LeRoy and Reatha Smith Papers
Scope and Contents
The collection includes correspondence, diaries, notes, educational records, photographs and other material relating to school and personal life in Oregon and California from the 1920s-1930s. About half of the collection consists of letters between LeRoy and Reatha Smith, as well as their extended families. These letters and much of the other material in the collection show how these educators taught and engaged with their communities in Forest Grove, Oregon and Berkeley, California.
Dates
- 1920-1939
Creator
- Smith, Reatha Loita Parcell (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Pacific University owns the copyright to some, but not all, of the materials housed in its archives. Copyright for materials authored or otherwise produced as official business of Pacific University is retained by Pacific University and requires its permission for publication. Copyright status for other collection materials varies. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Biographical Note
LeRoy and Reatha Smith were Pacific University graduates who were active in the field of education in Oregon and California. Reatha Loita Parcell Smith (1903-1976), daughter of a Carnation Milk field manager in Forest Grove, Oregon, graduated from Pacific University in that city (1926) and taught school at nearby Wilhelmina High School. Her husband, Leroy D. Smith (1907-after 1978), son of a Berkeley (Calif.) attorney and cattle rancher, graduated from Pacific University (1928) and later taught high school in Forest Grove, Oregon (c1930-43), where he eventually rose to the rank of Vice Principal. After 1943, the Smiths lived in Berkeley, California. Mr. Smith was a counselor at Alameda High School until his retirement (c1972). The Smiths were both very active in their communities. They were involved with Greek life at Pacific University and many other clubs and organizations. In his spare time, Mr. Smith made bows and arrows, taught archery, and worked with the Boy Scouts. The Smiths were also active members of the Berkeley First Congregational Church. Retha and Leroy Smith had two sons. The eldest, Roger, became a Congregationalist minister in northern California. Myron, the Smith's second son, taught high school chemistry in Washington state.
The information above was adapted from biographical notes compiled by the University of the Pacific Special Collections. The text appears in their finding aid for the Smith Collection of Pacific Coast Newspaper Transcripts, 1856-1890, which is held in the Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections.
Extent
2 Cubic Feet (2 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Summary
LeRoy and Reatha Smith were Pacific University graduates who were active in the field of education in Oregon and California. The collection includes correspondence, diaries, notes, educational records, photographs and other material.
Accruals
No accruals are expected.
- Title
- Guide to the LeRoy and Reatha Smith Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Michele Castro and Eva Guggemos
- Date
- 2012
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
- Sponsor
- Sponsored by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission
Repository Details
Part of the Pacific University Archives Repository