Callison, Charles H. (1913-1993), Papers, 1927-1995 (C4029)

11.5 linear feet, 3 audio cassettes

INTRODUCTION

The papers of an environmentalist, editor of the Missouri Conservationist, conservation director of the National Wildlife Federation, chairman of the Natural Resources Council of America, and executive vice president of the National Audubon Society. The papers contain correspondence, newsletters, meeting minutes, photographs, and other materials documenting Callison's work as a conservationist.

DONOR INFORMATION

The Charles H. Callison Papers were donated to the University of Missouri by his wife, Amelia (Amy) Callison, on September 29, 1999 (Accession No. 5822).

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Charles H. Callison was born on November 6, 1913, in Lousana, Alberta, Canada, to Guy and Dorinda Stuart Callison. He was married on June 7, 1951, to Amelia (Amy) Ferguson, and they had one son, C. Stuart Callison, and three daughters, Joyce Melville, Karen Bater, and Bettye Callison- Palermo. He moved to Missouri at age five and graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism in 1937.

From 1941 to 1946, he served as chief of information and editor of the Missouri Conservationist for the Missouri Conservation Commission. He then became executive secretary of the Conservation Federation of Missouri. He moved to Washington, D.C. in 1951 to become secretary and conservation director of the National Wildlife Federation, serving as chairman of the Natural Resources Council of America from 1957 to 1959. During that time, he assisted in drafting important conservation bills including the Wilderness Act, the Golden Eagle Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

He joined the staff of the National Audubon Society in 1960, becoming executive vice president in 1966. He wrote "National Outlook," a regular column in Audubon Magazine. In 1977, he founded the Public Lands Institute, a research and conservation organization, serving as president until 1986. He was also founder, president, and legislative leader of the Missouri Parks Association, and a lobbyist for the Missouri Audubon Council.

He was the author and editor of several books, newsletters, articles, and reviews. He was granted the Audubon Medal of the National Audubon Society in 1978, and honorary doctor of science from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1979. He was also the first recipient of the Charles Callison award of the Missouri Parks Association in 1992. He died in Jefferson City on February 23, 1993, due to complications following open-heart surgery.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Charles H. Callison Papers consist of correspondence, notes, memos, organizational newsletters, meeting minutes, newspaper articles, copies of Missouri House and Senate bills and journals, published and unpublished material, photographs, and miscellaneous items. This material focuses on Callison's lifelong work as a conservationist. The papers are arranged into five series: Audubon Society, Subject Files, House and Senate Bills and Journals, Photographs and Slides, and Publications.

The Audubon Society series consists of newsletters, correspondence, notes, memos, board and staff material, special projects, meeting minutes, and portions of the Audubon magazine, containing articles by Charles Callison, who was on the Audubon editorial board. Also included are issues of the Audubon Leader, formerly called the Audubon Leader's Conservation Guide. This material is arranged alphabetically by subject, with the exception of the magazines, which are arranged chronologically.

The Subject Files series comprises the bulk of the collection and includes a mix of Callison's personal and professional papers including family genealogy, speech material, drafts and reports on numerous conservation issues, surveys, fund-raising proposals, petitions, campaigns, and reports. The series also contains pieces of legislation dealing with conservation, such as the Natural Streams Act and Septic Tank Bill. There is much material generated from Callison's interaction with conservation groups, as well as governmental departments, including the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Missouri Coalition for the Environment, Missouri Department of Conservation, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Missouri Public Interest Research Group, and the Conservation Federation of Missouri. This material is arranged alphabetically by topic.

The House and Senate Bills and Journals series consists of legislation dealing with conservation issues in the early 1990s. This material is in the form of pamphlets published during sessions of the Missouri legislature and is arranged in chronological order.

The Photographs and Slides series consists of personal and professional photos. The personal photographs depict Callison, his wife and family, and the awards he earned or those which were created in his honor. The professional photographs include beautification projects, dedications, conferences, presentations, and meetings with President Lyndon B. Johnson and other politicians. Images of former strip-mine pits, events sponsored by the Boonville Rod and Gun Club, and slides for a program entitled, "Parks and Soils: A Plan for the Future," are also included. In addition, there is an audiocassette which accompanies an ACEC (Areas of Critical Environmental Concern) slide program. The photographs and slides are arranged chronologically.

The Publications series consists of various reports, newsletters, journals, and periodicals covering nature conservation. Some titles include, Sierra Club, Public Lands Institute, Natural Resources Council of America, The Amicus Journal, Journal of Forest History, National Parks and Conservation Magazine, Missouri Conservationist, America's Natural Resources, and Man and Wildlife in Missouri. This series is arranged alphabetically by topic, and then chronologically.

