Richard Glenn Gettell Papers, 1880-1989 (bulk 1924-1970)
General International Standard for Archival Description
Mount Holyoke College Archives and Special Collections South Hadley, MA
Finding aid encoded in NoteTab Pro. Encoded by Patricia J. Albright. 2009-08-18
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Richard Glenn Gettell Papers
Creation of Richard Glenn Gettell Papers
Time of Creation of Richard Glenn Gettell Papers
Gettell, Richard Glenn, 1912-1988
Biographical History for: Richard Glenn Gettell Papers
Biographical Note Richard Glenn Gettell, economist and college and university teacher and administrator, was born on March 3, 1912 in Hartford, Connecticut to Raymond Garfield Gettell, a political scientist and teacher, and Nelene Groff Knapp Gettell. The Gettells moved to Amherst, Massachusetts in 1914 and to Berkeley, California in 1923. He attended elementary and secondary schools in Amherst and Garfield Junior High School in Berkeley then went to University High School in Oakland, California from 1924-1927. Too young to enroll in college, Gettell joined the Merchant Marine and served on three voyages to the South Seas, Australia, and Hawaii in 1927-1928. He attended Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts in 1928-1929 and Amherst College from 1929-1933. At Amherst, he sang in choirs, served as president of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity and manager of the freshman football team, participated in the debating society, and graduated with high honors in economics. He also took classes at the University of California in Berkeley during the summer of 1932. After working as Executive Secretary of the Amherst Club of New York, N.Y. from July-December 1933, he went to Washington, D.C. as the personal assistant to one of his former Amherst professors, Willard L. Thorp, who was Special Economic Adviser to the United States Department of Commerce. From 1933-1935, Gettell was a junior economist or special assistant in the Bureau for Foreign and Domestic Commerce and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. He attended the University of California from 1935-1937 and received a Ph.D. in economics in 1940. In 1938, Gettell became an instructor and tutor of economics and a research assistant at Harvard University. Concurrently, he was an instructor of economics at Wellesley College. He married his first wife, Eunice Burdick on September 10, 1938. He was an instructor and assistant professor of economics at Yale University from 1938-1941, when Yale granted him a leave of absence to work as an economist for the Textile Price Branch of the Office of Price Administration in Washington, D.C. He was in charge of rationing shoes and industrial rubber footwear during World War II. In 1943, Gettell became an operations analyst for what was then called the United States Army Air Force. He served with combat commands in England, Washington, D.C. and Guam and was a special consultant to the operations analysis division of the United States Air Force headquarters from 1945-1960. During the Korean War (1951-1953), he served for six months with the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Weapons Evaluation Group. Gettell began working for Time, Inc. in December, 1945. He was chief staff economist and assistant to the publisher of Fortune magazine from 1945-1950 and chief staff economist from 1950-1953. He also was a lecturer in economics at the Columbia University School of Business Administration in 1947-1948. He divorced his first wife in 1946 (she later married Richard H. Demuth) and married Landonia Brock Richards on June 9, 1948. Gettell became chief foreign economist for The Texas Company in December, 1953. He also served as a consultant to the White House staff and was a member of the Task Force of the Cabinet Committee on Energy Resources and Supplies in the Office of Defense Management. In 1954, he played a major role in preparing President Dwight D. Eisenhower's policy statement to Congress concerning foreign economic development. In addition, Gettell was a Rapporteur for and a member of the United States Council of the International Chamber of Commerce from 1947-1957. Gettell became the thirteenth President of Mount Holyoke College in 1957. He launched an ambitious fund-raising effort that culminated in the Fund for the Future capital campaign during the College's celebration of its one hundred twenty-fifth anniversary in 1962. Most of these funds went to increasing faculty salaries, doubling the endowment, and constructing the Prospect, 1837, Ham, and MacGregor Hall dormitories, the Pattie J. Groves Health Center, the Psychology and Education Building, Alice Withington Rooke Laboratory Theatre, Eliot House (the center for religious life on campus) and an outdoor amphitheater. He also oversaw the renovation of several existing buildings, including Williston Memorial Library. Increasing numbers of African-American and Latina students were admitted to Mount Holyoke during Gettell's administration and he supported the ABC (A Better Chance) Program which encouraged minority girls to go to college. He also helped develop a student exchange program with Bennett College and approved Mount Holyoke's participation in the United States-India Women's College Exchange Program for faculty and staff. He was one of the founding trustees of Hampshire College and served as an active member of the boards of numerous other organizations, including the College of the Virgin Islands. He received honorary degrees from Amherst College (1957) and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (1962). Mount Holyoke awarded him an honorary degree in 1970 and named the amphitheater in his honor. Gettell was uncomfortable with the desire of many students to abolish Mount Holyoke's long-standing chapel attendance requirement and liberalize social regulations such as those concerning alcohol use and parietals (the policy for allowing men in dormitory rooms). He announced his decision to resign as President in September of 1967 and left office on November 11, 1968. He served as a consultant to the Haas Community Funds in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1969-1970, then retired and returned to live in California where he died in Menlo Park on August 14, 1988 at the age of seventy-six.
