Prepared by Lois Morris 1992
Ralph Anderson, Jr. Papers, 1860 -1989, MS 413, Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University
Ralph Anderson, Jr. was born January 1, 1923 in Houston, Texas, the son
of Mr. And Mrs. Ralph Anderson, Sr. Ralph Anderson, Sr. (Andy) was the Sports
Editor of the
Ralph Anderson, Jr. attended school in Houston, graduating from Lamar High School in 1939 and Rice Institute (later Rice University) in 1943 with a B. A. degree in Architecture. While at Rice, he won The American Institute of Architecture Student Medal, and was the first architectural student at the university to be elected to Phi Beta Kappa, a national honorary fraternity.
After being inducted into the Army in 1943, he was sent to Harvard University. Upon completion of an Advanced Studies Program, he went to France where he served in the European Theatre of Operations. As a result of a head wound received at the Battle of the Bulge, he was awarded both the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.
When the war ended, Ralph Anderson returned to Rice Institute, and received a B. S. degree in Architecture in 1947. After graduating, he joined the firm of Wilson, Morris and Crain. He worked for two years, then took a leave of absence in 1949 for an extensive study tour of Europe. He returned to the firm in 1950 and was made a partner in 1952. In 1972 the firm became known as Wilson, Crain and Anderson and in 1975 it became Wilson, Crain, Anderson and Reynolds. He was President of Crain/Anderson, Inc. in 1978.
Ralph Anderson was an artist, book reviewer, lecturer and author. He
took part in the 12th Annual Texas Painting and Sculpture Exhibit in 1951. He
wrote
He was a registered architect in Texas, Indiana, Louisiana, the District of Columbia, Missouri, Kansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Ohio, and designed both family residences and commercial buildings. The World Trade Center in Houston, the Astrodome, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, the Houston Post Building, the Harris Court House Addition, and the Alice Pratt Brown Fine Arts Library at Rice University were among his many designs.
He won numerous awards, such as the Award of Merit, Texas Architecture, 1961, 1965; The Commendation Award, Houston Chapter A. I. A. 1962; Interior Certificate of Commendation, Municipal Art Commission, 1973, and many more. He became President of the Houston Chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 1966 and was elected a Fellow in the A. I. A., in 1967.
Ralph Anderson was a member of Allegro, The Tejas Club of Houston, and the Argyle Club of San Antonio.
He died February 3, 1990 in Houston
The Ralph Anderson Collection consists of ten cubic feet of correspondence, photographs, architectural drawings, publications, memorabilia, Rice University records and World War II records. It covers a broad spectrum of Ralph Anderson's life beginning with his grade school transcripts and ending with the very poignant diary that he kept through the last year of his life.
Although most of the documents relate to the personal and professional life and career of Ralph Anderson, Jr., there are also a few records pertaining to other family members.
The collection is divided into eleven series:
The papers were a gift from H. Russell Pitman, executor of the Ralph Anderson Estate. They were received in June, August, September, October 1990 and January 1991.
There are no restrictions on the use of the Ralph Anderson Papers, except for one box, which is inventoried in the Detailed Description of the Collection. For more information, consult the Archivist.
Permission to publish material from the Ralph Anderson, Jr., Papers must be obtained from the Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University.
The earliest records in the collection, 1860-1965, can be found in the Family Documents Series. They include documents of a genealogical nature, such as marriage, birth, and naturalization records. Ralph Anderson's school transcripts and a few legal "land" records belonging to Ralph Anderson, Sr. are also in this series.
This series covers the years Ralph Anderson attended Rice University both before and after World War II. Included are class notes, financial records, school transcripts, membership in Phi Beta Kappa, and drawings for homes designed and built by Ralph Anderson while a student at Rice. There are also correspondence and newspaper clippings from a news column written by Ralph Anderson while serving as Class Agent.
Material in this series spans the years Ralph Anderson served in the army during World War II, beginning with his attendance at Harvard University, where he was enrolled in an Advanced Studies Program. There is also an extensive collection of photographs taken throughout Europe during World War II. Both the American and German memorabilia will be of interest to anyone doing research into World War II history. Included are patches, ribbons, a Walther P 38 (pistol), German belt buckle, pins, a German slide rule, and a Safe Conduct Pass. Ralph Anderson's helmet (with bullet hole), his Good Conduct Medal and Bronze Star.
Some of the memorabilia and realia in subseries C marked as restricted. Contact the archivist for more information.
(See Oversize for additional photos)
Letters in the general series have been divided by correspondence received by Ralph Anderson and correspondence sent by Ralph Anderson. Chronological order has been imposed on each group.
While the majority of the correspondence in the general series relates to Ralph Anderson, Jr., there are some interesting letters written to his father, Andy Anderson, Sr. from Vice President Nixon in 1953 and from President Eisenhower in 1953 and 1954.
Most of the correspondence in the family series was written by Ralph Anderson, Jr. to his parents while serving in the army during World War II.
This series covers the entire span of his career from his early work to his retirement in 1989. There are newspaper clippings and correspondence from his many years of association with Wilson, Morris, and Crain and later when the firm became Wilson, Morris, Crain and Anderson. There are also financial records, brochures, and rendering from various architectural projects. To see the architectural drawings from Ralph Anderson's career, see the list of contents in Map Drawer 2. Included in the drawings are personal dwellings, medical clinics, banks, schools, T. V. Stations and the Harris County Sports Stadium (Astrodome) built in 1965.
See Ralph Anderson's drawings in map drawer 2 for house plans.
Ralph Anderson's professional affiliations are closely tied to his professional practice. This series contains brochures, drawings, and lectures given by Ralph Anderson. There is also some interesting correspondence relating to his association with the Texas Architects Committee, the Texas Society of Architects, and the American Institute of Architects. Of particular interest are the many letters of congratulations Ralph Anderson received when he was nominated for a "Fellowship" in the American Institute of Architects.
Personal interests of Ralph Anderson, Jr. away from the architectural drawing board can be found in the Personal series. He had an extremely wide diversity of interests that ranged from cultural, literary to civic.
Included in the series are the draft and final copy of
The publications series has an interesting collection of newspaper clippings that give an excellent overall view of Ralph Anderson's social life and civic endeavors. He was interested not only in architectural aesthetics, but he was also interested in environmental aesthetics as shown by his involvement and commitment to "Billboards Limited."
The photographic series consist of pictures of Ralph Anderson taken through many phases of his life, from babyhood to adulthood.
There are also pictures of Ralph Anderson, Sr. with President Dwight Eisenhower in 1953 and one taken with General Douglas McArthur.
This series contains a photograph album with pictures of the inside and the outside of the home of Ralph Anderson, Jr., a picture of the Company B, A.S.T.U., United States Army dated 1943 and a picture of the Rhea Building, Houston, 1900.
There are newspapers with headlines relating to World War II. There
is also a JFK Memorial Edition of