The Finding Aid of the Hugh M. Tiner Papers 0101
Jamie Henricks
The processing of this collection and the creation of this finding aid was funded by the generous support of the National
Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Pepperdine University. Special Collections and University Archives.
March 2013
24255 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, CA, 90263-4786
kelsey.knox@pepperdine.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Pepperdine University. Special Collections and University Archives.
Title: Hugh M. Tiner Papers
Identifier/Call Number: 0101
Physical Description:
2.92 Linear Feet
(3 boxes)
Date: 1937-1959, 1981
Abstract: The collection contains materials related to Hugh M. Tiner, first dean and second president of George Pepperdine College and
member of Rotary International. Items include subject and correspondence files (biographical materials, certificates of appreciation,
ephemera and photographs, speeches and publications, radio program transcripts, and travel ephemera); newspaper clippings;
plaques; and memorabilia.
Physical Location: Pepperdine University. Special Collections and University Archives.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
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], Hugh M. Tiner papers, Collection no. 0101, Special Collections and University Archives, University
Libraries, Pepperdine University.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Materials were gathered from University Archives files.
Biographical / Historical
Hugh Marvin Tiner was born on a small farm near La Vernia, Texas (east of San Antonio, Texas) on April 16, 1908, the second
of ten children of Mr. and Mrs. J. Frank Tiner. He attended La Vernia school until graduating from the 10th grade in 1924.
He then attended Brackenridge High School in San Antonio, Texas until graduation in June, 1925. Tiner went to the University
of Texas Junior College (later called San Antonio Junior College) in its first year of existence, and transferred to Abilene
Christian College in 1926. He was the business manager of the college newspaper,
The Optimist, and received his B.A. in December, 1928. After moving to Palo Alto just after graduation, he attended Stanford University
for his M.A. degree, received in August, 1929. His thesis subject was "The Playground Movement in the United States."
He returned to Texas to marry a woman he met while at Abilene Christian College, Lola May Lammey (November 2, 1907-July 21,
1996), and the two moved to Lynwood, California for Tiner to accept a position teaching English at Woodrow Wilson School.
While there, he started a playground and recreation department at the school. He eventually moved to school administration,
and was assistant superintendent of the Lynwood School District before he was appointed supervisor for Los Angeles County
Schools in 1934.
Tiner was also minister at the Sichel Street Church of Christ, where he started the Sunday morning radio program "Take Time
to Be Holy," which ran from 1933 to 1956. George Pepperdine was a frequent listener of Tiner's radio program, and eventually
met Tiner in person. Tiner became one of the founding board members of George Pepperdine College. He was the first dean
of the college, and later became the second president in 1939 after Batsell Baxter left Pepperdine for Tennessee. At age
30, he was the youngest college president in America. He was named "Outstanding Young Man of the Year" in 1940 by the U.S.
Junior Chamber of Commerce. Tiner kept students busy during World War II, organizing picnics, intramural football games,
and other campus events. Between 1937 and 1945, he helped increase enrollment from 167 students to 1,500 students. In 1945,
he completed his Ph.D. degree at the University of Southern California. Tiner also preached at the Vermont Avenue Church
of Christ.
Tiner was involved in multiple organizations in Los Angeles, including the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce (he served
as Chairman of Committees); the Southside Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce (he served as a vice president and director); the
Church of Christ Children's Home in Ontario, California (he served as a director); the Southwest Los Angeles YMCA (he was
on the Board of Managers); Phi Delta Kappa (as a member); the United Nations Committee of Southern California (as chairman);
and the Board of Trustees of George Pepperdine College (as a member). He was also a longtime member of Rotary International
-- he was a charter member of the Rotary Club of Southwest Los Angeles, a governor of Rotary International, and a chairman
of the Rotary Club's International Affairs Committee.
He was succeeded as Pepperdine's president in 1957 by M. Norvel Young, but remained active in civic groups and the ministry.
Until his death on January 7, 1981, he was a Pepperdine Life Regent and continued to serve as minister for the Uptown Church
of Christ in Long Beach.
Scope and Content
The collection contains materials related to and collected by Hugh M. Tiner, first dean and second president of George Pepperdine
College. The majority of items are subject and correspondence files and newspaper clippings. Files include biographical
materials, certificates of appreciation, memorabilia and photographs, speeches and publications by Tiner, radio program transcripts,
and travel ephemera from trips to Hawaii and abroad. Rotary International is featured frequently in the collection, in correspondence,
printed material, certificates of appreciation, photographs, and plaques. Also included is a copy of
Through the Years with William A. Johnson (a biography of Johnson inscribed to Tiner), two plaques, a wooden desk nameplate of Tiner's inlaid with mother-of-pearl,
and a scrapbook with newspaper clippings and other ephemera related to Tiner.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in the following three series: Series 1. Subject/Correspondence Files; Series 2. Newspaper Clippings;
and Series 3. Memorabilia.
Related Archival Materials
Other collections with material related to the founding and early years of George Pepperdine College include the George Pepperdine
family papers 0026 and George Pepperdine College records 0087. Collections of other administrators include the M. Norvel
and Helen Young papers 0014, Howard A. White papers 0010, William S. Banowsky papers 0002, and David Davenport papers 0020.
Photographs, negatives, and slides related to Hugh M. Tiner can also be found in the Pepperdine University Archives Photographs,
Negatives, and Slides 0031, or online via the Pepperdine Digital Collections, in the University Archives Photograph Collection
(http://pepperdine.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/).
Processing Information note
The collection was arranged and described by Jamie Henricks in March, 2013.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
College administrators -- United States -- History
Memorabilia
Photographs
Ephemera
Fliers (Printed matter)
Scrapbooks
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- History
Plaques
Publications
Travel -- History -- 20th century
Correspondence
Clippings
Christian education
Articles
Education, Higher -- California
Speeches, addresses, etc., American -- 20th century
Tiner, Hugh M. (Hugh Marvin)
Rotary International
Pepperdine College
box 1-2
Series 1:
Subject/Correspondence Files
1937-1955, 1981
box 1
Biographical Material
1937, 1981, undated
box 1
Certificates of Appreciation -- miscellaneous
1945-1954
box 1
Certificates of Appreciation -- Rotary International
1940-1955
box 1
Correspondence -- to/from Hugh M. Tiner
1942-1955
box 1
Foreign Policy Activities
1955
box 1
Memorabilia -- Rotary International and Golf Souvenirs
box 1
Photographs
Physical Description: (3 folders)
box 1
President's Council -- Hugh M. Tiner's speech notes and speech transcript from first meeting
[1954 or 1955]
box 1
Radio Program Transcripts -- "Take Time to Be Holy" (KFVD) and "What Do Labor and Management Want in a Post-War World?" (KFI)
1940, 1955
box 1
Rotary Club -- correspondence
1946-1947
box 1
Rotary Club -- printed material
1944-1955
box 2
Travel Ephemera
1945-1952
box 2
Series 2:
Newspaper Clippings
1937-1959
box 2-3
Series 3:
Memorabilia
1939-1950s
box 2
Through the Years with William A. Johnson (inscribed to Hugh M. Tiner)
1955
box 2
Plaque -- American National Red Cross, Los Angeles Chapter -- Outstanding Fund Campaign Service merit award
1954
box 2
Plaque -- Rotary International -- International Service award
1949
box 3
President Hugh M. Tiner desk nameplate
undated
