Richard L.D. Morse papers, 1912-2005 | Morse Department of Special Collections

By Jarrod Kuckelman

Collection Overview

Title: Richard L.D. Morse papers, 1912-2005

Primary Creator: Morse, Richard L. D. (1916-2000)

Extent: 193.0 Linear Feet

Arrangement: The arrangement of these records reflects the diversity of Morse's professional interests. They are organized in the series: : 1) Correspondence, 2) Kansas State University Correspondence, 3) Iowa State University Academic Records, 4) Florida State University Academic Records, 5) Kansas State University Academic Records, 6) Truth-in-Savings, 7) International Organizations, 8) National Organizations, 9) State Organizations, 10) Conferences, 11) Literary Works-Dissertations at Kansas State University, 12) Literary Works-Thesis Reports at Kansas State University, 13) General Literary Works, 14) The Federal Executive and Legislative Branch Offices, 15) State of Kansas Government Documents, 16) Richard L.D. Morse Speeches, 17) Alphabetical Speeches by Others, 18) Reports and Publications-Printed Material, 19) Studies/Research-Printed Material, 20) Homemaker/Home Health Aid Service Reports-Printed Material, 21) Newsletters/Bulletins-Printed Material, 22) Newspapers and Clippings-Printed Material, 23) Subject Files, 24) Study: Savings Advertisement Analysis, 25) Journals and Magazines.

Date Acquired: 01/01/1987

Subjects: Consumer movement

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The Richard L.D. Morse Papers provide a broad spectrum of material, which reflect the donor's academic career, topical interests, and professional avocation of consumer service. While some of the papers briefly note his tour of service with the United States Navy in the Second World War and his family life, most of the documents in this collection pertain to Morse's academic endeavors as an educator and consumer advocate. Certain sections of the collection relate to his time as a student and a young professor at Iowa State University and Florida State University, including Morse's own doctoral dissertation and academic correspondence. Other sections collect Morse's records as chair of K-State's Department of Family Economics, mentored student projects and his assistance with the university's Agricultural Experiment Station and the development of several grant projects as well as his own course syllabi, notes, and other related educational material.

Another substantial section of this collection highlights Morse's personal interests on behalf of local and statewide consumers. In places, readers will find correspondence, articles, reports, and newspaper clippings related to the protection of working class and poor Kansans from fraud, credit reporting irregularities, differing interest calculations by area banks, family fiscal planning theories, and advocacy for the aging. For example, several files relate to his work on the behalf of the Kansas Citizens Council on Aging, challenging age-discrimination and advocating for new measures to ensure the proper financing, dignity, medical care, and a level of personal utility for the regions elderly population. Other files relate to his petitioning for the implementation of long overlooked federal food programs to alleviate hunger in Kansas. Still others demonstrate his commitment to many Kansas State University Libraries' educational initiatives, including Treasurer for the Friends of K-State Libraries and co-chairmanship of the Essential Edge Fundraising campaign.

Biographical Note

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 Consumer Movement Archives 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 Marjorie J. and Richard L. D. Morse Family and Community Public Policy Scholarhip was established jointly by the Libraries, College of Human Ecology, College of Business Administration, College of Arts and Sciences, and Leadership Studies. Reports 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.

Subject/Index Terms

Consumer movement

Administrative Information

Repository: Morse Department of Special Collections

Access Restrictions: No access restriction: All materials are open for research.

Use Restrictions: The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Physical Access Note: Original materials available during open hours of repository and any digitized materials that are online are available with Internet access.

