RS 9/9/60 Don Kirkham Papers

RS 9/9/60
Kirkham, Don (1908-1998)
Papers, 1908-1998, n.d.

Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140

Descriptive summary

creator:	Kirkham, Don (1908-1998)
title:	Papers
dates:	1908-1998, n.d.
extent:	22.1 linear feet (17 records center cartons and 1 document box)
collection number:	RS 9/9/60
repository:	University Archives Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

Administrative information

access:	Open for research
publication rights:	Consult Head, Special Collections Department
preferred citation:	Don Kirkham Papers, RS 9/9/60, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

Biographical note

Don Kirkham was born on February 11, 1908 in Provo, Utah. He received his B.S. (1933), M.S. (1934), and Ph. D. (1938) from Columbia University in physics.

He accepted a position as an Instructor and Assistant Professor (1938-1941) in Math and Physics at Utah State Agricultural College. He then worked as a Physists (1941-1946) at the U. S. Naval Ordnance Lab before becoming a Professor (1946-1978) of Soil Physics at Iowa State College (University). Kirkham was also named Director (1964 -1973) of the Iowa State University’s Iowa State Water Resources Institute. He received a Fulbright Fellowship (1950 -1951), which allowed him to work at the State Agriculture University at Wageningen, The Netherlands. Kirkham was named the Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture (1958). He retired from Iowa State University in 1978.

Kirkham’s main areas of research focused on the physical properties governing the fertility of soils and applying physics as well as mathematics to the movements of fluids through porous material. He gained prominence for developing standard techniques of measurements in the relationships between soil and water and is known for inventing the neutron probe which measures soil moisture. He wrote and presented numerous papers on drainage theory and soil physics. Dr Kirkham is also the co-author of the textbook titled Advanced Soil Physics (S592.3 .K57).

His extensive travels and experiences brought him to places such as Belgium, Hungary, Turkey, Egypt, Istanbul, Chile, the Soviet Union, India, and Argentina where he was a teacher, consultant, and agricultural delegate. He received an honorary degree from The University of Ghent, Belgium when he translated educational and scientific material form Flemish to English.

During his career Dr. Kirkham won numerous awards including Stevenson Award (1953), Wolf Foundation Prize for Agricultural Research (1983), and the Governor’s Science Medal (1985). He was also the recipient of the Bouyoucou Soil Science Distinguished Career Award (1989), Distinguished Fellow Award from the Iowa Academy of Science and the Horton Award for Outstanding Career in Hydrology Research from the American Geophysical Union.

Dr. Kirkham was a member of several honor societies, such as Gamma Sigma Delta, Phi Kappa Phi, and Sigma Xi. He was a member of the American Physical Society, the Soil Science Society of America, the American Society of Agronomy and the American Geophysical Union. Dr. Kirkham also belonged to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he was a missionary (1927-1930) to Germany and president of Elders Quorum. He also served as vice president of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Dr. Kirkham died March 7, 1998 and is interred at the Iowa State Cemetery.

Collection description

This collection (1908-1998, n.d.) contains documents relating to the career of Dr. Don Kirkham. The papers include biographical information, news clippings, correspondence, speeches, lectures, and publications. The collection also contains notes and photographs relating to Dr. Kirkham’s research projects. In addition, the papers include the annual reports from experimental farms across the state of Iowa.

Organization

This collection is listed alphabetically.