Scope and Contents of the Collection The Richard Glenn Gettell Papers date from 1880-1989 and consist of correspondence, writings, education records, subject files, financial and legal documents, memorabilia, Gettell family materials, autobiographical and biographical materials, sound recordings, and photographs. These materials primarily document his personal and professional life from 1924 until his death in 1988 and contain information about his secondary, undergraduate, and graduate education; Merchant Marine service; work as an economist and educator; and hobbies and travels. Correspondence (1930-1986) consists of personal letters to Gettell as well as letters by him. Correspondents include relatives (particularly mother, Nelene Groff Knapp Gettell), friends, professional colleagues, and Mount Holyoke College trustees, faculty, staff, alumnae, and students. Topics discussed in these letters include his experiences at Amherst College, plans for graduate studies, employment prospects, and decision to separate from his first wife, Eunice Burdick Gettell. Writings (circa 1923-1988) consist of Gettell's published articles, reports, and speeches, unpublished materials, and correspondence and legal documents relating to his works. Most of his publications reflect his work as an economist. Unpublished materials include original verses (many written for Landonia Gettell) and typescripts, scores and lyrics for his original musical, The Saucerer's Apprentice, written under the name Glenn Richards in 1952-1953. Education Materials (1880-1883, 1906, 1924-1982) consist of correspondence, course records, transcripts, report cards, diplomas, certificates, financial records, programs and newspaper articles primarily concerning his studies at Amherst College (1929-1933) and the University of California (1935-1937, Ph.D. 1940). Of note in the Amherst materials are letters relating to his involvement with the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity, debate and musical organizations, and the football team. Materials for his graduate work in economics and political science include syllabi, notes, readings, and papers for course records and his dissertation. Education materials also include historical documents about Alpha Delta Phi (1880-1883) and a copy of a 1906 magazine from Gettell's high school that contains several caricatures of African-Americans. There is also post-graduation correspondence relating to Amherst (including the College's decision to admit women in 1973) and an article that Gettell wrote about one of his former University of California professors, Ira B. Cross (1950). A significant portion of the collection documents Gettell's work as an economist for the United States Department of Commerce Bureaus for Foreign and Domestic Commerce and Labor Statistics (1933-1935), the Textile Price Branch of the United States Office of Price Administration (1941-1943), the United States Army Air Force (1943-1956), Time, Inc. (1945-1953), the United States Council of the International Chamber of Commerce (1947-1957), the Texas Company (1953-1957), and the Haas Community Funds (1969-1970). These materials include letters by and to Gettell, copies of many speeches, articles, reports, surveys, and studies by him, and a variety of personnel records. In addition, Sound Recordings (Series 22, 1948-circa 1953) in the collection are of speeches by and interviews of Gettell in his role as chief staff economist for Time, Inc. There are also correspondence and other documents concerning his youthful service in the Merchant Marine (1927-1928) on three voyages to the South Seas, Australia, and Hawaii. Materials concerning Gettell's career as a teacher and college administrator include correspondence, course records, articles, notes, memorabilia, and tributes. His teaching activities at Harvard University (1938), Wellesley College (1938), Yale University (1938-1941), and the Columbia University School of Business Administration (1947-1948) are documented by correspondence about each position as well as syllabi, examinations, lecture notes, and lists of students. Materials from his tenure as President of Mount Holyoke College (1957-1968) primarily consist of correspondence, notes, memorabilia, newspaper articles, and retirement tributes. Of particular note are a scrapbook, poster, thank you notes, and other documents made or collected for the Gettells by Tamara Brooks Knell, music professor and Director of Choral Singing at Mount Holyoke from 1967-1970. Most of these materials reflect the Gettells' interest in the Mount Holyoke College Chamber Singers, a group formed and directed by Knell. There are also three letters by Knell: a thank you note (circa 1968) to the Gettells for their kindness toward her and two letters (February and June 1975) describing experiences of Knell and her husband, Foreign Service officer David Grimland during and after the 1974 military coup and Turkish invasion in Cyprus. These documents also include letters and telegrams congratulating him on his appointment as President, his personal correspondence with Mount Holyoke trustees, and notes written by Gettell after he accepted the position at Mount Holyoke reflecting his thoughts, and questions about his new role and home. Subject Files (1924-1968) contain correspondence, applications, contracts, scripts, programs, brochures, newspaper articles, memoranda, lists, tickets, membership cards, and badges. Most of these materials reflect Gettell's personal interests and activities such as his membership in the Boy Scouts of America (1924-1925), participation in a World Tour Travel Contest sponsored by the San Francisco Chronicle (1925), interest in joining a Caribbean-East Indies anthropological and medical expedition to the South Sea as part of his preparation for graduate work (1931-1932), and hobby of deep-sea fishing (1961-1968). Another file (1946-1966) concerns the Gettells' interest in the Encampment for Citizenship, a summer camp for young adults founded by Algernon D. Black in 1946 through the New York Society for Ethical Culture. There are also materials documenting Gettell's financial involvement in several musical theatre productions in New York City (1952-1954) or at the Melody Fair summer concert hall in North Tonawanda, New York. Financial and Legal Records (1912, 1930-1988) include tax returns, lists of investments, birth and death certificates, wills, leases, agreements, passports, and memoranda. Of note is Gettell's notarized statement to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (1947) concerning his occupancy of an apartment in Washington, D.C, in a house where Communist Party meetings had taken place. Some of the financial records concern the estate of his father, Raymond G. Gettell, who died in 1949. Autobiographical and Biographical Materials (1912-1988) consist of Gettell's baby book, his curriculum vitae and other biographical summaries, correspondence, articles, notes, and obituaries. These materials include his Check list for periodic stock-taking from the 1930s and documents concerning his physical and mental health (1952, 1954, 1967, 1988) and death (1988-1989). Memorabilia (1932-1976, n.d.) consists of passes, notes, lists, cards, certificates, publications, tickets, receipts, an address book, and insignia. These items include one of Gettell's World War II ration books, Christmas cards that he wrote and illustrated, and documents reflecting his travels. Gettell Family Materials (1895, circa 1909-1949, 1965, n.d.) consist of correspondence, articles, notes, and an invitation relating to members of Gettell's family. These items include biographical notes, an obituary, and tributes concerning his father and two notes (1920s) to his mother from Lyla Young, wife of the governor of California. Photographs (circa 1906-1986) chiefly consist of formal portraits or informal snapshots of Gettell alone or with others (1914-1970). These images include photographs taken as a young man and later photographs from his years at Time, Inc. or Mount Holyoke College. Informal photographs include those taken on fishing trips and other vacations or at Mount Holyoke. Photographs of Gettell with others document both is professional activities and personal life. There are images from his work with United States Air Force during World War II, on speaking engagements while working for Time, Inc., and his inauguration as President of Mount Holyoke (1957). Other photographs are of Gettell's family members, particularly Landonia Gettell. These images include photographs taken on the Gettell's 1948 wedding trip to California and the Caribbean. Additional photographs are of other people as well as places (circa 1920s-1986). These images include photographs of participants in the ABC (A Better Chance) program at Mount Holyoke (1965), members of the Mount Holyoke Class of 1961 at reunions (1981, 1986), the Gettells and others at the Encampment for Peace (circa 1946), and Gettell's residences in California and New York City (circa 1920s-1956). Oversize (Folio) Material (1948-1961) contains oversize items described as part of other series in the collection. The container list description of these items includes an indication that they are shelved in Folio. Among the materials in this series are a photograph album (1948) documenting the Gettell's trip to the Caribbean on their honeymoon and a color portrait of Gettell as Mount Holyoke's President (circa 1961).
