The Finding Aid for the Romuald Gantkowski Papers 0152
Kelsey Knox
Pepperdine University. Special Collections and University Archives.
July 2017
24255 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu 90263-4786
specialcollections@pepperdine.edu
Note
This collection was processed by Kelsey Knox in 2017.
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Pepperdine University. Special Collections and University Archives.
Title: Romuald Gantkowski Papers
Identifier/Call Number: 0152
Physical Description:
5.9 Linear Feet
14 Hollinger boxes
Date (inclusive): 1958-1971
Abstract: This collection contains the papers of Romuald Gantkowski, who held several positions at Pepperdine. The collection includes
materials on the Birth of a College Dinner, of which Gantkowski was on the invitation committee, as well as records regarding
the Pepperdine Freedom Forums and Great Issues Series. Finally, it includes materials on Russell Kirk's "Roots of American
Order" publication, of which Gantkowski was involved in the creation.
Arrangement
The six series are arranged in alphabetical order by title. All materials within each series are also arranged in alphabetical
order within the series. Series were created based on existing order in the collection when it was accessioned.
Biographical / Historical
Romuald Gantkowski was born in Poznan, Poland in 1903. He graduated from the National School of Drama in Pozan in 1923 as
an actor, and went on to work as an actor, director, and screenwriter before World War II. Gantkowski won a Gold Medal at
the Biennel in Venice, Italy, for his full length biographical film, "Stage Genius", about the life of Ludwik Solski, a European
actor.
Gantkowski joined Pepperdine's staff in 1961 as a film consultant. He was later appointed assistant to the vice president
before becoming associate director of civic services. Gantkowski became the director of civic services at Pepperdine in 1970
organizer during which time he was the organizer of the Great Issue Series, which aimed to serve the community with information
on the great issues from different fields of government.
He served on the invitation committee for the "Birth of a College" dinner to announce the Malibu campus master plan in 1970
and was also highly involved in the production of political films at Pepperdine highlighting the fight against communism.
He both worked on the films and oversaw the distibution of the films to various organizations and schools.
He passed away in 1989.
Some biographical information taken from "Gantkowski: Campus Mystery Man" Inner View, 1973 December 7.
Conditions Governing Access
Advance notice required for access.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder# or item name], Romuald Gantkowski Papers, Collection no. 0152, Special Collections and University Archives, University
Libraries, Pepperdine University.
Scope and Contents
The Romuald Gantkowski Papers contain six series of materials.
Series One:"Birth of a College" Dinner Gala contains materials from the planning of the gala in which the Malibu campus master
plan was unveiled. Gantkowski served on the Invitation Committee, so there is a large amount of correspondence about invitations
to the gala, as well as invitation and RSVP lists, table lists, and seating chart maps for the two ballrooms that were used
for the gala.
Series Two: Film Requests by State, contains correspondence and invoices for the Pepperdine political films that were being
rented or bought by organizations across the country.
Series Three: Foundation Files, contain files for each organization that Gantkowski was in contact with about the political
films. It includes correspondence about events at Pepperdine that the heads of the foundations were invited to.
Series Four: Freedom Forum and Great Issues Series contains materials from each Freedom Forum and Great Issues Series event
from 1960-1971 Gantkowski was involved in the organizing of these events. Materials include fliers, invitations, programs,
and in some cases, speeches made by presenters.
Series Five: "The Roots of American Order" holds materials that pertain to Russell Kirk's maunscript and subsequent documentary
entitled "The Roots of American Order", which Gantkowsi worked closely on.
Series Six: Subject Files, include subject files from Gantkowski's office. These files are arranged in alphabetical order
and include such things as business trip iteneraries, biographies on important figures with some relaiton to Pepperdine, and
materials on verious projects.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Pepperdine College
Pepperdine University
Series 1:
"Birth of a College Dinner Gala"
Scope and Contents
This series contains materials related to the "Birth of a College" dinner, which occurred on February 9, 1970. Officially
known as the Pepperdine College at Malibu Master Plan Announcement Dinner, the "birth of a college" dinner to reveal the architectural
plans and educational vision of the new campus.
The event was originally slated to be held in the Century Plaza Hotel ballroom, but as the guest list quickly expanded, the
ballroom at the Beverly Hilton Hotel was reserved for the evening as well.
Series One contains materials related to the Inivtation Committee for the event, on which Gantkowski served. It includes invitation
lists, acceptances, regrets, correspondence, and even the large seating charts with guests listed by table.
