Emma S. Coe was a secretary for the Department of Housing and Employment for Men at OSC from 1941 to 1945. Coe was born in 1888, in Niverville, Manitoba, Canada. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Dakota in 1915. Previously, she had been a high school and substitute teacher and worked for several newspapers in North Dakota. She also published an article titled “History of Crary, North Dakota and Southern Ramsey County”, which was published to the North Dakota State Historical Collections. Coe moved to Corvallis in 1936. Before coming to OSC, she was a housewife, and she explained on her job application that she wanted to help the family income. She was paid an annual salary of $1,200.
Jane White Jensen was a catalog assistant at the Oregon State College library from 1949 to 1951. She was born Jane White in 1926, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She received her Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Pittsburgh in 1947, and her Master of Science in Library Science and history from the University of Illinois Library School in 1949. She was also a member of the American Library Association. Before coming to OSC, she worked as a cataloger at the University of Pittsburgh. She was hired at Oregon State at an annual salary of $3,100. She married Thorkel H. Jensen, a fellow assistant librarian at Oregon State, in 1950 and became Jane Jensen. In 1951, the married couple both resigned from Oregon State. Mr. Jensen planned to attend the University of Chicago and Jane Jensen accompanied him.
Philis Louise Parsons was a laboratory assistant in the Department of Art and Architecture in 1946. She was born in 1912 in Twin Falls, Idaho. She was divorced with four children, who ranged in age from 14 to 8 at the time of her hire at OSC. She attended undergraduate college at Chapman College in Los Angeles, and then received her degree in arts and crafts, with additional study in painting, from Oregon State in 1945. Before coming to OSC, she was the Arts and Skills Coordinator for the Camp Adair Navy Hospital. She also had experience teaching art in an eighth grade country school on a volunteer basis, and lived for two years in Alaska. At OSC, she was hired at $1,500 on a nine-month basis. She worked from nine to five every weekday with instructors and their classes, taking care of supplies and equipment, and organizing materials for “demonstration and reference.” As a recent student at OSC, she was familiar with the classes. She was a member of Kappa Kappa Alpha, as well as the secretary of the Valley Rangers, an amateur riding club.
Philis Louise Parsons was a laboratory assistant in the Department of Art and Architecture in 1946. She was born in 1912 in Twin Falls, Idaho. She was divorced with four children, who ranged in age from 14 to 8 at the time of her hire at OSC. She attended undergraduate college at Chapman College in Los Angeles, and then received her degree in arts and crafts, with additional study in painting, from Oregon State in 1945. Before coming to OSC, she was the Arts and Skills Coordinator for the Camp Adair Navy Hospital. She also had experience teaching art in an eighth grade country school on a volunteer basis, and lived for two years in Alaska. At OSC, she was hired at $1,500 on a nine-month basis. She worked from nine to five every weekday with instructors and their classes, taking care of supplies and equipment, and organizing materials for “demonstration and reference.” As a recent student at OSC, she was familiar with the classes. She was a member of Kappa Kappa Alpha, as well as the secretary of the Valley Rangers, an amateur riding club.
Florence Euren was a librarian at Oregon State College from 1946 to 1972. Euren was born in 1906, in Moorhead, Minnesota. She received her Bachelor of Science in Education from the State Teachers College, and received her Bachelor of Science in Library Science from the University of Minnesota. She began as an assistant circulation librarian in 1946 with an annual salary of $2,620. She left in 1949 to accept a job as a Bookmobile Librarian in Washington. She came back in 1957 as a librarian with an annual pay of $5,000. She retired in 1972.
Shirley A. Drawz was an order assistant at the Oregon State College library in 1946. She was born in 1922, in Superior, Wisconsin. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the College of St. Scholactica in 1944, and her A.B.L.S. from the University of Michigan in 1946. She had previously worked as an assistant at the circulations department at the University of Michigan library before coming to OSC. She was hired for a twelve month period, with an annual salary of $2,000.
Dr. Elmer Hansen graduated from OSU in 1934 and completed an M.S. in Horticulture in 1935. He served as a graduate research assistant, and later professor and horticulturist focused on pear storage for the extension service. He died in 1996.
