Cage 747

George A. Frykman

Papers, 1906-1994 (bulk 1950-1990)

George Frykman, 1985 (from the Hilltopics Photograph Collection, PC 123)

Acquisition And Processing Information

George Frykman donated his papers to the Washington State University Libraries in 1991 (MS 1991-42), and additional related papers were transferred by the WSU History Department in the same year (UA 1991-08). These two accessions were combined and processed in 2010 by WSU Ph.D. candidate Lee Ann Powell.

Extent/Quantity Information

Number of Containers: 13

Linear Feet of Shelf Space: 6.25

Biography

George Frykman was born April 30, 1917 in San Francisco, California. In 1935 he graduated from Sequoia High School in Redwood City, CA; he then attended San Jose State College and Stanford University (1935-1941). From 1941 to 1942 he taught English and social studies at Kerman High School in Kerman, CA. He served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1946, achieving the rank of Captain in 1945, and was employed by the Army as a photographer, instructor of photography, and public relations officer. Frykman received a master's degree in history from Stanford University in 1947 and subsequently completed his dissertation, "Indigenous Sectionalism in American Historiography, 1877-1917," earning his Ph.D. in 1955.

Frykman joined the Washington State College history faculty in 1950. Soon after this he served for two years as the chief of the Social Science Division of the college library. Between 1960 and 1964, he worked as assistant to the Dean of the Graduate School in addition to his teaching duties. He was elected to the Faculty Senate, and served as its president. Frykman served on other important university committees, and on nearly every committee of the History Department. He also acted as the faculty advisor for Phi Alpha Theta (history honor society), WSU Chapter Gamma Psi.

Frykman was an active participant in regional history associations and programs, including membership in the Association of Washington Historians and the Council in Regional Research. He participated in many professional conferences, helping to organize several Pacific Northwest History Conferences.

Frykman devoted much of his professional energy to the history of the Pacific Northwest, and, more specifically, to Washington State University. In 1985, the WSU Press published his book about Edmond S. Meany, Seattle's Historian and Promoter: the life of Edmond Stephen Meany. That same year Frykman completed an oral history project on the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine, and was selected as WSU's Centennial Historian for the 1990 anniversary celebration. His 1990 history of the university, Creating the People's University: Washington State University, 1890-1990, was published as a result of this centennial appointment.

Collection Description

The collection includes professional papers reflecting Frykman's career and activities as a faculty member at Washington State University, particularly in the Department of History, the American Studies Program, Faculty Senate, and Phi Alpha Theta, and to his participation in professional and community associations. It consists of correspondence, reports, printed ephemera, photographs, and memorabilia.

Collection Arrangement

The collection is arranged in 11 series. The materials were left in their original order with the exception of a few instances where the processor determined that rearrangement was necessary to facilitate access.

Series List

Access

This collection is open and available for research use. Copyright restrictions apply.

Subjects

Frykman, George A., 1917- -- Archives
Washington State University -- History -- Sources

Preferred Citation

The suggested citation for the collection is:
[Item Description]
George A. Frykman papers, 1906-1994
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Washington State University Libraries
Pullman, WA

Languages

Materials are in English.

Container List:

Box Folder Description
    Series 1: Early papers, 1933-1951
1 1 Job applications, 1949-1951
  2-30 Undergraduate and graduate essays and book reviews, 1933-1949
  31-32 Correspondence, 1948-1949
    Series 2: Correspondence (incoming and outgoing), 1950-1990
1 33 1950
  34 1951
  35 1952
  36 1953
  37 1954
2 38 1955
  39 1956
  40 1957
  41 1958
  42 1959
  43 1960
  44 1961
  45 1962
  46 1963
  47 1964 January-June
3 48 1964 July-December
  49 1965
  50 1966
  51 1967
  52 1968
  53 1969
  54 1970
  55 1971
  56 1972
  57 1973
  58 1974
  59 1975
4 60 1976
  61 1977
  62 1978
  63 1979
  64 1980
  65 1981
  66 1982
  67 1983
  68 1984
  69 1985
  70 1986
  71 1987
  72 1988
  73 1989
  74 1990
    Series 3: Department of History, Washington State University, circa 1950s-1990
5 75-105 History department meeting minutes, 1960-1990
  106 Pettyjohn Symposium application, National Endowment for the Humanities, 1979-1980
  107 First annual Pettyjohn distinguished lecture and research symposium, and distinguished lectures series, 1980-1981
  108 Pettyjohn distinguished lecture, 1981-1990
  109 Public history ad hoc committee (reports and correspondence), 1979-1981
  110 Public history and graduate history study pamphlets, circa 1980s
  111 History department alumni new letters, 1985-1987
  112-115 Phi Alpha Theta (WSU Gamma Psi chapter) (founding documents, correspondence, conference proceedings, and publications), 1950s-1980s
6 116-118 Phi Alpha Theta (WSU Gamma Psi chapter) (founding documents, correspondence, conference proceedings, and publications), 1950s-1980s (continued)
  119-122 History department memoranda and reports, 1950s-1980s
  123 Department of history and political science reports, memoranda, and meeting minutes, 1953-1956
  124 History graduate education planning committee reports, 1964
  125-128 Proposed doctor of arts in history (reports, memoranda, and correspondence), 1969-1972
  129 Revisions of the guidelines for the study of history at WSU, 1975-1977
    Series 4: American Studies, circa 1950s-1980s
  139-142 American Studies at WSU (reports, correspondence, memoranda, and meeting minutes), 1950s-1980s
7 143-149 American Studies at WSU (reports, correspondence, memoranda, and meeting minutes), 1950s-1980s (continued)
  150 American Studies Association meeting minutes and newsletter, 1950s-1970s
  151-153 Pacific Northwest American Studies Association (reports, correspondence, newsletters, conference proceedings), 1960s-1980s
    Series 5: Other Washington State University activities, 1945-1990
  154 Library: Judge Walter B. Beals collection (correspondence, collection inventory lists, and status reports); also, other miscellaneous library matters; 1945-1954
  155 Report: evaluation of the social science collection of the WSC library, and related correspondence, 1951-1956
  156 Report on the economic status of faculty of WSC, 1956
  157 Social Science-Humanities Research Library Committee, reports and correspondence, 1965 and 1969
  158 Proposed institute for advanced study in history (proposal and correspondence), 1967-1969
  159 Faculty committee to review graduate programs in English (correspondence, reports, and Frykman notes), 1971-1972
  160 Committee to Review Master in Arts and Teaching program in social studies (correspondence and report), 1973-1974
  161 Bicentennial lectureship project, Jack P. Green bicentennial lecturer (correspondence and applications for project funding), 1973-1975
  162 Recommendations for an Asian American studies program at WSU, report to the Senate Steering Committee by the Asian American Advisory Committee, 1978
  163 WSU Faculty Council newsletters, 1978-1979
  164 WSU Faculty Senate (correspondence, meeting agendas, and meeting minutes), 1984
  165 WSU foreign student quota guidelines, 1980-1986
  166 Frykman centennial presentation to the Outlook Club (presentation outline and correspondence), 1990
    Series 6: Professional organizations, 1956-1988
8 167-180 Association of Washington State Historians (articles of incorporation, membership lists, general correspondence, correspondence related to Washington State HB656 and SB2413, election ballots, meeting minutes), 1973-1988
  181-192 Council on Regional Historical Research (council charter, meeting minutes, newsletters, mailing lists, correspondence, and reports), 1956-1961
    Series 7: Conferences, 1951-1994