Acquisition Source: Richard L. D. Morse

Acquisition Method: Donation

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

Processing Information: Processed by Jarrod Kuckelman, October 2017

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Correspondence-Chronological],
[Series 2: Correspondence-Alphabetical (1947-1991)],
[Series 3: Correspondence-Kansas State University-Department],
[Series 4: Academic-Iowa State University (1938-1950)],
[Series 5: Academic-Florida State University (1932-1964)],
[Series 6: Academic-Kansas State University (1931-1988)],
[Series 7: Truth in Savings],
[Series 8: Organizations-International],
[Series 9: Organizations-National],
[Series 10: Organizations-State],
[Series 11: Conferences],
[Series 12: Literary Works-Dissertations],
[Series 13: Literary Works-Thesis Reports-Kansas State University],
[Series 14: Literary Works],
[Series 15: Government Documents-Federal],
[Series 16: Government Documents-State],
[Series 17: Government Documents-Subjects],
[Series 18: Speeches-Richard L.D. Morse],
[Series 19: Speeches-Alphabetical],
[Series 20: Printed Material-Richard L.D. Morse (Chronological)],
[Series 21: Printed Material-Studies/Research/Reports],
[Series 22: Printed Material-Newsletters/Bulletins],
[Series 23: Printed Materials-Pamphlets/Booklets],
[Series 24: Printed Materials-Booklets (U.S.)],
[Series 25: Printed Materials-Booklets (International)],
[Series 26: Printed Materials-Newspapers],
[Series 27: Printed Materials-Newsclippings (Truth in Savings)],
[Series 28: Subject Files],
[Series 29: Study: Savings Advertisement Analysis, September-October 1974],
[Series 30: Journals and Magazines],
[All]

Series 5: Academic-Florida State University (1932-1964)

Sub-Series 1: Family Economics Courses

Box 29

Folder 1: Home Economics 248-Misc. course work, 1933-1939
Folder 2: Home Economics 425-Syllabus and References, 1937-1939
Folder 3: Home Economics 451-History and Periodical list, 1952
Folder 4: Home Economics 453, 1948-1952
Folder 5: Home Economics 490-Problems of the Family, 1932-1933
Folder 6: Home and Family Life 340-Exams, Exam keys, 1933-1951
Folder 7: Home and Family Life 340-Student exams and assignments, 1949-1954
Folder 8: Home and Family Life 340-Project: Assignment to Committee &Statement of Duties, 1952-1953
Folder 9: Home and Family Life 340-Project: House, Furniture, and Equipment, 1951-1953
Folder 10: Home and Family Life 340-Project: House Operations, Clothes, Personal Care, Jewelry, 1951-1953
Folder 11: Home and Family Life 340-Project: Recreation, Leisure, Education, Transportation, 1952
Folder 12: Home and Family Life 340-Project: Life Insurance, Other Insurance, Misc. Work, 1951-1952
Folder 13: Home and Family Life 340-Project: College Education, Insurance, 1950-1952
Folder 14: Home and Family Life 360-Misc. work, ND
Folder 15: Home and Family Life 461-Exam copies and lectures notes, 1949
Folder 16: Home and Family Life 491-Economic Problems of the Family, 1950
Folder 17: Home and Family Life 505-Exam, ND
Folder 18: Home and Family Life 540-Class outline and exam copies, 1953-1956
Folder 19: Home and Family Life 540-Misc. course work, 1954
Folder 20: The Consumer-Buyer and the Market, 1939

Box 30

Folder 1: Misc. work

Sub-Series 2: Graduate School (1948-1956)

Box 30

Folder 2: Student Folders Partridge, Dova
Folder 3: Student Folders Vincent, Nicholas, 1952
Folder 4: Student Folders White, Wylma, 1952-1955
Folder 5: Student Folders Simmons, Mildred, 1952-1954
Folder 6: Student Folders Glenn, Hortense, 1947-1950
Folder 7: Student Folders Jackson, Dena Mae, 1952-1957
Folder 8: Student Folders Bevlas, Aquila, 1954
Folder 9: Student Folders Schaefer, Robert, 1950-1953
Folder 10: Committee on graduate teaching and research in Home Economics
Folder 11: Doctoral and Interdepartmental Doctoral Programs in Family Economics
Folder 12: Committee on graduate teaching and research in Home Economics Correspondence, 1951-1954