Unrestricted.
Use of the collection is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.)
Processed by Patricia J. Albright and Kirsten A. Hansen, 2009
United States-Officials and Employees.
lcsh
Economists-United States.
Economics-Study and teaching (Higher)-United States.
Political science--Study and teaching (Higher)--United States.
College presidents-Massachusetts-South Hadley.
College teachers-United States.
Student activities-Massachusetts-Amherst.
Graduate students--California-Berkeley.
Greek letter societies-Massachusetts-Amherst.
Fishing.
Voyages and travels.
Gettell, Richard Glenn, 1912-1988.
lcnaf
Gettell, Landonia.
Gettell, Nelene Groff Knapp.
Gettell, Raymond Garfield, b.1881
Demuth, Eunice Burdick, 1915-2009.
Knell, Tamara Brooks, 1941-
Grimland, David.
Gettell family.
Mount Holyoke College. Chamber Singers.
Mount Holyoke College-Administration.
Mount Holyoke College-Presidents.
Mount Holyoke College-Trustees.
Mount Holyoke College-Students.
Mount Holyoke College-Faculty.
Mount Holyoke College-Alumni and alumnae.
Mount Holyoke College-Campus.
Alpha Delta Phi. Amherst Chapter.
Amherst College-Students.
Amherst College. Glee Club.
University of California (1868-1952)-Graduate students.
Columbia University-Faculty.
Harvard University-Faculty.
Wellesley College-Faculty.
Yale University-Faculty.
United States. Air Force.
United States. Dept. of Commerce.
United States. Dept. of Labor.
United States. Office of Price Administration.
Encampment for Citizenship.
International Chamber of Commerce.
Time, inc.
Texas Company.
Merchant Marine-United States.
Cyprus-History-Cyprus Crisis, 1974-Personal narratives.
aat
series
Correspondence 1930-1986
Correspondence consists of personal letters to Gettell as well as letters by him. Correspondents include relatives (particularly mother, Nelene Groff Knapp Gettell), friends, professional colleagues, and Mount Holyoke College trustees, faculty, staff, alumnae, and students. Some letters date from his years at Amherst College (1929-1933). These documents include correspondence with his mother in April, 1931 about his unhappiness at Amherst College and his thoughts about leaving the school to becoming an actor. A number of subsequent letters concern his plans for graduate study and his employment prospects. These materials include copies of several letters of recommendation for him. Of particular interest are three letters from his mother written in August-September 1941 discussing Gettell's interest in working for the United States State Department and his decision to separate from his first wife, Eunice Burdick Gettell. Other documents consists of letters and telegrams concerning his marriage to Landonia Brock Richards in June, 1948 and correspondence with brother-in-law, Maurine L. Huggins, about a paper by him entitled A Program of Action for Peace (1951). There is also a letter (May 27, 1969) from Clara R. (Reggie) Ludwig, Director of Admissions at Mount Holyoke concerning the leave of absence that Gettell arranged for her and a letter from Tatiana (Tanya) Mazenko (December 18, 1970), a 1968 graduate of Mount Holyoke which comments on changes at the College since her graduation and asks for advice about publishing her novel
Writings circa 1923-1988
Gettell's writings consist of his published articles, reports, and speeches, unpublished materials, and correspondence and legal documents relating to his works. His publications (1931-1950) primarily concern economic issues such as the marketing of tires or Pluralistic Competition. There is also an article that he wrote in 1931 entitled Propaganda Vs. Truth in Education. His creative writings consist of essays, stories, and verses (circa 1923-1988). Many of the verses were written for Landonia Gettell to commemorate Valentine's Day, her birthday, their wedding anniversary, and Christmas. His writings also include typescripts, scores and lyrics for his original musical, The Saucerer's Apprentice written under the name Glenn Richards in 1952-1953.
Education Materials 1880-1883, 1906, 1924-1982
Education Materials consist of correspondence, course records, transcripts, report cards, diplomas, certificates, financial records, programs and newspaper articles. These documents primarily concern Gettell's secondary, undergraduate, and graduate education at University High School (1924-1927), Deerfield Academy (1928-1929), Amherst College (1929-1933), and the University of California (1935-1940). University High School materials include an article about a Bal Masque presented by Gettell and other students (February, 1926), the script for his Spring Fever, a One-Act Fantasy (1927), programs, certificates, and a copy of his transcript. There is also a copy of a comic University Glee Club publication from March 17, 1906 that contains several caricatures of African-Americans. The Deerfield Academy materials consist of a copy of his transcript and an article about a Glee Club contest in which students participated. Amherst College materials consist of a wide range of documents concerning his academic, social, and athletic activities. There are notes and papers for economics classes, documents about his honors work, copies of his honors thesis and application for a Rhodes Scholarship, and invitations and programs for commencement activities in 1933. By-laws, correspondence, rushing and initiation materials, speeches, verses, invitations, financial records , lists of members, newsletters, minutes, and programs document Gettell's membership in and presidency of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity. These materials include a report by Gettell on Fraternal Organizations: A study of the purposes, functions, organization, and leadership of a small group (May 1932) and documents relating to loans available to fraternity members. There are also documents and newspaper clippings from 1880-1883 by or about Alpha Phi Delta and its members. Gettell was member and the secretary and manager of the Amherst College Debating Council, a member of Delta Sigma Rho speech and debate team, and Secretary-Treasurer of the Eastern Intercollegiate Debate League. Documents about his debating activities include correspondence, programs, newspaper articles, press releases, notes, and a published History, Constitutions and General Regulations of Delta Sigma Rho (March, 1929). Some documents relate to the Amherst Faculty-Student Committee on Debating. Gettell also belonged to the football team and musical organizations at Amherst. Materials reflecting his involvement with football include correspondence, schedules, programs, lists of team members, financial records, and equipment inventories. His membership in the Glee Club and other musical groups is documented by correspondence, programs, and songs (some written by Gettell.). Rounding out the Amherst materials are copies of Gettell's letters to the student newspaper (1931) concerning faculty-student relations and College elections; correspondence and articles about the College's decision to become a coeducational institution (1973); and correspondence about reunions, fund-raising efforts, and the honorary degree that he received from Amherst (1932-1982). Materials about Gettell's graduate studies in economics and political science at the University of California consist of correspondence (including some letters from his father, Raymond Garfield Gettell, course papers and reports, lecture and reading notes, bibliographies, course readings, transcripts, and grade records. There are also transcripts for his summer studies at the University in 1932. Correspondence concerns his plans to study at the University, employment as a teaching assistant, appointment as a University Fellow, and leave of absence (1938) to work as an instructor and tutor of economics and a research assistant at Harvard University. Most of the other materials consist of course records for economics, political science and history classes. Several drafts of his Ph.D. dissertation are part of these materials, along with research notes and the finished study of Pluralistic Competition with an illustrative case study of the rubber tire industry (1940). There are also copies of a tribute that Gettell wrote about one of his former University professors, Ira B. Cross (1950).