9 193-210 Pacific Northwest History Conference (programs, correspondence, calls for papers, paper proposals), 1951-1994
  211 Teachers of American History conference program, 1951
  212 Pacific Coast Branch American, Historical Association (annual meeting program), 1952
  213 Northwest College audio-visual conference program, 1955
  214 Pacific Northwest Library Association conference program, 1956
  215 Community College conference on history program, 1966
  216 Washington State University symposium on the historical novel program, 1966
  217 National Defense Education Act History Summer Institute program, 1966
  218 Western History Association conference letter to participants, 1966
  219 Education Profession Development Act Institute in Social Science (correspondence, program, and outline of Frykman presentation), 1969
  220 Pacific Northwest American Studies conference program, 1972
10 221 Pacific Northwest Labor History conference (application and preliminary program), 1976
  222 Idaho History conference program, 1980
  223 Centennial Forum Series: Spokane and the Inland Empire (programs and announcements), 1981
  224 Ninth annual Neighborhoods conference, Tacoma, WA (correspondence, nomination form, publicity, agenda, and Frykman presentation outline), 1983-1984
    Series 8: Essays, presentations, and book reviews by Frykman, 1951-1989
  225 "History Journals and Sources for the Study of Post Reconstruction," 1951
  226 "Regionalism, Nationalism, and Localism," 1952
  227 "The Role of Indigenous Sectionalism in American History and Historiography," 1954
  228 "A Philosophy for Regional and Local Historian of the Pacific Northwest," 1964
  229 "Edmond S. Meany and the Development of Historical Thought in Washington," 1970
  230 "From the Open Range to the City: the Evolution of the Veterinary Profession in Washington," 1974
  231 "Edmond S. Meany and the development of the Washington Historical Quarterly," 1975
  232 "From College to University: Washington State University's Pivotal Years," 1979
  233 "The Role and Mission of Washington State University and Its Department of History, 1983
  234 "The Bryan Years at Washington State University," 1984
  235 "Student Activism at Washington State University, 1961-1976," 1986
  236 "The Land-Grant Mission and the Natural History of the Students: Several Episodes in the History of Washington State University," 1987
  237 "WSU's Presence in Spokane: What Part Does it Play in the Centennial History?" 1987
  238 "From Empiric to Scientist: the Social History of the Veterinarian in Washington" 1977
  239 "Portrait of the Veterinarian: A Pacific Northwest Profile," 1979
  240 Book reviews by Frykman, 1981-1989
    Series 9: Research and subject files, 1906-1987
  241 Pamphlet: Charles McKinley, "Five Years of Planning in the Pacific Northwest," 1939
  242 Pamphlet: National Resources Planning Board, Regional Development Plan: Pacific Northwest (Preliminary Statement), 1940
  243 Pamphlet: Northwest Regional Council, "Discovering Anew the Pacific Northwest," 1940
  244 Pamphlet: "United States-Canada Boundary Treaty Centennial: 1846-1946," circa 1946
  245 [not used]
  246 Pamphlet: "Final Report of the Pacific Northwest Assembly on State Government," 1956
  247 Pamphlet: Oregon Historical Society," A Bibliography of Pacific Northwest History," 1958
  248 Project 249, "The Significance of Sectionalism and Regionalism in American and Pacific Northwest History..." (reports, funding requests, project outlines, expense records, and related correspondence), 1957-1962
  249 [not used]
  250 Fortnightly Club, Pullman, WA: photographs of charter members, compiled for the club's 35th anniversary, 1928
  251 "How I Make Both Ends Meet" by Peter Kragt (typescript, reproduction), 1932
11 252 Wilson and Helen Compton (photographs, ephemera, correspondence, all donated to Frykman by Dr. and Mrs. Herbert Wood), 1945-1979
  253 Washington State College name change information, 1959
  254 Pamphlet: "Inaugural Address of Daniel Jackson Evans as Sixteenth Governor of the State of Washington," 1965
  255 Student unrest and protests at WSU (series of printed letters from President Glenn Terrell), 1968-1974
  256-257 WSU student strike ephemera and press releases, 1970
  258 WSU student political participation leave for 1970 general elections, 1970
  259 Report: "The First Decade of the University Honors Program" (typescript), 1970
