Fike, Stanley R. (1913-1989), Papers, c.1925, 1941-1985 (C3882)

6.8 linear feet, 2 audio cassettes

INTRODUCTION

Correspondence, newspaper clippings, speeches, memoranda and office notes of Stanley R. Fike, administrative assistant to U.S. Senator Stuart Symington, from 1952 until Symington's retirement in 1976. The papers contain material relating to various Symington campaigns, as well as Fike's personal life.

DONOR INFORMATION

Stanley R. Fike donated his papers to the University of Missouri on 4 November 1982 (Accession No. 4467). An addition was made on 27 September 1985 (Accession No. 4673).

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Stanley Redfield Fike was born in 1913 in Warrensburg, Missouri. In 1923 his family moved to Independence, where Stanley graduated from East High School and attended Kansas City Junior College.

In 1928 Fike became an apprentice, or printer's devil, at the Inter-City News in Fairmont, Missouri, near Independence. He worked his way up to editor of the newspaper, as well as part owner of the Inter-City Press, Inc., which also published the Jackson County Democrat and the Lotawana News. He was also part owner of the Lee's Summit Journal. Fike served as president of the Northwest Missouri Press Association in 1943 and was elected president of the Missouri Press Association in 1949.

During this time Fike was not only an editor but also a community leader, active in the Boy Scouts movement, the Inter-City Kiwanis Club, and the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He was also elected to the Kansas City Board of Education.

In 1952 Stuart Symington selected Fike to be, first, manager of his campaign for the U. S. Senate, and then, his administrative assistant, a post Fike held for 24 years. Senator Symington gave Fike the unofficial title of "Missouri's third senator", because of his vast knowledge of the state and personal contacts. As administrative assistant, Fike's duties included managing the daily activities of the Senator's Washington, D.C., office, and coordinating mail, office personnel, and public relations. Fike also travelled extensively on the Senator's behalf, making speeches and gathering information and support. Fike acted as executive director for several of Symington's campaigns, including Symington's 1960 presidential bid.

Stanley Fike remained actively involved with his Missouri interests throughout his Washington years and into retirement, serving as a member of the board of regents of Park College in Parkville, Missouri; a member of the Academy of Missouri Squires; and a committee member of the Boy Scout troop at the Mount Washington Reformed Latter Day Saints Church.

Fike died on 29 September 1989 in Mitchellville, Maryland, after suffering a stroke. He was survived by his wife Mildred Curry Fike (sister of artist John Stuart Curry) and their three daughters.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Stanley Fike Papers are arranged into three series:

The Personal series is arranged into two sections: correspondence, arranged alphabetically by correspondent; and a subject file, made up mostly of newspaper clippings, reports, and speeches, which is arranged alphabetically by topic. There is relatively little family correspondence; the bulk of the material relates to Fike's personal political interests, his work with the Kiwanis, and the Reformed Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Family matters include the deaths of Fike's mother and sister, the education of his eldest daughter Beth at the University of Missouri, and Beth's marriage to an Air Force officer. Correspondents include: James and Stuart Symington, both of whom maintained a deep personal, as well as professional, relationship with the Fikes; long-time friend and Missouri Secretary of State, James Kirkpatrick; U. S. Senator Thomas Eagleton; U. S. Senator Edmund Muskie; various Park College officials; and several former Symington staffers. Topics include the election of new members to the Academy of Missouri Squires, Watergate, campaigns and elections, the artwork of John Stuart Curry, the folk music of May Kennedy McCord, and the activities of the Kansas City Kiwanis organizations.

The Personal series subject files include articles on abortion, Jimmy Carter's 1976 Presidential campaign, crime, the Democratic Party in Missouri, and Thomas Eagleton's failed nomination as the Democrats' 1972 Vice-Presidential candidate. There are also engagement calendars for the years 1970, 1971, and 1976, and a transcript of an oral history conducted by the Truman Library about Fike's years as a newspaper man in Kansas City.

The Stuart Symington series is arranged into three sections: chronological files, subject files, and photographs. The chronological material dates from the 1952 Missouri senatorial campaign through Symington's last day in office in December 1976. This material suggests the day-to-day operations of a U.S. Senator's office, but does not cover every day for the 24-year period. Instead, it concentrates on the particular elections in which Symington was a candidate, with the bulk of the material pertaining to the 1960 Presidential and the 1970 Missouri Senatorial elections. It consists of correspondence, speeches, office notes, travel vouchers, campaign office files, and publicists' reports. Campaign materials include lists of campaign workers and contributors, drafts of campaign literature, files on campaign opponents, expenses of the various state campaign offices, newspaper clippings, news releases and speeches.

The subject files are arranged alphabetically by topic and contain memos, news articles, and reports on such topics as agriculture, civil rights, flood control legislation, health care, trade, and the Vietnam War. Special attention is paid to the Pentagon's decision to close the Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base in the mid-1970s.

