Red Scare,

urn:taro:houpub.00037 Dr. George Ebey Collection MSS.0070 Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library

500 McKinney St. Julia Ideson Building, 2nd Floor Houston, TX, 77002 832-393-1662

This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2013-03-27T09:31-0500 Finding aid written in English. Descriptive Summary Ebey, George, 1907- Dr. George Ebey CollectionBulk, 1951-19551936-1971, 1951-1955MSS.0070 3.0 Linear feet, 4 document boxes, 1 photograph box, 1 medium flat box; approximately 1038 items. Materials are in English. Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library Historical Note

This collection covers post-World War II issues including McCarthyism, the Red Scare, and Un-American activities. It also includes extensive information on the Minute Women, an organization of women against communism in politics and for the teaching of American heritage in schools. The Minute Women's organization spread throughout the U.S. and acquired a large membership in Texas.

Biographical Note

Marie Christensen Ebey (with her husband, R. M. Ebey) gave birth to George Ebey in San Jose, California, on June 1, 1907. George graduated valedictorian from San Jose High School in 1924. He continued his education at San Jose State College, where he received a Junior College Certificate in 1927. Between 1922 and 1929, George Ebey worked for several businesses: Southern Pacific Railroad, Richmond Chemical Company, Aetna Life Insurance Company, and Standard Oil Company of California. After 1927, Ebey attended Stanford University. He earned his BA Degree in 1929. He continued his advanced education in 1931 when he enrolled at Stanford University a second time and earned his Master's Degree in 1932.

Ebey taught English and Dramatics, and was the Football coach at the Kamehameha School, Honolulu, Hawaii from September 1932 until June 1937. Dr. George Ebey married Leonor Campo at Honolulu, Hawaii, on August 12, 1933. Afterward he attended Columbia University, Stanford University, and finally earned his Doctorate in Education from the Teacher's College, Columbia University, New York City in 1940.

Dr. George Ebey was commissioned to serve as a Lieutenant in the US Army Air Force on July 25, 1942. He was granted the Award of the Legion of Merit on June 8, 1946, for his service as a member of Staff Planning Officers.

After his discharge, Dr. Ebey lectured for Stanford University during the Spring and Summer Term of 1946. In September 1946, he worked as a Professor of Secondary Education at Chico State College, Chico, California, until 1948. He eventually gained a position as Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Portland, Oregon, from 1948 to 1952. Thereafter he was employed as Deputy Superintendent of Schools for the Houston Independent School District (HISD), Houston, Texas.

Shortly after his arrival in Houston, accusations of Un-American activities were lobbed at Dr. Ebey. The HISD School Board conducted a hearing and decided to fire him in 1953.

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of Dr. George Ebey's personal and professional correspondence, research, publications, speeches, news articles, and other items. These documents span the time before his employment at HISD, his struggle with HISD for his job, and the after-effects of the hearing and decision. This collection also includes the investigation of Roger O'Leary into the secretive underground organization of women against Un-American Activities, the Minute Women.

Arrangement Series 1 Pre-HISD employment and accusations Series 2 Communist Accusations Series 3 General Research Company Report Series 4 Correspondence regarding accusations during and after the investigation Series 5 Newspaper articles Series 6 Board proceedings and decision Series 7 Correspondence after decision Series 8 Newspaper articles after decision Series 9 Materials authored by Ebey Series 10 Minute Women Series 11 Roger O'Leary Series 12 Citizens Advisory Conference on Education Series 13 Communist attacks and issues Series 14 HISD School Board Series 15 The AVC Bulletin Series 16 Photographs Access Restrictions

None.

Use Restrictions

None.

Preferred Citation

Dr. George Ebey Collection. Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library

Acquisition Information

Donated by Texas Gulf Coast Historical Association, 1977

Processing Information

Processed by Martha Grace Cromeens, May 2002

Index Terms Ebey, George, 1907- Houston Independent School District Minute Women of the U.S.A., Inc. Houston Chapter O'Leary, Roger Anti-communist movements--Texas--Houston Education--Texas--Houston Houston Independant School District (HISD) School elections--Texas--Houston School superintendents--Texas--Houston Schools—Texas—Houston 1. Pre-HISD employment and accusations Scope and Contents note

This series includes a recommendation to award the Legion of Merit and information regarding the American Veterans Committee. It consists of the HISD job offer and subsequent correspondence as well as speeches given by Ebey.

1 1 Miscellaneous, 3 items 1946-1952. 1 2 Houston job offer (HISD) and correspondence, 28 items 1952-1953. 1 3 Speeches, 9 items 1946-1952. 2. Communist Accusations Scope and Contents note

The second series consists of accusatory letters as well as general correspondence. The correspondence ranges from business directly related to the accusations to letters of recommendation and support.

