KENNETH W. COLEGROVE PAPERS
Scope and Content Note
In a sixty year career as a historian and political scientist, Kenneth
Wallace Colegrove fulfilled combined commitments to both scholarship and
teaching. A dedicated and meticulous scholar, he was an acknowledged expert on
the Far East, serving as General MacArthur's personal adviser during the occu-
pation of Japan. His commitment to teaching was demonstrated by careful prepar-
ation and an almost fatherly concern for the intellectual and emotional well-
being of his students.
He proudly acknowledged that these qualities had been fostered by his
father, Chauncey Peter Colegrove. The elder Colegrove, for several years
President of Upper Iowa College, was a dedicated Christian scholar and teacher.
He impressed upon his sons the importance of Christian service in every walk
of life, but especially in the teaching profession. The fusion of Christian
principles and educational idealism is evident in both Kenneth's first textbook,
American Citizens and Their Government (1922), and especially in correspondence
with his father about the book. Other letters, written to a variety of associated
from 1950 on, suggest that these influences were at the root of his determined
opposition to the atheistic menace of Communism.
Colegrove studied history under Edward Channing and Frederick Jackson Turner
at Harvard University and received his Ph.D in 1915. After teaching at Mt. Holyoke
(1913-16) and Syracuse University (1916-19), Colegrove joined the faculty at
Northwestern University in 1919 and advanced to the position of departmental
chairman before his mandatory retirement in 1952. During this period he also
served for twelve years (1935-47) as the secretary-treasurer of the American
Political Science Association. His papers contain correspondence with many
prominent economists, historians, political scientists and officers of the APSA
dating from 1910 into the 1970's.
Colegrove's early research centered on the development of American foreign
policy in the Far East. The opening of the diplomatic correspondence of the former
Tsarist government by the Soviets provided unexpected treasures for scholars denied
access to similar records in the United States, Britain and France. Colegrove's
attempts to explore the origins and impact of the Open Door Policy were frustrated
when the Soviet government refused to grant him a visa in 1930. Soviet paranoia
was approaching one of its periodic peaks and Colegrove's just published book on
the International Control of Aviation included material on military aspects of
aviation. This development, coupled with the growth of militarism and fascism in
Japan and the invasion of Manchuria, led him to switch his attentions to Japan.
Over the next fifteen years he became an acknowledged expert on Japanese government
and foreign policy, producing eighteen articles and a book, Militarism in Japan
(1936).
Colegrove's expertise in Japanese affairs and constitutional development
resulted in his becoming one of General MacArthur's principal advisers during
the occupation and Korean War periods. He advised retaining the Japanese Emperor
as a stabilizing influence and lent other important insights into Japanese poli-
tical institutions, the probable impact of proposed reforms, and the advisability
of policies proposed by the Far Eastern Commission.
In the late 1930's Colegrove had been one of the leading members of the
Institute for Pacific Relations, frequently addressed their meetings, and wrote
numerous articles for its publications. This association later proved mutually
embarrassing when the editors and principal contributors to the IPR magazine,
Amerasia, were investigated by the Senate's Internal Security Subcommittee in the
early 1950's. Colegrove was blacklisted and attacked by many in the academic
fraternity when he testified before the Subcommittee in 1951 that he had left
the editorial board of Amerasia to protest the pro-communist activities of
Owen Lattimore, Philip J. Jaffe, John S. Service and others.
Following his Amerasia experience, Colegrove became increasingly concerned
that the country's educational system was in danger of being captured by subversive
elements and transformed into "a tool for social change." To counter this trend
he made numerous public appearances, culminating in his testimony before the Reece
Committee in 1954 during its investigation of tax-exempt foundations. He was
particularly concerned that these foundations were being subverted to produce
politically slanted educational "research" promoting the cause of internationalism,
socialism and communism.
These worries led him to defend Senator Joseph R. McCarthy and General
MacArthur and to join forces with Alfred Kohlberg, Robert H.W. Welch, Jr.,
William T. Couch, Lucille Cardin Crain, Bonner Fellers and others. These shared
concerns also launched him upon a second teaching career, commencing in 1953,
that was significantly different in its focus and intent. No longer content to
merely convey facts. Colegrove's teaching at Queens College and C.W. Post College
was designed to provide students with a philosophical foundation which would
enable them to recognize and expose the shortcomings and inconsistencies of
socialism and communism.
