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 18: Speeches-Richard L.D. Morse

Box 152

Folder 1: 1947 “Amplifications of Public Law 733 With Respect to Agricultural Marketing Research Projects of State Agricultural Experiment Stations”
Folder 2: 1949 Jun 23 “Economic Problems of Today’s Families”
Folder 3: 1950 “How the Farm Situation Will Affect Farm Family Life”
Folder 4: 1954 Oct 12 “Planning Your Financial Future”
Folder 5: 1955 Feb 05 “Working Mothers of Young Children”
Folder 6: 1955 Apr 05 “The Consumer and the American Economy”
Folder 7: 1955 Aug 06 [Fair well Speech in Florida]
Folder 8: 1955 [Consumer Income and Expenditures]
Folder 9: 1955 “The Family Economist”
Folder 10: 1956 Feb 07 “The American Home, the Strength of the Nation”
Folder 11: 1956 Mar 09 “You and Your Money”
Folder 12: 1956 Mar 16 “Trends in Reality”
Folder 13: 1956 Mar 16 “Money Management”
Folder 14: 1956 Nov 09 “Money Matters”
Folder 15: 1956 “What Should a Competent Family Economist Know?”
Folder 16: 1957 Mar 22 “Some Facts About Kansas Families”
Folder 17: 1957 May 10 “Buying Aids--Testing Agencies”
Folder 18: 1957 May 25 “The Lengthening Distance Between the Haves and Have Nots”
Folder 19: 1957 Sep 10 “Watch Your Weights and Measures”
Folder 20: 1957 Oct 25 “Buying Frozen Foods”
Folder 21: 1957 Nov 02 “Family Finance”
Folder 22: 1957 “What Are You Worth?”
Folder 23: 1958 Jan 10 “What Are You Worth?”
Folder 24: 1958 Apr 04 “Using Your Bank”
Folder 25: 1958 Apr 04 “Using Your Bank”
Folder 26: 1958 Oct 09 “Consumer Credit”
Folder 27: 1958 Nov 14 “Money Management”
Folder 28: 1959 Apr 17 “Trading Stamps and the Consumers Interest”
Folder 29: 1959 Apr 24 “Consumers Organizations”
Folder 30: 1959 Oct 09 “Consumer Credit”
Folder 31: 1959 Nov 05 [Buymanship]
Folder 32: 1960 Apr 13 [Credit]
Folder 33: 1960 Dec 21 [Public Deception]
Folder 34: 1961 Jun 29 “Family Financial Security: Education and Insurance”
Folder 35: 1961 Nov 20 “Widening Circles”
Folder 36: 1962 Jun 27 “Nigerian Family Life Helps Us”
Folder 37: 1962 “Consumer Finance Charges--Quotations Compared”
Folder 38: 1963 Mar 04 “Is There A Consumer Revolt?”
Folder 39: 1963 May 03 “Consumer’s Welfare in the Jet Age”
Folder 40: 1963 Jun 24 “The Consumer Rediscovered”
Folder 41: 1964 Jan 23 [Consumer Credit]
Folder 42: 1964 Jun 16 “Consumer Discussion Focus”
Folder 43: 1964 Jun 16 “Consumer Discussion Focus”
Folder 44: 1964 Oct 22 “Control That Cost of Living”
Folder 45: 1964 Oct 22 “Control That Cost of Living”
Folder 46: 1964 Nov 11 “Need For Consumer Grades”
Folder 47: 1964 Nov 11 “Need For Consumer Grades”

Box 153

Folder 1: 1965 Fall “The Consumer and the Product--Quality, Packaging, and Pricing”
Folder 2: 1965 “Trading Stamps--A Consumer’s View”
Folder 3: 1965 “The Consumer and the Product--Quality, Packaging, and Pricing”
Folder 4: 1966 Jun 22 “Aspects of Consumer Interest in the Food and Drug Field”
Folder 5: 1967 Apr 20 [Truth in Lending Act and Consumer Protection Act]
Folder 6: 1967 Jun 19 “Consumer Representation in Government--1967"
Folder 7: 1967 Aug 14 [Consumer Credit Protection Act]
Folder 8: 1967 Oct 09 “Historical Development of Consumer Credit”
Folder 9: 1968 Feb 05 “Government’s Responsibility to Consumers”
Folder 10: 1969 Jan 21 “The Consumer Interest”
Folder 11: 1969 Mar 04 “The Consumer Interest”
Folder 12: 1969 Mar 17 [Proposed Trade Regulation Rule Regarding Games of Chance In the Food Retailing and Gasoline Industries]
Folder 13: 1969 Mar 20 [Truth in Lending Legislation]
Folder 14: 1969 May 13 “Consumer Education Payoff! When?”
Folder 15: 1969 Jun 10 “Credit and Instalment Buying”
Folder 16: 1969 Jun 18 “Government’s Responsibility to Consumers”
Folder 17: 1969 Aug 22 “Is Bank Night Bank?”
Folder 18: 1969 Sep 29 [Kansas Truth in Lending Act]
Folder 19: 1969 Oct 01 “Analysis of Kansas Consumer Credit Maximum Rates: Past, Current, and Proposed”
Folder 20: 1969 Dec 18 “The Public Interest”
Folder 21: 1969 Fall “Supermarket Weekly Specials”
Folder 22: 1970 Sep 11 “The Needs of Elderly Consumers”
Folder 23: 1970 Oct 22 “Only the Computer Knows”
Folder 24: 1970 Nov 06 “One Price System for Credit”
Folder 25: 1971 May 18 “Homemaker/Home Health Aid--A Natural Combination for Training”
Folder 26: 1971 Jul 12 “Retail Food Store Advertising and Marketing Prices”
Folder 27: 1973 Mar 27 [Consumer Protection Agency]
Folder 28: 1973 Oct 04 “Labels Should be Helpful”
Folder 29: 1974 Jan 07 “If It Can’t Be Told, It Shouldn’t Be Sold”
Folder 30: 1975 Jun 01 “Could the Marketplace be more Responsive to the Needs of Older Consumers?”
Folder 31: 1976 Apr 01 “Ways of Making the Marketplace More Responsive to the Needs of Older (and all) Consumers”
Folder 32: 1976 Apr 01 “Special Concerns of Elderly Consumers”
Folder 33: 1976 May 25 [Administration on Aging]
Folder 34: 1977 Jun 23 “Consumer Protection for the Elderly”
Folder 35: 1978 Apr 21 “Decade of Truth in Lending”
Folder 36: 1979 Winter “Rule of 78's Verses Annual Percentage Rate: Back to the Basics"
Folder 37: 1980 Mar 25 “Has Regulation Gone Too Far?”
Folder 38: 1980 Jun 21 [Truth in Savings]
Folder 39: 1980 Jun 23 “We’re on Our Way”
Folder 40: 1980 [Proposed Ph.D. Program in the Department of Family Studies]
Folder 41: ND “The Consumer and the Product--Quality, Packaging, and Pricing”
Folder 42: ND “The Elderly as Consumers”
Folder 43: ND “Whither the Family”
Folder 44: ND “The Family Living Area of the Kansas Extension Services”
Folder 45: ND “Introduction to Family Economics”