1 4 Communist accusations, 3 items 1952-1953. 1 5 Correspondence, 53 items 1952-1953. 1 6 Letters of recommendation, 53 items 1952-1953. 1 7 General correspondence on attack, 48 items 1952-1953. 1 8 Correspondence with Paul A. Rehmus, Superintendent of Portland Schools, 14 items 1952-1953. 1 9 Correspondence with Columbia University, 10 items 1952-1953. 3. General Research Company Report Scope and Contents note

This series contains a two-volume report amassed for the hearing regarding accusations against Dr. Ebey involving Communist activities. The report was a collection of background information.

1 10 General Research Company Report, Volume 1, 1 item 1953. 1 11 General Research Company Report, Volume 2, 1 item 1953. 4. Correspondence regarding accusations during and after the investigation Scope and Contents note

Series 4 is comprised of correspondence, newspaper clippings, and press releases. The bulk of this series occurred during and after the investigation reported above.

2 1 Correspondence regarding report, 11 items 1953. 2 2 General correspondence, 6 items 1952-1953. 2 3 Newspaper clippings and correspondence, 50 items 1952-1953. 2 4 Publications, <emph render="doublequote">Letters to the Editor,</emph> editorials, and correspondence regarding clippings, 14 items 1936, 1953. 2 5 Press release and correspondence, 13 items 1953. 5. Newspaper articles Scope and Contents note

These newspaper articles report directly on the Ebey controversy before the hearing and decision.

2 6 Newspaper clippings, 127 items May 12, 1953-July 25, 1953. 2 7 Newspaper clippings and corresponding correspondence, 36 items July 26, 1953-August 1953. 6. Board proceedings and decision Scope and Contents note

This series includes Dr. Ebey's statement to the HISD Board of Education, others' statements to the board in support of Dr. Ebey, and the board's final decision.

2 8 Board proceedings and decision, 6 items 1953. 7. Correspondence after decision Scope and Contents note

Series 7 contains telegraphs and personal responses regarding the HISD Board of Education's decision.

2 9 Telegraphs after board action, 12 items July 1953. 2 10 Correspondence (supportive) after board action, 81 items 1953. 2 11 Correspondence (general) after decision, 16 items 1953-1954. 8. Newspaper articles after decision 2 12 Newspaper clippings, 4 items 1954. 2 13 Newspaper clippings, 2 items 1955. 9. Materials authored by Ebey Scope and Contents note

The materials included in this series are magazine and journal articles, speeches given, letters, and responses.

3 1 Materials authored by Ebey, 27 items 1945-1953. 10. Minute Women Scope and Contents note

This series involves all information published and gathered about the <emph render="doublequote">Minute Women</emph> - a secretive organization of women against <emph render="doublequote">un-American activities.</emph> These documents include work by Roger O'Leary, correspondence and the Minute Women newsletters and pamphlets.

3 2 Minute Women - articles and miscellaneous, 61 items 1944-1953. 3 3 Minute Women (from O'Leary's papers), 32 items 1951-1953. 3 4 Minute Women of the USA, Inc. Newsletters, 13 items 1951-1954. 11. Roger O'Leary Scope and Contents note

These folders contain Mr. O'Leary's correspondence, works, and personal information.

3 5 O'Leary Correspondence, 19 items 1953-1954. 3 6 Material on O'Leary, 14 items 1953-1954. 3 7 Brown Award Committee Letter (rough drafts) by O'Leary, 27 items 1954. 3 8 The Nation magazine, January 9, 1954, featuring article by O'Leary. 1 item 12. Citizens Advisory Conference on Education 3 9 Citizens Advisory Conference on Education, 1 item 1952. 13. Communist attacks and issues 3 10 Doctors for Freedom, 2 items 1952-1953. 3 11 Attack on Dr. Clement, 2 items 1952. 3 12 Speeches and papers, 3 items 1953-1954. 3 13 Miscellaneous, 4 items 1953. 3 14 A Study of Factors Related to Educational Unrest in a large School System, 1 item 1954. 3 15 Hearing - Committee on Un-American Activities, 1 item 1953. 3 16 Right Wing Literature/McCarthyism, 40 items 1951-1954. 14. HISD School Board 4 1 HISD School Board (general), 30 items 1948-1971. 4 2 HISD School Board election, 28 items 1951-1952. 4 3 HISD meeting, 1 item December 12, 1949. 4 4 A Handbook of Facts about the Houston Independent School District, 1 item 1951. 4 5 HISD School Board articles, 46 items 1951-1954. 4 6 School election - miscellaneous, 40 items 1951-1953. 4 7 Land Population Growth report, 1 item 1951. 15. The AVC Bulletin Scope and Contents note

This series is held in a flat box, and contains 38 issues of The AVC Bulletin, published by the American Veterans Committee, of which Ebey was a member. 1946-1947. 38 items

16. Photographs Photographs MSS 0070.1-4 6 MSS 0070.1 Box 1, Folder 1 MSS 0070.2-3 Box 1, Folder 2 MSS 0070.4 Box 2, Folder 8