MS 21
Darrow, Wayne (1894-1982)
Papers, 1930-1972, n.d.

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

Descriptive summary

creator:

Darrow, Wayne (1894-1982)

title:

Papers

dates:

1930-1972, n.d.

extent:

0.84 linear ft.

collection number:

MS 21

repository:

Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

 

Administrative information

access:

Open for research

publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections Department

preferred citation:

Wayne Darrow Papers, MS 21, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

 

Biographical note
 

Public official and journalist, Wayne Darrow was born on 12 April 1894 at Lakewood, New York; he was the son of James Eugene and Julia Irene (Bugbee) Darrow.  He grew up in Lakewood and attended Cornell University from which he received his Bachelor of Science degree (1916).

He was a farm manager (1916-1918) in Hale County, Texas; county and district agent (1919-1926) for the Texas A & M College Extension Service; and extension editor (1926-1934).  He served as Southwestern information representative (1934-1937) in the Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA); chief (1937-1938) of the AAA Regional Contact Section; and as Director (1939-1942) of the AAA Information Division.  His last position in the USDA was Director (1943) of the Agricultural Labor Administration.

In the spring of 1943, Darrow resigned from the USDA and began the Washington (D.C) Farmletter and served as editor until 1969. 

He married Linda Marshall in 1916.  Wayne Darrow died in February 1982.

 

Collection description
 

This collection (1930-1972, n.d.) contains correspondence, articles, publications, and newspaper clippings, and it includes material documenting Darrow's work with the Agriculture Adjustment Administration and the USDA.  Darrow was a close observer of politics, and therefore much of the information pertains to various election years and issues. 

The collection also includes material related to Henry A. Wallace, U.S. Vice President (1941-1945) and Secretary of Commerce (1945-1946); this material includes correspondence between Wallace and Darrow, Darrow's recollections of Wallace, material related to Wallace's appointment as Secretary of Commerce, and news clippings.  Other topics covered include American agriculture, two Robert Flaherty films, Harvest for Tomorrow and The Land; the publication of The Spade and Farmer's Guard; R. M. Evans' campaign for U.S. senator from Iowa.  Correspondents include Henry A. Wallace and Claude Wickard.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

1

Papers by Darrow: Concerning agricultural economics

n.d.

1

2

1935: Includes outline for Amendments for Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA); outline of “A New Cotton Program for the South”; newspaper clippings concerning the AAA and agricultural economics

1935

1

3

1936: Includes correspondence; AAA literature; newspaper clippings on agricultural situation; pamphlets and papers on the 1936 campaign

1936

1

4

1937: Includes correspondence; graphs and statistics of U.S. agricultural conditions; newspaper clippings; and propaganda pamphlet published by AAA

1937

1

5

1939-1941: Includes notes and memoranda from USDA; and reprint articles from various magazines and newspapers (not by Darrow)

1939-1941

1

6-7

World War II years (1941-1943): Includes correspondence; reprint articles from various newspapers and magazines and unpublished articles (not by Darrow); USDA and AAA programs

1941-1943

1

8

“Wartime Farm Labor Wrangle” recollections of short term as Director of Agricultural Labor Administration

1978

2

1

Concerning two films “Harvest for Tomorrow” and “The Land” by Robert Flaherty: Includes description of films; publication of films; correspondence; newspaper clippings; and four photographs

1941

2

2

Agricultural publications, 1944-1945: Including two issues of Spade and the layout plans for Farmers Guard

1944-1945

2

3

AAA political notes for campaign of 1946 or 1948 (date not certain)

ca. 1946-1948

2

4

Committee for Agricultural Progress, 1952: Includes correspondence; statements; pamphlets; and one issue of Agricultural Progress Newsletter

1952

2

5

Campaign and Election of 1952: Eisenhower v. Stevenson. Newspaper clippings and pamphlets

1952

2

6

Campaign and Election of 1954: In Texas; all newspaper clippings

1954

2

7

Campaign of 1956: R. M. Evans for U.S. Senator for Iowa; correspondence and finance of Iowans for Evans Committee

1956

2

8

Correspondence between Claude Wickard of Fairacre Farms, Camden, Indiana, and Darrow (includes letters to and from others)

1956-1958

2

9

Miscellaneous: Includes excerpt from and address by Mayor Thompson of Chicago, 1930; news clippings of remembrance of President Kennedy’s assassination; pamphlets of Loveland campaign of 1950; three posters; and recollections from Agricultural Labor Administration

1930-1950, n.d.

2

10

Concerning Henry A. Wallace: Correspondence between H. A. Wallace and Darrow (1944-1960); and recollections of Wallace by Darrow (1972)

1944-1972

2

11

Concerning Henry A. Wallace: Papers written by H. A. Wallace

n.d.

2

12

Concerning Henry A. Wallace: 1945 fight over Wallace’s appointment as Secretary of Commerce (includes correspondence)

1945

2

13

Concerning Henry A. Wallace: Radio commentators corrections of a Wallace speech of 1944 (includes correspondence) and dinner honoring Wallace given by the Union for Democratic Action and the New Republic

1944

2

14

Concerning Henry A. Wallace: Newspaper clippings concerning H. A. Wallace

n.d.

 

 
Descriptive summary   |  Administrative information  |  Biographical/Historical note
 Collection description  | Description of series/container list

Iowa State University Library, Ames, IA 50011
Comments: tzanish@iastate.edu
URL: http://www.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/manuscripts/MS021.html
Revised: 11 December 2007