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Gustave O. Arlt papers
1825
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Title: Gustave O. Arlt papers
Collection number: 1825
Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
5.2 linear ft.
(13 document boxes)
Date (bulk): Bulk, 1960-1979
Date (inclusive): 1913-1986
Abstract: Gustave O. Arlt served as a professor of Germanic Languages and Dean of the Graduate Division at UCLA prior to becoming the
founding president of the Council of Graduate Schools. Even after his retirement in 1970, Arlt continued to be active in the
development of graduate education, as well as in a number of committees and organizations. This collection contains items
from his personal and professional life including manuscripts of his speeches, professional correspondence, and photos.
Physical Location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library Special
Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library Special
Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright
and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
[Identification of item], Gustav O. Arlt Papers (Collection 1825). Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library, UCLA.
UCLA Catalog Record ID:
7575808
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Acquired from American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming, in August, 2008.
Processed by Mary Priest in 2014 in the Center for Primary Research and Training (CFPRT), with assistance from Jillian Cuellar.
Processing of this collection was generously supported by the Constantine and Perina Panunzio Endowment for University Archives.
Gustave O. Arlt was born in Lock Haven Pennsylvania on May 17, 1895 to German emigrant parents. As a child, Arlt was extensively
educated in classics studies by his father which helped to shape some of his future career interests including Germanic languages,
folklore, literature, and translations. Arlt was working on his graduate education in Chicago when WWI broke out, leading
Arlt to serve in the United States Army as a First Sergeant in the 302nd Battalion, Tank Corps from 1913-1923. After the war,
Arlt returned to his studies and received a PhD in Germanic Languages and Literature from the University of Chicago in 1931.
Arlt was working as an associate professor at Indiana University when he was asked to join UCLA’s German Department in 1935.
While at UCLA, Arlt held positions as Chairman of the Germanic Languages Department, Chairman of the Foreign Language Group,
Associate Dean (1950-1957) and Dean of the Graduate Division (1958-1962). During his time at UCLA, Arlt also helped to build
the German studies holdings in Powell Library, was instrumental in establishing the Department of Theater Arts, and served
in various committees and societies including the Historical Society of Southern California, the Modern Language Association,
California Folklore Society, and California’s Literary Centennial, among others.
In 1962 Arlt left UCLA and moved to Washington, D.C. to become the founding president of the Council of Graduate Schools.
In this role, Arlt worked with numerous schools to develop and structure graduate programs across the country. Working with
the African-American Institute and the Council of Graduate Schools, Arlt was key in establishing the AFGRAD Fellowship program
in 1962. While in Washington, Arlt also helped shape the beginnings of the National Endowment for the Humanities and was appointed
as a member in 1966 by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Although Arlt retired from his role as president of the Council of Graduate
Schools in 1970, he continued to be active in graduate studies throughout his life, giving speeches, publishing papers, and
heading committees. Arlt was awarded the UCLA Service Award for his exceptional contributions to UCLA in early 1986. Gustave
O. Arlt died on September 18, 1986 at age 91.
Items in this collection, created between 1913 and 1986, serve to document the professional and personal life of Dr. Gustave
O. Arlt. Professional materials make up the bulk of the collection and are arranged alphabetically by subject. The professional
items primarily relate to Arlt’s development of graduate education across the United States and in Africa. Items include manuscripts
of Arlt’s speeches delivered between 1962 and 1974, his correspondence and trip planning relating to the AFGRAD program, ephemera
and minutes from operations of the Council of Graduate Schools operations, and materials from Arlt’s involvement with Folklore
groups. The professional materials also include photos from Los Angeles' annual birthday celebration in the 1950s, the California
Literary Centennial in 1950. Materials revealing glimpses of Arlt’s personal life are also part of this collection, including
family photos and correspondence relating to birthdays, retirement, and awards.
This collection has been arranged in the following series:
- Series 1: Professional Career, 1935-1986
- Series 2: Personal Life, 1913-1986
This collection has been arranged in two series, separating Arlt’s personal and professional life. Within each series, items
have been organized to the folder level and are arranged alphabetically by subject. Where applicable, items are organized
chronologically within a subject. Much of the original order within the files has been maintained and most of the original
file names were preserved.
Dean of Graduate Deans: Gustave O. Arlt, Center for Oral History Research internal reference copies of transcripts (University
Archives Record Series 796).
UCLA Library Special Collections, University Archives.