Fred M. Shideler Papers, 1929-1998

Title: Fred M. Shideler Papers, 1929-1998

ID: MSS Shideler

Primary Creator: Shideler, Fred Merle

Extent: 6.3 cubic feet

Arrangement: The Fred M. Shideler Papers are organized into eight series. Most series are arranged chronologically.

Languages of Materials: English [eng]

Most of the collection consists of drafts of speeches, statements, news releases, and correspondence written by Shideler for President James H. Jensen, 1961-1969. This series also includes a photocopy of a scrapbook compiled to document the recognition dinner given for Jensen at the time of his retirement in 1969.

The remainder of the collection consists of subject files. These include a typescript of a biography of President William Jasper Kerr, by Edwin T. Reed; materials pertaining to the retirement of E. B. Lemon and President A. L. Strand; records of an oral history project documenting the career of Strand; materials pertaining to the University's Centennial in 1968; a student paper written by Shideler in 1940; papers presented at annual meetings of the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges in 1962 and 1970; and photographs of James H. Jensen.

An addition to the Shideler Papers (Accession 2010:062) consists of a biographical essay, certificates, correspondence, event programs, greeting cards, newspaper clippings, a photograph album, photographs, postcards, printing blocks, publications, receipts, speeches, student papers, and a thesis. In addition to documenting Shideler's career as a professor of Journalism at OSU, these materials also reflect Shideler's family life, interaction with fellow journalists, correspondence with his parents, presentations given, position with the Office of War Information during World War II, job as administrative assistant to the Oregon governor, graduate student work, and post at the University of Oregon School of Journalism. The files are roughly arranged in chronological order. Among the materials pertaining to OSU include items collected at the 1965 Rose Bowl game and family Christmas cards from other OSU faculty such as Francois Gilfillian, Curtis Mumford, and Kerry Eggers. The photograph album mostly contains images of Shideler's children and students/staff on campus. Numbering about 600 images in total (400 prints and 200 negatives), the photographs primarily depict Shideler and his family on vacation and at holiday gatherings. There are also portrait shots and views of Shideler at various events on campus. Fred M. Shideler worked for the OSU Journalism Department and Information Services from 1929 until 1970. He also received a MA in education from Oregon State in 1941.

Shideler was born in Girard, Kansas, in 1904. He earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Kansas State College in 1927 and an MA in education from Oregon State College in 1941. In 1929, he began his career at OSU, one that spanned 41 years, as a journalism instructor and an assistant in the OSC News Bureau.

Shideler was promoted to assistant professor and journalism department head in 1932; to associate professor in 1939; and to professor in 1944. From January through March 1944 he worked in the Office of War Information in Washington, D.C., and from April 1944 through September 1945 he was the information assistant for the OSC Extension Service's Emergency Farm Labor Service. During that time he took over 200 photographs of the farm labor program's activities throughout the state. He returned to teaching journalism in the fall of 1945.

In 1952 he became head of information services; in 1967 he was appointed director of university relations. Shideler also served as administrative assistant to Oregon governors Paul L. Patterson and Elmo Smith in 1956. Shideler retired from OSU in 1970. He died in Corvallis on May 11, 1993.

Related Materials:

An oral history interview with Fred Shideler is held in the A.L. Strand Oral History Collection (OH 007).

Other pertinent collections include the Information Department Records (RG 10), Journalism Department Records (RG 091), Extension Service Records (RG 111), News and Communication Services Records (RG 203), Extension and Experiment Station Communications Photograph Collection (P 120), and the OSU Memorabilia Collection (MSS MC) file "MC - Shideler, Fred."

Preferred Citation: Fred M. Shideler Papers (MSS Shideler), 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.

Shideler, Fred Merle
Reed, Edwin Thomas (1872-1948)

College administrators--Oregon--Corvallis.
College presidents--Oregon--Corvallis.
Jensen, James H.
Kerr, William Jasper, 1863-1947
Lemon, E. B. (Erwin Bertran), 1889-1979
Oregon State University--Anniversaries, etc.
Oregon State University--Centennial celebrations, etc.
Shideler, Fred Merle
Strand, A. L. (August Leroy), 1894-
Universities and colleges--Public relations--Oregon--Corvallis.
University History

Photographic prints.
Scrapbooks.