Content Description

The Homer Barnett papers, which span the years 1937-1985, consist of papers, microfilm, photographs, and drawings relating to his career in anthropology. The collection documents his many years as a professor at the University of Oregon in the Department of Anthropology. The collection also includes records from his involvement in the professional anthropological community. Many documents in the collection pertain to his research throughout islands in the South Pacific. The material from this research includes recorded interviews with the native people of the islands, as well as microfilms and photographs.

The collection is organized into three series, two of which contain multiple subseries. The first series, Faculty papers, comprises five sub-series: Administrative, Course material, Correspondence, Correspondence-Students, and Student works. The next series is Professional papers which contains six sub-series: Correspondence, Writings, Associations and Committees, Research notes, Reference files, and Audiotapes, microfilm, slides, and photographs. The third and final series is small and contains personal papers.

Notable areas of the Faculty papers are the departmental faculty minutes, documenting meetings to discuss and shape the curricula for their courses year by year. This series also covers the events within the Anthropology Department Student Faculty Senate, which developed entities such as the Curriculum Revision Committee that became active Winter term 1969. Correspondence with Luther Cressman is an interesting file consisting of documented communication with Barnett while he was conducting research in the South Pacific. Their letters discussed the progress of Barnett’s research, and coordination of Barnett’s return to work at the University of Oregon.

A significant part of his professional life can be found in the Professional Correspondence about New Guinea. As seen in the correspondence, Barnett’s counsel and help provided essential wisdom and funding for the research to be conducted. Under the sub-series Research notes there is Barnett’s journal documenting his travels in the islands of the South Pacific. There are many of his writings in this series, including the “Qualitative Science Manuscript,” in which he makes the argument that science is built not on facts but on observations. Another notable topic within this series is the Fellowship materials documenting the Homer G. Barnett Graduate Teaching Fellowship. A fellowship intended to encourage the continuation of the high standards of teaching and scholarship set by Professor Barnett.

The Personal series is a very small series containing biographical information, and personal correspondence between family and friends.