Box 31

Folder 1: Committee on graduate teaching and research in Home Economics Meeting minutes, 1951-1955

Sub-Series 3: Thesis Reports

Box 31

Folder 2: Schaefer, Robert, 1951
Folder 3: Simmons, Mildred, 1953
Folder 4: White, Wylma, 1950
Folder 5: Partridge, Dova 1948
Folder 6: Seal, Kathryn, 1952
Folder 7: Correspondence, 1949-1950
Folder 8: Correspondence, 1950-1953
Folder 9: Correspondence, 1953-1956
Folder 10: Evaluation of Dept of Home and Family Life
Folder 11: Clippings, 1949

Sub-Series 4: Organizations (1948-1964)

Box 31

Folder 12: Florida Citrus Commission/Experiment Station Correspondence, 1949
Folder 13: Florida Citrus Commission/Experiment Station Correspondence, 1950
Folder 14: Florida Citrus Commission/Experiment Station Correspondence, 1950
Folder 15: Florida Citrus Commission/Experiment Station Correspondence, 1952

Box 32

Folder 1: Florida Citrus Commission/Experiment Station Correspondence, 1953
Folder 2: Florida Citrus Commission/Experiment Station Correspondence, 1954-1955
Folder 3: Florida Citrus Commission/Experiment Station Consumer Preferences Study-Raw data, 1950-1954
Folder 4: Florida Citrus Commission/Experiment Station Consumer Preferences Study-Tables, charts, figures, 1950-1953
Folder 5: Florida Citrus Commission/Experiment Station "Children's Preferences of Orange and Grapefruit Juice," 1955
Folder 6: Florida Citrus Commission/Experiment Station Nursery School experiment, 1952
Folder 7: Florida Citrus Commission/Experiment Station Misc. publications relating to taste preferences
Folder 8: Florida Citrus Commission/Experiment Station Florida Horticultural Society-67th Meeting
Folder 9: Florida Citrus Commission/Experiment Station Publications relating to food quality
Folder 10: Research Council (orange juice) Correspondence, 1952
Folder 11: Research Council (orange juice) Correspondence, 1953
Folder 12: Research Council (orange juice) Correspondence, 1954
Folder 13: Research Council (orange juice) Statement of purpose and needs/group tabulation
Folder 14: Southern Economic Assn. Psycho-physical Methods in the Study of Consumer Preferences, 1954
Folder 15: Southern Economic Assn. Individual Choice in Voting and the Market, 1954
Folder 16: Southern Economic Assn. Correspondence, 1954-1955

Box 33

Folder 1: Florida Home Economics Assn. Annual Convention Programs, 1948-1952
Folder 2: Florida Home Economics Assn. "The Mocking Bird" newsletter, 1949-1955
Folder 3: Florida Home Economics Assn. Misc. newsletters and pamphlets
Folder 4: Florida Home Economics Assn. Members and officers, 1948-1952
Folder 5: Florida Home Economics Assn. Program-of-work and reports
Folder 6: Florida Home Economics Assn. Annual State meeting, 1949, 1952
Folder 7: Florida Home Economics Assn. Handbook, by-laws, duties of the treasurer
Folder 8: Florida Home Economics Assn. Minutes, 1948-1950
Folder 9: Florida Home Economics Assn. Minutes, 1951-1954
Folder 10: Florida Home Economics Assn. Correspondence, 1949-1950
Folder 11: Florida Home Economics Assn. Correspondence 1951-1952
Folder 12: Florida Home Economics Assn. Correspondence, 1953-1959
Folder 13: Credit Union 3rd Annual Report, 1956
Folder 14: Credit Union 4th & 9th Annual Reports, 1957, 1962
Folder 15: Credit Union 10th & 11th Annual Reports, 1963, 1964
Folder 16: Credit Union Description of Credit Unions
Folder 17: Credit Union Publications and clippings
Folder 18: Credit Union Correspondence, 1954-1958

