Skip to main content

James William Maucker Papers

 Collection
Identifier: 02/05/01

Scope and Contents

The arrangement of the papers reflects the incremental growth of the collection. There is a certain amount of redundancy to the arrangement, with material on the same topic located in two or three places. Consequently, researchers who are interested in a particular topic should be sure to look at the inventory of the entire collection.

This collection offers the opportunity to study Dr. Maucker in a professional, avocational, and personal light. He was involved in all of the major developments and occurrences at the University of Northern Iowa for two decades. He led the university during difficult, exciting, troublesome times that some faculty members still remember as a kind of Golden Age for the school. He left his personal stamp on much of the history of that period. But the papers in this collection from both before and after his administration offer a nice picture of his life out of the public eye.

Also included in this collection is a scrapbook titled, "Teachers from Foreign Lands," which was a gift to President Maucker. The scrapbook was from a group of visiting teachers who came to ISTC during the 1952-1953 school year through a joint sponsorship with the United States Department of State. The goal was to build better relations between and among foreign countries and the United States. The scrapbook contains a dedication to President Maucker and staff, written by J. Francisco Rodrigues, captioned photographs of the group's various activities, and the visiting teachers' signatures.

Dates

  • Creation: 1920-2000

Creator

Language of Materials

Materials entirely in English.

Conditions Governing Access

Most materials are open for research. Box 25 is restricted. Materials related to the confidentiality of personnel, student, medical, and other legally protected records are CLOSED to researchers for 70 years from the date of creation. Consult the archivist with any questions or concerns.

General Use, Reproduction, and Copyright Policies

Many items housed in the Rod Library Special Collections & University Archives, including unpublished images and manuscripts, may be protected by copyright, publication rights, trademarks, or model release rights which the library does not own and for which the library cannot grant permission or licensing. Materials currently under copyright are usually still available for research and limited reproduction under Fair Use laws. However, it is the sole responsibility of the patron to determine whether or not their use of a given material falls within Fair Use guidelines and to obtain permission for said use from the rightful copyright owner. If you are unsure where to begin, please consult the Copyright LibGuide. Please note that it is not the library's responsibility to locate or contact copyright holders for a patron, and neither the library nor library employees are responsible for copyright violations of the materials to which they facilitate research access.

Please see our full General Use and Service Policies for more information.

Sensitive Materials Statement

Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy or similar laws, and the Iowa Open Records Law (see Iowa Code ยง 22.7). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of Northern Iowa assumes no responsibility.

Biographical / Historical

James William Maucker was born in Rock Island, Illinois, on September 16, 1912. He graduated from Rock Island High School in 1929. He attended Augustana College and graduated from that institution in 1933. He received a master's degree (1936) and a Ph. D. (1940) from the University of Iowa, where he worked with E. F. Lindquist on educational measurement. Following military service during World War II, he served as Dean of the School of Education at Montana State University from 1946 through 1950.

Dr. Maucker became President of the Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa) on September 1, 1950, and served in that capacity until June 30, 1970. He then moved to Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas, where he served in a variety of administrative positions. Following his retirement, he lived in the Nisswa, Minnesota, area.

Dr. Maucker married Helga Amelia Peterson in 1937. They had three children: Ann, James, and Robert. Helga Maucker died in 1989. Dr. Maucker married Doreen Weber in 1993. They returned to Cedar Falls in 1994. Dr. Maucker died July 5, 2005.

Dr. Maucker presided over a period of extraordinary growth and development at the University of Northern Iowa. Enrollment nearly tripled during his administration. Many new buildings were constructed to accommodate this growth. The institution itself grew from a teachers college to a university with a graduate curriculum. And, at least for the last few years of his administration, the work was accomplished against the background of student protest and social upheaval.

Extent

19.03 Linear Feet (43 boxes)

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Papers in Boxes 1-34 received by 1974 and in the 1970s and 1980s. Contents of Boxes 35-36 given by Doreen Weber, Dr. Maucker's widow, in 2008. The contents of Boxes 37-39 were given to SCandUA in 2009 by Ann Maucker King, Dr. Maucker's daughter.

Bibliography

Appraisal, Destruction, and Scheduling Information

The "Teachers from Foreign Lands" scrapbook was transferred from RG 23 Photograph Collection to the James Maucker Papers in May 2021.

Processing Information

Portions of finding aid prepared by Library Assistant Joyce Alberts, 1993; additional processing and finding aid development by University Archivist Gerald L. Peterson, 2008, 2009. Additions prepared by Library Assistant Joy Lynn, 2014. Updated by Library Associate Dave Hoing, October 2017 and February 2018, and Archival Processor Tessa Wakefield, May 2021. Linear Feet updated August 8, 2017.

Title
James William Maucker Papers
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the University Archives Repository