Most of the photographs in the Stuart Symington series were taken around 1970, and present the Senator in a variety of settings. A series of shots documents a 1949 USO Christmas tour to Alaska, in which Symington, as Secretary of the Air Force, travelled with Bob Hope. Other subjects include Symington with unidentified committees, with various constituent groups, at a news conference, and at the 1969 Missouri State Fair.

Extensive coverage of the 1976 Missouri Senatorial Democratic primary constitutes the James Symington series. Newspaper articles, memos, correspondence with James Symington and members of his staff, and campaign literature provide an almost day-by-day account of the campaign.

FOLDER LIST

Personal Series

Correspondence

f. 1-7A
f. 8-12B
f. 13-16C
f. 17-18D
f. 19E
f. 20-23F
f. 24-26G
f. 27-30H
f. 31I
f. 32-34J
f. 35-36K
f. 37L
f. 38-41M
f. 42-43N
f. 44O
f. 45-48P
f. 49R
f. 50-54S
f. 55T
f. 56U
f. 57V
f. 58-59W
f. 60Y
f. 61Z

Subject Files

f. 62Abortion
f. 63Bond, Christopher "Kit"
f. 64-65Canada trip, 1952
f. 66-67Carter, Jimmy
f. 68-69aCrime
f. 70Culver, John
f. 71-72Democrats
f. 73-74Eagleton, Thomas
f. 75Education
f. 76-78Engagement calendars
f. 79European trip, 1976
f. 80Government
f. 81EMPTY
f. 82Humphrey, Hubert
f. 83Kennedy, Edward
f. 84Kiwanis Clubs
f. 85Missouri
f. 86-87Missouri, Jackson County
f. 88Missouri, Jackson Day
f. 89-90Missouri, Kansas City
f. 91-92Missouri, St. Louis
f. 93Mott, Frank
f. 94Optimists Clubs
f. 95-97Oral interview
f. 98-101Park College, Parkville, Missouri
f. 102Presidential campaigns
f. 103-105Product liability
f. 106Skelton, Ike
f. 107-108Small business
f. 109-117Speeches
f. 118Springfield (Missouri) Press Club
f. 119-121Symington, Stuart
f. 122Taxes
f. 123-125Teasdale, Joseph
f. 126Truman, Harry S--Centennial
f. 127University of Missouri
f. 128-131Miscellaneous
a.c. 1see folder 88
a.c. 2see folder 118

Stuart Symington Series

Chronological Files

f. 132-1381952
f. 1391953-1955
f. 140-1411956
f. 1421957-1958
f. 1431958
f. 144-1461959
f. 147-1611960
f. 1621961
f. 1631962-1963
f. 164-1771964
f. 1781965-1966
f. 1791967
f. 1801968
f. 181-1841969
f. 185-2321970
f. 233-2341971
f. 2351972
f. 236-2381973
f. 239-2441974
f. 245-2561975
f. 257-2671976
f. 268Mailing codes
f. 269-270Staff files
f. 271-276Travel vouchers
f. 277-278Miscellaneous
f. 279-280Campaign paraphernalia

Subject Files

f. 281-285Agriculture
f. 286C
f. 287-295Civil rights
f. 296-297Congress
f. 298-299Economy
f. 300Education
f. 301Equal Rights Amendment
f. 302Flood control
f. 303-304Foreign Aid
f. 305Fuller, Buckminster
f. 306Health care
f. 307Housing
f. 308L
f. 309Legislation, miscellaneous
f. 310-312Military
f. 313Missouri
f. 314Nixon, Richard M.
f. 315P
f. 316-318Politics
f. 319Quality of life
f. 320-326Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base
f. 327S
f. 328Trade
f. 329Unemployment
f. 330Veterans' affairs
f. 331Vietnam War
f. 332Wages
f. 333Watergate
f. 334Miscellaneous

Photographs

f. 335-336Symington, Stuart
f. 337-338Symington with committees
f. 339Symington with congressmen
f. 340-343Symington with constituents
f. 344Symington news conference
f. 345Campaign, 1970
f. 346Goldsmith, Leo
f. 347Hope, Bob
f. 348Meir, Golda
f. 349Memorial Day, 1970
f. 350Missouri Community Development Awards, 1971
f. 351Missouri Electric Cooperative
f. 352Missouri ham
f. 353Missouri Press Association
f. 354Missouri State Fair, 1969
f. 355Mississippi Valley luncheon
f. 356Plumbing Industry Council
f. 357Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis
f. 358School of the Ozarks
f. 359Senate Foreign Relations Committee, U.N. visit
f. 360Senate Youth Program Award
f. 361Veterans of Foreign Wars
f. 362Western Electric

James Symington Series

f. 3631968-1974
f. 364-364a1975
f. 3651976 January
f. 3661976 February
f. 3671976 March
f. 3681976 April
f. 3691976 May
f. 370-3711976 June
f. 372-3751976 July
f. 376-3801976 August
f. 3811976 September-December
f. 382Campaign files, 1976
f. 383-384Campaign literature, 1976

INDEX TERMS

These index terms are the subjects, people, places, etc. under which this collection is listed in all available indexes at The State Historical Society of Missouri-Columbia. If you are interested in a specific index term, please contact the reference staff.