By Mary A. Sego
Title: Robert W. Topping papers, 1930-1996
Predominant Dates:1966-1988
Primary Creator: Topping, Robert W. (1925-2009)
Extent: 2.75 Cubic feet. More info below.
Arrangement:
1. Purdue Related Publications, 1930-1987 (1.25 cubic feet).
The original order of materials in the series has been maintained. Items consist of Purdue University board of trustees’ minutes (1978-1987), ten cassette tapes (interviews), various issues of Purdue Alumnus, material from the “Purdue Plan for the Eighties” campaign, a brochure for McClure Park, the future Industrial Research Park, and other Purdue related publications. There is an album which contains an extensive collection of Purdue related newspaper clippings from July – December, 1966. This includes clippings related to Purdue’s participation in the 1967 Rose Bowl.
2. Manuscripts and Files, 1945- 1990 (1.5 cubic feet)
This series contains the original manuscript for Robert Toppings published book, A century and beyond: the history of Purdue University,” 1988, along with the files used to write his published work, The Hovde years: a biography of Frederick L. Hovde, 1980. The original order of the files was maintained. Manuscripts for Topping’s two unpublished works, “Gentle Force, The Women of Purdue University” and “Just Call Me Orville” are a part of this series.
Date Acquired: 01/06/2010. More info below under Accruals.
Subjects: Hovde, Frederick L., 1908-1983, Purdue University, Purdue University--Alumni and alumnae, Purdue University--History, Women's Archives at Purdue University
Forms of Material: Black-and-white photographs, Clippings (Information artifacts), Manuscripts (document genre), Personal papers
Languages: English
Robert W. Topping was born November 27, 1925. He was the son of Professor and Mrs. Alanson N. Topping. Topping’s father was a professor of electrical engineering at Purdue from 1903 to 1949, so Robert grew up in the community. Robert Topping was a member of the Purdue Class of 1950, and he was editor in chief of the RIVET, a campus humor publication. He graduated in 1950 with a degree in English. His brothers and sisters also graduated from Purdue.
After Robert Topping’s graduation, he spent several years working as a reporter for the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, the LaPorte Herald-Argus and the Grand Rapids Press in Michigan. He was cited in 1956 by the American Political Science Association for distinguished reporting of state and local government in 1956. Topping served in the Air Force in 1950 and 1951 as an information specialist at Castle Air Force base, Merced, California. He returned to Purdue permanently in 1961.
Topping started working in the old Bureau of Information, before it was renamed the Purdue News Service. He was director of the News Service in 1976 when he left that post to begin work on his book about former Purdue President Frederick Hovde. While researching and writing the book, he became an assistant to the vice president for advancement and continued to serve as press officer for the board of trustees and editor of Perspective. He later became senior editor in the Office of Publications and retired in 1990, after twenty-eight years on the Purdue staff. At Topping’s retirement dinner, Governor Evan Bayh made him a “Sagamore of the Wabash”, the highest honor an Indiana governor can bestow. Another award, the Leather Medal, from the Purdue chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists went to Topping in 1990. Awarded annually since 1921, the honor goes to someone “who has made a great contribution to the welfare, success and reputation of Purdue.”
Robert Topping was the founding editor in 1973 of Perspective, the university’s quarterly tabloid. He was also editor of Purdue Today. He has authored three books about Purdue University: The Hovde Years (1980), which covers Purdue history during Frederick Hovde’s presidency from 1946 through 1971. His book, A Century and Beyond (1988), was the first comprehensive history of Purdue since 1925. John Hicks III, the former senior vice president of Purdue, suggested that Topping write an updated version of Purdue’s history in 1983, and A Century and Beyond is a result of that suggestion. The book of trustees: Purdue University, 1865-1989, (1989) is book about Purdue University’s board of trustees members. Topping also wrote two unpublished manuscripts, “Gentle Force, The Women of Purdue University”, (1993) and “Just Call Me Orville”, the unpublished biography of Orville Redenbacher, (1996).
Topping had been the vice president of the Class of 1950, and he played a key role in getting the Class of 1950 lecture hall built on campus. It’s been noted in several publications that he always considered Purdue home. Robert Topping died April 25, 2009, and he will be remembered as one of Purdue University’s best-known historians and beloved storytellers.
Hovde, Frederick L., 1908-1983
Purdue University
Purdue University--Alumni and alumnae
Purdue University--History
Women's Archives at Purdue University
Repository: Purdue University Libraries, Archives and Special Collections
Accruals: #20060721, 24 slides used for A Century and Beyond.