  260 Report: WSU University Senate Graduate Student Affairs Committee, "Source Material on Graduate Students and Graduate Assistants," 1972
  261 WSU Current Social Problems Workshop, 1972
  262 "After Mount St. Helens: Seven Gray Days in May" by Don Dillman (typescript), 1980
  263 Student paper: "The Late Rise of a Sleeping Giant: Student Activism at Washington State University, 1970" by Nancy Tadlock (typescript), 1983
  264 Student paper: "The First Five Years of the W.S.U. Scholarship and Development Fund, 1957-1961" by Deborah Playfair (typescript), 1984
  265 Student paper: "The Foundation of the Western Washington Research and Extension Center" by Julie Morgan (typescript), 1985
  266 Pamphlet: Alison Comish Thorne, "Visible and Invisible: Women in Land-Grant Colleges, 1890-1940," 1985
  267 Student paper: "Student Unrest and the University's Reaction, 1961-1974" by Patricia Hall (typescript), 1986
  268 "The Compton Years: The State College of Washington, November 1944-September 1951" by Claude Simpson (typescript, photocopy), 1986
  269-281 [not used]
12 282 Student paper: "Origins of the W.S.U. Greek System" by Jeff Whitehead (typescript, photocopy), 1987
  283 Student paper: "The Compton Years: Washington State College, 1944-1951" by Ruth Rasmussen (typescript), undated
  284 Soil testing at Washington State University (typescript report on history of soil testing by A. R. Halvorson, with related documentation), circa 1967-1980
  285 "A History of the Washington State College Bureau of Visual Teaching from 1946 to 1952" by Warren Babcock (typescript), circa 1970s
  286 [not used]
    History of veterinary medicine (collected material and notes)
  287 Scrapbook: "Greetings from Friends to Dr. [Sofus B.] Nelson," 1928
  288 Research file: collected material about veterinarian Herman A. Trippeer (photocopies, printed ephemera), 1906-1965
  289 Dr. Howard Slack (correspondence and materials donated to Frykman, including documents related to Slack's veterinary practice; includes two photographs: the 1930 WSC Veterinary College football team, and Bryan Hall), circa 1930s
  290 [not used]
  291 "A Chronological Historical Sketch of the Department of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University" (typescript), circa 1973
  292-293 Seminar material, Washington State Veterinary Medical Association, 1973
  294 Miscellaneous, 1973-1975
  295 [not used]
  296 Presentation: "Veterinary Medicine in the Pacific Northwest: A Profile of Professional Diversity" by Merle Kunz (typescript, photocopy), 1977
  297 Student paper: "'Doc' to DVM: The Veterinary Profession Grows Up. Reflections by Northwest Veterinarians" by Chris Eckard, 1986
  298 Frykman research notes, undated
  299 "State of Washington, History of Veterinary Medicine" by E. E. Wegner (typescript, photocopy), circa 1960s-1970s
  300 "Report of the Veterinary Medicine Subcommittee: Summarized History of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University" (typescript, photocopy), circa 1970s
  301 "Summary of the Life of O. G. Button" (typescript, photocopy), undated
    Series 10: Spokane World's Fair (Expo '74), 1972-1974
  302-303 Pamphlets and poster
  304 Photographs and general information
  305 "Festival of Entertainment" information
  306 Press releases
  307 Student paper: "Expo '74: Development of Spokane's World's Fair, 1968-1973" by Peter Overmeyer (typescript), 1974
  308 WSU Day
  309 "Waterworld" (WSU exhibit; includes photographs, ephemera, correspondence)
  310 Environmental symposium press release and pamphlet
    Series 11: Miscellaneous, 1963-1984
13 311 Parent Teacher Association Coordinating Council (bylaws, PTA bulletins, correspondence, financial report, meeting minutes, conference schedule), 1963-1965
  312 National Defense Education Act summer history institute at Oregon State College (participant materials), 1965
  313 Report: "Alternatives for Washington Graphical Interpretation and Display of the Citizens Outputs," Institute for Environmental Studies, 1974
  314 Report: "Council on Higher Education State of Washington Comprehensive Plan, 1976-82" (typescript, "unedited first draft"), 1975
  315 "Diary of Discovery" (Lewis and Clark children's program) scripts (typescripts) and correspondence with Lou Furman, 1982-1983
  315 Student paper: "Women of the Grange: Community Enforcers" by Lisa Ballou (typescript), 1983
  316 Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (brochures and correspondence), 1980-1984