William Harroun Behle papers

Collection

Identifier: MS 0576

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

William H. Behle donated these papers to the University of Utah in 1990-2004. The collection encompasses a wide range of Dr. Behle's professional life at the University of Utah and in particular, the area of ornithology.

The collection has been divided into many sections. The first section contains personal materials such as thank you notes, retirement information, and an interview conducted by Everett L. Cooley. There is also material on classes he taught, his research, as well as surveys and expeditions he participated in.

The second section deals with orthniology; both in his career and his private life. There are materials on the clubs he belonged to, such as the Utah Audubon Society, the Cooper Ornithological Society, and the American Ornithologists Union. Several journals of zoology, one of which dates back to 1914, are also contained in this section. There is information on the Christmas bird counts, as well as the entire history of the Utah Audubon Society.

Dr. Behle's service to the University of Utah conprises the third section of the collection, including papers from the Central General Education Committee, the Uth Conference on Higher Education, and other committees he served on for the University of Utah, or the biology department. There are also files on the establishment of the Utah Museum of Natural History and its expansion. Detailed records of birds on loan to and from museums across the United States are also in this section.

Organizations make up the fourth part of this collection. There are personal organizations such as the Lakefront Gun, Fur and Reclamation Club, and the Sons of the American Revolution. There are also minutes and other records from professional societies such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science; the Utah Academy of Sciencs, Arts and Letters; the American Institute of Biological Sciences; and the National Science Foundation.

The fifth section of this collection is comprised of general correspondence, both to and from Dr. Behle, and is divided into two parts. The first part is correspondence within the University of Utah, such as memos and letters between faculty and administration members. The second, larger part, is made up of letters from biologists, ornithologists, zoologists, students, and other professionals from across the United States and various parts of Europe.

Section six contains newsclippings acquired over many years about the events that Dr. Behle started or participated in, as well as articles about him and his work.

Section seven is devoted to the unpublished manuscript "The Great Salt Lake, Utah's Inland Sea." It contains the research, newspaper clippings, manuscript drafts, as well as a working draft, of the book.

Section eight contains biographical documents, as well as correspondence, fraternity materials, booklets, and articles.

Additional materials have been added to the collection and include articles, correspondence, notes, and other papers.

Boxes 53, 54, and 55 have been digitized.

Dates

1889-2003

Creator

Behle, William H. (William Harroun), 1909-2009 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Conditions Governing Use

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Biographical Sketch

William H. Behle (1909-2009) is a world-renowned ornithologist and has produced most of the knowledge we have today on the birds in Utah. His contributions to the field or ornithology are immeasurable and his name will always sing out among the bird lovers of the west.

A native of Utah, Behle grew up in Salt Lake City and graduated from East High School in 1928. He went on to the Universty of Utah, where he received both his A.B. and M.A. degrees in Zoology. In 1932, he left to undertake his Ph. D., also in Zoology, which he received from the University of California at Berkley in 1937. Later that same year, he returned to Utah to pursue a career in teaching. He attained his first position as an Instructor in the Biology Department. Eventually, he achieved a full professorship and stayed in the department for forty years.

Behle's many years have been filled with service not only to the University of Utah, but to his community. His career has been both challenging and rewarding. Dr. Behle often taught as many as fifteen hours a quarter as well as teaching such courses as parsitology, embroyology, and genetics. He was also the head of the department of General Biology from 1948 to 1963. Dr. Behle has always been active in community affairs, including lecturing to high school groups for the Utah Academy of Sciences' Visiting Science Programs from 1960 to 1964. He also served as a consultant on raptors for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resourses. In 1973 he was a member of the Pelican Protection Committee. Dr. Behle has also served in committees during the Utah Conference on Higher Education and for the Utah Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters.

Honors for William H. Behle have been numerous. President, Vice President, or charter member have been his title in organizations such as the Utah Audubon Society, the University of Utah Chapter of the Society of Sigma Chi, Cooper Ornithological Society, Wildlife Society, Society for the Study of Evolution, and the Utah Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters.

Dr. Behle assisted in the establishment of the Utah Museum of Natual History. To his credit, is the bird gallery which houses some 25,000 bird specimens, accompianied by a library, many maps, a preparation room, storage, a teaching lab, and an additional study collection of birds. The collections and the research conducted by Dr. Behle and his students have brought national recognition to the museum as well as the University of Utah.

Retirement in 1977 did not slow Dr. Behle down. In 1990, he finished Utah Birds: Historical Perspectives and Bibilography, which culminated fifty years of research and took two years to finish.

Extent

38.75 Linear Feet (97 Boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The William Harroun Behle papers (1889-2003) encompass a wide range of Dr. Behle's professional life at the University of Utah and in particular, the area of ornithology.

Arrangement

Organized in nine series: I. Personal Materials; II. Ornithology; III. University of Utah Service; IV. Organizations; V. Correspondence; VI. Clippings; VII. The Great Salt Lake, Utah's Inland Sea; VIII. Biographical Materials; IX. General Materials.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Boxes 1-52 were donated in 1990. Boxes 53-72 were donated in 2004. Boxes 73-80 were donated in 2003. Box 81 was donated in August 2004 (0.25 lin. ft.).

Separated Materials

Photographs were transferred to the Multimedia Division of Special Collections (P0030).

Processing Information

Processed by Heather Kasten, Kate Kimball, Elizabeth Rogers, and Lisa DeMille from 1993-2005.

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