Camp Downey oral histories
Scope and Contents
This collection contains the Camp Downey oral histories which John Olinger used for his 1987 master’s thesis in history entitled, Camp Downey: A Conscientious Objector Work Camp . The materials include several audio recordings of interviews that John Olinger conducted, as well as transcripts, correspondence and other information concerning different religious sects and their relation to conscientious objectors. This collection is useful to anyone studying conscientious objectors during World War II and the civilian reactions to the war on the home front.
The three boxes of materials are separated into tapes of oral histories, oral history transcripts and written histories, and other materials relating to conscientious objectors during World War II.
Dates
- Creation: 1975-1993
Language of Materials
Material in English
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.
Conditions Governing Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from the Camp Downey oral histories must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.
Biographical Note
Camp Downey was a conscientious objector camp located in Downey, Idaho, from November 1942 to February 1946. Camp Downey was one of 151 Civilized Public Service Camps established by the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, which set out the obligations of conscientious objectors during war. This system of conscientious objector camps was jointly run by the federal government and the joint efforts of the traditional “peace” churches, including the Mennonites, the Brethren, and the Quakers. The Mennonite Central Committee managed Camp Downey, while the Soil Conservation Service represented the interests of the federal government.
Extent
3 boxes (1.5 linear feet)
Abstract
The Camp Downey oral histories mainly consists of audio recordings and transcripts of several interviews which John Olinger conducted for his 1987 master’s thesis in history, Camp Downey: A Conscientious Objector Work Camp .
Immediate Source of Acquisition
These materials were dontated to USU Special Collections by John Olinger in 1998 and 2014.
Processing Information
Processed in June of 2012
Genre / Form
Geographic
- Camp Downey (Idaho) -- History.
- Camp Downey (Idaho) -- Map.
- Camp Downey (Idaho) -- Photographs.
- Downey (Idaho) -- History -- 20th century.
Topical
- Title
- Guide to the Camp Downey oral histories 1975-1993
- Author
- Finding aid/Register created by Andrew Izatt and Elisabeth Cropper
- Date
- ©2014
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Based On Dacs (Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd Edition)
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid encoded in English .
Revision Statements
- 2009: Template information was updated to reflect Archives West best practice guidelines.
- 2014 December 29: Items in box 1 rearanged into alphabetical order and 10 recorded tapes added to the box. Boxes 2 and 3 added to the collection.
Repository Details
Part of the Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives Repository
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
3000 Old Main Hill
Logan Utah 84322-3000 United States
435 797-8248
435 797-2880 (Fax)
scweb@usu.edu