.
By Charles Hay and Joyce Libbey
Collection Overview
Scope and Contents of the Materials
A large majority of the 395 boxes comprising the papers of Robert R. Martin is devoted to official matters concerning his sixteen year tenure (1960-1976) as sixth president of Eastern Kentucky State College (until 1966) and Eastern Kentucky University. The official papers are divided into four series: Association, Board of Regents, Faculty and Staff, and Subject. The Association Series relates to various national and state organizations in which the University held membership, while the Board of Regents Series is concerned with official and working papers of the University's governing board. The Faculty and Staff Series, due to the provisions of both federal state laws relating to privacy, remains closed to researchers. The Subject Series divides into a general Subject sub-series and five additional sub-series--Academic, Administrative, Business, Public and Student Affairs--which correspond basically to the University's administrative structure. A Pre-Presidential Series covers the years between Martin's graduation from Eastern and his assumption of her presidency and includes personal, political and educational materials. Three other series, the General, Personal and Speeches Series, are a bridge between official and personal papers. Each contains some pre-presidential materials as well as personal and official correspondence. Four miscellaneous series conclude the Martin papers. These include a Memorabilia Series of awards and certificates received by Martin, a Film Series featuring his presidential inauguration, an Oral History Series comprised sixty interviews about Martin and five with the former president and a Photography Series primarily related to the presidential period.
Collection Historical Note
The first alumnus to serve as President of Eastern Kentucky University, Robert Richard Martin presided over a period of unprecedented growth for is Alma Mater. In Martin's sixteen year tenure, the University grew from an institution devoted mainly to teacher training to a multi-purpose educational complex serving over four times the number of students who had been enrolled when Martin was inaugurated. Born on December 26, 1910, near McKinney in Lincoln County, Martin was one of eight children in the family of Frank and Annie Peek Martin. He matriculated to Eastern in 1930, paying his way through the then-Teachers College by raising tobacco crops and working in a dormitory. A history and geography major, Martin received his first taste of an Eastern presidency when his fellow seniors chose him to head the Class of 1934. A teaching position in history took him to Sardis High School in Mason County following his graduation. In subsequent years he served as principal of Sardis Elementary School and the Mason County schools of Orangeburg High and Woodleigh Junior High. Martin used his summers to attend the University of Kentucky, where he earned the M.A. degree just prior to the outbreak of World War II. Forty-one months of service as a weather observer-forcaster for the U.S. Army preceded Martin's work as an auditor of the State Department of Education. In 1948 he became head of the Bureau of Administration and Finance. While associated with the Bureau, Martin took a year's leave of absence to earn a doctorate in education at Columbia University's Teachers College (1951), where he did extensive research in the area of school finance. Upon his return to Kentucky, Dr. Martin devoted much of his energy toward working with the committee which drafted the Foundation Program for Education law enacted by the 1954 General Assembly. Election as State Superintendent of Public Instruction followed in 1955 and then an appointment as Commissioner of Finance in December, 1959, by Governor Bert T. Combs, whose gubernatorial campaign he had directed. Following the mandatory retirement of Dr. William F. O'Donnell, Martin became Eastern's sixth President on July 1, 1960. Under Martin's leadership Eastern achieved university status on July 1, 1966. Dr. Martin did not limit his service to education at Eastern. In 1971 he assumed the presidency of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, an organization he also served as member of the board of directors and chairman of the committee on federal programs. Foreign travel also loomed large on the Martin agenda with visits to Yugoslavia, the People's Republic of China and England and Northern Europe for the purpose of analysis of educational systems in those areas. Nor has Martin limited his interests to education. The undergraduate history major has maintained that interest through membership in the Filson Club, the Lexington Civil War Roundtable, the Kentucky Historical Society and the Fort Boonesborough State Park Association. Civic organization membership includes Masons, Shriners and Rotary Clubs. The termination of Martin's tenure as President of the University in 1976 marked a short hiatus in public service. In 1977 the president emeritus won election to represent the Madison-Garrard-Mercer district in the state Senate. In addition, Dr. Martin and his wife, the former Anne Hoge of Frankfort, continue their civic involvement in the Richmond area, their leadership role in the First Presbyterian Church and their close connection with Eastern Kentucky University.
Subject/Index Terms
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Association],
[
Series 2: Board of Regents],
[
Series 3: Faculty and Staff],
[
Series 4: General],
[
Series 5: Personal],
[
Series 6: Pre-Presidential Series],
[Series 7: Speech],
[
Series 8: Subject],
[
All]
- Series 7: Speech
- The Speech Series consists of two boxes (Boxes 193-194) of notes for and copies of speeches made by Dr. Martin in the period 1956-1976. The materials are arranged chronologically.