Lena Currier Emerson was the secretary to the Dean of Lower Division at Oregon State College from 1943 to 1952. She was single without children when she came to work at OSC. Previously, she worked as a secretary to the president at Nebraska State Teachers College from 1925 to 1943. She decided to work at Oregon State to be closer to her parents, who lived in California. She received her degree from Columbus Commercial College. She was born in 1890, in Waterloo, Nebraska. Her annual salary was $1,920. She resigned in 1952 to work in Salem.
Leone Sans Johnson was a program consultant for the Memorial Union at Oregon State College from 1948 to 1964. Johnson was born in 1902, in Stonington, Illinois. She received her Bachelor of Science in Home Economics from North Dakota State College in 1926, and her Master of Science in Personnel and Guidance from Oregon State College in 1948. Her master’s thesis was, “An Analysis of Religious Activities at Oregon State College”. Before becoming a program consultant for the Memorial Union, Johnson worked as an executive secretary for the YMCA at Oregon State College. She was married to Tracy W. Johnson with two children when she began her work in 1948. She was brought on to work in auxiliary activities at an annual salary of $3,000. Throughout her time there, she aimed to make the Memorial Union a fully functioning and active center for the students, alumni and faculty of Oregon State. She resigned due to health problems in 1964, after seventeen years of service.
Erna Marguerite Plagemen was the supervising nurse and then Assistant Director for Student Health Services from 1929 until her death in 1964. She was born in 1902 in Columbus, Nebraska. She received her Registered Nurse degree from University of Michigan School of Nursing in 1926. Before coming to OSC, she spent three years working as a nurse with the Health Service at the University of Michigan. OSC hired her at $1800 per year for a 10 month appointment in 1929. The next year, she received a $200 raise out of appreciation for her ability and responsibilities. As the supervising nurse, she was responsible for all the other nurses, all supplies, office records, and the “care and cleanliness of both the Health Service and the Hospital,” in addition to her routine nursing duties. She was given faculty status upon her hire, but in 1954 her rank was changed to civil service, though she gained the position of Assistant Director. This was because her position and work did not fall under what qualified for academic status, as it did not include teaching, research, extension, or counseling. Plagemen hoped to regain academic status and indefinite tenure, as she thought it would come with a “recovery of prestige.” She pointed out that she was involved in a research project exploring the effect of academic probation on physical and mental illness, which involved student counseling. The Director of Student Health Services, Charles E. Kremer, helped lobby for her to regain academic status, and spoke highly of her “professional character.” In 1961, she was granted an Assistant Professorship. In 1963, after 34 years with OSC, she took several months off work due to a serious illness. Due to her exemplary work and dedication, her supervisor Kremer suggested that she be granted “the most generous terms of sick leave possible,” which was granted. She had accrued significant sick leave, although it was acknowledged that she was not expected to live much longer. She passed away from cancer January 26, 1964. At the time of her death, she was earning $4,776 yearly. Her service was held at Zion Lutheran Church in Corvallis. Her memorial pamphlet quoted the 23rd Psalm, and listed Dr. Kremer as an honorary bearer.
Irene L. Craft was a serials assistant at the Oregon State College Library from 1943 to 1970. She was born in 1904, in Wyne, Kansas. She made an annual salary of $3,000. She was single when she came to work at OSC. In 1944, she took a leave of absence, but returned in 1946. By 1949, she was promoted to assistant librarian with a salary raise to $4,000. In 1950, she became an assistant professor with no pay raise. By 1952, her salary rose to $5,000, due to increased responsibilities because of another staff member’s resignation. She resigned in 1970. Her final salary was $13,632. She was granted the status of Associate Professor Emeritus, which assured her life membership on the university faculty, and distinguished her as “one who has earned distinction and respect through many years of dedicated and effective service”.
Irene L. Craft was a serials assistant at the Oregon State College Library from 1943 to 1970. She was born in 1904, in Wyne, Kansas. She made an annual salary of $3,000. She was single when she came to work at OSC. In 1944, she took a leave of absence, but returned in 1946. By 1949, she was promoted to assistant librarian with a salary raise to $4,000. In 1950, she became an assistant professor with no pay raise. By 1952, her salary rose to $5,000, due to increased responsibilities because of another staff member’s resignation. She resigned in 1970. Her final salary was $13,632. She was granted the status of Associate Professor Emeritus, which assured her life membership on the university faculty, and distinguished her as “one who has earned distinction and respect through many years of dedicated and effective service”.