FOLDER LIST

Audubon Society Series

f. 1Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) Notes
f. 2-5Audubon, 1963-1976
f. 6-12Audubon Leader's Conservation Guide, 1960-1969
f. 13-18Audubon Leader, 1970-1974
f. 19Audubon Regional Council
f. 20Board, Committees, By-Laws, etc.
f. 21Board and Staff
f. 22Buchheister Bird Garden, 1986-1988
f. 23Burroughs Audubon Society
f. 24Chapter Letters
f. 25Chapter Lists
f. 26Charles H. Callison Comments on ACEC, 1986
f. 27-29Correspondence, 1965-1992
f. 30Institute for Conservation Leadership
f. 31Klataske
f. 32Literature
f. 33-35Missouri Audubon Council
f. 36Missouri Audubon Council, Chapter Leaders
f. 37Missouri Audubon Council, Chapter Newsletters
f. 38Missouri Audubon Council, Forestry
f. 39-40Missouri Audubon Council, Newsletter, 1989-1992
f. 41National, Correspondence, Budget, etc.
f. 42Procedures
f. 42aProxy Campaign
f. 43-46Public Lands Institute
f. 47Public Lands Institute, Board of Directors, Master
f. 48Public Lands Institute, Newsletter, 1978-1986
f. 49Retirees
f. 50River Bluffs Audubon Society
f. 51Staff Memos and Letters

Subject Files Series

f. 52Acts of Congress
f. 53Adirondack Papers
f. 54A.I.D. Program
f. 55Applications to Community Service Council, Supporting Letters and Reports
f. 56ACEC
f. 57ACEC Article, 1987
f. 58ACEC, California
f. 59ACEC Leaflet
f. 60ACEC Material/Letterhead, 1986-1987
f. 61Aerojet
f. 62Article/Speech on ACEC's
f. 63Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks
f. 64Awards, etc., 1970s-1990s
f. 65Big Horn Waterfall Project
f. 66Book Reviews
f. 67Briefing Book, Commission on New Directions for National Wildlife Refuge
System, c. 1990
f. 68Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
f. 69-71BLM Wilderness Program
f. 72Casper and Oregon Speech Material
f. 73Chevron Awards Committee
f. 74Chevron Conservation Awards Program
f. 75Citizens for Clean Air
f. 76Citizen's Committee, Campaign Reports and Legalities
f. 77Citizen's Committee, Miscellaneous Notes and Records
f. 78-79Citizen's Committee for Soil, Water, and State Parks
f. 80-81Citizen's Committee for Soil, Water, and State Parks, Receipts for Disbursement, Bills Paid
f. 82Clean Air Laws
f. 83Committees, Hearings, Yard Waste Composting
f. 84Committee to Preserve Hillside Woods
f. 85Committee for a Responsible Conservation Commission
f. 86-88Conservation Federation of Missouri
f. 89Conservation Foundation
f. 90Conservation Material, 1970s-1980s
f. 91-93Conservation Program in Missouri, 1969-1970
f. 94Conservation Sermons for Book
f. 95-96Correspondence, 1960s-1989
f. 97Cultural Resources Brochure Material
f. 98Democratic National Committee, 1981
f. 99Dilks/Presley Correspondence, 1990
f. 100Eulogies
f. 101Faith Thompson Campbell, ACEC Draft and Report
f. 102Fire Island Clippings, 1963
f. 103Forest Conservation Stamp, 1958
f. 104Forests for the Future Conference, 1991
f. 105-109Garrison Diversion
f. 110-111Genealogy
f. 112General History, 1956
f. 113Global Warming Report
f. 114Greens
f. 115Grolier Article
f. 116Hastings-On-Hudson, Miscellaneous, 1960s-1980s
f. 117Hastings-On-Hudson Nature Program Committee
f. 118Hillside Park Maps
f. 119Hillside Park Nature Program, 1964-1966
f. 120Initiative Campaign
f. 121Initiative Petition Campaign
f. 122Management of Fish and Wildlife Service, 1989
f. 123-126Mining Law
f. 127-129Miscellaneous, 1970s-1990s
f. 130Miscellaneous Articles and Letters, 1970s-1980s
f. 131Miscellaneous Correspondence and Articles, 1960-1977
f. 132-139Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1960s-1990s, n.d.
f. 140-147Miscellaneous Public Lands Background Materials
f. 148Miscellaneous, Scrapbook, 1961-1964
f. 149Missouri Coalition for Environment, R. Roger Pryor
f. 150Missouri Conservation Commission, 1953, 1966-1969
f. 151Missouri Conservation Commission, Powell Controversy
f. 152Missouri Department of Conservation
f. 153Missouri Department of Conservation, Kerr-McGee Tract
f. 154Missouri Department of Natural Resources
f. 155Missouri Parks Association
f. 156Missouri Parks and Soil Sales Tax
f. 157Missouri Public Interest Research Group
f. 158Missouri River State Trail
f. 159Missouri Soil and Water Conservation Districts
f. 160Missouri Wilderness Statement
f. 161Nagel Booklet
f. 162National Association of State Archaeologists Membership List
f. 163-164National Wildlife Federation, Board of Directors Meetings, 1956-1958
f. 165National Wildlife Federation Meeting, Letters, 1956-1960
f. 166National Wildlife Federation Litigation
f. 167-179National Wildlife Refuge System
f. 180Native Wildflowers
f. 181Natural Resources Defense Council, 1987
f. 182Natural Streams Act
f. 183Nature Program Committee, 1963-1965
f. 184News Articles, 1920s-1930s
f. 185Non-Point Source Water Pollution in Missouri
f. 186Notes on 1989 ACEA Update
f. 187Notes and Correspondence
f. 188Notes for Slide Presentation
f. 189ORVs, ATVs, Mark Twain National Forest
f. 190On-Site Sewage
f. 191On-Site Sewage Coalition
f. 192-194Overlooked In America
f. 195Pearson Correspondence, Garrison Diversion
f. 196Philosophical Papers, 1956-1960
f. 197Public Land Policy
f. 198Public Lands Institute, and Miscellaneous
f. 199Religion and Environment
f. 200Sagebrush Rebellion, Article and Working Papers
f. 201Septic Tank Bill
f. 202Sierra Club
f. 203Society of American Travel Writers, 1988
f. 204-212Soils/Parks
f. 204Accounts and Campaign Reports
f. 205C/E Proposals and Plans
f. 206Committee, Current Campaign Material, Endorsements, etc.
f. 207Correspondence, General
f. 208 Executive Committee Lists, Meetings, etc.
f. 209Full Committee, 1987-1989
f. 210Fund-Raising Letters
f. 211Lists and Labels
f. 212Newsletters
f. 213Soil and Water Districts Commission/County Coordinators
f. 214Speeches, Audubon, etc.
f. 215State Park Book Material
f. 216Statements, Jay House, Aerojet, Federal Land Policy and Management Act
f. 216aSpeech Material at National Audubon Society Convention, 1981
f. 217Trail Guides
f. 218Trails, Money
f. 219U.S. Department of the Interior
f. 220Unpublished Manuscripts
f. 221Water Quality Standards
f. 222Water Quality Standards Advisory Committee
f. 223Wetlands
f. 224Wilderness Society Council, 1982-1983
f. 225Wildflower Survey

