Collection Dates: 1962 -- 1998
16 linear ft.
This document describes a collection of materials held
by the
Special Collections Department
University of Iowa Libraries
Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1420
Phone: 319-335-5921
Fax: 319-335-5900
e-mail: lib-spec@uiowa.edu
Posted to Internet:December 1997
Addendum: March 2006
Acquisition
Note: These
papers were given to the University Libraries by James S. Flansburg in 1996
and 1998.
Access
and Restrictions:
Digital Surrogates: Except where indicated, this document describes but
does not reproduce the actual text, images and objects which make up this
collection. Materials are available only in the Special Collections
Department.
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The University of Iowa Libraries' statement on "Property Rights, Copyright Law, and Permissions to Use Unpublished
Materials"
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Table of Contents
Box 1 Correspondence, A -- C
Box 2 Correspondence, D -- H (1985)
Box 3 Correspondence, H (1986 -- 1995) -- L (1987)
Box 4 Correspondence, L (1988 -- 1995) -- O
Box 5 Correspondence, P --S
Box 6 Correspondence, T -- Appointment books
Box 7 Appointment books -- Editorials written by Flansburg, 1981 -- 1987
Box 8 Editorials written by Flansburg, 1988 -- Subject files, C
Box 9 Subject files, C -- S
Box 10 Biographical material -- Clippings
Box 11 Clippings
Boxes 12 and 13 Columns
Oversized
Material Newsprint pads of clippings
James Sherman Flansburg was born in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, on January 21, 1932, but grew up in Tiffin, the son of A.C. and Esther Flansburg. After two years at the University of Iowa, he joined the U.S. Army, and served in Korea. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University in 1957. While a student, he was City Editor of The Daily Iowan and in 1956 he married Carol Ann McCauley and they had four children.
After graduation,
he went to work as a reporter for The Des Moines Tribune, an afternoon
newspaper, where he worked until 1965. In 1965, Flansburg became a reporter
for The Des Moines Register and in 1966 wrote a famous series
of articles on Parsons College in Fairfield, Iowa. Then, in 1971, he moved into
the position of Chief political writer and columnist for the Register.
As a political reporter for Iowa’s largest newspaper, Flansburg gained
prominence during the Iowa caucuses held in presidential election years. This
was particularly true in 1976. From 1983 to 1989 he was editor of the editorial
pages. In this position, he sought out new talent to write for the opinion page,
including Robert Waller. In 1989, Flansburg returned to writing his “Old
Reporter” column which he continued until he retired on January 21, 1997.
The James S.
Flansburg Papers, fourteen linear feet, span the years from 1962 to 1998 and
cover almost his entire career at The Des Moines Register, except for
his early years in the late 1950s. The papers include mostly correspondence,
but also appointment books, subject files, and unsigned editorials written while
editor of the editorial pages, and clippings. The correspondence consists almost
entirely of letters to Flansburg or to the Register, but there are sometimes
carbon copies of outgoing letters. The papers reflect Flansburg’s professional
career as a reporter, editor, and columnist for the Register. Among the
correspondents are many political figures and writers including Gerald Bogan,
Willard L. Boyd, David W. Belin, Randall H. Balmer, Dan Bied, Gladys Black,
Robert Buckmaster, John C. Culver, Lucas J. DeKoster, Jeannette H. Eyerly, David
M. Elderkin, Paul Engle, Michael G. Gartner, David R. Gergen, Carl Hamilton,
John M. Henry, Tom Harkin, Robert S. Jaggard, Gary H. Koerselman, Hanford MacNider,
Betty McCollister, Donald E. Mitchell, Arthur Neu, Frank Nye, Herb Plambeck,
Robert D. Ray, David Riesman, Robert S. Rigler, David Schoenbaum, and Robert
Waller.
Correspondence, A
-- C: Includes letters from Gerald Bogan, Willard L. Boyd, David W. Belin, Randall
H. Balmer, Dan Bied, Gladys Black, Robert Buckmaster, and John C. Culver.
Correspondence, D
-- H (1985). Includes letters from Lucas J. DeKoster, Jeannette H. Eyerly, David
M. Elderkin, Paul Engle, Michael G. Gartner, David R. Gergen, Carl Hamilton,
and John M. Henry.
Correspondence, H
(1986 -- 1995) -- L (1987). Includes letters from Tom Harkin, Robert S. Jaggard,
and Gary H. Koerselman.
Correspondence, L
(1988 -- 1995) -- O. Includes letters from Hanford MacNider, Betty McCollister,
Donald E. Mitchell, Art Neu, and Frank Nye.
Correspondence, P
-- S. Includes letters from Herb Plambeck, Robert D. Ray, Robert S. Rigler, and
David Schoenbaum.
Correspondence, T -- Z, including letters from Robert Waller.
Appointment books,
1976 -- 1978.
Appointment books, 1979 -- 1995.
Des Moines Register
Bill Bryson on the Iowa Oaks, 1969.Editorial page content summaries, no date.
Editorial page matters, 1983 -- 1984.
Flansburg financial and legal documents, 1963 -- 1974.
Job descriptions, 1985.
“Lessons we learned from Raff,” 1993.
Memoranda, 1982 -- 1989.
Newspaper Guild, 1985.
Readership/marketing study, June 1987.
Syndicated columns, 1983 -- 1985.
Travel expense reports, 1964 -- 1977.
Editorials written
by Flansburg, 1981 -- 1987.
Editorials written by Flansburg, 1988 -- 1989.
Subject files
American Political Science Association Midwestern Public Affairs Reporting Award Winners Seminar, 1963.Clinton, Iowa, Corn Processing Company--Profile of Harold A. Bendixen, including letters from Bendixen, 1965.
Carolyn Gabrielson, 1992 -- 1995, on Davenport, Iowa, public schools.
Subject files (cont.)
Gentile-Burnham, 1993, a fraudulent practice case.National Observer (a national Sunday weekly newspaper published by Dow Jones & Company of the Wall Street Journal) letters from Flansburg, 1961 -- 1963.
Open enrollment in Iowa schools, 1992 -- 1993.
The Parsons story, 1959 -- 1967, including letters from David Riesman.
Photographs of James Flansburg, 1974.
State of Iowa v. Rodney Darnell, 1994, a paternity action.
Biographical material.
Clippings on retirement.
Correspondence, 1996 -- March 1998.
Miscellaneous correspondence, 1976 -- 1995.
Monthly planner, 1996.
Photographs.
Speeches.
Clippings.
Clippings.
Box 12
Columns
1971 -- 1989
Box 13
1990 -- 1999
Three newsprint pads of clippings.
