Kenneth Haun Kitch Papers, 1895-1987 (bulk 1939-1980)

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Summary

Creators:
Kitch, Kenneth Haun, 1907-
Abstract:
Kenneth Haun Kitch was a former journalism professor at California State Polytechnic College, San Luis Obispo. His collection contains research materials, correspondence, and oral history recordings that Kenneth Haun Kitch conducted for an unpublished book that he was working on about the history of the Cal Poly Voorhis Unit campus. The correspondence also relates to Kitch's position overseeing the Cal Poly Educational Center on the Voorhis campus.
Extent:
7.96 Linear Feet (9 boxes, 1 flat file drawer)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Box/folder# or item name], Kenneth Haun Kitch Papers, Collection no. 0085, University Archives, Special Collections and Archives, University Library, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection contains research materials, correspondence, and oral history recordings that Kenneth Haun Kitch conducted for an unpublished book that he was working on about the history of the Cal Poly Voorhis Unit campus.

The correspondence also relates to Kitch's position overseeing the Cal Poly Educational Center, the conference center on the Voorhis campus.

Biographical / historical:

Kenneth Haun Kitch was born in Kiowa, Kansas on September 12, 1907. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in English from Southwestern College in Kansas in 1930 and a master's degree from Kansas University in 1937.

Kitch worked as a reporter for the Associated Press and several other news organizations and taught high school journalism before joining the faculty of California State Polytechnic College, San Luis Obispo in 1950. At Cal Poly, he served as head of the agricultural journalism department. In 1959, Kitch accepted a special assignment to conduct a study on establishing a conference center at the Cal Poly Voorhis Unit in San Dimas. That campus was initially the site of the "Voorhis School for Boys," a school for homeless boys that was started by former automotive industry executive and philanthropist Charles Voorhis. His son, H. Jerry Voorhis, served as headmaster. The campus then became the southern satellite campus of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo from 1938 until 1956, except for a period when the campus closed during World War II. When the Kellogg campus opened in Pomona in 1956, the southern campuses became known as the "Kellogg-Voorhis Campus." They were also referred to as the "Kellogg-Voorhis Unit." The Voorhis Campus continued to house students while the Kellogg Campus was used for instruction.

Kitch transferred to the Voorhis Campus to become director of the conference center, known as the Cal Poly Educational Center, when it opened in 1960 and he served in that position until the center's closure in 1970. His official title during that time was Assistant to the President. Kitch spent his final year at Cal Poly Pomona teaching in the communication arts program until his retirement in 1973.

In the early 1970s, Kitch also conducted research and recorded oral history interviews for a planned book about the history of the Voorhis campus in San Dimas, which had originally served as a school for underprivileged boys. Materials indicate that the preliminary title for the book was The Country Club, however the book was never published and no manuscript is known to exist, apart from a few draft pages included in his papers.

Kitch died on July 5, 1987 at the age of 79.

Acquisition information:
The materials were gathered from Special Collections' University Archives files.
Processing information:

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.

The collection was processed by Rob Strauss and Alex Dan in November 2018. The collection was shifted in April 2025 and box numbers were updated.

Arrangement:

The collection is organized into the following series: Series 1. Writings and Research Materials; Series 2. Oral History Recordings; Series 3. Correspondence.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Advance notice required for access.

Terms of access:

Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.

Preferred citation:

[Box/folder# or item name], Kenneth Haun Kitch Papers, Collection no. 0085, University Archives, Special Collections and Archives, University Library, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

Location of this collection:
3801 West Temple Ave.
Pomona, CA 91768, US
Contact:
(909) 869-3775
speccollections@cpp.edu
Website