Psychiana Photographs
Content Description
In August 1955 Alfred Robinson and Pearl Robinson gave the University of Idaho Library many Psychiana related items including four large boxes which were to remain sealed for 25 years. These boxes were opened in January 1980 and the contents sorted; the material is now contained in seven file boxes. Included in the three boxes of correspondence are letters between Psychiana headquarters and students in eighteen countries. Carbon copies of Psychiana's replies are attached to most of the original letters from students. The letters from students which Robinson used in his publications are marked with quotation marks; occasionally words were changed or sentences rearranged. The remaining boxes contain copies of all the Psychiana lessons, copies of Psychiana Weekly and other similar publications, typescripts of speeches and articles by Frank Robinson, broadsides used in advertising, newspaper clippings, magazine articles, a scrapbook of clippings kept by Robinson, and photographs.
This is a very important collection not only for those researching Dr. Frank B. Robinson and the impact of Psychiana, but also for those interested in non-orthodox religion. Anyone interested in effective advertising methods would also find this collection useful.
The contents of each section of this collection are described in the following Description of Series.
Dates
- Creation: 1929-1951
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Extent
From the Collection: 8 linear feet
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Description
The four negatives and forty-four photographs in this folder represent the growth of Psychiana. They show the various buildings occupied by the organization and the staff, both clerical and printing, as they go about their daily tasks. Many views of the individual departments were used in the articles published about Psychiana in national magazines. Some of the pictures have notes either penciled or typed on the back. There are several views of the Robinson Professional Building and the Psychiana International Headquarters Building which was next to it. There are also photographs of Rev. W.W. DeBolt and C.W. Tenney, Robinson's assistants. A picture of Stephen Bern Dahlman, the artist who illustrated many of the Psychiana ideas, is also in this folder.
Repository Details
Part of the University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives Repository