William E. Ritter Papers, ca. 1890-1944

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Summary

Creators:
Ritter, William Emerson, 1856-1944
Abstract:
The collection consists of professional correspondence, administrative papers documenting the formative years of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, a selection of Ritter's manuscripts and notes, and photographs.
Extent:
3.25 Linear feet (5 archives boxes, 1 flat box)
Language:
Preferred citation:

William E. Ritter Papers, SMC 4. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection consists of professional correspondence, administrative papers documenting the formative years of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, a selection of Ritter's manuscripts and notes, and photographs. The material is principally related to Ritter's role as the first scientific director of the Marine Biological Association of San Diego, revealing his interests, management philosophy, fundraising efforts, and research as a zoologist and marine biologist.

The collection is arranged in five series: 1) CORRESPONDENCE, 2) MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF SAN DIEGO AND SCRIPPS INSTITUTION FOR BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH, 3) NOTES, WRITINGS AND LECTURES, 4) PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES, and 5) PHOTOGRAPHS AND MISCELLANEOUS.

SERIES 1: CORRESPONDENCE consists of three boxes of professional letters on topics such as research, funding, laboratory supplies, scholarly publishing, and management. Major correspondents include Morse Cartwright, Barton Evermann, Victor H. Henderson, Hugh McCormick Smith, Robert G. Sproul, and Benjamin Wheeler. Arranged chronologically.

SERIES 2: MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF SAN DIEGO AND SCRIPPS INSTITUTION FOR BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH consists of annual reports on the activities of the station to the Department of Zoology at UC Berkeley, and related research and administrative materials. Arranged chronologically.

SERIES 3: NOTES, WRITINGS AND LECTURES consists of research notes and a small selection of Ritter's manuscripts, lectures, and writings. Arranged chronologically.

SERIES 4: PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES consists of meeting minutes and papers from Ritter's work in scientific associations.

SERIES 5: PHOTOGRAPHS AND MISCELLANEOUS consists of portraits and informal snapshots; a guestbook from the Ritter dwelling at Scripps, and reproductions of plans for a home in Berkeley, California.

Biographical / historical:

William E. Ritter (1856-1944) was a biologist and co-founder of the Scripps Institution for Oceanography. Ritter received his BA from the University of California and his MA and Ph.D. in zoology from Harvard. He returned to Berkeley in 1891 to teach biology at the University of California, shortly thereafter becoming chair of the new Department of Zoology. He married physician Mary Elizabeth Bennett in 1891. Ritter was determined to set up a coastal laboratory for the study of marine biology, and in 1903, with the support of E.W. Scripps and Ellen Browning Scripps, Ritter founded the Marine Biological Association of San Diego. The laboratory settled into its present location in La Jolla in 1905. Negotiations between the Scripps family and the University of California were completed in 1912, and Ritter served as the first scientific director of SIO from 1912-1922. A humanist, scientist, and prolific author, Ritter developed the organismal theory of biology and advocated for popular science literacy and education after his retirement from SIO. He remained active in the scientific community until his death.

Acquisition information:
Acquired, 1963-2005.
Processing information:

William E. Ritter's literary executor, Edna Watson Baily, donated Ritter's papers on the administration of SIO to the Scripps Library in 1963. In 1979, material concerning the following individuals was removed and interfiled in the SIO Biographical Files (SAC 5): Winfred Emory Allen, Fred Baker, Percy Spencer Barnhart, S. Stillman Berry, Wesley Clarence Crandall, Christine Essenberg, Calvin Olin Esterly, Jacob Chandler Harper, Charles Atwood Kofoid, George Francis McEwen, Ellis Leroy Michael, James Ross, E. W. Scripps, Ellen Browning Scripps, Francis Bertody Sumner, Margaret E. Sumner, Harry Beal Torrey and Julius Wangenheim. The remaining papers were processed in 1982, and a revised finding aid with a correspondent index was published (SIO Reference Number 82-16). Eight additional small accessions of Ritter material, including photographs and the guestbook, were added to the papers in 2014.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

SIO ARCHIVES COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE: ALLOW ONE WEEK FOR RETRIEVAL OF MATERIALS.

Terms of access:

Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.

Preferred citation:

William E. Ritter Papers, SMC 4. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.

Location of this collection:
9500 Gilman Drive, Dept. 0175
La Jolla, CA 92093-0175, US
Contact:
(858) 534-2533
spcoll@ucsd.edu
Website