Aghast at his students' ignorance of communism, the elderly professor
addressed numerous civic groups advocating the study of communism in high schools.
Attracted by newspaper accounts of these speeches, the Institute of Fiscal and
Political Education approached Colegrove in 1954 to write a textbook suitable for
use in high schools. Reducing the mountain of relevant information to a teachable
size was a formidable task that almost proved too much, but the task had become a
matter of conviction and he was not to be denied.
Published in 1957, Democracy vs. Communism went through several revisions
and was used throughout the 1960's. Despite relatively moderate sales, the text
was widely imitated and had an influence on the social studies curriculum of the
late 1950's and 1960's. The book's influence was extended when the Defense
Department adapted it for use as a series of troop training manuals in the early
1960's and hired Colegrove as a consultant to plan a series of seminars at the
Naval War College.
While Colegrove became a conservative, there are no signs that he ever forsook
his old fashioned liberalism. Deploring the strident tone of the controversial
Educational Reviewer, he refused to continue as one of its advisers and, in 1960,
severed his relations with the John Birch Society because he considered that it
had become ultra-conservative. At the same time, however, he continued as a
consultant and adviser to groups that he regarded as more constructive, including:
The Center for the Study of the Presidency, For America, The Committee of One
Million, the Hoover Presidential Library Association, the Citizens' Foreign
Relations Committee, and the Historical Research Foundation.
Description of Series
Box Contents
1-51
SUBJECT FILE 1896-1974 and undated. 51 containers.
Correspondence, memoranda, telegrams, clippings, reports,
and miscellaneous printed materials. These files relate
to Colegrove's professional activities and interests,
personal life and family history. Arranged by subjects
and names of individuals and organizations alphabetically
and thereunder chronologically.
52-77
WRITING AND SPEAKING PROJECTS 1917-71 and undated.
25 containers.
Correspondence, reviews of Colegrove's books, source
materials and notes, and drafts and printed copies of
Colegrove's writings, speeches and lectures. This series
also contains book reviews, letters to the editor and
textbook analyses prepared by Colegrove. Materials
directly related to classroom teaching are arranged in
the following series. Arranged by type of publication
and thereunder chronologically or by subject as appropriate.
78-89
TEACHING MATERIALS 1935-69 and undated. 11 containers.
Correspondence, memoranda, course syallabi, bibliographies,
lecture notes, clippings, handout and source materials.
Most of these materials are undated but appear to date from
the period when Colegrove taught at Queens College and
C.W. Post College. Arranged by Course titles alphabetically
and thereunder by type of material.
Subject File
Box Contents
1
A Miscellaneous
Abelson, Ernest 1954
Academic Freedom
See Also: Couch, W.T.
Adams, Charles Francis 1918
Alcoholism, 1963-64
Alliance, The 1956-58 and undated
American-Afro-Asian Educational Exchange, Inc. 1957-64 & undated
American Bureau for Medical Aid to China, 1939-68
American Council for the International Promotion of Democracy
Under God, 1957-59 and undated
American Friends of the Captive Nations, 1958-59
American Friends of the Middle East, 1954-59 and undated
See Also: Collier, David S.