Arrangement
Folders are arranged in alphabetical order by title.
box 1, folder 1
Acceptances (Daily and Composite)
1970 February 2
box 1, folder 2
Attendees Payments
1970 January
box 1, folder 3
Correspondence Regarding Dinner
1969-1970
box 1, folder 4
Dinner Regrets
1970 January 28
box 1, folder 5
Invitation Committee
1970 February
box 1, folder 6
List of All Invitees
1969 December 19
box 1, folder 7
List of Attendees- Beverly Hilton
1970
box 1, folder 8
List of Attendees- Century Plaza
1970
box 2, folder 1
List of Attendees and Table Lists- Century Plaza
1970
box 2, folder 2
List of Invitees (Incomplete)
1969 December
box 2, folder 3
List of Invitees (Completed)
1970
box 2, folder 4
Newspaper Clipping
1970 February 10
box 2, folder 5
Seating Plan- Beverly Hilton
1970
box 2, folder 6
Seating Plan- Century Plaza
1970
box 2, folder 7
Table List- Beverly Hilton
1970
box 2, folder 8
Various Dinner Invitation Materials
1970
box 2, folder 9
Worklists- Rated (J.D.B)
1969 December
Series 2:
Film Requests by State
Scope and Contents
In Spring 1961, Pepperdine College released the film "Communist Accent on Youth", the first in what was to be a series of
13 films in Pepperdine's "Crisis for Americans" film series. The series was anti-communist, pro-American and patriotic, touting
the importance of a strong educational system and economy to bolster national security. The films were distibuted across the
country to many school districts, universities, and other organizaitons. Although the films were a success, the series was
terminated after the first four films were released.
Series two contains contracts and forms pertaining to the screening and purchasing of the four films by organizations across
the United States.
box 3, folder 42
Washington, D.C.
1967-1969
Series 3:
Foundation Files
Scope and Contents
This series is comprised of folders that Gantkowski kept about various organizations across the country. These organizations
included corporations, foundations, schools, and charitable organizations. Folders include correspondence, pledges for money
given to Pepperdine, and other records of the relationship between Pepperdine and the foundations.
Arrangement
The folders in this series are arranged in alphabetical order by foundation name.
box 4, folder 1
A- Miscellaneous Foundations
1961-1966
box 4, folder 2
Allegheny Foundations
1962-1967
box 4, folder 4
Allen (Vivian B.) Foundation
1966-1969
box 4, folder 5
Allyn Foundation, Inc.
1960-1967
box 4, folder 6
American Can Company Foundation
1961-1967
box 4, folder 7
B- Miscellaneous Foundations
1963-1966
box 4, folder 8
Baker (George F.) Trust
1962-1967
box 4, folder 9
Baird Foundation (Baird Company)
1963-1966
box 4, folder 10
Brook Foundation
1964-1966
box 4, folder 11
C- Miscellaneous Foundations
1961-1967
box 4, folder 12
Canfield Foundation
1961-1967
box 4, folder 13
CBS Foundation, Inc.
1965-1967
box 4, folder 14
Chance Foundation
1965-1967
box 5, folder 4
D- Miscellaneous Foundations
1965-1967
Scope and Contents
Includes correspondence with Walt Disney.
box 5, folder 5
Danforth Foundation
1959-1969
box 5, folder 6
Donner (William H.) Foundation, Inc.
1958-1968
box 5, folder 7
Ducommun (Edmond F.) Foundation
1958-1966
box 5, folder 8
E- Miscellaneous Foundations
undated
box 5, folder 9
Esso Education Foundation
1960-1966
box 6, folder 1
F- Miscellaneous Foundations
1960-1965
box 6, folder 2
Field (Marshall) Foundation, Inc.
1967
box 6, folder 3
Forest Lawn Foundation
1952-1967
box 6, folder 4
Ford Foundation
1955-1967
box 6, folder 5
Foundation for Christian Education
1962-1963
box 6, folder 6
Foundations Without Individual Files
1966
box 6, folder 7
General Electric Foundation
1959-1967
box 6, folder 8
G- Miscellaneous Foundations
1962-1967
box 6, folder 9
General Foods Fund, Inc.
1959-1968
box 6, folder 10
Glenmede Trust Co.
1961-1967
box 6, folder 11
H- Miscellaneous Foundations
1961-1967
box 6, folder 12
Household Finance Foundation
1960-1967
box 6, folder 13
I&J Miscellaneous Foundations
1963-1967
box 6, folder 14
Jameson Foundation
1961-1967
box 6, folder 15
K- Miscellaneous Foundations
1966-1967
box 6, folder 16
Keller Foundation
1966-1967
box 7, folder 1
Kresge Foundation
1959-1967
box 7, folder 2
L- Miscellaneous Foundations
1960-1967
box 7, folder 3
Lakeside Foundation
1966-1967
Scope and Contents
Note on original folder said to cross reference with the Bechtel Corporation.
box 7, folder 4
Lever Brothers Company Foundation, Inc.