Elma Marshall Bemis began working at OSC as an Assistant Instructor in the Circulation Department at the library from 1944 to 1961. She received her Bachelor of Science in 1917 from Phillips University, and her Master of Arts in 1942 from the Colorado State College of Education. She also received a Bachelor of Science from the Denver University Library School in 1944. As an undergraduate and graduate student she studied English. She was born in 1896, in Mankato, Minnesota. Before coming to OSC, she was a teaching fellow at Colorado University and an Assistant in English at Phillips University, as well as a high school teacher. By the time she came to work at OSC, she was widowed with one child. She received a letter in 1954 from the director of libraries explaining that despite being due for a promotion, she would remain an instructor, as she had been for the previous six years. The director explained that given the workload in the department, she needed to stay on as an instructor, despite taking on an increase of work. In 1944, she received $1,800 a year for her salary. By 1961, she was listed as a senior instructor, with a $5,472 yearly salary. She died in 1973.
Anna May Carlson Freed was a research assistant for the Oregon State College Agricultural Experiment Station from 1943 to 1946. She was born in 1920, in the Aland Islands, Finland. She was married to Virgil H. Freed in 1944. She received her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Oregon State College in 1943 and was employed by OSC as a graduate research assistant, with an annual salary was $700. In 1944, she was promoted to a research assistant with instructor rank, with an annual salary of $2,000.
Hazel Kelsey Westcott was a secretary in the executive office from 1926 to 1958. She was born in 1890 in Columbia City, Indiana, as one of three daughters to George W. and S. Ellen Kelsey. She had two sisters. She married James C. Westcott on July 31, 1924. They lived in Oroville, California until 1926, when they moved to Corvallis. Before starting college, she spent several years with General Electric Company and a law firm in Portland. She earned a commercial certificate from International Business College, Fort Wayne, and her Bachelor of Science in Home Economics from OSC in 1920, and worked as a stenographer and secretary for a number of years, and worked as a high school instructor of commercial subjects and home economics in Peoria, Arizona, and at Princeton and Roseland, California for four years. She was an executive secretary-statistician in the President’s Office of OAC, promoted to administrative assistant in 1930, and given assistant professor rank with indefinite tenure in 1937. On March 16, 1932, her husband suffered an injury to his knee that kept him from returning to work. Westcott was then the primary breadwinner, and sought assurance from OSC that her position would be continued through the next year. She reached retirement age in 1956 but continued working for two years. She resigned from her position in the President's Office in 1921, and was appointed the next year as executive secretary. She retired in 1958 after 32 years of service. Her husband died in 1961. She was the secretary of Omicron Nu, and a member of social fraternity Alpha Delta Pi and Eastern Star.
Beatrice Anne Hyland was a graduate assistant in mathematics from 1941 to at least 1944. She was born in 1919 in Portland, Oregon. She received her Bachelor of Science from OSC in 1941 in mathematics. During her time as a student, she had been employed by the mathematics department as a student reader, and as a part-time teacher in 1940-41. It was said that her “scholarship, teaching ability, personality, and character are all of the highest order.” In 1941, she was hired at $550 for a ten month term as a graduate assistant. In 1941, the next year, she was promoted to Acting Instructor and was given $500 for the winter term. Her full time employment continued through the rest of the year, eventually earning $1700 for the year. She was reappointed for the next year, earning $230 per month. In 1944, she married and took the surname Stauss. She took a leave of absence for a couple months to be with her husband in California. When another member of the department, Mr. Carman, was called to the army, she returned to take over his work, again earning $230 per month. She was a member of Delta Sigma Rho.
Norman R. Brandenburg was a Graduate Assistant at the Engineering Experiment Station from September 1948-June 1949. He was a courtesy Associate Professor of Agricultural Engineering and Agricultural Engineer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 1950-1984.
Dr. Bertha Brainard was an Assistant Physician for Oregon State College’s Student Health Services in 1940. Brainard was born in 1894, in Anamosa, Iowa. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Dakota in 1916, and her Bachelor of Arts in medicine in 1929. She completed her M.D. at the University of Chicago in 1931. She previously had a private medical practice, and worked in student health services at Jamestown College prior to joining OSC. She was 46 when she was hired at OSC, which meant there were concerns she was too old to work long enough to collect retirement benefits. She was hired on an annual basis in 1940, so the Board of Education would not have to be responsible for providing retirement annuity. Her annual salary was $2,700.