Descriptive Summary
Administration Information
Biography
Scope and Content
Indexing Terms
Descriptive Summary
Title: Dorman L. Commons Collection
Dates: 1962/1970
Collection Number: Consult Repository
Creator:
Commons, Dorman L.
Extent:
44 boxes
22 linear ft
Repository:
California State University Historical Archives
California State University, Dominguez Hills
Archives & Special Collections
University Library, Room 5039
1000 E. Victoria Street
Carson, California 90747
Phone: (310) 243-3895
URL: http://www4.csudh.edu/libarchives/index
Abstract:
The Dorman L. Commons (1918-1987) Collection documents the activities of the California State Board of Education from 1962
through 1970. As a member of the California State Board of Education, Commons’ collection includes materials on California
schools K-16, State Board of Education, Max Rafferty as Superintendent of Public Instruction, serving two terms during Commons’
time on the Board of Education, and the election campaign of Wilson Riles, the first African American elected to statewide
office in California and first African American to be elected in the nation, for the role of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Language: Collection material is in English
Administration Information
Access
There are no access restrictions on this collection.
Publication Rights
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Archives
and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical
materials and not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Preferred Citation
[Title of item], Dorman L. Commons Collection, Courtesy of the California State University Historical Archives. University
Library. California State University, Dominguez Hills
Acquisition Information
Donated by California State University, Fullerton University Archives and Special Collections, for the California State University
Historical Archives at California State University, Dominguez Hills in 2016.
Processing Information
Collection processed and arranged by Brandon Werts, 2016
Biography
Dorman L. Commons (1918-1987) was Financial Vice President for Occidental Petroleum Co. while serving as a member of the
State Board of Education from 1962-1970. From January of 1967 to January of 1968 he served as the President of the California
State Board of Education. He also served on the Executive Committee of the National Committee for Support of the Public Schools
(NCSPS). Commons was one of the last remaining liberal Democrats on the board during an era of great controversy and change.
He worked on the campaign for Wilson Riles against Max Rafferty for superintendent in 1970. After his time on the Board of
Education, Commons continued his career in corporate oil and energy, authored a book about corporate takeovers, and was chairman
of the California Commission on the Teaching Profession until his death in 1987.
Max Rafferty (1917-1982) was an educator, an author, and politician. After World War II, Rafferty worked as teacher, vice-principal,
principal, and school superintendent throughout California. In 1963 he began serving the first of two consecutive terms as
the California Superintendent of Public Instruction. Rafferty had a reputation for being on the far right side of the Republican
party, and made his very conservative views apparent while serving as superintendent. While superintendent, Rafferty worked
closely with Dorman Commons who, for some of that time, was president of the State Board of Education. Max Rafferty passed
away in 1982.
Wilson C. Riles (1917-1999) served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. Riles served as deputy superintendent
under Max Rafferty for the State’s educational system. Concerned that the system would suffer with another term from Max Rafferty,
Wilson Riles ran for Superintendent of Public Instruction in the 1970 election, beating Rafferty and becoming the first African
American to be elected to a statewide office in California, and the first African American in the nation to be elected as
State Superintendent of schools. Riles was re-elected as superintendent in 1974 and 1978. Riles passed away in 1999.
Scope and Content
The Dorman L. Commons California Education Collection documents the activities of the California State Board of Education
from years from 1962 through 1970. As a member of the State Board of Education, acting as president of the board from January
1967 to January 1968, Commons collected materials about general education issues in California, the State Board of Education,
Max Rafferty (Superintendent from 1963 to 1970), and the 1970 campaign for Wilson Riles to become Superintendent.
The collection consists of 22 linear feet containing; reports, pamphlets, press releases, minutes, agendas, bulletins, letters,
film and audio recordings, and newspaper clippings. The materials in the Dorman Commons Collection have been organized into
5 series: general school issues, State Board of Education issues, Max Rafferty, the Wilson Riles election campaign, and newspaper
clippings. The newspaper clippings series contains two subseries: State Board of Education related, and Max Rafferty related.
The general school issues series consists of seventeen boxes. The items are organized by subject, and include such topics
as censorship, desegregation and other race issues, sex education, religion, textbooks, and school district unification. Materials
in the series include news clippings, bulletins, pamphlets, fliers, handwritten letters, and reports. The State Board of Education
series is contained in five boxes. Folders are organized by subject, and include such topics as State Board department and
committee personnel, notes and minutes from meetings, board member elections, Commons’ correspondence while serving on the
board, and State Board press releases. The Max Rafferty series is contained in five boxes, organized by subject. Topics include
biographical information on Rafferty, his positions on the current issues at the time, and a set of copies of newspaper clippings
about or by Rafferty organized chronologically by month. The Wilson Riles election campaign series consists of 8 boxes. Commons
worked on the election campaign for Wilson Riles as Superintendent from 1969 through 1970. During the election campaign, Commons
collected materials on campaign personnel, campaign strategy, campaign promotional materials, news clippings, finance and
fundraising, as well as video and audio reels of public appearances and debates between the candidates. The newspaper clippings
series consists of ten boxes. It is separated into two subseries; State Board of Education and Max Rafferty related. The State
Board of Education subseries consists of five boxes. Two of the boxes are organized by key subject. The remaining three boxes
are organized chronologically from 1963 through 1966. The Max Rafferty news clippings subseries consists of five boxes organized
chronologically from 1963 through 1967.
The Dorman Commons Collection may be helpful to researchers who are interested in the California education system during the
1960s. One can develop an understanding of the key issues affecting the California school systems during a particularly eventful
decade of social and political change. Through the materials about Max Rafferty, researchers can learn about the longstanding
Superintendent’s personal politics, and how they relate to the school system and issues of the time. The extensive newspaper
clipping collection provides insight into the politics, issues, and activities of the California State Board of Education
during the decade.
Arrangement
Arranged in five series:
- Series I. General School Issues
- Series II. State Board of Education Issues
- Series III. Max Rafferty
- Series IV. Wilson Riles Campaign
- Series V. Newspaper Clippings
Indexing Terms
Subjects
Education—California
Education—Political aspects
Religion in the public schools
School districts
School integration
School superintendents
Sex education
State boards of education
Student movements
Personal Names
Commons, Dorman L.
Rafferty, Max Lewis
Riles, Wilson C.
Corporate Names
California. State Board of Education
California. Superintendent of Public Instruction
Geographic Areas
California, Northern
California, Southern
California