Merchant Marine Work 1927-1928
Materials about Gettell's Merchant Marine service (1927-1928) on three voyages to the South Seas, Australia, and Hawaii is documented by letters to his family (including one in the form of a Log, July 14-19, 1927) and two published articles by him describing his experiences. There are also copies of his service record, permits, and certificates.
United States Departments of Commerce and Labor Work 1933-1937
Correspondence, newspaper articles, reports and notes by Gettell document his work as personal assistant to Willard L. Thorp (Special Economic Adviser to the United States Department of Commerce) and service as junior economist and special assistant in the Bureau for Foreign and Domestic Commerce and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most of these materials concern the prices of drug store goods, whisky, and other commodities. There is also a copy of the Report of the President's Committee of Industrial Analysis by the National Recovery Administration (1937).
Harvard University Work 1937-1938
Materials about Gettell's work as an instructor and tutor in economics and a research assistant at Harvard University in 1938 consist of correspondence and a newspaper article about his appointment, a copy of his teaching schedule, and notes for lectures. There are also lists and notes concerning the students he tutored.
Wellesley College Work 1938
Gettell's work as an instructor of economics at Wellesley College in 1938 is documented by correspondence, a newspaper article about his appointment, and examinations and notes for the two economics courses that he taught.
Yale University Work 1938-1945
Gettell's work as an instructor and assistant professor of economics at Yale University from 1938-1941 is documented by correspondence, syllabi, notes and examinations. The correspondence concerns his appointment and re-appointment to the position and his leaves of absence from 1941-1946 to work for Office of Price Administration in Washington, D.C. There are also letters from several former professors advising Gettell about his career.
United States Office of Price Administration Work 1941-1943
Materials concerning Gettell's work as an economist for the Textile Price Branch of the Office of Price Administration in Washington, D.C. primarily consist of speeches, reports and articles by him, position descriptions, salary information, lists of personnel, correspondence, and newspaper articles. Much of this material documents his role in establishing policies and procedures for rationing shoes and industrial rubber footwear in the United States during World War II. Correspondence includes letters to and from the Selective Services System concerning Gettell's eligibility for military service. There are also original verses, scripts, and drawings by Gettell and other staff members prepared for Christmas parties and other occasions.
United States Air Force Work 1942-1956
These materials consist of correspondence, enlistment and discharge papers, reports, notes, memoranda, publications, financial records, and certificates documenting Gettell's work as an operations analyst and special consultant for what was originally called the United States Army Air Force. There are also documents concerning his work for the Ad Hoc Committee on Scientific and Synthetic Analysis of the United States Research and Development Board, 1948-1951.
Time, Inc. Work 1945-1953
Gettell's work as chief staff economist (1945-1953) for Time, Inc. and assistant to the publisher (1945-1950) of Fortune magazine is documented by speeches, studies and reports, surveys, programs, newspaper articles, lists, and memoranda. Many of these documents reflect his analyses of economic trends in the United States and the company's advertising revenues. Most of the programs and newspaper articles concern Gettell's frequent speaking engagements and other activities such as his trip to London in 1950 to study economic and political conditions in Great Britain. There is also an illustrated booklet by Gettell written in response to a promotional piece by another staff member, Nick Samstag, and a parody of a Time, Inc. survey written by staff members for Gettell upon his departure from the company.
United States Council of the International Chamber of Commerce Work 1946-1955
Materials relating to Gettell's work as a Rapporteur for and member of the United States Council of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) from 1947-1957 consist of letters by or to him, published and unpublished reports by Gettell and others, policy statements, speeches, memoranda, minutes and agenda, press releases, and newspaper articles. As Rapporteur, Gettell investigated and reported on a variety of issues and topics for the ICC. Included in these materials are his studies of international enterprise (1949), foreign economic policy (1950), and the extension of trade (1953). Speeches and reports by other ICC members concern topics such as worldwide employment levels (1951), international economic policy in a period of rearmament (1951), foreign economic development (1952), and business statesmanship in world affairs (1952). These materials also include correspondence, summaries, and reports reflecting Gettell's service on ICC committees and commissions studying the charter of the ITO (International Trade Organization, 1946-1949), the extension of the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act (1948-1950), and the futures of the ECA (Economic Cooperation Administration) and OEEC (Organisation for European Economic Co-operation 1949-1950).
Columbia University Work 1947-1948
Materials relating to Gettell's works a lecturer in economics at the Columbia University School of Business Administration in 1947-1948 consist of syllabi, lecture notes, examinations, and memoranda. These documents include a copy of the Syllabus for Economics of Business by Joel Dean (1947).
