Richard L. D. Morse papers (Addition)

Identity elements

Reference code

US US kmk P2014.03

Level of description

Collection

Title

Richard L. D. Morse papers (Addition)

Date(s)

  • 1912-2005 (Creation)

Extent

72.00 Linear Feet, 58.00 Boxes

Post-Fire Oversize Boxes:
Box 43 (23x31); 509S: 19/3/5
Box 41 (16.5x20.5); 509: 20/30/5
Box 49 (16.5 x 20.5): 509: 20/27/2

Name of creator

(1916-2000)

Biographical history

Richard Morse was born in Grinell, Iowa, on December 27, 1916. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin (1938), conducted graduate studies at the University of Chicago, Iowa State and Columbia University and received a Ph.D. from Iowa State University (1942). Following distinguished service with the U.S. Navy in World War II, Morse held teaching positions at Iowa State (1945-47), Florida State University (1947-55), and Kansas State University (1955-87), where he served as professor and head of the Department of Family Economics.
With a background in family and home economics, Morse served as a lifelong advocate for families and consumers and, eventually, became nationally and internationally known as a giant in the field of protecting consumer rights. Many of Morse’s most notable accomplishments involved his tireless efforts to have legislation passed on the federal and state levels to benefit citizens in the areas of truth-in-savings and truth-in-lending, including serving as a consumer and banking counselor for the United States Congress and Presidents John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. A "crusader" for the consumer, Morse held numerous important positions on the local, regional, and national levels including, President of Consumer Education and Protection Association for Kansans, twenty years of service on the Board of Directors of Consumers Union, appointee to Presidents John Kennedy’s and Lyndon Johnson’s U.S. Consumer Advisory Council, a founding member of the Kansas Citizens Council on Aging, member of the Governor's Advisory Council on Aging, and Commissioner of the Manhattan Urban Renewal Agency. In 1987, Richard Morse donated his personal papers to the Special Collections Department of K-State's Libraries and collaborated with the staff to establish the [url=https://www.lib.k-state.edu/cma]Consumer Movement Archives[/url] as a repository for the collections of consumer leaders and organizations.
Following Richard Morse's retirement from K-State in 1987, he and wife, Marjorie, dedicated their time and energy to improving the K-State Libraries through their service as co-chairs of the Essential Edge fund-raising campaign (1988-1993), leaders in the Friends of the K-State Libraries organization, and by enhancing the collections and programs of the Special Collections Department. In recognition of their financial support of Special Collections and involvement with the Consumer Movement Archives, the Richard L.D and Marjorie J. Morse Department of Special Collections was named in their honor in 1997. During K-State's commencement activities in 2000, the College of Human Ecology bestowed its initial Public Policy Award upon Richard Morse, and a [url=https://www.lib.k-state.edu/morse-scholarship]Marjorie J. and Richard L. D.  Morse Family and Community Public Policy Scholarhip[/url] was established jointly by the Libraries,  College of Human Ecology, College of Business Administration, College of Arts and Sciences, and Leadership Studies. <extref href='http://krex.k-state.edu/dspace/handle/2097/20453'>Reports</extref> written by scholarship recipients may be viewed on the Kansas State Research Exchange (K-REx).
Richard Morse passed away on June 3, 2000. Marjorie Morse followed a few years later, dying on March 4, 2003.

Content and structure elements

Scope and content

This collection includes biographical information, literary works, correspondence, subjects in alphabetical order, photographs, negatives, slides, media, artifacts, and oversize items.  Biographical information includes topics such as classes Morse took in college, classes he taught, awards won, and his professional work.  Literary Works consists of articles, essays, pamphlets, and books written by Richard L. D. Morse.  Correspondence Series are listed alphabetical and  includes names such as Sam Brownback, Jimmy Carter, Robert Dole, Nancy Kassenbaum, John F. Kennedy, Walter Mondale, and Jim Slattery.  Subject Series is listed in alphabetical order and includes topics such as Aging, American Council of Consumer Interest, Consumer Affairs, Consumer Protection, Consumers Union, Interest Rates, Ralph Nader, Truth in Lending and Truth in Savings.  The Media Series includes topics such as Consumers Union, Financial Counseling, Homemaking Services, Senate Hearings and Truth in Lending.

System of arrangement

This collection is arranged into 10 series by type of material: 1) Biographical, 1940-1999, undated; 2) Literary Works, 1934-1996, undated; 3) Correspondence, 1949-2000, undated; 4) Subjects, alphabetical, 1934-2001, undated; 5) Photographs and Negatives, 1939-1998, undated; 6) Slides, undated ;7) Media, 1962-2000, undated; 8) Artifacts, 1979-1989, undated; 9) Oversize, 1951-1999, undated; 10) Printed Material, 1912, 1930-2005, undated.

Conditions of access and use elements

Conditions governing access

No access restriction: All materials are open for research.

Physical access

Technical access

Conditions governing reproduction

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel law as they apply.

Languages of the material

  • English

Scripts of the material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

Finding aids

Acquisition and appraisal elements

Custodial history

It received accession number P2014.03 and the department housed the materials.

Immediate source of acquisition

Acqusition Source: Nancy Morse
Acqusition Method: Donation.
Acqusition Date: 20100101

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information

Documents arrived after the original donation of Richard L. D. Morse's papers.

Accruals

This is an addition to the original donation made by Richard L. D. Morse (P1987.11).

Related materials elements

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related archival materials

Related Materials: The following selected sources provide additional information on Consumer Movement:
Agan (Anna Tessie) Papers
American Council on Consumer Interests
American Council on Consumer Interests (Metzen Addition)
Americans for Fairness in Lending
Brooks (Thomas) Collection
Brunn (George) Collection
Consumer Federation of America
Dartland (Walter T.) papers
Hawkins (Nancy) Collecion
Kiesling (Roy) Papers
Mason (Florence) Collection
Meyer (Louis S.) Papers
Morse (Richard L. D.) papers
National Consumer Law center (NCLC) Records
Shields (Currin V.) Papers
Williams (Alma) papers
Wilner (Dorothy K.) Papers

Related descriptions

Specialized notes

  • Citation: Preferred Citation: [Item title], [item date], Richard L. D. Morse papers, Box [number], Folder [number or title], Morse Department of Special Collections, Consumer Movement Archives, Kansas State University Libraries.

Alternative identifier(s)

Archon Collection ID

80

Description control element

Rules or conventions

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Sources used

Anthony R. Crawford, Curator, prepared the biographical note.

Archivist's note

Finding Aid Author: Cynthia Harris
Publication Date: 2015-08-31

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Accession area

Related subjects

Related people and organizations

Related genres

Related places

Physical storage

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