Faculty Records: Ralph H. Steele Papers

1960-1990
University Archives #UA90-01
Creator(s)
Physical description
1 Cubic Feet, 325 items
Preferred Citation
[Item description].  Ralph H. Steele Papers.  UA90-01, Box [number].  University Archives, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC.
Repository
East Carolina University Archives
Access
The collection is open for research use.

The collection includes correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, brochures, and flyers related to the creation of the Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Program at East Carolina University in the late 1960s and the work of faculty member Ralph H. Steele.


Biographical/historical information

Ralph H. Steele was born May 20, 1929 in Hamilton, Ohio. He grew up in Chicago, Illinois and graduated from Gage Park High School in 1947. Afterwards, Steele attended Wilson Junior College for two years before transferring to the University of Illinois in Urbana. Steele received both a B.S. in 1952 and a M.S. in 1955 from the University of Illinois. In 1966, he earned a Doctorate in Recreation and Park Administration from Indiana University.

Ralph Steele joined the faculty at East Carolina College in 1960. From 1960 through 1968, Steele taught general courses in the Department of Health and Physical Education. In the late 1960's, he developed a new multi-disciplinary B.S. in Parks, Recreation, and Conservation. He helped develop and taught Coastal Recreation and Tourism courses with faculty in various academic departments at East Carolina University. Steele is considered the founder of the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies at ECU. Upon his retirement from East Carolina University in 1990, Dr. Steele was awarded emeritus status.

On March 6, 2009, Dr. Ralph H. Steele passed away. In his memory, the Department of Health and Human Performance established the Dr. Ralph Steele Memorial Lecture Series.


Scope and arrangement

The Ralph Steele Papers are divided into two series. The first series documents the creation of the Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Degree at East Carolina University and includes Ralph Steele's notes on the program and correspondence with Texas A&M University about their Recreation and Parks program.

The second series documents Ralph Steele's work at ECU in scrapbook form. The material was titled "A Personal Retrospective: Three Decades of An Ever-Changing Profession as Practiced by an Action-Minded Professor." The first decade, 1960-1969, covers his work in Health and Physical Education. The second decade, 1970-1979, covers cross-disciplinary Parks, Recreation, and Conservation and Coastal and Oceanic Arts and Sciences. The third decade, 1980-1990, covers his work in Apostrophe Theory, Systemantics, Principles of Basic Research, and World Leisure. All three decades of the scrapbook include his notes on his work during the decade, newspaper clippings, photographs, brochures, correspondence with collegues and students, flyers, and postcards.


Arrangement

The collection follows the original arrangement of Dr. Steele.


Administrative information
Copyright notice

This material is made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to taking precautions against infringement of copyright and respecting the publication rights of reproduced materials. All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards. Any materials used should be fully credited with their source according to the example given in the Preferred Citation note. Requests for assistance with citations and images of publication quality should be directed to specialcollections@ecu.edu. This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state law. The user assumes full responsibility for using such information and is advised that the disclosure of such information about identifiable living individuals without their consent may have legal ramifications.


Related material

This collection is a part of Faculty Records.


Container list
Box 1 Definitions, Concepts, and Horizontal Matrix, 1967
Box 1 Correspondence with Texas A&M, 1967-1968
Box 1 Curriculum Committees and Procedures, 1968-1969
Box 1 National Recreation and Park Association Challenges and Survey, 1968
Box 1 Support and Suggestions, 1968-1969
Box 1 Cynthia Mendenhall, 1968
Box 1 Drafts of Proposed Curriculum, 1968
Box 1 Approved Draft of Proposed Curriculum, 1968 November
Box 1 Job Openings and Salaries, 1968
Box 1 Proposed New Courses, undated
Box 1 Correspondence and Proposal Abstract, 1968
Box 1 Final Proposal for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Park, Recreation, and Conservation Administration, 1968-1970
Box 1 Initial Dialogue between PRC and NC Outward Bound School, 1969-1970
Box 1 Idealistic Concepts, Dreams, and Reality, 1969-1970
Box 1 ECU Scences of First Earth Day, 1970 April 22
Box 1 The PRC-NCOBS Practicum, 1970
Box 1 US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Recreation Program Leadership, 1969
Box 2 Introduction, 1960-1990
Box 2 Decade #1, 1960-1969
Box 2 Decade #2, Overview, 1970-1979
Box 2 Inquiries Articulation of Education Programs with NCOBS, 1970-1971
Box 2 PRC-NCOBS Study of People and Places, NCOB Board Business, 1971-1972
Box 2 Long Range Plans and the SOLC, undated
Box 2 SOLC and Interpretive Center, Making One's Own Mistakes, 1972-1973
Box 2 Sustained Application of NCOBS Principles and Philosphy, 1973
Box 2 PRC to SEA Grant and ICMR; Evaluation of Professional and PRC Curriculum, 1974
Box 2 Promotion. WLRA to USSR. "Witt." Transition to Marine Studies., 1975-1976
Box 2 Conflicts in Policies, Etc. Caribgean Slides for WSB Film., 1977
Box 2 PRC Curricular Audit of NCOBS, 1978
Box 2 PRC Society and Status of Curriculum, 1979
Box 2 Notes, Word-Play and Sketches from Scotland, 1979
Box 2 Square-Riggers' Celtic Journey. ICMR Workshop. Thoughts., 1979
Box 2 Decade #3 Overview, 1980-1990
Box 2 Decade #3, 1980-1981
Box 2 Decade #3, 1982-1983
Box 2 Decade #3, 1984-1985
Box 2 Decade #3, 1986-1987
Box 2 Decade #3, 1988-1989
Box 2 Decade #3, 1989-1990