IOWA WOMEN’S ARCHIVES

UNIVERSITY OF IOWA LIBRARIES

IOWA CITY, IOWA

TITLE:»MARY ROUSE (1911-2000)

SUBTITLE:»

»PAPERS, DATES:»1947-1992

7 linear feet

(BULK):»

ACQUISITION:	The »papers (donor no. 162) were donated by »Mary Rouse in 1993 and 2000.
ACCESS:	The papers are open for research.
COPYRIGHT:	Copyright has been retained by Mary Rouse and her heirs on her manuscript, "I Hear a Meadowlark Singing".
PROCESSED BY:	Kirsten Clark, 1994. Denise Anderson, 2001; Sharon M. Lake, 2005. [RouseMary.doc]

»Biography

Begin text here:»Mary Rouse, a journalist and teacher, was born on May 17, 1911 in Boone, Iowa. When she was four years old, her family moved to a farm five miles from Thompson, Iowa. She attended Thompson High School until her family moved to Iowa City, Iowa in the middle of her junior year. After graduating from Iowa City High School, she attended the State University of Iowa (now the University of Iowa) where she obtained a bachelor's degree in English in 1930 and a master's degree in journalism in 1940.

Rouse taught high school English in Zeigler, Illinois from 1930 to 1939 and English and Journalism in Fort Madison, Iowa from 1940 to 1943. She then spent thirty-six years in college public relations, twenty-nine of which were at the University of Iowa News Services. The News Services later became known as the Office of Public Information (OPI). Before coming to the University of Iowa, she held the position of publicity director at Marygrove, a liberal arts college for women in Detroit, Michigan (1943-1946); Central State College in Edmond, Oklahoma (1946-1947); and the College of Saint Teresa in Winona, Minnesota (1948-1951). At the time of her retirement in 1981, she held the position of Senior Editor at the University of Iowa's OPI Humanities/Science News Service.

While at the University of Iowa, Rouse worked as an editor and features writer. Most Iowa newspapers, both weeklies and dailies, carried some of her stories over the years, but many also appeared in metropolitan newspapers outside of Iowa. Between 1978 and 1981, AP Newsfeatures accepted ten of her stories for use by newspapers across the country affiliated with the Associated Press. She wrote many other stories which were picked up by United Press International and the Associated Press, resulting in wide usage. Centered around university faculty members and their areas of specialty, her features brought their expertise to newspaper readers and those listening to radio and television news. Rouse interviewed faculty from all ten colleges on campus at one time or another. Her subjects dealt mainly with how to solve problems of daily living, ranging from the best ways to insulate your house against winter cold and summer heat, to how to cope with stress on the job. Her work at the university won her various awards, including eight Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) awards in 1976 alone.

After retiring Rouse wrote seven or eight features per year for the Cedar Rapids Gazette as a guest columnist. Called "Outlooks," the column gave eastern Iowans a chance to express themselves about any topic. She covered topics that ranged from being a better letter writer to remembering great teachers. Rouse served as a board member of the Johnson County Chapter of the American Red Cross from 1978 to 1982 in addition to writing news and feature stories on Red Cross activities. She was also a board member of the Cardinal Council of Girl Scouts (local branch). In 1962, Rouse became a charter member of the Pilot Club of Iowa City, a women's service club. One project included raising money for vans to transport handicapped persons in Iowa City. She remained a member until 1980.

Rouse also held offices at the state level during the 1960s in the American Association of University Women and the Iowa League for Nursing. In 1979 she became a member of the Iowa City Branch of the National League of American Pen Women, from which she received an Adeline M. Hoffman Award at the national level in 1984.

Scope and Content Note

Begin text here:»The Mary Rouse papers measure 7 linear feet and date from 1947 to 1992. The papers are arranged into two series: Personal and University of Iowa News Services. The collection centers on Rouse's professional career at the University of Iowa, where she worked at UI News Services until her retirement in 1981.

The series titled Personal consists of two boxes. Rouse's manuscript, "I Hear A Meadowlark Singing" is not open to researchers. This series also contains correspondence from the Associated Press, kudos, and rejection letters. Her 1967 second- place award for news bureau feature is enclosed, as well as a copy of the winning story of a test developed at the University of Iowa to measure musical talent in children. Enclosed are short stories, biographical information, and details of her retirement. This series houses her early poetry about children and nature, and her short stories where she dabbled with the pen name Christopher King in "Reprieve". Her membership in AAUW is detailed here, as is her early employment in Fort Madison, Minnesota and at Marygrove college for women in Detroit.

The second series is University of Iowa News Services, largely made up of Rouse's articles on the accomplishments and discoveries of faculty and staff. Subseries include: Handbooks, Faculty and Staff, UI Departments, Features, Usage, and C.A.S.E.