Texas Company Work 1953-1958
As chief foreign economist, Gettell analyzed and reported on economic problems involving all of the Texas Company's interests outside of the United States. His work is documented by correspondence, reports, studies, surveys, memoranda, press releases, and newspaper articles. Of particular note are copies of his detailed surveys of petroleum reserves throughout the world (1954-1956) and notes from his business trip to the Far East (1955). In addition, these materials contain correspondence, reports, drafts, articles, and newspaper clippings concerning Gettell's activities as a consultant to the White House staff and member of the Task Force of the Cabinet Committee on Energy Resources and Supplies in the Office of Defense Management. Most of these documents relate to his work on President Dwight D. Eisenhower's 1954 policy statement to Congress concerning foreign economic development.
Mount Holyoke College Work 1957-1981
Gettell's tenure as President of Mount Holyoke from 1957-1968 and his subsequent association with the College are documented by correspondence, notes, memorabilia, newspaper articles, retirement tributes, booklet of thank you notes, words to songs, a poster, and a scrapbook. Correspondence consists of letters and telegrams congratulating him on his appointment to the position and personal correspondence with Mount Holyoke trustees, including letters from May 1968 soliciting their advice about his career plans. Notes written by Gettell soon after he accepted the position at Mount Holyoke reflect his thoughts and questions about his new role and home. Memorabilia includes announcements programs, greeting cards, publications, and a pair of socks that a student gave to him. The retirement tributes from faculty and staff were presented to the Gettells after he left office in 1968. The illustrated booklet of thank you notes, words to songs, original poster, and scrapbook were made or collected by Tamara Brooks Knell, music professor and Director of Choral Singing at Mount Holyoke from 1967-1970. Most of these materials reflect the Gettells' interest in the Mount Holyoke College Chamber Singers, a group formed and directed by Knell. The handmade poster and words for songs are from a Halloween visit to the Gettells by the group as Tammy and the Go-go ghouls. The scrapbook contains certificates, programs, song sheets, and photographs concerning Chamber Singers (1968-1970) and newspaper articles and a press release about the honorary degree the College awarded to Gettell (1970). There are also three letters by Knell: a thank you note (circa 1968) to the Gettells for their kindness toward her and two letters (February and June 1975) describing the experiences of Knell and her husband, Foreign Service officer David Grimland during and after the 1974 military coup and Turkish invasion in Cyprus.
Haas Community Funds Work 1969-1970
Gettell's work as a consultant to Haas Community Funds, an organization that provided grants to cultural and social organizations in the Greater Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, is documented by correspondence, reports, and financial records. These materials include his reports concerning the activities of entities that received these grants and his suggestions for ways that the Community could better publicize its work.
Subject Files 1924-1968
Subject files contain correspondence, applications, contracts, scripts, programs, brochures, newspaper articles, memoranda, lists, tickets, membership cards, and badges. Some materials concern his interest in joining the United States Naval Reserves ((1942-1943) or working for the United States State Department (1941, 1947-1948) or the Central Intelligence Agency (1967-1968). Also included are correspondence, a prospectus, and drafts concerning an economics column that Gettell proposed writing for the New York Herald Tribune (1948-1949). Most subject files, however, reflect Gettell's personal interests and activities. Materials from earlier in his life consist of a biographical note by his mother and newspaper clippings relating to his membership in the Boy Scouts of America (1924-1925) and documentation about a World Tour Travel Contest sponsored by the San Francisco Chronicle in 1925. Gettell won fifth prize in the contest and these materials include a copy of his essay on Why I Want to Travel as well as newspaper articles about his cross-country trip to New York (accompanied by his mother). There are also programs, articles, a score, and a letter concerning his involvement with several musical groups (1925, 1927). A file from Gettell's time at Amherst College reflects his interest joining a Caribbean-East Indies two year anthropological and medical expedition to the South Sea as part of his preparation for graduate work. Most of these materials consist of letters (1931-1932) by or to Gettell discussing details of the expedition and his qualifications. Correspondents include Gettell's father, anthropologist Franz Boas, and Mount Holyoke College economics professor Ethel B. Dietrich. Another file concerns the Encampment for Citizenship, a summer camp for young adults founded by Algernon D. Black in 1946 through the New York Society for Ethical Culture. Both Richard and Landonia Gettell supported the work of the camp and their interest is documented by copies of the Encampment's constitution and minutes Board of Directors meeting, a report of a Dutch student's experiences at the camp, letters by and to the Gettells, and newspaper articles (circa 1946-1966). There are also copies of an article about the camp that Landonia Gettell wrote for the Vassar College Alumnae Magazine and an address by Gettell concerning Capitalistic Economy. Gettell's financial involvement in several musical theatre productions in New York City (1952-1954) is reflected by correspondence, scripts, programs, lists, contracts, financial records, tickets, and newspaper articles. These materials concern musicals entitled Gumbo Ya-Ya and Maggie as well as several productions at the Melody Fair summer concert hall in North Tonawanda, New York. Most of the remaining materials relate to Gettell's interest in deep-sea fishing. These documents (1961-1968) consist of correspondence, brochures, lists, press releases, newspaper articles, and applications primarily concerning his participation in the annual Metropolitan Miami (Florida) Fishing Tournament.
Financial and Legal Records 1912, 1930-1988
Financial records primarily document Gettell's income from 1934-1969. These materials include copies of income tax returns and lists of investments. Some of these records concern the estate of his father, Raymond G. Gettell, who died in 1949. Gettell's legal records consist of certificates, wills, leases, agreements, passports, memoranda, a traffic citation and his fingerprint record. These documents include copies of his birth and death certificates and wills, records of his divorce from Eunice Burdick Gettell, a notarized statement to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (1947) concerning an his occupancy of an apartment in Washington, D.C, in ahouse where Communist Party meetings had taken place, and a certificate for a share of ownership in a race horse (1950).
