Board of Regents Records (RG 8)
1886-1929
5 cubic feet and 7 reels of microfilm
Scope and Content Note
The Board of Regents Records document the administration, facilities, and curriculum
of the Oregon Agricultural College and include correspondence, minutes, financial records,
and contracts.
The records consists of fourteen series: I. Correspondence; II. Minutes; III. Committees;
IV. Reports to Bureau of Education, U.S. Department of Interior; V. Reports;
VI. Resolutions; VII. Financial Records; VIII. Salary Schedules; IX. Budgets;
X. Contracts; XI. List of Candidates for Presidency of State Agricultural College of Oregon;
XII. By-laws; XIII. Catalogue Data; XIV. Miscellaneous Records.
Series I consists of general correspondence sent and received by the
Board between 1887 and 1918. An annotated
inventory of the
correspondence received follows the collection inventory. Series II
contains the minutes of the Board's meetings from 1886-1929. Series
III consists of Board Committee records. Of note are correspondence
and minutes of the Executive Committee from 1886-1910. Other records
in this series date from 1899-1907 and pertain to committees such as
the Buildings and Grounds, the Station, and the Finance
Committees.
Series IV consists of reports to the Bureau of Education of the U.S.
Dept. of Interior from 1896-1907. Series V includes general reports
made between 1892 and 1929, such as reports of the Board to the
governor. Series VI consists of resolutions proposed by the Board
between 1899 and 1904. Series VII contains financial reports of the
College and Experiment Station made between 1891 and 1908, and other
miscellaneous financial records from 1888-1917. Series VIII consists
of staff salary schedules for 1896 and 1900. Series IX includes
budgetary information for 1916 and 1917.
Series X consists of contracts. Many of these are insurance
policies, which are arranged by date of expiration. Other contracts
were for specific services to the college, such as providing firewood,
or for the construction of particular buildings. Series XI is list
of the candidates for the presidency of the college in 1892 and
includes an analysis of recommendations. Series XII consists of the
Board's by-laws, and includes ones adopted in 1888 as well as
published copies from 1889 and 1910. Series XIII includes drafts
of narrative information used in compiling the college's catalogs
between 1888 and 1891. Series XIV includes information on
furniture and equipment purchased by the college in the 1890s and a
1926 description of a property lot close to campus.
Forms
Most of the records are in both paper and microfilm format. Series
XI through XIV are in paper form only.
Historical Note
The Board of Regents was created by the Oregon Legislative Assembly
through legislation passed in February 1885. It replaced the College's
Board of Trustees, which had reported to the Columbia Conference of
the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The Board of Regents consisted
of nine members appointed by, and which reported to, the Governor of
Oregon. The Board's ex-officio members included the Governor,
Secretary of State, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction,
and the Master of the State Grange. Board officers included a
president, secretary and treasurer, and were appointed to two-year
terms of office. The Board's by-laws were later amended to include a
vice-president. In 1929, the OAC Board of Regents was replaced by the
Oregon State Board of Higher Education, which was created to oversee
all of Oregon's public higher education institutions.
Several Board members figured prominently in OSU's history. Wallis
Nash served from 1886-1898, much of that time as the Board Secretary.
James K. Weatherford, an 1872 graduate of the college, was a Board
member for 43 years, 1886-1929. He was Board President from 1901-1929.
John T. Apperson served from 1886-1917, and was President from 1895-1901. B. F. Irvine served from 1898-1929, the last 28 years as Board
Treasurer. He also served on the Oregon State Board of Higher
Education from 1929-1937. E. E. Wilson graduated from the college in
1889 and served two terms on the Board -- 1906-1915 and 1924-1929. He
also served on the Memorial Union Board of Governors from 1925-1961.
Walter M. Pierce served as a Board member from 1903-1927, the last
four years in an ex-officio capacity as Governor of Oregon. Clara H.
Waldo, the first woman appointed to the Board, served from 1905-1919.
Related Materials
The Board of Trustees Records (RG 33) document the
administration of Oregon Agricultural College prior to the establishment of
the Board of Regents. The President's Office Records (RG 13) and the E. E.
Wilson Papers include materials pertaining to the Board of Regents. College catalogs, published annually, listed the
members and officers of the Board of Regents. The Memorabilia
Collection includes biographical information on several Board
members. By-laws of the Board of Regents are also available in the Publications
Collection (PUB 1-10b).
Container Note
The paper records are housed in 2 cubic foot boxes, 5 12x17 oversize boxes, one legal
document case, and an oversize cabinet.
Series Outline
I. Correspondence, 1887-1918
II. Minutes, 1886-1929
III. Committees, 1886-1917
IV. Reports to Bureau of Education, U.S. Dept. of
Interior, 1896-1907
V. Reports, 1892-1929
VI. Resolutions, 1899-1907 & undated
VII. Financial Records, 1888-1917
VIII. Salary Schedules, 1896 & 1900
IX. Budgets, 1916-1918
X. Contracts, 1889-1907
XI. List of Candidates for Presidency of State Agricultural
College of Oregon. With Particulars, and with Analysis
of Recommendations, March 1892
XII. By-laws, 1888-ca. 1910
XIII. Catalogue Data, 1888-ca. 1891
XIV. Miscellaneous Records, ca. 1890-1926
Collection Inventory
Annotated Inventory to
Correspondence Received
Page