Fredrick D. Shults Papers, 1883-2006
| Oberlin College Archives
Administrative/Biographical History
Fredrick Davis Shults was born February 7, 1932 in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Ward William (d. 1977) and Ruth Rebecca Shults (d. 1983). Following graduation from public school in Alma, Michigan in 1950, where his father was the high school principal, he enrolled at Oberlin College, where his brother Robert Ellis, O.C. ’51, attended. Like his brother, he participated in soccer, baseball, and basketball. He captained the soccer and baseball teams as a senior and received All-American recognition in soccer in 1953-54.
After graduation in 1954, with a double major in physical education and history, he spent two years (1954-56) in the U.S. Navy (Naval Security Agency), stationed in Washington, D.C. Fred ran and played on the naval base’s baseball team. One year he was enrolled at Wesleyan University, Middleton, Conn., where he took history courses related to an M.A. in teaching.
During academic year 1958-59 Fred Shults returned to Oberlin College. Named Instructor of Physical Education (temporary), he headed the Intramural Program. During this period he began graduate study at The Ohio State University for an M.A. in physical education, earning his degree in 1959 under Bruce L. Bennet ’39. His thesis focused on Oberlin’s Fred E. Leonard (d. 1922), who was director of men’s gymnasium and professor of physiology. In 1960 he accepted a full-time position at Oberlin as Assistant Professor in the Physical Education Department for Men. Courses he taught included: “Methods and Techniques in Physical Education” and “History of Physical Education”; and, in 1972, he added a course, “The Competitive Ethic,” and divided the “Methods and Techniques” course in two parts, “Sports Leadership Workshop” and “Methods and Directed Teaching”; then, in 1979, “Competitive Ethics” became “Sociological Perspectives in Sport.” He coached varsity soccer, junior varsity basketball, and varsity lacrosse. In directing the Saturday morning recreation program for town boys ages 8-12, he used College athletes as instructors.
During his early years on the faculty, Shults also pursued graduate work at Indiana University, from which he would complete a Ph.D. degree in Physical Education and Recreation in 1967. His dissertation focused on “The History of Physical Education and Athletics at Oberlin College.” He obtained tenured status in 1964, became a full professor in the Physical Education Department in 1981, and received a sabbatical leave to conduct research in sports sociology at the University of South Florida.
As a faculty member, Fred Shults made the case that the physical education major was a vital part of a liberal arts curriculum. He took Oberlin’s motto “Learning and Labor” at face value, stressed Mind, Body, Harmony, and he believed striving for excellence should be a physical goal as well as an intellectual goal at Oberlin. Professor Shults argued that, in organized sports, winning and losing “must not erode the spirit of play…. The name of the game is participation, and there is a place for all people.” In the campus debate over whether the physical education major should continue at Oberlin, he strongly urged policies to up-grade the quality of the program.
As a soccer coach at Oberlin, his teams compiled a 212-154-50 record (as of 1991). In 1988 he won a second consecutive Men’s soccer coach-of-the-year award in the North Coast Athletic Conference, having completed his 28th season as head soccer coach with a career win/loss record of 175-110-42. To his credit, two players of his received All-American recognition, and two were also recognized as Academic All-American. He earned leadership roles in the Ohio Conference. Numerous coaching articles written by him appeared in professional journals, such as Scholastic Coach and Athletic Journal. As a lacrosse coach, his teams achieved a solid record of 96-94-6. He has participated actively in conference leadership. Shults also published in academic professional journals, such as Quest and Journal of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation. His articles in the professional literature primarily focused on philosophy of athletics, sport sociology, sport ethics, and history. A number of these were first presented at professional meetings. He has written an unpublished book/manuscript entitled “The Competitive Ethic,” centered around the topics covered in his academic course of the same title.
He was married in June 1964 to Sharon Rae Fairchild of Oberlin from whom he was divorced in 1980. They have two children, Jennifer Marie (b. Oct. 29, 1967) and Jeffrey Fairchild (b. Feb. 21, 1970).