Container list

Box		Folder	Title	Dates
2		6	Announcement - Drainage Hall of Fame	1979
3		50	Annual Progress Reports - Brayton Memorial Forrest	1952
5		10	Annual Report - Cooperative Regional Projects	1955
13		1	Annual Statement of Progress Department of Agronomy	1956
17		21	Annual Statement to the Staff Department of Agronomy	1949
6		10	Basic Soil Panel	1963
6		11	Bibliography List of Research Publications (1 of 2)	n.d.
6		12	Bibliography List of Research Publications (2 of 2)	n.d.
4		4	Bibliography of Article on Radioisotopes	1952 -1961
2		14	Biographical - Royalty Chart for the Kirkham Family	1982
1		1	Biographical Information	1908 -1998
8		34	Biographical Information	1951 - 1959
13		2	Biographical Information - American Society of Agronomy Papers Award	1957
7		16	Biographical Information - Application for Public Health Service Grant or Award	1962
7		13	Biographical information - Award Nomination Papers for Wolf Prize	1979
8		1	Biographical Information - Certificates of Honors and Awards Correspondence - Soil Science donated by M. B. Kirkham (1 of 2)	1996
8		2	Biographical Information - Certificates of Honors and Awards Correspondence - Soil Science donated by M. B. Kirkham( includes 1 8x10 color photograph) (2 of 2)	1996
2		7	Biographical Information - Columbia University Information	n.d.
8		35	Biographical Information - Honorary Degree from Rijkslandbouwhogeschool	1963
8		3	Biographical Information - Honors and Awards	1989
16		1	Biographical Information - Job Dossier	1948
9		1	Biographical Information - Latter Day Saints Information	1956
8		4	Biographical Information - Letters, Certificates, Publications	1978
9		2	Biographical Information - McDowell Insurance Agency Information for Kirkham	1955
9		3	Biographical Information - Melchizedek Priesthood Information	1958
2		8	Biographical Information - Nomination of Dr. Kirkham for the Nobel Peace Prize	1973
9		4	Biographical Information - Osborn Club Information	1962
9		5	Biographical Information - Sigma Xi and Phi Kappa Phi Information	1964
11		25	Biographical Information - Sigma Xi Information	1960
9		6	Biographical information - Sons of the American Revolution Information (1 of 2)	1956
12		1	Biographical Information - Sons of the American Revolution Information (2 of 2)	1956
7		17	Biographical Information - Agronomy Bowling League	1964
15		1	Biographical Information Columbia University Degrees	1934 -1938
9		7	Biographical Information for Awards and Fellowships	1963
9		8	Biographical Information - Sons of the Revolution Information	1965
8		10	Biographical Materials - Awards and Certificates	1996
8		8	Biographical Materials - Journals, News Articles, Publications and Correspondence donated by M. B. Kirkham (4 of 6)	1963 - 2005
8		9	Biographical Materials - Journals, News Articles, Publications and Correspondence donated by M. B. Kirkham (5 of 6)	1964 - 2005
8		7	Biographical Materials - Music, Journals, News Articles, Publications and Correspondence donated by M. B. Kirkham (3 of 6)	1963 - 2005
8		6	Biographical Materials - Photos, Journals, News Articles, Publications and Correspondence donated by M. B. Kirkham (includes 1 5x7 b/w photo) ( 2 of 6)	1930 - 2005
8		5	Biographical Materials - Journals, News Articles, Publications and Correspondence donated by M. B. Kirkham ( 1 of 6)	1930 - 2005
15		18	Book - “A New Witness for Christ in America” Book of Mormon	1971
1		2	Book - “Advanced Soil Physics”	1965
1		3	Book - “Advanced Soil Physics Lecture Notes”	n.d.
2		1	Book - “Advanced Soil Physics Lecture Notes”	n.d.
2		9	Book - “George (Wm.) Kirkham his Ancestors and Descendants”	1973
1		4	Book - “Agricultural Drainage”	1965
1		5	Book - “Solutions of the Transcendental Equation”	1961
7		18	Brochures - International Soil Science Society	1964
10		35	Committee Notes - Gamma Sigma Delta	1959
9		34	Committee Notes - Modern Language and Foreign Students	1960
3		29	Correspondence - Atlantic Refining Company	1957
9	12		Correspondence - concerning North Central - 17 (3 of 3)	1957 - 1958
16		2	Correspondence - F. E. Bear (1 of 2)	1957
16		3	Correspondence - F. E. Bear (2 of 2)	1957
9		35	Correspondence - Ford Foundation Grants and Projects	1963
14		1	Correspondence - “A” file	1951 - 1956
17		1	Correspondence - “A - C” file	1958
14		2	Correspondence - “B” file (1 of 2)	1951 - 1956
14		3	Correspondence - “B” file (2 of 2)	1951 - 1956
16		4	Correspondence - “C” file	1951 - 1956
