Karl Hobson papers,

Transcription

1 Overview of the Collection Creator Hobson, Karl, Title Karl Hobson papers Dates (inclusive) Quantity 3.25 linear feet of shelf space, (7 boxes) Collection Number Cage 866 (collection) Summary The Karl Hobson Papers consist of the research and professional papers of Karl Hobson as an agricultural forecasting expert at Washington State College and an independent forecaster and publihser of Hobson's Farm Forecast. Hobson worked for extension services at the University of Idaho and Washington State College and published Hobson's Farm Forecast with Elliot Marple from 1950 to Repository Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections. Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections Terrell Library Suite 12 Pullman WA Telephone: Access Restrictions This collection is open and available for research use. Languages English Biographical Note Karl Hobson was born in 1906 on a farm near Sedan, Kansas. He received B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Idaho and did graduate work at Cornell University. In 1935, he worked as a state specialist in forecasting and farm management for the Idaho Extension Service before joining Washington State College (now Washington State University) as a specialist in livestock marketing in In 1948, Hobson became a full-time specialist in farm forecasting In 1949, Hobson met Elliot Marple and in 1950 they formed a joint-partnership to publish Hobson's Farm Forecast, a weekly newsletter directed to farmers in the Pacific Northwest. Marple, a Seattlebased business forecaster, published Marple s Business Roundup, a weekly newsletter covering business market opportunities in the Pacific Northwest. Hobson, in Pullman, provided the text, while Marple, in Seattle produced the weekly publication through his existing Roundup operation. In December 1952, Hobson and Marple dissolved their joint-partnership and created Hobson's Farm Forecast, Inc., in part as a preventive measure against possible libel suits from disgruntled subscribers to the Forecast. Shortly afterwards, Hobson left the Bureau of Agricultural Extension at WSC and worked full-time for the corporation. In 1955, Hobson and Marple sold Hobson's Farm Forecast, Inc. to Doane Agricultural Service, Inc., of Carmichael, California. The publication of Hobson's Farm Forecast also ended in 1955 with its subscribers subsumed by Doane's Western Farm Forecast. 1

2 Hobson accepted a promotion with the Bureau of Agricultural Extension at WSC, while continuing to write for the Western Farm Forecast part time. Doane ceased publishing the Western Farm Forecast in In 1966, Hobson won the Western Farm Economics Association s Outstanding Extension Program Award for his prediction of wheat scarcity in the mid-1960s. Hobson retired in In the 1970s, he and his wife, Dorothy, moved to Maui, Hawaii, where he died from cancer in Content Description The Karl Hobson Papers consists of materials related to Hobson's work on farm forecasting. These papers include correspondence files for Hobson s Farm Forecast as well as personal correspondence. The collection also contains files of clippings by or about Hobson, research files, and publications by Hobson including Economic Facts for Idaho Farmers and World Food Needs and Productive Capacities. Lastly, there are records from Hobson and Marple s commodity trading partnership. Use of the Collection Restrictions on Use Copyright restrictions may apply. Preferred Citation [Item description]. Karl Hobson Papers, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA. Administrative Information Arrangement The collection is arranged into two series: Hobson's Farm Forecast and Research and Personal Papers. Series 1: Hobson's Farm Forecast, This series consists of records directly related to Hobson's Farm Forecast, a publication produced by Hobson and Elliot Marple. It is divided into two series, Correspondence and Research and notes. Subseries 1: Correspondence, This subseries consists of correspondence and surveys from subscribers to Hobson's Farm Forecasts. Subseries 2: Research and notes, This subseries consists of publications and articles about the newsletter and articles published in the newsletter. Series 2: Research and personal papers, This series consists of materials created and gathered by Hobson separate from his newsletter. This series consists of two subseries: Hobson and Marple commodity trading partnership and Work and education. Subseries 1: Hobson and Marple commodity trading partnership, This subseries consists of transaction records, tax forms, and business correspondence resulting from the trading of agricultural commodities conducted by Hobson and Elliot Marple. 2

3 Subseries 2: Work and education, This subseries consists of research Hobson performed as an employee of Washington State College and the University of Idaho, clippings on Hobson's work, Hobson's thesis for the University of Idaho, and a dossier for the Outstanding Extension Program award from the Western Farm Economics Association. Acquisition Information This collection was donated to the Washington State University Libraries in multiple installments. Elliot Marple donated materials in 1997 and 1999 (MS and MS ) and the Hobson family donated the remaining materials in 2010, via Jeff Hobson (MS ). Processing Note This collection was processed by Samantha Case and Steven Bingo in Related Materials Related materials may be found in the Hobson's Farm Forecast Records (Cage 608) Separated Materials Several 1945 and 1949 issues of the Washington State University extension publication titled "Economic Land Class Maps of Washington County" were added to the Agricultural Extension Publications (WSU 17-42). Issues of "Keeping Upon the Farm Outlook" from were removed, but can be found in the Extension Circular Series (WSU 17-41). Issues of the Agricultural Prices and Prospects from July 1954-December 1961 (retitled Farm Outlook in 1957) have been placed in WSU Publications (WSU 17-42). The March 20, 1951 and May 26, 1952 issues of Hobson's Farm Forecast were added to the run currently housed with the Hobson's Farm Forecast Records (Cage 608). Detailed Description of the Collection Series 1: Hobson's Farm Forecast, Container(s) Description Dates Subseries 1: Correspondence Box Folder 1 1 A B C

