Paul Owen Selby Papers
Scope and Contents
This collection includes P. O. Selby's personal papers, research notes and writings and includes the files and records he gave during his lifetime as well as those found in his campus office after his death. The majority are concerned with Kirksville and Adair County history, genealogies of Adair County families, and Mark Twain.
Dates
- 1890-approximately 1995
Creator
- Selby, P. O. (Paul Owen), 1890-1982 (Person)
Note on Use of Collections
The library reserves the right to restrict access to its collections. Researchers agree to abide by any restrictions placed by the library on its collections. Learn more about our policies and services.
Copyright
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Board of Governors for Truman State University, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.
Researchers further agree to indemnify and hold harmless Truman State University, Pickler Memorial Library, and their officers, employees, and agents from and against all suits, claims, actions, and expenses arising out of use of collections held by the library.
Biographical Note
Paul Owen Selby (1890-1982), the son of Hiram and Ella (Clay) Selby, was born in La Plata, Missouri, but was raised in Kirksville where he attended the public schools before enrolling at The First District Normal School (now Truman State University). He received his Bachelor of Pedagogy (1911) and Bachelor of Science in Education (1918) here then earned an MA from the University of Missouri (1926) and PhD from the University of Iowa (1934).
Dr. Selby began his career-long professional association with this institution in 1912 as Registrar and Secretary to President John R. Kirk. After completing his BSEd and serving with the Army during World War I, he returned as Professor of Commerce in 1919, later becoming Head of the Division of Business Education and then, from 1954 until his retirement in 1960, Dean of Instruction. He founded Pi Omega Pi, a local business education fraternity, in 1922 and served as the first President when it became a national organization in 1927.
The author of several texts on business and commercial education, Dr. Selby concentrated on his hobby, researching and writing local history, after retirement.
Extent
8 linear feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Personal papers, research notes and writings of Paul Owen Selby, consisting of the files and records he gave during his lifetime as well as those cleared from his campus office after his death. Many are concerned with Kirksville and Adair County history, genealogies of Adair County families, and Mark Twain. Also includes his personal scrapbooks from 1890-1979.
Arrangement
This collection is organized into five series.
- Series 0: Administrative Papers
- Series 1: Personal Records
- Series 2: Research and Writing
- Series 3: Personal Scrapbooks
- Series 4: Various Books and Artifacts
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This manuscript collection consists of his personal papers, research notes and writings and includes the files and records he gave during his lifetime as well as those found in his campus office after his death.
Physical Description
8 linear feet
Processing Information
This collection has been retained in Selby's original alphabetical and chronological order.
- Adair County (Mo.)
- Adair County (Mo.) -- History
- Adair County Historical Society (Mo.)
- Churches
- Civic Organizations
- First District Normal School (Kirksville, Mo.)
- First District Normal School (Kirksville, Mo.) -- Faculty
- Geneaology
- Grand Army of the Republic, Corporal Dix Post Number 22 (Kirksville, Mo.)
- Kirksville (Mo.)
- Kiwanis Club of Kirksville (Mo.)
- Scrapbooks
- Selby, P. O. (Paul Owen), 1890-1982
- Social and Fraternal Organizations
- Twain, Mark, 1835-1910
- World War, 1914-1918
Creator
- Selby, P. O. (Paul Owen), 1890-1982 (Person)
- Title
- Paul Owen Selby papers, approximately 1850-approximately 1995
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Elaine Doak and Cheryl Musch.
- Date
- [1993-2010], 2020
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Truman State University, Pickler Memorial Library, Special Collections Manuscripts Repository