Autobiographical and Biographical Materials 1912-1989
These materials include a baby book, curriculum vitae and other biographical summaries by Gettell, correspondence, articles, notes, and obituaries. The baby book compiled by Gettell's mother (1912-1919) contains notes, drawings, locks of hair, and photographs. Curriculum vitae and other summaries, articles, biographical sketches, and notes (circa 1937-1983) provide detailed information about Gettell's life and work. These documents include his Check list for periodic stock-taking from the 1930s and summaries that he wrote for inclusion in editions of Who's Who and other biographical directories. Information relating to his physical and mental health includes letters from physicians (1952, 1954, 1967, 1988) and a psychological profile (1948). Materials relating to Gettell's death consist of obituaries; notes, lists, and tributes for his memorial service; and letters of condolence, many of them from Mount Holyoke College alumnae and former trustees and faculty and staff members.
Memorabilia 1932-1976, n.d.
Memorabilia consists of passes, notes, lists, cards ,certificates, publications, tickets, receipts, an address book, and insignia. These items include one of Gettell's World War II ration books, Christmas cards that he wrote and illustrated, and documents reflecting his travels. There is also a copy of the 1973 yearbook for the College of the Virgin Islands (of which Gettell was a trustee,) and his slide rule.
Gettell Family Materials 1895, circa 1909-1949, 1965, n.d.
These materials consist of correspondence, articles, notes, and an invitation relating to members of Gettell's family. Included are biographical notes, an obituary, and tributes concerning his father and two notes (1920s) to his mother from Lyla Young, wife of the governor of California. There are also notes, an obituary, and a letter concerning his paternal grandparents, John and Zora Gettel (the original spelling the family surname).
Sound Recordings 1948-circa 1953
These recordings are of speeches by and interviews of Gettell in his role as chief staff economist for Time, Inc. They include recordings from his visit to the Commonwealth Club of California.
Photographs circa 1906-1986
Most photographs are either formal portraits or informal snapshots of Gettell alone or with others (1914-1970). The earliest portrait is of Gettell as a toddler in 1914. Other portraits were taken as a senior in high school and Amherst College or while working at Time, Inc. or Mount Holyoke College. Informal photographs include those taken on fishing trips and other vacations or at Mount Holyoke. Photographs of Gettell with others document both his professional activities and personal life. Images from 1943-1945 show Gettell with United States Air Force colleagues and include numerous photographs of airplanes, some on bombing missions. Photographs from his years at Time, Inc. (1945-1953) chiefly show Gettell during his many speaking engagements. Photographs reflecting his association with Mount Holyoke (1957-1986) include images from his inauguration and photographs of Gettell with College trustees, administrators, faculty, alumnae, and students in formal or informal settings. There are also photographs taken on Founder's Day in 1970, when he received an honorary degree, and of the portrait of him painted for that occasion. Other photographs (circa 1906-1968) are of Gettell's family members. There are many portraits and snapshots of Landonia Gettell, including photographs taken on the Gettell's 1948 wedding trip to California and the Caribbean. Other individuals represented by photographs are Gettell's parents and his first wife, Eunice Burdick Gettell. Rounding out the collection are photographs of other people as well as places (circa 1920s-1986). These images include photographs of participants in the ABC (A Better Chance) program at Mount Holyoke (1965) and of members of the Class of 1961 at reunions (1981, 1986.) Also included are photographs of the Encampment for Peace (circa 1946), Gettell's residences in California and New York City (circa 1920s-1956), and Landonia Gettell's home town of Riverton, Virginia (an aerial view, circa 1948).
Oversize (Folio) Material 1948-1961, n.d.
Contains oversize items described as part of other series in the collection. The container list description of these items includes an indication that they are shelved in Folio. Among the materials in this series are a photograph album (1948) documenting the Gettells' cruise to the Caribbean on their honeymoon and a color portrait of Gettell as Mount Holyoke's President (circa 1961).
Publications 1931-1941
Publications 1943-1950
Unpublished essays, stories, and verses circa 1923-1938
Play: The Saucerer's Apprentice 1952-1953
Verses 1948, 1956, 1961, 1969-circa 1988
Verses by and cards from Landonia Gettell circa 1972-1988
University High School 1906-1927
Deerfield Academy 1928-1929
Amherst College: course book and transcripts
Amherst College: economics course records 1932-1933
Amherst College: Rhodes Scholarship application 1932
Amherst College: honors work 1931
Amherst College: honors paper 1933
Amherst College: Alpha Delta Phi 1929-1933
Amherst College: Alpha Delta Phi historical materials 1880-1883
Amherst College: debating 1929-1933
Amherst College: football 1930-1931
Amherst College: Glee Club and other music organizations 1933, n.d.