American Jewish League Against Communism, 1955-62
American Legion, 1954-55 and undated
American Library Association, 1944
2
American Library in Paris
General, 1928-70 and undated
Babcock, Earle 1929-30 and undated
Board of Trustees, 1928-30 and undated
Budget Information
Committee to Discontinue the Survey, 1929 and undated
Gros, Edmund L. 1929
Harris, Norman Dwight 1929-30
Instructions to Staff, 1929
Rousseau, Theodore 1929-30
Stevenson, Burton 1929-30 and undated
Sumner, Edward Alleyne 1929-30
American Political Science Association, 1928-55 and undated
Andelson, Robert V. 1954-62
Armed Forces Info and Educ Office
Correspondence, 1953-58
Hearings on Interlocking Subversion, 1954
Printed Matter
Arnold, John W. 1953
Austin, Warren R. 1941-62
Aydelotte, Frank 1943-44
B Miscellaneous
BAA-BLU
BOA-BYR
Baarslag, Karl 1956-65
Bahnsen, Alvin C.W. 1961-65 and undated
Baker, Roscoe 1954-67
Baker, William S. 1955-59
Ball, Mr. Amos 1941-47
Ball, George W. 1966
3
Ball, Joseph H. 1941-47
Ball, Ralph K. 1941-55
Ballantine, Joseph W. 1948-59 and undated
Barkley, Alben W. 1941-56
Barnes, Harry Elmer 1955
Barnett, Frank R. 1955-66
See Also: National Military-industrial Conference
Bartlett, Hall 1958-69
Beard, Charles A. 1936-50
Beard, Mary R. 1946-48
Beard, William 1943
Behymer, E. Hugh 1961-65
Bell, James Washington
1928-40
1941-67
Bentley, Elizabeth 1948-61 and undated
Berle, A.A. Jr. 1944
Bishop, Max Waldo 1960-63
Blankenship, Mr. & Mrs. John H. 1950-62
Bonus March (See: MacArthur)
Borah, William E. 1928-39
Bowen, Ray Preston 1919-28
Brabner-Smith, John W. 1956-60
Brainwashing, 1955
Bricker, John W. 1940-56
Bricker Amendment
1943-52
1953-59 and undated
4
Brown, R. G. 1957-62
Bruening, Heinrich 1940
Buckley, William F. 1955-66
Bullitt, William C. 1954
Bundy, Edgar C. 1954-74
Burdette, Franklin L. 1954-71 and undated
Butler, Nicholas Murray 1944-46
Byfield, Robert S.
C Miscellaneous
Campus Unrest,
1965
1968-74
Cancer: Krebiozen 1964-65
Carr, Wilbur 1935-37
Casey, William J. 1971-73
Cavallaro, Joseph B. 1953-57
Center for the Study of the Presidency
Correspondence
1969
1970 Jan-June
1970 Jul-Dec
1971
5
1972
1973-74
Annual Report
1970
1973
Board of Trustees Meetings, 1970-73 and undated
Brochures
Bulletins, 1971-74
Colegrove Articles, 1973
Colegrove Book Reviews
Horan Project, 1972-73
Journal of Presidential Studies, 1972
Montauk Symposium
1970
1971
1972
Nizolek, Michael 1971-72
Reference Requests, 1970-73
Miscellaneous
Cheek, Mary Ashby 1943-47
6
Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, 1948-55
Chile, 1973
China
Correspondence, 1945-62
Boxer Rebellion
Clippings and Printed Matter
1951-57
1958-74
undated
Church League-of America, 1961
Church, Margaret Stitt 1952-62
Citizens Foreign Aid Committee, 1959-67
Citizens' Foreign Relations Committee
See Also: Historical Research Foundation
1955-57
1958-63
Clark, Keith 1927-50 and undated
Clark, Lucius C. 1923-29
Clemen, Rudolf A. 1928-58
Coe Foundation
General
1955-58
1959-60
7
1961-74
Abilene Christian College Program, 1958
Colegrove Essay on "American Tradition"
Conference on American Studies, 1966
Correspondence, 1966-67
Proceedings
Programs, etc.
Conservative Scholars
Correspondence, 1958-59
Lists
De Pauw University Conference, 1958-59
Publications
Queens College Lecture Series, 1958-60
Ripon Seminar (1958)
Correspondence
Lecture Notes, Syllbus, etc.
"Yardstick" Project, 1954
8
Miscellaneous
Coker, Francis W.
1927-42
1943-47
Colegrove, Audrey Mae 1936
Colegrove, C.W. 1931-36 and undated
Colegrove, Catherine 1937-50
Colegrove, Chauncey Peter
1899-1936
1946-52
Colegrove, Donald Ridley 1935-51
Colegrove, Emma Ridley 1918-50 and undated
Colegrove, Gladys St. John 1965-66
Colegrove, Kenneth Wallace
American Political Science Association Presidency, 1948-49
Applications for Positions
Biographical Data (2 folders)
Birth Certificate
Birthday Celebration, 1964
Book Collection at CW Post, 1965
9
Clippings
1928-44
1945-54 and undated
Condolences on Death, 1975
Criticism of, 1944-51
Honors, Degrees, etc.