House and Senate Bills and Journals Series

f. 226-2321990-1993

Photographs and Slides Series

f. 2331920s-1990s
f. 2341940s-1950s
f. 2351945-1955
f. 2361960s-1970
f. 2371984-1987
f. 2381988
f. 239ACEC Slide Program, c.1980s

Publications Series

f. 240-241America's Natural Resources, 1957, 1967
f. 242Field and Stream, 1953
f. 243Man and Wildlife in Missouri, 1953
f. 244-249Missouri Conservationist, 1943-1948, 1971
f. 250Missouri Wildlife, 1947-1951
f. 251-263Natural Resources Council of America, 1958-1972
f. 264-270Public Lands Institute, 1978-1986
f. 271Sierra Club, Missouri Legislative Network, 1992
f. 272-276Miscellaneous, 1959-1995

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

Bond, Christopher S. (1939- )f. 132
Callison, Charles H. (1913-1993)f. 233-236 (pictorial image)
Callison, Charles H. (1913-1993)f. 1-225, 233, 235, 236
Conservation Federation of Missourif. 86-88
Conservation of natural resourcesf. 1-99, 101-109, 113-276
Conservation of natural resourcesf. 233-239 (pictorial image)
Danforth, John C. (1936- )f. 132
Democratic National Committeef. 98
Institute for Conservation Leadershipf. 30
Johnson, Lady Bird (1912-2007)f. 116
Johnson, Lady Bird (1912-2007)f. 236 (pictorial image)
Johnson, Lyndon B. (1908-1973)f. 236 (pictorial image)
Missouri Audubon Councilf. 33-40
Missouri Coalition for Environmentf. 149
Missouri Parks Associationf. 155
Missouri Public Interest Research Groupf. 157
Missouri. Conservation Commissionf. 150, 151
Missouri. Department of Conservationf. 152, 153
Missouri. Department of Natural Resourcesf. 154
National Association of State Archaeologistsf. 162
National Audubon Societyf. 1-51
National Wildlife Federationf. 163-166
Natural Resources Defense Councilf. 181
Public Lands Institutef. 43-48, 198
Rockefeller, Nelson A. (1908-1979)f. 116
Sierra Clubf. 78, 202
Society of American Travel Writersf. 203
The Conservation Foundationf. 89
U.S. Bureau of Land Managementf. 68-71
U.S. Department of the Interiorf. 219
U.S. Department of the Interior. Fish and Wildlife Servicef. 122
Wilderness Society Councilf. 224
Wildlife conservationf. 1-50, 67, 167-179, 243, 250, 273-276