Amherst College: letters to the editor, Amherst student newspaper 1931
Amherst College: book used for dramatic reading 1928
Amherst College: correspondence, fund raising, reunion materials 1932-1982
Amherst College: invitations and programs 1932-1957
Amherst College: coeducation decision 1973
University of California: transcripts. application, certificate 1932-1942
University of California: correspondence 1935-1937
University of California: economics exams circa 1935-1937
University of California: exams and course notes circa 1935-1937
University of California: note cards circa 1935-1937
University of California: economic theory, review of the field circa 1935-1937
University of California: economic theory, from Economic S100A summer 1936
University of California: notes from Economics 204a circa 1935-1937
University of California: notes from Economic History circa 1935-1937
University of California: notes from Economic Theory circa 1935-1937
University of California: reading notes on labor circa 1935-1937
University of California: notes from Economics 200a 1937
University of California: notes from Economics 101a 1935
University of California: business cycles, a review of the field circa 1935-1937
University of California: notes on statistics circa 1935-1937
University of California: notes from Economics 202ab, Economic Doctrine 1935-1936
University of California: notes from Economics 138 circa 1935-1937
University of California: notes from Economics 203a, Business Cycles circa 1935-1940
University of California: reading notes for Business Cycles circa 1935-1937
University of California: notes from Economics 103, Dynamic Economics 1937
University of California: notes from Economics 203b, Dynamic Economics 1937
University of California: seventy five years of American finance, in graphic terms circa 1935-1940
University of California: Economics S103, Business Cycles summer 1936
University of California: Economics 235, Monetary Theory 1937
University of California: reading notes for Economic History circa 1935-1937
University of California: bibliography for Economic History circa 1935-1937
University of California: notes from Economics 201a, Economic Doctrine fall 1937
University of California: Duplicate notes in doctrine circa 1935-1937
University of California: seminar report for Economics 202a, Political Theories of the Mercantilists circa 1935-1937
University of California: reading notes and bibliography for Economic Theory circa 1935-1937
University of California: reading notes and seminar notes for History of Economic Thought spring 1936
University of California: notes from lectures on History of Economic Doctrine circa 1935-1937
University of California: notes from Economics 201b, History of Economic Doctrine circa 1935-1937
University of California: seminar report for Economics 203b, Solving the Cycle in 10 Minutes spring 1937
University of California: notes and reports from Political Science 176 and Economics 123 summer 1936
University of California: notes from Jurisprudence 280 (Trade Relations) and reading notes from Economic History spring 1937
University of California: notes from Economics Four, Economics 112, European Economic History and Economics 155 circa 1935-1937
University of California: notes from Economics 153, Personnel Administration; History of Economic Thought, a review of the field; and an essay on Problems of Modern Industry by Patricia Robbins for Economics 1b circa 1935-1937
University of California: notes, review of the field and lecture outlines for Economics 210ab, Economic History fall 1936-spring 1937
University of California: lecture notes for Economics 200ab and 204a, notes for Economics 117, Capitalism and a Planned Economy circa 1935-1940
University of California: notes from Economics 100a and 203a and miscellaneous material from Economic Theory circa 1935-1937
University of California: review of the field for Marketing circa 1935-1937
University of California: materials for Marketing circa 1935-1937
University of California: reading notes, seminar notes and reports for The History of Economic Thought and The History of Political Thought fall 1935
University of California: History 148, Political and Economic Problems in Present Day Germany and Russia summer 1936
University of California: seminar report for Political Science 211a, Hamilton and Adams fall 1936
University of California: seminar report for Political Science 211b History of Political Thought, Fascism spring 1936
University of California: Fabian Socialism circa 1935-1937
University of California: notes from Political Science 115 Contemporary Political Theory in Russia and Germany summer 1936
University of California: notes from Political Science 117 Modern Schools of Political Thought summer 1937
University of California: notes and exam from Political Science 111 summer 1932
University of California: notes from Political Science 211ab 1935-1936
University of California: History of Political Theory
University of California: review of the field for History of Political Thought circa 1935-1937
University of California: term paper for Political Science 111, Nominating Conventions summer 1932
University of California: seminar report for Political Science 211a, Machiavelli 1935-1936
University of California: seminar report for Political Science 211b, The Physiocrats 1935-1936
University of California: correspondence and papers regarding Ph.D. candidacy 1937- 1940
University of California: Ph.D. questions 1936-1938
University of California: preparation for the Ph.D. 1937
University of California: plans for Ph.D. research
University of California: Ph.D. dissertation 1940
University of California: Ph.D. dissertation, draft 1940
University of California: Ph.D. dissertation, draft circa 1940
University of California: Article about Ira B. Cross 1950
Correspondence and articles 1927-circa 1928
Service record, certificates, permits 1927-1928
Correspondence, clippings 1933-1935
Price study 1934
Price study notes 1934
Price study 1935
National Recovery Administration Report 1937
Correspondence and newspaper article 1937-1938
Teaching schedule, lecture notes 1938
Lecture notes, lists and notes concerning his tutees 1938
Correspondence, newspaper article 1938
Examinations and notes 1938
Correspondence 1938-1945
Notes and examinations 1938-1941
Position description, salary information, list of personnel 1941-1943
Correspondence 1941-1943
Production and price controls of textiles 1941-1942
Report on rationing, notes on remarks by Price Admin. staff circa 1942
Rubber footwear rationing 1942
American Economic Association meeting 1943
Verses, scripts, and drawings by Gettell and others circa 1941-1943
Ad Hoc Committee on Scientific and Synthetic Analysis of the United States Research and Development Board 1948-1951
Reports, directive, memoranda, outline of Gettell's duties, article circa 1945-1952
Advertising Mortality in Fortune magazine, 1943-1948 1948
Memoranda, reports, surveys, financial records, lists, charts 1945-1947
Reports, lists, surveys, articles 1946-1949
Reports, surveys, memoranda, lists circa 1946-1947
Studies by Gettell 1946-1949
Fortune Review of the U.S. Economy by Gettell 1947-1948