14		4	Correspondence - “C” file ( 1 of 2)	1951 -1956
16		5	Correspondence - “D” file	1951 - 1956
17		2	Correspondence - “D - G” file	1958
16		6	Correspondence - “E” file	1951 - 1956
16		7	Correspondence - “F” file	1951 - 1956
16		8	Correspondence - “G” file	1951 - 1956
16		9	Correspondence - “H” file	1951 - 1956
17		3	Correspondence - “H - L “ file	1958
16		10	Correspondence - “I” file	1951 - 1956
16		11	Correspondence - “J” file	1951 - 1956
16		12	Correspondence - “K” file	1951 - 1956
16		13	Correspondence - “L” file	1951 - 1956
16		14	Correspondence - “M” file (1 of 2)	1951 1957
16		15	Correspondence - “M” file (2 of 2)	1951 - 1957
17		4	Correspondence - “M-R” file	1958
16		16	Correspondence - “N” file	1951 - 1956
16		17	Correspondence - “O” file	1951 - 1956
16		18	Correspondence - “P and Q” file	1951 - 1956
16		19	Correspondence - “R” file	1951 - 1956
16		20	Correspondence - “S” file	1951 - 1956
17		5	Correspondence - “S - Z” file	1958
17		6	Correspondence - “U - V”	1951 - 1956
17		7	Correspondence - “W” file	1951 - 1957
17		8	Correspondence - “X - Z” file	1951 - 1957
7		19	Correspondence - American Geographical Union (1 of 2)	1965
7		20	Correspondence - American Geographical Union (2 of 2)	1965
3		49	Correspondence - American Geophysical Union	1954
13		3	Correspondence - American Geophysical Union	1958
14		5	Correspondence - American Geophysical Union	1961
15		2	Correspondence - American Geophysical Union	1949
6		13	Correspondence - American Institute of Physics	1965
14		6	Correspondence - American Physical Society	1950
14		7	Correspondence - American Society Agronomy	1955
14		8	Correspondence - American Society of Agronomy and Soil Scientist Society Association Information	1950
5		11	Correspondence - B. T. Shaw	1948
9		13	Correspondence - Belgium Seminar	1963
7		21	Correspondence - Colleagues and Friendly Greetings	1964
10		1	Correspondence - Concerning Soil Research and Grant Money	1960
14		9	Correspondence - Concerning Agronomy Book	1950
5		12	Correspondence - Concerning Assistantships ( 1 of 2)	1964
5		13	Correspondence - Concerning Assistantships (2 of 2)	1964
6		14	Correspondence - Concerning Department Nominees and Department of Agronomy	1963
7		22	Correspondence - Concerning Egypt	1961
6		15	Correspondence - Concerning Faculty Positions	1964
10		2	Correspondence - Concerning Fellowships, Grants and Assistantships	1959
10		3	Correspondence - Concerning Graduate Staff	1961
4		9	Correspondence - Concerning Hydrodynamics Research	1960 - 1962
4		5	Correspondence - Concerning Manuscripts	1964
4		6	Correspondence - Concerning Manuscripts and Publications of Research Articles	1964
9		9	Correspondence - Concerning North Central - 17	1957
9		10	Correspondence - Concerning North Central - 17 (1 of 3)	1957 - 1958
9		11	Correspondence - Concerning North Central - 17 (2 of 3)	1957 - 1958
5		14	Correspondence - Concerning Notes and Research	1950
5		15	Correspondence - Concerning Physics Today	1948
10		36	Correspondence - Concerning Plant Research	1961
7		23	Correspondence - Concerning Publication of Articles	1960
5		16	Correspondence - Concerning Publications	1950
5		17	Correspondence - Concerning Reprints	1950
4		7	Correspondence - Concerning Research	1961 - 1962
13		4	Correspondence - Concerning Research and Manuscripts	1957
4		16	Correspondence - Concerning Research Projects and Graduate Students	1961 - 1962
4		14	Correspondence - Concerning Research Publications and Drainage Problems	1960 - 1964
13		5	Correspondence - Concerning Review Qualifications for Graduates, Textbooks and Course Material	1957
4		10	Correspondence - Concerning Seminars, Graduate Students and Research	1962
13		6	Correspondence - Concerning Soil Moisture	1958
4		11	Correspondence - Concerning Soil Physics	1960 - 1963
5		18	Correspondence - Concerning Soil Research	1948
5		19	Correspondence - Concerning Soil Research	1949
7		24	Correspondence - Concerning Students	1962
5		20	Correspondence - Cooperative Research Between Agricultural Experimental Station”	1964
2		10	Correspondence - D. D. Evans	1955
17		9	Correspondence - Dean Andre	1956
16		23	Correspondence - DeZeeuw	1954
14		10	Correspondence - Donations and Technical Letters	1946
12		2	Correspondence - Dr. M. De Boodt	1956
13		7	Correspondence - Dr. Pierre	1957
14		11	Correspondence - Drainage Problems in Adana, Turkey	1959
14		12	Correspondence - Electrical Research Association