Alternate Extent Statement: 2.75 cubic feet
Access Restrictions: Collection is open for research.
Use Restrictions: Purdue University, per deed of gift.
Physical Access Note: Whenever possible, original order of the materials has been retained. All materials have been housed in acid-free folders, and acid-free boxes.
Acquisition Source: Suzanne Topping
Acquisition Method: Donated by Suzanne Topping, 2010.
Preferred Citation: MSA 33, Robert W. Topping papers, Karnes Archives and Special Collections, Purdue University Libraries
Finding Aid Revision History: Updated 10/16/12 EW.
Other URL: http://collections.lib.purdue.edu/fa/pdf/MSA33_Topping.pdf
Folder
1. Purdue University, Board of Trustees minutes, September 14-15, 1978 - June 15, 1979
2. Purdue University, Board of Trustees minutes, September 7, 1979 – September 24, 1981
3. Purdue University, Board of Trustees minutes, November 12-13, 1981 – May 11, 1984
4. Purdue University, Board of Trustees minutes, September 14, 1984 – May 15, 1987
Small Box
Contains ten cassette tapes, each with individual interviews, William T. Berkshire, Class of ’02, done for Purdue Alumni Association; Buchanan (2 tapes); Jenkins; Karling; Knoy; Koffler; McNelly; Stone
Issues Purdue Alumnus, May 1931
["Bruce Rogers, Sci. 90, Designer of Books”, pp. 5-6; “Muse’ful Mem’oir of a Purdue Man”, by George W. Munro, EE ’97, pp. 7-8]
Purdue Alumnus, September 1943, “Old Purdue”, by George W. Munro, ’97, from
The Bent of Tau Beta Pi, pp. 9-14 (2 issues)
Purdue Alumnus, January, 1987, front cover and feature on R. B. Stewart
Purdue Alumnus, February, 1979, “Archives hold Purdue’s treasures”, pp. 5-6
Purdue Alumnus, March 1979, “Centennial! Experiment Station celebrates 100 years of service”, pp. 2-3, 13
Purdue Alumnus, December 1979, front cover – Dr. Herbert C. Brown and feature, pp. 2-5
Purdue Alumnus, April 1982, 25 Years of Grand Prix
Purdue Alumnus, Summer 1982, 45th anniversary of flight began at Purdue – Amelia Earhart, a continuing mystery, p. 10; “A Gala Week Album”, 1982, p. 12
Purdue Alumnus, December 1984, issue on research Purdue Alumnus, January 1985
front – “Flight of Discovery”; inside – “Aeronautics, Astronautics Foreseen by George Ade, pp. 8-10
The Purdue Engineer, April, 1933, v. XXVIII, no. 7, “Professor G. W. Munro - Impressions of the Mechanical School” by G.W. Munro, pp. 102, 110-112
The Bent of Tau Beta Pi, v. XXXIV, no. 3, “Old Purdue” by George W. Munro, pp. 87-90
Bulletin of Purdue University, v. XXXI, April 1931, no. 7, catalogue number for the sessions of 1930-1931 with announcements for the Sessions of 1931-1932, gift of George Bostwick, ’35 (?)
Purdue University Directory, 1932-1933 appears to be gift of George Bostwick, Ch.E.
Purdue University sixty-first annual commencement, Tuesday, June 11, 1935, program
Purdue Plan for the Eighties – Purdue University – The $34.2 million Campaign for
Advancement in Science and Technology, 1979-1982
[packet of information includes press releases; drafts of letters; campaign
update letters; letter to members of the Board of Trustees of Purdue University,
in regards to the establishment of the Purdue Foundation, Incorporated, dated,
12 January, 1979; final campaign report; University’s “backyard” Plan for the
Eighties campaign in Greater Lafayette and Purdue, led by James C. Shook,
general chairman; photographs of James C. Shook, sketches of proposed
buildings – new Life Sciences Laboratory, Technology Building and Civil
Engineering addition]
Purdue News Clippings Album, July 1 to December 31, 1966
[Album contains a selection of newspaper and magazine clippings; first 12
pages Rose Bowl clippings (just those that represent direct activity of the
University News Service – news release, photographs, telephone calls or
personal visitations by staff members). The remainder of the album,
clippings selected were not limited to those resulting from material released
by the University News Service, rather they were chosen to give a quick
picture of Purdue University’s “press.”]
