Biographical Note
Leo George Kramer attended Oregon State College from the summer of 1951
through spring term of 1952 as a student in business and technology. His
wife, Ruth Ann Kramer, worked for the Extension Service during the year
they lived in Corvallis.
Leo Kramer (also known as "Lee" and "Dink") was born and raised in
Cincinnati, Ohio, and served in the military during World War II. He and
Ruth Ann, also a Cincinnati native, were married in 1946. In the years
after the war, Lee Kramer attended evening classes at Salmon Chase
College. In early 1951, the Kramers left Cincinnati and drove west to
California. They spent some time in Los Angeles and then drove north to
Oregon. Administrators at Oregon State College were willing to let Kramer
take courses at OSC under probationary admission because Salmon Chase
College was not accredited. He enrolled in summer 1951 and continued to
take classes through spring term 1952. In June 1952, the Kramers returned
to Cincinnati. Lee Kramer later enrolled at University of Cincinnati and
completed a degree in Cincinnati.
During the period they were in Corvallis, Ruth Ann Kramer worked for
the Extension Service offices on campus.
Content Description
The Leo George and Ruth Ann Kramer Papers consist of materials
generated and collected by the Kramers during the year that Leo (Lee)
Kramer was a student at Oregon State College and include letters written
by Ruth Ann, Lee's course notebook from summer 1951, and ephemera and
memorabilia.
The letters were written by Ruth Ann to her family in Cincinnati
between June and December 1951 and describe her job with the Extension
Service, Lee's classes, concerts and plays on campus, the library,
homecoming weekend activities, international students, and outings to
nearby parks and towns. She also describes where they were living and
various household activities.
The course notebook documents coursework taken by Kramer during the
summer of 1951 and includes classes in psychology and business (insurance
and salesmanship). It includes papers and essays, course outlines,
examinations, handouts, and class notes. Faculty for the courses were C.
Evan James; John Pfanner, Jr.; and Lawrence Coolidge.
The ephemera consists of programs, brochures, a bookstore bookcover,
and a 1952 spring sports schedule for baseball, track, tennis, and golf.
The collection also includes a 1982 visitor's parking permit for the
Oregon State University campus.