Programs, articles and reviews relating to speeches by Gettell 1947-1953
Fortune Analyzes the Economy by Gettell 1948
Automotive tire sales data 1948
Articles and speeches by Gettell and others 1948-1949
Reports, speeches, article 1948-1950
Correspondence and lists concerning speeches given by Gettell 1948-1953
Director's Meeting: Fortune's Analysis of business problems and policies in the current economic situation by Gettell 1949
United Kingdom trip 1949-1950
Articles, reports, speeches, memoranda, notes 1950
The Upward Decline of Advertising by Gettell 1950
Studies and speeches by Gettell, with related articles and programs 1950-1953
Reports, surveys, memoranda 1951
Changing Sales Volume Fortune Advertising by Gettell 1951
Time Ahead review by Gettell 1951
Speeches, reports, memoranda 1952
Studies and speeches by Gettell 1952-1953
Speeches, reports, memoranda 1953
Advertising Prospects for Magazine X by Gettell 1953
Articles and programs about Gettell's speaking engagements and other activities 1949-1953
Bibliography of studies by Gettell and others circa 1953
Illustrated booklets, one by Nick Samstag and one by Gettell written as a reply to Samstag's Time promotion piece circa 1945-1953
Parody of a survey written by Time Inc. staff members for Gettell upon his departure from the company 1953
United States Council International Chamber of Commerce Work 1946-1955
ITO (International Trade Organization) study 1946-194
Reciprocal trade study 1948-1950
ECA (European Economic Co-operation) and OEEC (Organisation for European Economic Co-operation) study 1949-1950
Syllabi, lecture notes, examinations, memoranda 1947-1948
Personal File 1954-1956
Notes from Gettell's trip to the Far East 1955
Foreign Economic Policy 1953-1955, 1958
Oil and gas report 1954
World petroleum surveys 1954-1956
Correspondence 1957-1981
Congratulatory letters and telegrams on MHC election 1957
Gettell's notes 1957
Presidents' Institute, Harvard College 1957
Memorabilia 1957-1970
Socks given to Gettell by a student 1958
Correspondence regarding future work after resignation 1968
Retirement tributes from faculty, staff, etc. 1968
Mount Holyoke Chamber Singers scrapbook, press release, newspaper clippings, and letters by Tamara Brooks Knell 1968-1970, 1974-1975
Mount Holyoke College Chamber Singers thank you notes, in booklet made and illustrated by Tamara Brooks Knell and presented to the Gettells circa 1967-1970
Mount Holyoke College Chamber Singers poster (framed) made and illustrated by Tamara Brooks Knell and words for songs from the group's Halloween visit to the Gettell (poster shelved in FOLIO) 1967
Haas Community Funds 1968-1970
Boy Scouts of America 1924-1925
Caribbean-East Indies Expedition 1929-1932
Central Intelligence Agency application 1967-1968
Economic column for New York Herald Tribune 1948-1949
Encampment for Citizenship circa 1946-1966
Fishing 1961-1968
Music 1925, 1927
San Francisco Chronicle World Tour Essay Contest 1925-1926
State Department 1941, 1947-1948
Theater ventures 1952-1954
U.S. Naval Reserves application 1942-1943
Certificates, memoranda, lease, statement, wills, citation, fingerprint record 1912, 1930-1988
Income records 1934-1969
Divorce records 1941, 1946
New York City housing records 1948-1954
Raymond G. Gettell estate records 1949-1950
Insurance records 1949-1952
Certificate for share in ownership of race horse 1950
Passports 1950, 1960, 1965, 1966
Autobiographical and Biographical Materials 1912-1988
Baby book 1912-1919
Curriculum Vitae and other summaries of activities circa 1932-1983
Health-related information 1942-1988
Psychological tests 1948
Articles, biographical sketches, and notes 1947-1966
Obituaries and tributes 1988
Memorial service 1988
Letters of condolence 1988-1989
Passes, notes, and tickets circa 1934-1957
World War II memorabilia 1942-1945
Announcement list and Christmas card lists 1947-1952
Christmas cards 1932-1976
Address book circa 1967
Travel memorabilia from trip to Central America 1937
Travel memorabilia 1949-1967
College of the Virgin Islands yearbook 1970
Travel memorabilia 1955
Slide rule (shelved in Objects Collection) n.d.
Gettell Family Materials 1895, circa 1909-1949, 1965
John and Zora Gettell and family letter, article, and notes 1895, 1965
Dorothy Bates Gettell: newspaper articles circa 1930s
Eunice Burdick Gettell: newspaper articles 1938
Landonia Gettell: wedding invitation, newspaper articles 1948
Nelene Groff Knapp Gettell: correspondence, articles circa 1920s-1930s
Raymond Garfield Gettell: articles, memorial service program, tributes circa 1909-1949
Dr. Getiel and Mr. Williams WENE. Shelved in FOLIO. November 15, 1948
Bob Wilson-Dr. R.G. Gettell Interview, WSJS in Winston-Salem. Shelved in FOLIO. January 27, 1949
Dr. Richard Gettell Brdcst, WHAM. Rochester, New York. Shelved in FOLIO. January 9, 1950
With Carroll . . . . Dr. Gettell. Shelved in FOLIO. circa 1948-circa 1953
Four recordings labeled Commonwealth Club of California, Parts 3, 5, 7. and 10. Shelved in FOLIO. circa 1948-circa 1953
Unlabeled sound recording. Shelved in FOLIO. circa 1948-circa 1953
Photographs of Gettell alone 1914-1960
Photograph of Gettell. Shelved in FOLIO. circa 1960.
Photographs of Gettell alone in London 1944
Photographs of portrait of Gettell 1970
Photographs of Gettell with others 1915-1970
Photographs of Landonia Gettell circa 1954-1968
Photographs of the Gettell's wedding 1948
Photographs of the Gettells 1957-1967
Photographs of Gettell family circa 1906-1948
Photographs of Eunice Burdick Gettell 1938-circa 1941
Photographs of others circa 1930s-1967
Photographs from U.S. Air Force work 1943-1945
Photographs from Time, Inc. work circa 1945-circa 1953
Photographs from Texas Company work 1953
Photographs from Mount Holyoke inauguration 1957
Photographs of Mount Holyoke President's House and Ham Hall 1958-1967
Photographs of Mount Holyoke President's office 1960
Gettells at dinner at Otto and Miriam Kohler's barn and of Landonia Gettell listening to Robert Frost 1962
Gettells at Economics and Sociology Dept. Christmas party, Center School students in campus garden 1963, 1967
Photographs of Mount Holyoke Faculty Show 1964
Photographs of Mount Holyoke ABC Program participants circa 1965
Visit with Boardman and Eleanor Bump in Westminster Vermont 1967
Mount Holyoke Class of 1961 at reunions 1981, 1986
Travels for wedding trip and visiting relatives in California and Virginia 1948
Photograph album of wedding trip to the Caribbean. Shelved in FOLIO. 1948
Photographs of travels 1948-1967
Photographs from trip to Far East and Italy 1955
Visit to the College of the Virgin Islands 1963-1964
Photographs of excursions 1950s
Photographs from fishing trip circa 1952-1968
Photographs of Gettell home in California circa 1920s-1930s
Photographs from Encampment for Citizenship circa 1946
Aerial view of Riverton Virginia for Landonia. Shelved in FOLIO. circa 1948
Photographs of 270 Park Ave, NY, NY 1948-circa 1954
Photographs of 25 East 86th Street, NY, NY circa 1954-1956
Photographs of places circa 1957, n.d.
Oversize (Folio) Material 1948-1960, n.d.
Oversize (Folio) material from other series in the collection