Three handbooks outline procedures for new employees of University of Iowa News Services. Faculty and Staff articles are arranged alphabetically by member name. UI Department articles focus on events by department. The subseries, Features, consists of her news stories not limited to University of Iowa personages. She wrote extensively about the arts, how to stay healthy, and home economics, which included cooking, housework, and home repairs. The first box is arranged chronologically; the next two boxes are arranged alphabetically; the fourth box is arranged by newspaper title, and box five by magazine title. Rouse maintained records of the many publications that ran her stories, and these are in subseries Usage. Rouse was involved in Council for Advancement and Support of Education (C.A.S.E.), and her work is preserved in this subseries.

Related Collections

Marie Shultz Meyer papers

These papers contain a 1962 survey on the alumnae of the College of Nursing that Rouse edited. (Box 2, Miscellaneous, "Survey of Professional History of Alumnae of the College of Nursing," 1962)

Box no. Description

Box 1

Personal

Manuscript: “I Hear A Meadowlark Singing” (2 folders)

Short stories: 1942-1949 and undated (3 folders)

Correspondence

Miscellaneous, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1985, 1991

Associated Press, 1977-1980

Thank you and kudos, 1957-1973

Rejection letters, 1950, 1953

Awards, 1967

Guidelines for writing and taking photos, 1973-1986

Diary, 1951

Biographical

Retirement, 1981

Obituary, 2000

Family

Walter, 1948 (brother)

Tommy, 1939 (nephew)

