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John Albright Schenk papers

 Collection
Identifier: MG 376

Scope and Contents

These papers, which were sent to the University of Idaho library by the department of Forest Entomology several years after Schenk's retirement, also contain some papers of Schenk's colleagues Molly Stock and Karel Stoszek.

Included in the collection are records of entomological research conducted by Schenk, Stock, and Stoszek, reprints of related articles, Forest Service maps of areas studied, and microscope slides of forest pests. Also included are personal and classroom papers of Stock and Stoszek.

Dates

  • Creation: 1951-1984

Language of Materials

English

Biographical / Historical

Forest entomologist John Albright Schenk was born in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, on October 22, 1924. He received his B.S. from the University of Michigan in 1950, and his M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin in 1956 and 1961.

From 1951 to 1953 he was employed by the Relief Model Division of the Army Map Service, and he worked as a forester for the United States Forest Service from 1953 to 1954. From 1959 to 1961, while completing his Ph.D., he worked for the Wisconsin Conservation Department.

His entire teaching career, from 1961 to his retirement in 1988, was at the University of Idaho, where he specialized in forest entomological research with emphasis on biology and ecology of forest pests and their control by silviculture and biological methods. Among the insects he studies were cone and seed insects and bark beetles.

In addition to his teaching and research duties, he served as assistant to the head of the Department of Forest Resources and as director of the Master of Forestry program. He also served on a variety of committees including Faculty Council and Faculty Affairs. He is also a member of a number of professional organizations including the American Registry of Professional Entomologists, the Entomological Society of America, the Entomological Society of Canada, the Society of American Foresters, and the Western Forest Insect Work Conference.

Following his retirement in 1988 he moved to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho where he still resides.

Extent

5 cubic feet

Abstract

Research data concerning forest entomology research conducted by John A. Schenk, Molly Stock, and Karel Stoszek; includes maps, photographs and microscope slides.

Arrangement

Most of the material in this record group was in labeled file folders or three ring notebooks. In reviewing the material for processing it was decided to keep the records in their received order, since that order did lend itself to a series breakdown.

The first series, Entomological Research Projects, is separated into subseries by project. The spruce budworm research, of which Molly Stock was a part, was a cooperative program between Canada and the United States (CANUSA). Included are coding forms, field data, reprints of related articles and CANUSA publications.

Schenk's research on the bark beetle, MS (McIntyre-Stennis) 17, was a cooperative program with Potlatch Corporation. Papers include the agreement between the University and Potlatch, data collection forms, hand drawn maps of the study areas, reports of timber cruises in the areas, reports of insects caught on sticky traps, and summaries of the work completed.

The shoot borer project was conducted by Karel Stoszek and includes data collection sheets and reports.

The log books are daily records of the insects received or reared in the laboratory.

The final subseries includes wick data sheets, results of insecticide tests, and publications relating to forest entomology.

The second series contains U.S. Forest Service maps of study areas in Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Montana, and New Mexico. These are filed alphabetically by forest, and a few folders also contain recreational maps of the areas. The maps of Alberta and Saskatchewan are standard road maps.

The papers of Mary W. (Molly) Stock, who worked as a research assistant at Washington State University before coming to the University of Idaho in 1974, include academic transcripts, correspondence, class notebooks from her student days, classroom handouts for her Insect Anatomy and Physiology course, and research notes on the Douglas fir tussock moth.

Karel Stoszek joined the University of Idaho faculty in 1975. His papers include handouts for his Fundamentals of Forest Protection course and several articles on the Douglas fir tussock moth.

The final series contains photographs and microscope slides. The photographs also include negatives and slides. Subjects include study areas, damaged and diseased trees, and wing studies.

The glass microscope slides are of insects, both field nymphs and field adults, insects reared in the laboratory, and slides used in the wing study. These slides date from 1969 to 1972.

Material discarded includes duplicates of mimeographed and published material, unused data collection forms, and coding sheets. The material in 3 ring notebooks was transferred to folders. In this way the collection was reduced by 3 cubic feet.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The papers of entomologist John A. Schenk were donated to the University of Idaho Library by the Department of Forest Entomology in October 1993.

Existence and Location of Copies

Some of the materials in this collection were digitized and added to the digital Idaho Forestry Research Collection.

Title
Guide to John Albright Schenk papers
Author
Finding aid prepared by Judith Nielsen; updated by Sara Szobody in 2024.
Date
1995
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Repository Details

Part of the University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives Repository