Sub-Series 5: Faculty

Box 33

Folder 19: Meeting minutes, 1953-1955
Folder 20: Report of the Committee on Final Exams, 1953
Folder 21: Morse papers, 1950

Sub-Series 6: Research

Box 33

Folder 22: Plans for departmental research, 1951-1952
Folder 23: Studies-Consumers' Taste Reactions to 3 Experimental Blends..., 1949
Folder 24: Studies-Taste Tests on Canned Grape Juice, 1953
Folder 25: Studies-Odor Research, 1945-1957

Box 34

Folder 1: Studies-Some Stimulus-response Reactions in Pair-ranking Taste..., 1955
Folder 2: Studies-Paired Comparisons Taste Panel Procedure for Citrus Juice, ND
Folder 3: Studies-Data-Group 1-3: urban and rural, ND
Folder 4: Studies-Group 4: urban and rural, ND
Folder 5: Studies-Group 1-4: rural-all, ND
Folder 6: Studies-Group 1-4: urban and rural, ND
Folder 7: Studies-Group 1-4: urban and rural-all, ND
Folder 8: Studies-Background info on Tallahassee Housing Survey, 1940-1959
Folder 9: Studies-The Tallahassee Housing Survey, 1950
Folder 10: Studies-Citrus Preference Survey, 1950
Folder 11: Studies-Orange Juice Study (Faculty Panel), 1951-1952
Folder 12: Reports-Study on New Concentrated Apple Juice, 1955
Folder 13: Reports-Orange Juice Study Faculty Panel Results, 1952-1953
Folder 14: Reports-Workshop for Large Institutions-AHEA, 1951
Folder 15: Reports-Methods Measuring Consumer Preferences for Canned Orange Juice, 1949
Folder 16: Reports-Selected Studies of Consumer Preferences for Canned Orange Juice, 1949-1950
Folder 17: Reports-Consumer Preferences for Selected Frozen Concentrated Apple Juice, 1951
Folder 18: Reports-Post-War Textiles, 1947-1954
Folder 19: Reports-Selecting an Electronic Iron, 1946-1953

Box 35

Folder 1: Reports-Laws Related to Consumer Issues, 1967-1968
Folder 2: Reports-Selecting a Washing Machine, 1946
Folder 3: Reports-Consumer Credit, 1967-1968
Folder 4: Reports-Credit Cards-30 Days to Reality, 1964
Folder 5: Reports-Some Applications of Statistics to Lab Taste Testing, 1953
Folder 6: Bibliographies-Consumer Education, 1967
Folder 7: Bibliographies-Family Finance and Family Economics, 1955
Folder 8: Bibliographies-Consumer Interests-AHEA, 1949
Folder 9: Bibliographies-Income and Expenditure, 1951-1952
Folder 10: Bibliographies-1947 Publications
Folder 11: Bibliographies-Home Economics 341 Supplementary reading, ND
Folder 12: Bibliographies-Directory of Government Consumer Services and Agencies, 1941
Folder 13: Bibliographies-"Current Consumption Problems" L.T. Smyth, ND
Folder 14: Workshops-Workshop on evaluation, 1946-1947
Folder 15: Workshops-Workshop on evaluation, ND
Folder 16: Workshops-Objectives for the Home Economics Core of Common Learning in all Curriculums in the School of Home Economics, 1949
Folder 17: Workshops-Evaluations of Homemaking Curriculum, 1950-1951
Folder 18: Consumer Studies and Meat Quality Conference, 1957
Folder 19: Speeches-Inflation and the Home Economist, 1951
Folder 20: Speeches-Excerpts from Clara Brown Arny-Essay Type Tests, ND
Folder 21: Student Loan Information, 1951
Folder 22: Subject-Consumer food costs, 1950-1952
Folder 23: Subject-Consumer credit, 1957