Columbia LLD, 1945
Miscellaneous, 1956-66
Household and Personal
General
1901-24
1929-33
1934-40
1943-50
1951-54
Household and Personal
General
1955
1956-59
10
1960-67
undated
Apartment Purchase, Maintance 1924-64 and undated
Retirement Annuity, 1933-53 and undated
Immigration and Naturalization, Board Examiner 1933
Literary Properties
Military Service, 1917-18
Robert Co11ege, 1913-19
Russian Trip, 1930-31
Teaching Certificate, 1905
Trips
1911-26
1929-30 and undated
University of Iowa, 1909-16
Miscellaneous
Colegrove, Louise Funkhouser 1926-61 and undated
Colegrove, Marian 1937
Colegrove, Marian Louise
1927-35
1936-38
11
1939-44
1945-50 and undated
Colegrove, Mildred (Mrs. Paul C.) 1945-59
Colegrove, Paul C.
1908-35
1936-50 and undated
Colegrove, Ralph H. 1939-43
Colegrove Family
Colegrove Genealogy, 1912-52 and undated
Collier, David S.
See Also: Foundation for Foreign Affairs
1948-51
1952-64 and undated
Colliers, 1956
Columbia University, 1943-73
Commager, Henry Steele 1947
Committee of One Million
1953-57
1958-63 and undated
12
Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies, 1940-44 & Undated
Communist Front Organizations, 1949-56
Communist Infiltration: Education
See Also: Educational Reviewer
1947 -54
1955
1956-60
1961-71 and undated
Communist Infiltration: Federal Government 1947-62 and undated
Communist Infiltration: News Media 1956
Communist Strategy and Tactics, 1956-62
Conference of Small Business Organizations, 1951-64 and undated
Congo, 1960
Corwin, ,Edwin S. 1931-46 and undated
13
Cory, Helen May 1928-42
Costanzo, Joseph F. undated
See Also: Communist Infiltration: Education
Cot, Pierre 1940
Couch, William T.
1947-53
1954 Jan-Jul
1954 Aug-Sept
1954 Oct-Nov
1954 Dec
1955 Jan-Oct
1955 Nov-Dec
1956 (no month)
1956 Jan-Jul
1957-63
undated
14
Council Against Communist Aggression, 1956-61
Council Education Research, 1968-69 and undated
Council for Financial Aid to Education, 1954-55
Counts, George S. 1955-57
Crain, Lucille Cardin
See: Educational Reviewer
Crane, Jasper 1958-59
Crime and Criminology, 1970
Cuba, 1961-64
Current Legislation
1959 Jan-Mar
1959 Apr-1962
Curtis, Carl T. 1958
D Miscellaneous
Davis, Harold T.
1943-52
1955-71
1972-73 and undated
Dawes, Charles G. 1933-51
Dennett, Tyler 1925-37
15
Dillon, Mary Earhart
1944-67
1969
1970 Jan-Mar
1970 Apr-May
1970 June-Jul
1970 Aug-Dec
1971-72 and undated
Dirksen, Everett M. 1951-59
Doenitz Release from Spandau, 1957-58
Donner Foundation Proposal, 1958
Dooman, Eugene H. 1951-69
Douglas, Emily Taft 1942-46
16
Douglas, Paul H.
1940-49
1950
1951-56 and undated
Senate Campaign, 1941-42
Senate Campaign, 1948
Douglas, William 0. 1951-66
Draft Registration and Resistance, 1967
Dulles, Allen W. 1955-59
Dulles, John Foster 1955-57 and undated
Dunner, Joseph 1962-64
Dyche, William A. 1934
E Miscellaneous
Eastman, Max 1944
Eastwood, Harold E. 1949-57
Ecology and the Environment
1962-69
1970
1971-73
Education
See Also:
1. Campus Unrest
2. Communist Infiltration: Education
Catalogs
Printed Matter
1949-60
1961-64
1965-67
17
1968-74
undated
Programmed Instruction
Educational News Service, 1955-57 and undated
Educational Reviewer, 1950-56 and undated
Eisenhower, Dwight David
General, 1949-61
Political Strength Survey, 1952-55
Election Laws, 1955-57
Elliott, William Y. 1930-63
Ellis, Ellen D. 1920-44
Emerson, Rupert 1951
Executive Reorganization, 1970-71
F Miscellaneous
18
Far Eastern Commission, 1946-50
Farley, James A. 1948-60
Farm Problem, 1932
Fellers, Bonner 1954-57
See Also: For America
Ferguson, Homer 1948-52
Field, Marshall 1947-56
Fisher, John M. 1962-71
Flanders, Ralph E. 1954
Flickinger, Roy C. 1920-38
For America, 1954-62 and undated
Ford, C. Worthington 1918-37
Ford Foundation, 1954-72 and undated
Fordham University
See:
1. Center for the Study of the Presidency
2. Nizolek, Michael 1971-72
Foreign Aid, 1949-63
Foreign Policy, 1945-61 and undated
Fortas, Abe 1965-70
Foundation for Economic Education, 1955
Foundation for Foreign Affairs
Correspondence
1957
1958 Feb-Oct
1958 Nov-Dec
1959
1960
1961-62
19
Prospectuses Prepared by KWC, 1958
Foundations: Investigation of, 1942-66
France, 1953-74 and undated
Frankfurter, Felix 1943
Freedom's Foundation, 1955-58
Frisby, Roy and Evelyn 1954-64 and undated
Fulbright, J. William 1943-52
Fund for the Republic, 1955-61 and undated
Funkhouser Family, 1927-55
Funkhouser Genealogy, 1917-26 and undated
G Miscellaneous
Gale, Esson 1955-65 and undated
Garrity, Devin A. 1955
Geiser, Karl F. 1910-27
Gipson, J. H. 1955
Goldwater, Barry 1957-64
20
Gonser, Gerber, Tinker, Stuhr 1955-71
Gordon, Charles 1953-54
Gould, Dirk 1955-60
Grew, Joseph C.
1945-48
1951 -65
H Miscellaneous
Haensel, Paul 1935-46
Halifax, Viscount 1941-43
Hanson, Clanence Melvin 1914-51
Harada, Harry 1954-58
Harper, James E. 1949-65
Harris, Norman Dwight
1919-25
1926-30
1931-48
1949-55
21
1956-59 and undated
Harris, Stanley G. 1947-52
Hart, Albert Bushnell 1909-40
Harvard University
1910-22
1930-41
Harvard University Library, 1918-33
Hatton, Mr. & Mrs. A.R. 1947
Hawley, Clyde E. 1945-72
Heinberg, John G. 1947-50
Helm, Wilbur 1956-58 and undated
Henderson, Loy W. 1947-51
Hermens, Ferdinand A. 1954-58
Herold, Paul J. 1955-63
Hiss, Alger 1949-73
Historical Research Foundation
1955-59
1960
1961-69 and undated
Hoover, Herbert 1952-64
Hoover, J. Edgar 1955-57
Hoover Commissions, 1949-60
Hoover Institution, 1959-67
Hoover Institution Book
Correspondence
1960-61
1962-69 and undated
22
Drafts
Proposals, Outlines, Notes
Source Material
Advisory Board Meetings
1949
1950-55
1956
1957
1958-59
23
1960-61
Annual Reports of the President of Stanford Univ. 1922-27
Board of Directors' Meetings
1924-39 (set 1)
1924-39 (set 2)
Source Material
Documents
1914-16
1919-25
1953-57 and undated
Interviews with Herbert Hoover
Reports to the President of Stanford University
1944-48
24
1953-55
1956-57
Miscellaneous
Hoover Oral History Program, 1967-69
Hoover Overseas Relief: A Bibliography
Hoover Presidential Library, 1963-73 and undated
Hoover Presidential Library Association
Correspondence
&