Bessie Gyneth Tressler was a librarian from 1946 to 1969. She was born in 1903 in Emporia, Kansas. She earned her Bachelor of Arts at the College of Emporia in 1926, where she studied music. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Library Science from the University of Illinois in 1930, and attended further study at the University of Chicago. Before coming to OSC, she had sixteen years of experience in library work, having been a cataloger and assistant librarian in several different libraries. She was hired as an Order Assistant at $2,400 per year. Since most of her training was in cataloging, her supervisors planned to transfer her to the Catalog Department as soon as there was an opening. She became an assistant professor in 1948, an associate professor in 1953, and became the Head Order Librarian in 1965. In 1967, she was appointed as the Head of Acquisitions Department. She took sabbatical leave from January-April of 1957, which she used to explore college and university libraries throughout New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia, in addition to visiting agents, publishers, out-of-print dealers ad magazine agents in New York City and Boston. She was earning $13,020 at time of her retirement in 1969. She was given Emeritus status, after spending 23 years at OSC, for her contributions to the library. She was a member of the American Library Association and the American Association of University Women.
M. Irene Leach was an Assistant Professor and home demonstration agent as OSC from 1940 to 1941, for a salary of $2,400. She was born in 1906, in Minot, North Dakota. She received her Bachelor of Science in Home Economics Education and institutional management from Montana State College in 1930. She attended Colorado State College summer session of 1933, and Oregon State College summer sessions 1936, 1939, and 1940 to receive her Master’s degree in Home Economics. The topic of her master’s thesis was “Housing in High School.” Before coming to OSC, she spent a cumulative ten years as Head of Home Economics departments in Oregon and Montana. She published an article titled “Apprentice Teaching at Oregon City” for Forecast Magazine in December of 1939. She also had experience teaching in rural environments, and was a former waitress for three summers. In 1941, she resigned to be married.
Elizabeth Gertrude Paddock was an Assistant Professor of Child Development and Director of Nursery School from 1939 to 1941. She was born in 1906 in Fort Collins, Ohio. One of her parents was a professor at Ohio State University. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Ohio State University in 1927 in the subjects of psychology and French, with additional study in history and sociology. She attended graduate school in education and child development at Ohio State, Merill-Palmer School, and Teachers College, Columbia University, graduating from the latter with a Master of Arts in 1936. By the time she came to OSC, she had roughly six years of experience as a nursery school teacher, had traveled extensively through the U.S., and had completed most of the requirements for her doctorate. She was hired at a salary of $2400 for 10 months of service, and resigned in 1941 to be married.