Books she read

Box 2

Poetry, 1939 and undated

Early employment

Illinois, 1937, 1938

Fort Madison, Iowa, 1941, 1942

Central State College, Edmond, Oklahoma, 1947

College of St. Teresa, Winona, Minnesota, 1947, 1949-1951

Marygrove College, Detroit

1941

1943

1944

1945

1946

1947

Box 3

Marygrove College, Detroit, not dated

American Association of University Women (A.A.U.W.), 1951-1960

University of Iowa News Services

Handbooks

1960

1967

Not dated

Reviews by her supervisor, Joe Brisben, 1976-1981

Faculty and Staff

Albrecht, William, 1980

Anderson, Jane and Kristin Arnold, 1978

Bailey, Norman, 1980

Barclay, Martha, 1979 and 1985

Beltramo, Louise, 1974 and 1977

Benavides, Alfredo, 1977-1988

Birch, Eleanor, 1979

Boyd, Susan, 1969

Brisben, Joseph, 1977

Brown, Melissa, 1975

Burke, N. Peggy, 1979-1980

Carlson, Kathy, 1979

Cavitt, Michael, 1978-1979

Clausen, Sherleen, 1980

Cho, Ei Soon, 1979

Clarke, Linda, 1978

Clow, John, 1978

Colangelo, Nicholas, 1980

Conway, Rochelle, 1974-1977

Crockett, David, 1976

D’Antonio, Louis, 1978

Box 4

Dane, George R., 1978-1979

Davison, Donald, 1978

Delworth, Ursula, 1978-1979

Doherty, William J., 1979

Dorfman, Lorraine T., 1978-1979

Engen, Harold, 1974-1980

English, Edward, 1976-1978

Ennis, Edith, 1978

Ettleson, Barbara, 1978

Fethke, Carol, 1979

Fethke, Gary, 1976

Fox, Margaret, 1953-1980

Gray, Jerry, 1977-1979

Hagedorn, Jane, 1975-1979

Hardy, Emily, 1975-1980

Hauserman, Nancy, 1978-1979

Hay, James, 1980

Hobbs, Gary, 1977

Hofferek, Mary, 1978

Box 5

Hoffman, Adeline M., 1979

Hood, Joyce, 1976

Hunnicutt, Benjamin, 1979

Jacobs, Henry R., 1977-1980

Jenkins, Gladys, 1970-1980

Kelly, Betty, 1980

Kerber, Linda, 1971-1980

Koenig, Sharon, 1980

Kurtz, Robert, 1977

Lara-Braud, Carolyn, 1975-1976

Lasansky, Mauricio, 1957-1975

Leslie, David, 1977

Loganbill, Carol, 1978-1979

Loomer, Bradley, 1976-1977

Luckey, Eleanore Braun, 1979

Maner, Jean Ellen, 1980

Marberry, Charles, 1972-1978

Martinet, Francoise, 1978-1980

Messer, Suzanne, 1974

Meade, Charles, 1977-1978

Miller, Bonnie, 1976-1977

Moss, Jacque, 1978-1979

Mowrer, Joe, 1977

Osborn, Margaret, 1974-1979

Box 6

Osborn, Margaret, 1959-1960

Parsons, Mabel, 1977-1978

Phillips, Chester A., 1979

Photographs

Pogue, Thomas F., 1980

Polvi, Kathleen, 1979

Powers, Robin, 1979

Rapaport, Ross, 1979-1980

Reising, Greg, 1979

Riesz, Betsy, 1978-1979

Riesz, Peter, 1977-1980

Riesz, Peter, 1981

Ringgenberg, Clayton, 1979

Rockwell, Lauralee, 1977-1980

Rockwell, Perry, 1977

Roney, Lynn, 1979-1980

Ryan, Ed, 1978-1979

Sasse, Sandra, 1979

Schoer, Lowell, 1974

Scott, Gladys, 1963

Seeman, David, 1980

Sherry, Patrick, 1979

Sinicropi, Anthony V., 1978

Soldofsky, Robert, 1978-1980

Staley, Kathleen, 1977-1980

Box 7

Stevens, Harriet, 1969-1977

Stevenson, Richard, 1978

Scott, Fran, 1979

Stuit, Velma, 1977

Stone, Thomas and DuaneThompson, 1975-1978

Tipton, Charles, 1975-1978

Ulrich, Celeste, 1978

Vaughan, Emmett J., 1977-1979

Vaughan, Terri, 1979

West, Jude, 1975-1979

Wilson, Holly, 1976

Woodruff, Sybil, 1980

Yates, Richard, 1978-1980

Yates, Richard, 1980-1981

Zavala, Donald, 1980-1981

Zecher, Dean Richard, 1978-1980

University of Iowa Departments

Alumni Association, 1976 and 1978

Art & Art Education, 1967-1974

Bands, 1965 and 1968

Business Administration, College of

1960-1980

1977-1980

1978-1980

Child Welfare Research Station, 1955-1978

Counseling Service, 1955-1980

Box 8

Dentistry, 1956-1963

Education, College of, 1974-1977

Home Economics

1952-1980

1952-1965

1968-1970

1953-1977

1962-1963

1975

1976, 1979-1980

Laundry, 1952-1957

Library Science, 1977

Museum of Art

1964-1975

1966-1969

1969

1969-1971,Folder 1 and 2

Box 9

1970-1973 (June Wayne)

1962-1973 (Elliot Collection)

1970

Box 10

Music, 1968-1971

Nursing, 1960-1971

Pharmacy

1956-1963

1960-1963

Physical Education – Women

1954-1980

1953-1980

1953-1960

Physical Education, 1974-1980

Replacement Office, 1965-1972

University of Iowa Foundation, 1978

Box 11

Press Releases – by date

1955-1959

1961-1965

1967-1974

1975-1976

1977

1978

1979-1980

Undated

Box 12

Features – non-university topics

Changing family conference, 1972-1977

Elder hostel, 1977-1979 (2 folders)

Frisbee, 1975-1979

Genevieve Berry Scholarship, 1982-1984

Hometown stories, 1969-1970

Iowa Arts Council, 1962-1973

Iowa Women’s Political Caucus, 1977-1978

Miscellaneous

1953-1976

1976-1978

Nutrition hints, 1958

Box 13

Nutrition notes, 1958-1960

Nutrition, 1960

Johnson County Red Cross, 1979-1982

American Red Cross, 1981

Patterson and Hawtrey family, 1979-1980

Red Cross, 1979-1984

Smoking, 1973-1980

TV programs

1971-1976

1977-1970

Features

1956-1979

1952-1980

Features- by newspaper

Cedar Rapids Gazette

1989-1990

Box 14

1979-1988

1981-1987

1983-1988

1981-1989

Des Moines Register

1967

1975-1980

1969-1978

1976-1977

1982-1983

AP features, 1953-1981

Pennington Book features, 1972-1991

Vital Speeches of the Day, 1979-1983

Waterloo Courier, 1981

The Daily Oklahoman, 1947

Iowa City Press-Citizen, 1992

Features – by magazine

Successful Farming, 1950

SUI (State University of Iowa) Staff Magazine, 1953-1957

Box 15

Football Programs, 1975

Interior Design, 1954

UI Alumni Review, 1979-1980

Miscellaneous, 1938-1966

Newspaper Articles

1947-1954

1969-1970

1971

1972-1973

1974

1975-1976

1977

Box 16

1978

1979

1980-1989

Undated

Unattributed [probably by Rouse]

1954-1976

1967-1981

Usage records

1953-1962

1960-1976

1976-1978 and undated (2 folders)

Box 17

1976-1979

1978-1980

1978-1980

1978-1980

1977-1978 (2 folders)

1979-1980

1979-1981

Associated Press, 1978-1981

Council for Advancement and Support of Education (C.A.S.E.)

News releases and clippings

1976

1977

Box 18

News releases and clippings, personal

1976-1977

1977-1978

Awards

1976

1976-1977

1977

1977-1978

Information and correspondence, 1978

1978-1979

1979-1980

District VI meeting, 1979

Applications, 1976-1977

Talk in South Dakota, January 1979