1965-1967
box 7, folder 5
Lilly Endowment, Inc.
1961-1967
box 7, folder 6
M- Miscellaneous Foundations
1960-1967
box 7, folder 7-8
Mayr (Geo H.) Education Foundation and Trust
1950-1967
box 7, folder 10
Mott (Charles Stuart) Foundation
1967
box 7, folder 11
O-P Miscellaneous Foundations
1966
box 7, folder 12
Old Dominion Foundation
1965-1968
box 7, folder 13
Parker Foundation
1965-1967
box 7, folder 14
Quaker Oats Foundation
1965-1967
box 7, folder 9
Merrill (Charles E.) Trust
1960-1967
box 7, folder 15
R- Miscellaneous foundations
1966-1967
box 7, folder 16
Radiant Foundation
1963-1967
box 7, folder 17
Relm Foundation
1964-1965
box 8, folder 1
Richardson Foundation
1961-1964
box 8, folder 2
Rosenberg Foundation
1960-1967
box 8, folder 3
S- Miscellaneous Foundations
1960-1967
box 8, folder 4
Sears- Roebuck Company
1961-1967
box 8, folder 5
Sinclair Oil Company
1965-1968
box 8, folder 6
Southern Pacific Foundation
1960-1967
box 8, folder 7
T- Miscellaneous Foundations
1963-1967
box 8, folder 8
Taft Institute- Brochures
1963-1967
box 8, folder 9
U-V Miscellaneous Foundations
1965-1967
box 8, folder 10
Virtue (Philip And Tecla) Foundation
1967
box 8, folder 11
W- Miscellaneous Foundations
1964-1967
Series 4:
Freedom Forum and Great Issues Series Materials
Scope and Contents
Starting in 1959, Pepperdine yearly held the "Freedom Forum", a two day conference meant to talk about the dangers of communism
as well as the importance of God, free enterprise, and constitutional government as the three pillars of American society.
It showed Pepperdine as a champion of American values.
Gantkowski helped to organize this conference for many years by recruiting first rate speakers, a list of which read as a
who's who of the American conservative and political establishment of the 1960's. Forum III became the most attended forum
and was broadcast on tv as Senator Barry Goldwater gave a speech at the forum luncheon.
The Forum ran until 1971, when it became the Great Issues Series, which kept the same themes but changed the format from a
two-day event once a year to several different nights of speakers throughout the year.
This series contains materials related to the Freedom Forum and Great Issues Series, including invitations, programs, fliers,
and speeches given by Forum speakers.
Arrangement
This series is arranged in alphabetical order by event, and chronological order within the events.
box 8, folder 13
Forum II (California Freedom forum II)
1960 April 14
box 8, folder 14
Forum III (California Freedom forum III)
1961 March 27-29
box 8, folder 16
Forum VI
1964 April 18-19
box 8, folder 18
Forum VIII
1966 May 10-11
box 9, folder 4
Forum XII
1970 April 20-21
box 9, folder 5
Forum XII- Corporate Management
1970
box 9, folder 7
Great Issues Series 1-4
1970-1971
box 9, folder 8
Great Issues #3
1970 December
box 9, folder 9
List of Forum Conferences Forum I-XIII
1960-1970
Series 5:
"The Roots of American Order"
box 9, folder 10
"The Roots of American Order" Prospectus and Chapters
1967-1971
box 10, folder 2-3
"The Roots of American Order" by Russell Kirk Film Project Proposal
1983-1984
box 10, folder 4-5
"The Roots of American Order" Correspondence
1966-1970
box 10, folder 6
"The Roots of American Order" Correspondence
1971
Series 6:
Subject Files
Scope and Contents
This series contains Romuald Gantkowski's subject files. The two largest groupings within the subjects files are his correspondence
and folders of biographies on notable people. Some biographies are of men and women involved with Pepperdine, some of CEOs
of corporations, and many are political figures.
Arrangement
Subject files are arranged in alphabetical order by title, which mirrors the order in which Gantkowski kept them.
box 11, folder 1
Ads (Speakers, Places)
1970-1971
box 11, folder 2
Banowsky, Dr. William S.
1968
box 11, folder 3
Beverly Hilton (Maps and Letters)
1970
box 11, folder 4
Beneficial Standard Life Insurance Company
1967-1968
box 11, folder 5
Biographies A-C
undated
Scope and Contents
Anderson, Dr. Martin
Anderson, Robert Bernard
Baker, Howard H. Jr.
Bell, Dr. Daniel
Bennett, Hon. Wallace F.
