North Carolina State University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department of Plant Pathology Records 1901-2022 (bulk 1940s-1990s)

Summary
Contents
Names/subjects
Using these materials
Please note that some historical materials may contain harmful content and/or descriptions. Learn how we’re addressing it.
Creator
North Carolina State University. Department of Plant Pathology
Size
33.45 linear feet (61 archival boxes, 1 carton, 1 flat folder, 1 lantern slide box, 1 legal half box, 3 slide boxes); 1 website
Call number
UA 100.025

The records of the North Carolina State University Department of Plant Pathology contain article reprints, brochures, correspondence, facilities information, meeting minutes, reports and presentation material, research projects, and publications. It also contains photographic prints, negatives, lantern slides, and video cassettes of events, individual and group portraits, and research specimens. Major correspondents include J. Lawrence Apple, Robert Aycock, Charles J. Nusbaum, Don E. Ellis, and Nash N. Winstead. In addition, there is a significant amount of extension material available, including correspondence, education materials, meeting minutes, Plans of Work, and research reports. Materials range in date from 1901 to 2001.

Plant pathology at North Carolina State University grew out of work done by the North Carolina Experiment Station. In 1958, Plant Pathology became a full-fledged department, and was included along with four other departments in the creation of the Institute of Biological Sciences. With the discontinuation of the Institute in 1971, Plant Pathology became a department within the School (now College) of Agriculture and Life Sciences. In 2016, it became part of the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology.

Biographical/historical note

Plant pathology at NC State University, like much of the current CALS curriculum, grew out of work done by the North Carolina Experiment Station. During the 1890s, occasional classes in plant pathology were taught as a part of the Horticulture curriculum, and work was also performed in cooperation with the Experiment Station. Coursework devoted entirely to plant pathology did not begin until the 1901-1902 school year, with the creation of the Biological Division and the appointment of F. L. Stevens as Instructor in Biology. During the 1920s, plant pathology education and research was reorganized as a part of the new Department of Botany (Plant Biology after 2006). Over the next decades, the number of courses and faculty devoted to plant pathology would continue to grow.

In 1945, the Plant Pathology section of the Botany Department was created, and James H. Jensen was named as the first head. Another reorganization took place in 1950, when Plant Pathology became one of five faculties in the newly created Division of Biological Sciences. It was after this latter shake-up that the department finally moved into its current home in Gardner Hall, after previously having used space in Withers and Patterson Halls. Under Jensen's leadership the department grew from 5 to 20 faculty members, and continued to expand its research and extension role throughout the state. In addition, the first Pesticide School (currently called the Crop Protection School) was held in 1949, and the first Plant Disease Clinic in 1951.

D. E. Ellis became the second department head in 1954, and continued the growth of the department's activities. By his retirement in 1973, the faculty had increased to 48, and the department's space in Gardner had likewise expanded. In 1958 Plant Pathology became a full-fledged department, and was included along with four other Departments in the creation of the Institute of Biological Sciences. With the discontinuation of the Institute in 1971, Plant Pathology became a department within the School (now College) of Agriculture and Life Sciences, where it remains today. In 2016, the Department of Plant Pathology merged with the Department of Entomology to become the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology.

Additional information and resources on the history of the Department of Plant Pathology can be found through the NC State University Historical State website.

List of Department Heads
1945-1958
James H. Jensen
1948-1949
Charles J. Nusbaum, acting head
1949-1953
James H. Jensen
1954-1973
Don E. Ellis
1973-1983
Robert Aycock
1984-1990
William L. Klarman
1991-1992
Larry F. Grand, interim
1993-2001
Ortus W. "O.W." Barnett
2002-2014
James Moyer
2014-2022
Eric "Rick" Davis
2022-
Carolyn Young

Scope/content

The records of the North Carolina State University Department of Plant Pathology contain article reprints, brochures, correspondence, facilities information, meeting minutes, reports and presentation material, research projects, and publications. It also contains photographic prints, negatives, lantern slides, and video cassettes of events, individual and group portraits, and research specimens. Major correspondents include J. Lawrence Apple, Robert Aycock, Charles J. Nusbaum, Don E. Ellis, and Nash N. Winstead. In addition, there is a significant amount of extension material available, including correspondence, education materials, meeting minutes, Plans of Work, and research reports. Materials range in date from 1901 to 2001.

Arrangement

The records of the North Carolina State University Department of Plant Pathology are arranged in six series. The first series, General Records, contains a variety of material relating mostly to the academic role of the department, including a set of faculty meeting minutes from 1950 to 1984. The second series is the department's Correspondence, and is arranged in generally the order as received. Reprints (articles written by faculty which originally appeared in non-university publications) make up the third series. The fourth series, Extension, contains files on work performed by department members in extension and outreach roles. The fifth series, Photographs and Other Media, is arranged alphabetically and contains photographs, negatives, glass lantern slides, and other media. The Publications series is comprised of publications created by the department, with materials arranged alphabetically by title.

Use of these materials

The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], North Carolina State University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department of Plant Pathology Records, UA 100.025, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Related material

Source of acquisition

Transferred from North Carolina State University, Department of Plant Pathology.

Processing information

Processed by: Pat Webber; Flora Blackley, 2009 July; machine-readable finding aid created by: Pat Webber, Finding aid updated by Flora Blackley, 2009 July; Cate Putirskis, 2009 July; unprocessed materials processed by Shakshi Singhai and Alanna Natanson, 2022 August; finding aid updated by Clara Wilson, 2022 August; Gevorg Vardanyan, 2023 June; unprocessed carton processed by Katie Bushman, 2023 November; finding aid updated by Clara Wilson, 2024 January

Please note that some historical materials may contain harmful content and/or descriptions. Learn how we’re addressing it.
Please note that some historical materials may contain harmful content and/or descriptions. Learn how we’re addressing it.

Access to the collection

This collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access to digital files may require additional advanced notice.

For more information contact us via mail, phone, or our web form.

Mailing address:
Special Collections Research Center
Box 7111
Raleigh, NC, 27695-7111

Phone: (919) 515-2273

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], North Carolina State University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department of Plant Pathology Records, UA 100.025, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Use of these materials

The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.