- Box 193
- Barcode: 31234013814924
- Folder 1: Forward in Education Today in Kentucky"-Union College-Barbourville, 23 Mar 1956
- Folder 2: Address at the Governor's Annual Conference on Education-Louisville, 3 Oct 1951
- Folder 3: This Day Will Not Come Again"-Address before the Kentucky Association of School Administrators-N.P., 27 Oct 1956
- Folder 4: Celebration of Eastern's Fiftieth Anniversary-Richmond, 21 Mar 1951
- Folder 5: Keynote Remarks-Symposium Re: Problems Confronting Education-N.P., Spring 1951
- Folder 6: Advancing Education through Quality Instruction"-N.P., 26 Aug 1957
- Folder 7: Education for Self-realization"-Cumberland Falls, 15 Sep 1957
- Folder 8: Education Beyond the High School in Kentucky"-before the Governor's Second Annual Conference-N.P., 25 Sep 1957
- Folder 9: New Horizons in Curriculum Concepts"-N.P., 18 Aug 1958
- Folder 10: Commencement Address, 1951
- Folder 11: Notes for Faculty Meeting-Richmond, 8 Sep 1960
- Folder 12: Our Dreams and Our Visions, 16 Nov 1960
- Folder 13: Visions of Greatness-Inaugural Address, 17 Nov 1960
- Folder 14: Education Today"-Campbellsville and Beattyville, 1960
- Folder 15: Discussion of the Present Financial Situation-Owensboro, 8 May 1961
- Folder 16: Faculty Address-Richmond, 24 May 1961
- Folder 17: Statement before the House Committee on Labor and Education in Support of the Youth Opportunities Act-Washington, Jun 1961
- Folder 18: Faculty Meeting-Richmond, 8 Sep 1961
- Folder 19: Notes of a Speech Delivered before the Cumberland District Educational Association-Somerset, 12 Oct 1961
- Folder 20: Address before Jaycees on Higher Education-Maysville, 25 Jan 1961
- Folder 21: Commencement Address-Menifee County, 23 May 1961
- Folder 22: Broader Horizons of Laboratory School Training"-N.P., 10 Oct 1962
- Folder 23: Eastern: Retrospect and Prospect"-Address Delivered before the Filson Club-Louisville, 4 Jan 1964
- Folder 24: The Dean of Women's Place in College Administration Today"-Louisville, 10 Apr 1964
- Folder 25: Professional Role of a Teacher" Lexington, 9 Oct 1964
- Folder 26: Colonel John P. Martin: The Rob Roy of Kentucky"-Inez, 2 Apr 1965
- Folder 27: The Imperative Search for Value"-Address before Henry Clay High School-Lexington, 21 Apr 1965
- Folder 28: The Public Health Phase of Teacher Training"-Louisville, 21 Apr 1965
- Folder 29: Librarians Today: The Challenge of Diversity" Address Delivered before the Kentucky Library Association-Lake Cumberland-Jamestown, 6 May 1965
- Folder 30: Alumni Dinner Address - "The Next Five Years", 29 May 1965
- Folder 31: Statement on Education at Central Kentucky Education Association-Lexington, 24 Sep 1961
- Folder 32: Veterans Education Address Delivered before the American Legion-Jenny Wiley State Park-Prestonsburg, 17 Oct 1961
- Folder 33: Notes-Beattyville, 22-Apr 1961
- Folder 34: The Responsibility and Plans for Educational Institutions"-Address Delivered before the Kentucky Hospital Association-Louisville, 27 Apr 1966
- Folder 35: Alumni Day Notes-Richmond
- Folder 36: Education for the Disadvantaged, 19 Oct 1966
- Folder 37: Notes on address before the Chamber of Commerce-Madisonville, 24 Feb 1961
- Folder 38: Informal talk at Education Recognition Dinner Lexington, 8 Jul 1961
- Folder 39: Student Affairs Faculty Meeting Richmond, 8 Sep 1961
- Folder 40: Dedication of the Moore Building-Richmond, 4 Feb 1961
- Folder 41: Bracken County High School Commencement-Brookeville, 28 May 1961
- Folder 42: Faculty Assembly-Richmond, 13 Sep 1961
- Folder 43: Jaycees Outstanding Young Educator Banquet, 25 Feb 1961
- Folder 44: Alpha Delta Pi Banquet at Boone Tavern-Berea, 8 Mar 1961
- Folder 45: Notes for Faculty Assembly-Richmond, 13 Sep 1961
- Folder 46: Statement on Behalf of AASCU before House Special Committee on Education-Washington, 16 Jul 1970
- Folder 47: Faculty Assembly, Aug 1970
- Folder 48: Higher Education Address before the Joint Alumni Council of Kentucky-Morehead, 9 Nov 1970
- Folder 49: Recorded Meeting between Black Students and President Martin, 1970
- This is a transcript of a recorded meeting between President Martin and a group led by Mr. Hayden. The meeting is in response to demands made by African American students and Martin addresses each demand then opens the floor for questions.
- Folder 50: Notes on Address before Omicron Alpha Kappa" Richmond, 2 Dec 1971
- Folder 51: Alumni Banquet-Richmond, 13 May 1971
- Folder 52: Faculty Assembly-Richmond, 19 Aug 1971
- Box 194
- Barcode: 31234013814916
- Folder 1: Jefferson County Alumni Meeting-Louisville, 7 Mar 1971
- Folder 2: Notes on Address before Rotary International Assembly-Lexington, 8 Jun 1971
- Folder 3: "Improving the Quality of Life" - Morehead, 2 Aug 1973
- Folder 4: Faculty Assembly-Richmond, 18 Aug 1971
- Folder 5: Faculty Assembly-Richmond, 22 Sep 1971
- Folder 6: Notes for Talk before the Student Association-Richmond, 26 Feb 1971
- Folder 7: Notes for Remarks at Alumni Dinner-Richmond, 11 May 1971
- Folder 8: Notes for Boone Day-N.P., 7 Jun 1971
- Folder 9: Faculty Assembly-Richmond, 24 Aug 1971
- Folder 10: Dedication of Ft. Boonesborough - Boonesborough, 30 Aug 1971
- Folder 11: Notes on Talk before the Student Association-Richmond, 27 Apr 1971
- Folder 12: Commencement Address at Harrodsburg High School-Harrodsburg Speech Material, 25 May 1971
- Folder 13: Speeches, Undated
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Association],
[
Series 2: Board of Regents],
[
Series 3: Faculty and Staff],
[
Series 4: General],
[
Series 5: Personal],
[
Series 6: Pre-Presidential Series],
[Series 7: Speech],
[
Series 8: Subject],
[
All]