4 1 4 D E F G H I J K Financial correspondence Mc N T. Nishimura Max Nishioka Chester Noh Keish Noriyuki Willis Nutzman John O'Donnell Tak Ogawa Yosie Ogawa Emil Ohme Verl S. Okelberry

5 1 25 L. P. Olenslager Elmer J. Oliver N. N. Olsen William O. Olsen C. A. Olson Walter W. Olson Oscar Oltmanns Melvin Oppliger Lee Ormond Murray O'Rourke Frank L. Orth Raymond E. Osborne Milton Osterhout Lyman Otteson Tak Oyama P D. L. Pace H. L. Pace L. C. Pace Richard C. Pajarola R. J. Palisch

6 1 46 Rudolph Pancheri Howard G. Parish C. L. Parkinson B. L. Patrick Floyd Patterson J. K. Patterson Ed B. Patton H. G. Peckham Vernon Pendlebury Jake F. Perry Ray Pershall E. H. Persigehl Clem F. Peters Frank A. Petersen O. E. Petersen and Son Don Peterson Orchards A. O. Peterson C. J. Peterson Earial Peterson Henry M. Peterson L. W. Peterson

7 1 67 Lloyd H. Peterson O. H. Peterson Omar C. Peterson Reuben Peterson Spencer H. Peterson Mrs. Henry Petrick H. R. Pettijohn Alfred Pettygrove Jud Pettygrove Joe C. Pharris Edward J. Phillips L. B. Piercy R. D. Plessinger Ray S. Pocock J. C. Poe Kenneth H. Poe H. Michael Porter Anton Potucek Clarence Poulsen Floyd T. Powell Aubrey Pratt

8 1 88 Cliff Precht James Prestidge Joe Pretl Sheldon Pulley R N. R. Raedels Paul B. Ragan Richard Rambach D. D. Ramseyer H. F. Ramseyer Edgar Randall Lloyd F. Randall Pete M. Rarick Max D. Rector D. B. Reed Elmer Rees Bruce C. Regua Conrad Rehn Edward Reichert Fred Reichert Robert Reichert

9 2 109 Eldro J. Reid Henry Reil Ernest A. Reinke Louis E. Reinke J. J. Remington and Sons L. E. Remington Herman E. Renfrow Allen L. Richards Chas C. Richards L. Lalovi Rigby S Alfred Simmons T Roy Toft Cecil Toner J. M. Topsick Mat Toupin Dave Tracy Evan R. Tracy Eugene S. Trask C. A. Traughber

10 2 130 Fred Treasure Herschel Trunnell James Turnbull W. A. Turner U Leslie Ude Vernon Pendlebury M. R. Vanausdlen Samuel E. Vance Wilburn C. Vance J. W. Vanderford Joe Verbeck Chas Verheyen Edgar D. Vincent Roger D. Vincent Glenn Vining Vinson Farms Aubrey E. Vittetoe W X, Y, Z 1953 Subseries 2: Research and notes

11 Box Folder Commodity reserves Cotton research and correspondence with John Judge and Ralph Scanlan Idaho Potato Summaries International Wheat Agreement, World Food Board Proposals Marple's Business Newsletter Pacific Northwest Wheat Publications Pea seed dealers - Portland Stockpiling Western Farm Forecast Series 2: Research and personal papers, Container(s) Description Dates Subseries 1: Hobson and Marple commodity trading partnership Box Folder Commodity vouchers on expenses - correspondence and ledger sheets Correspondence between Hobson and Marple Walston and Co (completed transactions) Goodbody and Co Bache and Co

12 3 164 Siegel Trading Co Income tax and financial summaries (1 of 2) Income tax and financial summaries (2 of 2) Subseries 2: Work and education Box Folder Agricultural Outlook Agricultural Outlook Agricultural Outlook Agricultural price supports Agricultural prices post-world War II Alpha Zeta members (Idaho) and chapter history Article, interview, and notes by Hobson Articles by and clippings about Hobson Awards Biographical file Boise clippings Bonneville Power Administration job correspondence Civil service exhibit materials Clippings about Hobson Clippings about Hobson Clippings about Hobson

13 5 183 Clippings by or quoting Hobson Clippings by or quoting Hobson Columbia Basin project development Correspondence and "Looking Ahead" articles Desirable Adjustments in the Wheat Region of Washington Economic Facts for Idaho Farmers The Economic Reserve System, by Ralph Scanlan (1 of 2) 1940s The Economic Reserve System, by Ralph Scanlan (2 of 2) 1940s Employment and education record Epsilon Sigma Phi Extension correspondence Faculty Executive Committee Future Agricultural Development in the Pacific Northwest, preliminary draft (1 of 2) Future Agricultural Development in the Pacific Northwest, preliminary draft (2 of 2) Land Classification Maps Legislative Hearing - Olympia, Late July, Price data Proceedings of the First Annual Poultrymen's Institute Publication and curriculum vitae Publications by Hobson and others

14 6 203 Reader correspondence Retirement letters and clippings Second Annual Washington State Potato and Vegetable Conference Proceedings Seed pea meeting data Speech and presentation notes Thesis University of Idaho Extension publications by Hobson Washington State University Extension publications on the Wheat Program Western Farm Economics Association Outstanding Extension Program award Names and Subjects Subject Terms : Agricultural prices -- United States. Agriculture -- Forecasting. Personal Names : Hobson, Karl, Archives. Finding aid prepared by Samantha Case and Steven Bingo This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License: Creative Commons Licenses in Archives West: