Miller Upton papers, 1927-1990

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Summary

Creators:
Upton, Miller, 1916-2005
Abstract:
Writings, correspondence, memoranda, minutes, conference material, reports, printed matter, and miscellany relating to American participation in international cooperative activities, especially in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; international education; the Federal Union; and economics.
Extent:
25 manuscript boxes (10.2 Linear Feet)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Miller Upton papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Background

Scope and content:

The Miller Upton papers include writings, correspondence, memoranda, minutes, conference material, reports, printed matter, and miscellany related to American participation in international cooperative activities, especially in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); international education; the Federal Union; and economics. Although the collection has not been arranged, the index to major groups can serve as a guide to the materials.

Throughout his career, Miller Upton held a variety of roles related to the field of education, including professor, college president, and delegate to UNESCO. He was interested in working with international organizations to achieve education goals. The collection includes Correspondence dating from 1962 to 1975, during which time he served as president of Beloit College and a delegate to UNESCO. His Speeches and Writings contain articles related to economics, as well as commencement addresses.

From 1960 to 1961, Upton served as chairman of Governor Gaylord A. Nelson's "Blue Ribbon Tax Committee," which revamped Wisconsin's tax structure. The Continuing Revenue Survey Commission File includes commission reports, meeting minutes, and correspondence related to this project.

In May 1970, Upton wrote an open letter to President Nixon regarding the Kent State shootings. Although Upton opposed the Vietnam War, a point that he affirmed in the letter, he apologized for the "grotesque failure of the academic community at this hour of national trial and turmoil," and wrote, "If the fault lies anywhere for the Kent State deaths it lies not with you and the Vietnam War but with the radical acts and excesses we have tolerated in the name of dissent." The letter was originally published in a student newspaper, but went on to receive national attention. The Richard M. Nixon File includes Upton's open letter, clippings, and responses.

From 1970 to 1974, Upton was a United States delegate to UNESCO. During that time, he also served as the chairman to the United States National Commission for UNESCO, a group that functioned as a Federal Advisory Committee to the Department of State. In 1974, Upton was the chairman of the United States delegation to the 18th General Conference. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) File includes correspondence, conference materials, reports, and speeches documenting Upton's involvement with UNESCO.

From 1975 to 1976, Upton served as a consultant to a special committee of the Association of American Colleges to determine the future role of the Association. The Association of American Colleges File includes meeting materials, correspondence, memoranda, and notes documenting Upton's work for the organization.

From 1976 to 1980, Upton served as CEO and chairman of the Federal Union, a British organization, formed in 1939 and incorporated in 1940, advocating a federal union of Europe as a post-war aim to defend against totalitarianism. The organization was committed to furthering ideas proposed in the book Union Now by Clarence K. Streit. The Federal Union File includes correspondence, memoranda, printed matter (including issues of Freedom & Union), meeting minutes, and clippings.

In a note concerning his philosophy of life, Upton wrote, "Should someone ever want to give me a tag, let it be 'a conservative for liberal reasons'" (Box 7, Folder 11). Upton was a pacifist and conscientious objector during WWII, and wrote, "I am and have been throughout my adult life passionately opposed to war. It is the ultimate human folly. It is man's power of reason perverted to the extreme. It is the antithesis of the essence of Christ's teachings." ("Federal Union—A Practical Means to Peace," Box 12, Folder 6).

Biographical / historical:
Date Event
1916
Born, New Orleans
1940-
Taught economics at Lake Forest College
1944-
Taught finance at Northwestern University
1950
Associate professor, Washington University in St. Louis
1951-
Dean, School of Business and Public Administration, Washington University in St. Louis
1954-1975
President, Beliot College
1961-1966
Chairman and public interest director, Federal Home Loan Bank Board of Chicago
1970-1974
United States delegate to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
1971-1974
Chairman, United States National Commission for UNESCO
2005
Died
1953
Co-author, Introduction to Business Finance

Source: Yue, Lorene. "Robinson Miller Upton." Chicago Tribune 22 December 2005. Accessed through: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2005-12-22/news/0512220101_1_mr-upton-independent-colleges-and-universities-student

Acquisition information:
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library Archives in 1990.
Arrangement:

Although the collection is not physically arranged, most materials fall into the following groups.

Box Numbers Groups
1-2 Personal File, 1954-1975:
Includes correspondence, clippings, and photographs related to business and personal matters. Includes photographs of Miller Upton.
2 Correspondence, 1962-1975:
Includes incoming and outgoing letters from 1962 to 1975, arranged chronologically.
2 Speeches and Writings, 1946-1990:
Includes typescripts and printed copies of speeches and writings related to economics, business, and finance, as well as commencement addresses. Includes related correspondence and notes.
3-7, 9-10, 24 Speeches and Writings, 1946-1990:
Includes typescripts and printed copies of speeches and writings related to economics, business, and finance, as well as commencement addresses. Includes related correspondence and notes.
23-24 Continuing Revenue Survey Commission File, 1959-1961:
Includes correspondence, memoranda, reports, meeting minutes, notes, and charts related to the tax system of Wisconsin.
8-9 Richard M. Nixon File, 1970-1976:
Includes materials related to an open letter to Nixon regarding the Kent State shootings, as well as letters received in response.
16-22 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) File, 1960-1987:
Includes correspondence, conference materials, reports, and speeches related to the UNESCO General Conference (Sessions 16 through 18) and the United States National Commission.
22 Association of American Colleges File, 1974-1976:
Includes correspondence, reports, and meeting materials. Contains documentation related to Upton's work as a consultant to determine the future role of the organization.
22 Federal Union File, 1927-1986:
Includes correspondence, memoranda, printed matter (including issues of Freedom & Union), meeting minutes, and clippings. Arranged alphabetically.

Physical location:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.

Terms of access:

For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Miller Upton papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Location of this collection:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives, Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003, US
Contact:
(650) 723-3563
hooverarchives@stanford.edu
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