Books and Brochures

Campbell Hall 1871-1971: A Century of Service.  Monmouth, 1971. [Brochure written on the occasion of the opening of Campbell Hall's cornerstone in 1971].  WOU Library call number: LD4344.A4.C3

Clarke, Gordon.  The Streets We Live On. Monmouth, Polk County Historical Society, 1978. [History of street names in Monmouth, Independence, and Falls City] WOU Library call number: Reference F882.P7C52

Gentle, Thomas.  Memoirs. Palo Alto, 1993 [Gentle was an Education Professor at ONS from 1911-1928]. WOU Library call number: LA2317.G35 A3 1993

Who Dares to Teach:  A Novel based in part on a Lifetime of Teaching and Demonstration that "Who Dares to Teach Must Never Cease to Learn." Palo Alto: Executive Book Service, 1982.  WOU Archives

Great Events (Which Made Polk County). [A series of publications which originally appeared in the Polk County Itemizer-Observer newspaper.] WOU Library call number: F882.P7 G72; F882.P7 G74; F882.P7 G76

Huxford, Gary.  Since 1856. . .Historical Views of the College at Monmouth. Monmouth, 1995. [Book contains 3 titles in one binding.  Book I: OCE Story, by Ellis Stebbins; Book II: Staying Alive-From OCE to WOSC, by Gary Huxford; Book III: More Personal Voices. Huxford, an emeritus Professor, taught  in the History Department from 1961 to 1994 .]

Monmouth 1856-1956: The Growth of an Idea. Monmouth, 1956. WOU Library call number: F884.M74 1956 (Reference & circulating copies)

Oregon Normal School Buildings. Monmouth, 1936. [Brochure summarizing the history of campus buildings up to 1936.] WOU Library call number: F884.M74 O71 1936

Pioneering the Future: Western Oregon State College.  Monmouth, 1986. [Brochure summarizing 130 years of college history, includes chronology.] WOU Library call number: LD4344.A22 P65 1987 (Reference and circulating copies)

Pioneering the Future: Campus Development Plan. Monmouth, 1987. WOU call number: LD4344.A22 C19 1987

Polk County Historical Society. History of Polk County Oregon. Monmouth, Taylor Publishing, 1987.  WOU Library call number: F882.P7 H58 1987 Reference

Portrait and Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley.  Chicago: Chapman, 1903. WOU Library call number: F882.W6 P8 1903 Reference

Powell, Clares, comp. Letters Written from Polk County, Oregon to Monmouth,Illinois, 1853-1863.  Appended with Records from the College, 1856-1886. Monmouth, 1976. [Appendix contains transcribed minutes of the Board of Trustees for Monmouth University and Christian College, as well as other records they kept.] WOU Library call number: F822.P7 L4 (reference and circulating copies)

Schalock, H Del. From Commitment to Practice: The Oregon College of Education Elementary Teacher Education Program. Washington: American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, 1976.

Schafer, Joseph. Prince Lucien Campbell. Eugene, University Press, 1926. [Biography of WOU's 4th President who went on to become President of the University of Oregon.] WOU Library call number: LD4362.7 1902

Smith, John E. Christian College. Monmouth, 1953. [Covers the college's history from 1856-1882.] WOU Library call number: F884.B4 S5 (reference and circulating copies)

Stebbins, Ellis. The OCE Story. Monmouth, 1973. [History of the college to the early 1960s written by the former Dean of Administration and Interim President.] WOU Library call number: F884.M74 S81 1973

Back to Top

Journal Articles

Almack, John C. "History of Oregon Normal Schools" Oregon Historical Quarterly 21 (March 1920) 95-168. [College history from 1890s to 1920]

Huxford, Gary. "An Incident at Monmouth," Journal of Higher Education 40 (May 1969) 369-380. [Describes local and statewide reaction to the 1961 campus visit of Gus Hall, Secretary of the American Communist Party]

Santee, Joseph F.  "History of Christian College." Oregon Historical Quarterly 42 (1941) 133-150. [College history between the 1870s and 1880s; Santee was an Education Professor at OCE.]

Back to Top

Dissertations and Theses

Almack, John C. "History of Oregon Normal Schools." MA Thesis, University of Oregon, 1920.

Clyne, Roger Dean. "A Follow-up Study of Three Selected Classes in Teacher Education from Oregon College of Education."  MS Thesis, Oregon College of Education, 1969. WOU Library call number:  LB1941.C5

Cox, Joseph Alfred.  "Development of Health and Physical Education for Men at the Oregon Normal School: A Proposed Set-Up." MS, Oregon State University, 1938. [Cox served as football coach and PE director]

Curtiss, Daniel.  "Policy Making on the Western Campus". Senior Honors Thesis, Western Oregon State College, 1993. WOU Library call number: LD4344.41993.C97

Howard, John Morton. "An Evaluation of the Elementary Teacher Education Program at the Oregon College of Education."  PH.D., University of Oregon, 1961.

Johnson, Bonnie J. "An Examination of Preferred Institutional Goals of Oregon State and Western Oregon State College as perceived by their Educational Faculties." MS Thesis, Oregon State University, 1984.

Jones, Helen Butler. "Contributions of Certain Leaders in the Development of Oregon Normal School, 1850-1930." MS Thesis, University of Oregon, 1947.  WOU Microfilm Thesis #94; also available in paper, WOU Library call number: LD4344.A4 J6

McMahon, John.  "An Organizational Analysis of Structural Characteristics During the Merger of Two Higher Educational Organizations [OSU/WOSC]." MS Thesis, Oregon State University, 1985.

Miller, Deborah, "Customer Satisfaction with Registration, Fee Payment and Financial Aid Services at Western Oregon State College." MHR Research Paper, George Fox University, 1995.

Remley, Renee M. "The Role of the Werner College Center at Western Oregon State College."  WOU Library call number: LD4344.4 1993 R38

Roper, John B.  "Developing and Implementing a Procedures and Policies Manual for PE/Athletic Department Stores Clerk." MHR Thesis, George Fox University, 1990.

Santee, Joseph. "A History and Status of Public Elementary School Teacher Training in Oregon." PH.D., University of Washington, 1939.

Thiele, Martina.  "A Study of the Normal School in Oregon."  BA Thesis, University of Oregon, 1914.

Thompson, Janice P. "Administrative Reform in Education, Concept and Practice: The Landers Controversy, 1931."  MA Thesis, University of Oregon, 1980. [Examines the presidency of Joseph landers, ONS President from 1921-1932.] 

Tripp, Carol J. "Development of a Classified Employees Training Program at Western Oregon State College Library."  MHR Thesis, George Fox University, 1991.

Wall, Lucille. "The Growth and Development of Practice Teaching Facilities at the Oregon Normal School." MS Thesis, Oregon State University, 1938.

Woods, Helen.  "The Student Teaching Experience: A Qualitative Examination." PH.D., Oregon State University, 1991.

Yates, Douglas P. "Older and Younger Students, Full-time and Part Time: A Comparison of their Perceptions of the Campus Environment at Oregon College of Education." MS thesis, Oregon State University, 1979.

Back to Top

Also consult past issue of:

Back to Top

Alcohol in Monmouth

(Reserve call number: 88-28 pc)

Newspaper articles from 1933 to date, provide historical explanation of why Monmouth was Oregon's only dry town and  chronicle the numerous attempts to change the policy through the initiative process. Also contains a copy of Monmouth's first ordinance prohibiting the sale of alcohol.

Asbestos in Monmouth Water

(Reserve call number: 88-40 pc)

Newspaper stories document Monmouth's water supply crisis of 1993.

Christmas Tree Lighting

(Reserve call number: 88-43 pc) ,

Newspaper stories trace the evolution of the lighting of the campus sequoia tree since 1967.

Closure Issues 1973 - 1983

(Reserve call number: LD 4344.A27 C56; additional copy in circulation collection)

A compilation of newspaper articles and editorials about attempts to close the University.

Monmouth Avenue Closure

(Reserve call number: 88-36 pc)

 Attempts to close Monmouth Avenue, the main thoroughfare through campus, are described.

Sculptures on Campus

(Reserve call number: 88-45 pc)

Information about the public sculptures near the buildings Heritage Hall, the former Library, Natural Sciences, Rice Auditorium, and the Iberian Venus in the New Grove.

Back to Top

Founders' Day

Founders' Day is January 18.  On this day in 1856, 11 founders signed a charter established Monmouth University, the first name of Western Oregon University.  The first official Founders' Day was celebrated in January 1995.

Back to Top

Founders of WOU

Eleven individuals signed the charter creating Monmouth University on January 18, 1856 and are officially recognized as the founders of Western Oregon University.  A plaque honoring them and other early pioneer families who were instrumental in establishing the University hangs in the lobby of Campbell Hall.

The founders:

Back to Top

Institutional Names Changes

Presidents

Photographs of the Presidents can be seen in the President's Gallery, on the 2nd floor of the Administration Building. Some images are included with the brief biographies.

Back to Top