Description
The collection consists of prints and drawings,
handbills, photographs, postcards, printed materials (including books, periodicals,
bibliographies, journal articles, newspaper clippings, event programs, conference
agenda and reports, manuscripts, telegrams, letters, press kits and releases,
corporate overviews, investment prospectuses, sales brochures, technical
specification sheets, typescript histories, and guides), maps, sheet music, sound
recordings, ephemera, and memorabilia collected by Dr. John F. B. Carruthers and
documenting the history of aviation, with particular emphasis on the period from
1783 to the late 1950s. The prints and drawings document in particular the
development of French and British ballooning from 1783 to 1785, British ballooning
in the 19th century, and historic U.S. civil and military aircraft, including
balloons, dirigibles, and fixed-wing airplanes, 1903 to circa 1950. Photographic,
printed, and other materials document early air meets and historic flights,
including the original records of Cecil Allen and Donald Moyle's 1931 transpacific
flight. The materials also document pioneer aviators, including Glenn Curtiss,
Amelia Earhart, Arch Hoxey, A. Roy Knabenshue, and Clyde Pangborn. Materials on the
Wright brothers include a toy butterfly purported to have inspired their interest in
flight, and a piece of the 1903 Kitty Hawk hangar; materials on Charles A. Lindbergh
include two metal pieces from the "Spirit of St. Louis" and sound recordings of his
1927 visit to Washington, DC, upon his return from Paris. The collection also
contains extensive photographic and printed materials on individual aircraft,
aircraft manufacturers, and airlines, including historic 19th-century aircraft and,
in particular, aircraft of U.S., British, French, and German manufacture between
1930 and 1960. The collection includes a large number of draft maps and plans of
airports and airfields, circa 1924-1931, prepared by the Aeronautics Branch of the
U.S. Department of Commerce, as well as sheet music of songs on aeronautical themes,
1876-1952.
Background
John Franklin Bruce Carruthers was born in Fort Scott, Kansas, on August 31, 1889,
the son of James B. and Anna (Wood) Carruthers. He graduated A.B. from Princeton in
1912. From 1912 to 1914, he served as assistant to the minister of the First
Presbyterian Church in Baltimore. In 1917, he proceeded A.M. at Princeton, and
graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary. From 1917 to 1918 he served as
assistant to the minister of the Church of the Covenant (now the National
Presbyterian Church) in Washington, DC. He was ordained to the ministry of the
Presbyterian church in 1918. During World War I he served as chaplain of the U.S.S.
Oklahoma, and in 1919 became head chaplain for morale, education and recreation, 6th
Division, Bureau of the Navy. In 1919, he married Mabel Grandin, by whom he had one
son and three daughters. From 1919 to 1924 Carruthers was chaplain, Manson
professor, and head of the Bible department of Lafayette College, from whom he
received the D.D. in his final year. In 1924, the family moved to California,
settling the following year in Pasadena, where Carruthers and his wife became active
in civic affairs. From 1924 to 1926, Carruthers served as professor of religious
education and from 1926 to 1928 as lecturer in archaeology at Occidental College.
Carruthers also served as lecturer in archaeology on the University of California
extension faculty, 1927-1928. From 1930 to 1935, Carruthers was research assistant
to Rufus von KleinSmid, president of the University of Southern California (USC) and
chancellor of the Los Angeles University of International Relations (forerunner of
the USC department of international relations), and as secretary of the USC
Institute of Arts and Sciences. During World War II, Carruthers was chaplain of the
First Aero Squadron, Camp Hopkins, Bainbridge Island, Washington, and president of
the Pacific Coast Japanese Problem League. In 1944, he ran unsuccessfully in the
Democratic Party primary for the 47th assembly district in the California state
legislature. In 1950, Carruthers and his wife deeded his collection of aviation
books and materials, which constituted the library of the Institute of Aeronautical
History, to Claremont Men's (now Claremont McKenna) College, and in 1952 the
president of the college, George C. S. Benson, appointed him to the honorary
position of Director of Research, Library of Aeronautical History. He died at his
home in Pasadena on January 13, 1960.
Extent
16.25 Linear feet
(13 archive boxes, 6 archive half-boxes, 8 clam-shell boxes, 3 shoe boxes,
15 oversize print boxes)
Restrictions
Researchers wishing to publish material must obtain permission in writing from
Special Collections as the physical owner of the material. Note that permission to
publish does not constitute copyright clearance. Special Collections can grant
copyright clearance only for that material for which we hold copyright. It is the
responsibility of the researcher to obtain copyright clearance for all other
material from the copyright holder(s).
Availability
The collection is open to researchers when Special Collections is open, and at other
times by appointment. There are no access restrictions.