Bississo, Dr. Saadi
Brzezinski, Zbigniew (Kazimierz)
Buckley, James L.
Burns, Arthur F.
Byrnes, John W.
Clark, Kenneth Bancroft
Coate, L. Edwin
box 11, folder 6
Biographies D-G
undated
Scope and Contents
Dole, Bob
Dominick, Peter H.
Duesenberry, Dr. James Stemble
Eckstein, Otto
Farmer, The Honorable James
Ford, Gerald R.
Goldwater, Barry M.
Griffin, Robert P.
box 11, folder 7
Biographies H-L
undated
Scope and Contents
Harris, Louis
Hauge, Dr. Gabriel
Hoover, J. Edgar
Houthakker, Dr. Hendrik S.
Hutt, W.H.
Jackson, Henry M.
Jones, Jenkin Lloyd
Kaplan, Dr. Morton A.
Kintner, Dr. William R.
Kleindienst, Richard Gordon
Laird, Melvin R.
Larsen, Lt. General Robert Stanley
Llyod, Charles E.
box 11, folder 8
Biographies L-R
undated
Scope and Contents
McCracken, Paul
McLaughlin, Jack Wilbur, Jr.
Miller, Senator Jack R.
Mills, Wilbur D.
Moore, George Steven
Morgan, Emerson
Norris, Kenneth True
Okun, Arthur M.
Patman, Wright
Pettigrew, Thomas Fraser
Rogers, William P.
Romney, George W.
Roosa, Robert V.
box 11, folder 9
Biographies S-W
undated
Scope and Contents
Stennis, John C.
Shakespeare, Frank (Joesph, Jr.)
Stigler, Joseph George
Sullivan, Reverend Leon
Taylor, Henry
Teague, William
Tobin, James
Volpe, Johne A.
Wilson, James Q.
box 11, folder 10
Biographies (various)
undated
box 12, folder 1
Center for International Business
1970-1971
box 12, folder 2
Columbia University Research Institute on Communist Affairs
1972-1975
box 12, folder 3
Columbia University Research Institute on Communist Affairs (Zbigniew Brzezinski)
1969
box 12, folder 4
Correspondence- A
1969-1970
box 12, folder 5
Correspondence- B
1969-1971
box 12, folder 6
Correspondence- C
1966-1970
box 12, folder 7
Correspondence- D
1969-1970
box 12, folder 8
Correspondence- E
1968-1970
box 12, folder 9
Correspondence- F
1968-1970
box 12, folder 10
Correspondence- G
1967-1970
box 12, folder 11
Correspondence- H
1968-1970
box 12, folder 12
Correspondence- I
1969-1971
box 12, folder 13
Correspondence- K
1968-1969
box 12, folder 14
Correspondence- L
1969-1970
box 12, folder 15
Correspondence- Mc-M
1969-1971
box 12, folder 16
Correspondence- N
1968-1971
box 12, folder 17
Correspondence- O-P
1968-1971
box 12, folder 18
Correspondence- Q-R
1968-1970
box 12, folder 19
Correspondence- S
1968-1970
box 12, folder 20
Correspondence- T
1968-1970
box 12, folder 22
Correspondence- W-Z
1969-1970
box 12, folder 23
Expense Reports- Mr. Gantkowski
1970-1971
box 12, folder 24
Film Correspondence
1963-1970
box 12, folder 25
Film Pamphlets (Pepperdine Political Films)
undated
box 13, folder 1
Famous Forum Speakers
undated, 1970
box 13, folder 2
Forum (Past Forums)
1968-1970
box 13, folder 4
Great Issues- Press Releases
undated
box 13, folder 5
ICSC Solicitation Reports
1969
box 13, folder 6
Malibu Campus Master Plan Dinner
1969-1970
box 13, folder 8
Miscellaneous Papers
1969
box 13, folder 10
Morgue (Newspaper clippings in envelopes)
1969-1970
box 13, folder 11
News Articles- McCracken & Forum XIII
1971
box 13, folder 12
Newspaper Clippings
1970-1971
box 14, folder 1
Pepperdine Event Brochures
1970-1975
box 14, folder 2
President's Board and Trustees Member Lists
1969-1970
box 14, folder 3
Press Releases
circa 1971
box 14, folder 4
Progress and Plans Report
1969
box 14, folder 5
Report on Film Handling
1967 November 9
box 14, folder 6
Research Information
1969
box 14, folder 8
Sign In- Sign Out Sheets
undated
box 14, folder 10
Studies (Miscellaneous)
1967-1968
box 14, folder 12
Thomas Aquinas College
1969
box 14, folder 14
Trips (Business)
1967-1968
