creator:

Sloss, Margaret W. (Margaret Wragg) (1901-1979)

title:

Papers

dates:

1915-[ongoing]

extent:

5.1 linear feet (5 document boxes and1 map case folder)

collection number:

RS 14/7/51

repository:

University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

access:

Open for research

publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections Department

preferred citation:

Margaret W. (Margaret Wragg) Sloss Papers, RS 14/7/51, University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

Biographical note

 
Margaret Wragg Sloss was born October 28, 1901 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  In 1910, she moved with her family to Ames, Iowa, where her father, Thomas Sloss, was hired as the superintendent of buildings, grounds, and construction at Iowa State College (University).  Dr. Sloss attributed her experiences in growing up on the Iowa State campus to fostering her interest in science and especially veterinary medicine.  Margaret Sloss received her B.S (1923), M.S. (1932) and D.V.M (1938) from Iowa State.  Dr. Sloss was the first woman to graduate with a D.V.M. from Iowa State.

Margaret Sloss began her career as a Technician in Veterinary Pathology at Iowa State (1923-1929), and was promoted to Assistant (1930-1941), Instructor (1941-1943), Assistant Professor (1943-1957), Associate Professor (1958-1964), Professor (1965-1972), and Professor Emeritus (1972).

She was the author of numerous publications and papers, including “Women in the Veterinary Profession” and “Biography of Charles Henry Stange.”  Dr. Sloss also co-authored Veterinary Clinical Parasitology, with Dr. Edward A. Benbrook (1948).  Sloss later rewrote the fourth edition of the book (1970).

Dr. Sloss was active in several professional associations including the American Veterinary Medical Association, Iowa Veterinary Medical Association, Phi Kappa Phi, Sigma Delta Epsilon and Phi Zeta.  She also helped establish the Women’s Veterinary Medical Association (1947) and was elected president (1950-1952).

Margaret Sloss was honored by the Women's Centennial Congress as one of the 100 women in the United States to successfully follow careers in 1940, which were unheard of 100 years before that date.  During her time at Iowa State, Dr. Sloss received many awards and citations for her service, including the Iowa State Faculty Citation (1959) and the Stange Award for Meritorious Service (1974).  To further recognize Dr. Sloss and her achievements, Iowa State University named the Margaret Sloss Women's Center in her honor in 1981.

Dr. Sloss passed away December 11, 1979.  She is interred in the Iowa State University Cemetery.

 Collection description

 
The collection is comprised of materials that relate to Dr. Sloss’ professional and personal life.  The files contain a variety of materials including correspondence, news clippings, papers and publications, and photographs.

The papers are arranged into nine series:

Series 1:  Associations, 1927-1979, contains correspondence, meeting materials, and membership information for associations to which Dr. Sloss belonged, including the Women’s Veterinary Medical Association, the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association, and the American Society of Veterinary Clinical Pathologists.

Series 2:  Awards and Certificates, 1940-2006, n.d., consists of certificates, programs, correspondence, and news clippings related to awards and honors given to Dr. Sloss in recognition and appreciation of her professional and personal service.

Series 3:  Biographical Materials, 1937-2006, n.d., contains news clippings, news releases, biographies, and other information regarding Dr. Sloss’s career and personal life.  There is also an address book, a calendar, and information regarding the Margaret Sloss Women’s Center.

Series 4:  Correspondence, 1926-1979, n.d., consists of personal and professional letters written by and sent to Dr. Sloss.  This series also contains a letter from Carrie Chapman Catt and an invitation from Eleanor Roosevelt.

Series 5:  Education and Research, 1915-1968, contains materials relating to Dr. Sloss’ education including high school report cards, college commencement programs, and notebooks.

Series 6:  Family, 1915-2006, n.d., consists of materials relating to her family, mostly regarding her father (Tom Sloss) and mother (Anne Sloss).  The files contain newsclippings, correspondence, memorials, war ration books, and information about graves in a Colmonel, Scotland churchyard cemetery. 

Series 7:  Papers, Publications, and Addresses, 1936-1979, n.d., contains published and unpublished papers and addresses written by Dr. Sloss, including memorials for Drs. E.A. Benbrook and Charles Henry Stange, her master’s thesis, and “Women in the Veterinary Profession.”  The series also includes a file of poems and sayings Dr. Sloss collected.

Series 8:  Photographs and Artifacts, 1924-2006, n.d., is comprised of 140 B&W photographs, 21 color photographs, and 2 color slides of Dr. Sloss, her family and friends, Iowa State University’s campus and College of Veterinary Medicine, and microscopic photographs relating to her research.  The series also includes 3 woodcarvings made by Dr. Sloss, a napkin, a plaque, ribbons, buttons, and a silver bowl.

Series 9:  Retirement, 1972, consists mostly of letters from friends and colleagues offering their congratulations and best wishes to Dr. Sloss upon her retirement.  The series also contains the guest book from her retirement party.

Organization

 
The collection is arranged into nine series.  Each series is organized alphabetically.

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