / Historical Notes

A pioneer of broadcasting in Oregon, James Madison Morris was born on May 23, 1904 in Sumner, Washington and grew up in Eugene, Oregon, where he graduated from high school in 1923. Morris was interested in radios from an early age, constructing his first rudimentary device out of a Quaker Oats cereal box in 1919. Not long after, he incorporated a business, Eugene Radio Laboratories, where he built and sold some of the area's first radio sets. Morris was also among the region's first ham radio operators, obtaining license 7JU in 1920. While still in high school, Morris likewise spent two years writing the first radio column and program review to be published in a Eugene-area newspaper.

In 1924 Morris began an association with Oregon State University that would last for the remainder of his life. As an undergraduate at what was then Oregon Agricultural College, Morris studied electrical engineering, completing his bachelor's degree in 1928. From there, Morris moved directly into graduate studies in physics and communications, serving as a teaching fellow in Physics from 1928-1929 and as a member of the faculty from 1929-1932. KOAC radio, which began broadcasting as radio station KFDJ in 1922, was initially run out of the Physics Department, and Morris became closely aligned with the operation early in his tenure, often serving as special events engineer for radio broadcasts.

In 1932 KOAC was moved out of Physics in favor of the State System of Higher Education's General Extension Division, and Morris followed suit. As a full-time employee of the station, Morris served as producer-announcer for thirteen years until being named program manager in 1945. He remained in this position until 1963, making time along the way to complete his Oregon State College doctorate in education in 1956. Morris later worked as Head of Information Services and as Managing Editor of Publications for the state board's Division of Continuing Education before retiring in 1972.

During his three decades of direct contact with KOAC broadcasting, Morris made an important and lasting impact. In addition to producing a full complement of agricultural and educational programs, Morris wrote and directed numerous radio plays, many of which were published in two book-length compilations, both titled Radio Workshop Plays (1940 and 1942). Morris also helped to push forward remote broadcasting at KOAC and served as an early "Voice of the Beavers," relaying Oregon State football from Bell Field and basketball from the Men's Gymnasium.

Perhaps most importantly, Morris emerged as a strong advocate for the efficacy of educational television. Morris first experimented with television as a medium in 1930 and was initially exposed to the notion of educational television while attending a graduate seminar held in New York City in 1941. In 1952 Morris was charged with preparing a study on the possible implementation of educational television in Oregon. From there he worked closely with state legislators and Oregon's governors to secure funding for state-run television facilities in Corvallis and Portland. KOAC-TV went on the air in 1957 and Portland's KOAP-TV followed suit in 1961.

KOAC broadcasting celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 1972, the same year that Morris retired. In connection with the anniversary, Morris published a history of the station titled The Remembered Years... (digitized and available online). The recipient of numerous awards over the course of his career, Jimmie Morris had an annual award named after him in 1986 by the Consortium for Public Radio in Oregon. He passed away at the age of ninety on January 8, 1995, survived by his wife Lucille, son Sterling and daughter Rebecca.



Author: Chris Petersen

Administrative Information

More Extent Information: 170 photographs, 2 reel-to-reel sound recordings, 1 motion picture film, and 1 vinyl sound recording; 4 boxes including 1 film box and 1 oversize box

Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.

Related Materials:

Several items of direct relation to Jimmie Morris have been digitized and are available online. Among them are his 1956 Ed.D. thesis, "Guides to Educational Television Programming and their Application to the State of Oregon"; a 1959 film, "Focus on ETV" for which he served as commentator and narrator; and his 1972 history of KOAC broadcasting, The Remembered Years.... Three audio recordings that Morris produced in 1939 for KOAC's "Foresters in Action" program have also been digitized: "Alouette," "Cruiser's Song," and "George W. - The Dean." A digital exhibit titled "Music, Markets and Milestones: 75 Years of KOAC Radio," is likewise available, as are a handful of images of Morris that have been digitized out of various SCARC photo collections.

Two volumes, both titled Radio Workshop Plays, that were written by Morris and published in 1940 and 1942, have been cataloged into the OSU Libraries History of the Pacific Northwest Rare Book Collection (RB HistPNW). Additional archival information on the history of student radio, including KOAC broadcasting and its productions, can be found in the Mike Club Scrapbook and Sound Recordings (MSS Mike), KOAC Records (RG 015), KOAC Photographs (P 207) and KOAC-TV Films (FV 207). Other collections containing substantive records pertaining to KOAC include the Library Records (RG 009) and President's Office Records (RG 013). Finally, the Barney Keep Papers (MSS Keep) document the life and work of a KOAC and Oregon State alum who became a legendary commercial broadcaster in the Portland area.

Preferred Citation: Jimmie Morris Papers (MSS MorrisJ), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Creators

Morris, James M. (1904-)

People, Places, and Topics

Continuing education--Oregon.
Kadderly, Wallace L. (Wallace Ladue), 1892-1983
KFDJ (Radio station : Corvallis, Or.)
KOAC (Radio station : Corvallis, Or.)
KOAC (Television station : Corvallis, Or.)
Morris, James M., 1904-
Oregon State Broadcasters Association
Oregon State System of Higher Education. Division of Continuing Education
Oregon State System of Higher Education. General Extension Division.
Public radio--Oregon.
Public television--Oregon.
Radio in higher education--Oregon.
Radio programs--Oregon.
Radio stations--Oregon.
Television in higher education--Oregon.
Television viewers--Oregon.
University History

Forms of Material

Motion pictures (visual works)
Photographic prints.
Radio scripts.
Scrapbooks.
Slides (photographs).
Sound recordings.
Tape reels.


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