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Scott Billingsley, HIST 0647, Spring1999
Theodore R. Schellenberg: Americanizer and Popularizer.
Smith, Jane F. "Theodore R. Schellenberg: Americanizer and
Popularizer." American Archivist 44 (Fall 1981): 313-26.
Thesis: Schellenberg was one of the most influential American=
archivists of the 20th century, rivaled only by Ernst Posner.
Early years and family background:
- Born in Kansas in 1903 member of Mennonite Brethren Church (German=
Mennonite) raised to be hard worker
- Family suffered from anti-German sentiment during World War I Schellenberg
always suffered from wartime experiences but Smith never= elaborates on
how that affected him later in life
- Received A.B. and M.A. from University of Kansas Ph.D. work at University
of Pennsylvania
Professional life
- First job was in Washington, D.C. with a New Deal position (1934) worked
on report on Methods of Reproducing Research Materials
- 1935 went to National Archives to survey records of executive agencies
in Washington, D.C.
- Became chief of Division of Agriculture Department of Archives initial
contributions to "the development, systematization, and standardization
of archival principles and techniques" (316) American archivists must
learn to deal with large quantities of records he initiated first records
disposal schedules in this department
- Headed National Archives from 1950-61 developed archival training programs
for staff established classification standards for professional archivists
at National Archives created two-semester course on archives at American
University organized seminars for senior archivists
- In 1954 TRS went to Australia to lecture on archival topics well-liked
and popular genesis for his book Modern Archives: Principles and Techniques
- In 1960 he went to Brazil as an archival consultant97trip sponsored
by the State Department=97initiated Inter-American Technical Council on
Archives
- Personality conflicts developed in late 1940s between Schellenberg
and his superiors at General Services Administration, especially Wayne
Grover Grover wanted TRS to spend more time with administration and less
time teaching TRS felt he was out of the information loop and his academic
accomplishments were not appreciated Grover determined that TRS was too
divisive and controversial NARS reorganized and TRS essentially demoted
to director of the Office of Records Appraisal implemented positive approach
to records appraisal that emphasized identifying documents that should
be retained instead of documents that should be destroyed
Retirement and legacy
- Very active in retirement between 1964-1970 continued to be source
of controversy by advocating archival training within library schools librar
y schools, unlike history programs, emphasize methodological training
stil l favored strong history background for archivists
- Schellenberg was a great theoretician, teacher, writer, and international
envoy 97 appreciated more abroad than at home brusque personality and
strong convictions made him unpopular in United States advanced the professionalization
of archivy.
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