Fred’s achievements both as a student athlete and as a coach at Oberlin were honored by his induction into the Oberlin Heisman Club Hall of Fame in 1992. His brother and fellow Hall-of-Famer, Robert (Robi), introduced him at the presentation.
Following his retirement in February 1994, Shults devoted a good deal of his time to playing golf and engaging in other forms of outdoor recreation. He spends the winter months in Florida where he and his brother Robi compete in the friendly game of golf.
Sources Consulted
Former Faculty File of Fredrick D. Shults (RG 28)
Student File of Fredrick D. Shults (RG 28)
Oberlin College Observer
Oberlin News-Tribune
Forms of Material (links to similar genres) Administrative Information
The papers of Fredrick D. Shults document his involvement with physical education and athletics at Oberlin College for nearly 35 years. Shults’ many writings and instructional materials included in the collection record his philosophy on teaching, coaching, sports ethics, and many forms of sports strategy.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series I. Biographical File, 1954-94, n.d. (0.1 l.f.)
One folder contains newspaper and magazine clippings regarding Fredrick Shults and his family. A miscellaneous file includes various versions of Shults’ Vitiae, biographical forms, teaching qualification lists, and several photographs of Shults. Two restricted files include self and departmental evaluations. A final restricted file contains material mainly from Indiana University’s Bureau of Educational Placement much of which are grades from his time at Indiana.
Series II. Correspondence, 1925, 1961-92 (0.3 l.f.)
The correspondence series contains both incoming and outgoing letters of Fredrick Shults. It is divided by subject as Shults handled his correspondence. Many of the letters concerns the requesting and receiving of professional references. A folder which Shults titled “Coaching Rewards” includes letters, cards, and other expressions of gratitude from Shults’ former students. Two folders contain letters relating to the publication of articles and Shults’ manuscript The Competitive Ethic.
Series III. Teaching Materials, 1973-84, n.d. (0.4 l.f.)
Shults’ teaching materials contain mainly lecture notes for three courses he taught: The Competitive Ethic, History of Physical Education, and Sociological Perspectives of Sport. Some supplementary material is included with the related class.
Series IV. Writings of Fredrick D. Shults, 1883-2006, n.d. (1.0 l.f.)
The writings of Fredrick Shults include his academic compositions, written for the completion of his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees, and his research files for his Ph.D. dissertation. Copies of Shults’ published writings—which include titles such as “Broadening the Athletic Experience” and “Freedom Issues in Sport” as well as “Scoring from the Kick-off”—are included and come from various publications (e.g., Oberlin Alumni Magazine and Athletic Journal). See a full listing of Shults’ published articles in the inventory. Several boxes of unpublished manuscripts, including an “Introduction to Beginning Handball, Racquetball, and Paddleball” and “Beginning Lacrosse” are also included.
Series V. Talks and Presentations, 1970-90, n.d. (0.2 l.f.)
Consisting of one folder, this series contains handwritten and typescript outlines and drafts of talks Shults gave to many organizations. Among others, the records include his notes for a City Club Talk, 1990; Elyria High School Banquet, 1989; and a Sandwich Seminar on “Male Perspectives of Women in Sport,” 1977.
Series VI. Coaching Files, 1960-93 (1.8 l.f.)
Included in this series are fifty-three folders containing statistical summaries and often photographs of the many lacrosse and soccer teams Shults coached. The remaining boxes in the series contain Shults’ scorebooks which record game statistics for much of his coaching career.
Series VII. Miscellaneous Research Notes and Files, 1965 (0.4 l.f.)
This series contains Shults’ notes on physical education related material in faculty meetings, 1836-1965.
Series VIII. Miscellaneous Department of Physical Education Files, 1922, 1963, 1972-84, n.d. (0.2 l.f.)
This series contains memos and supporting documentation regarding a range of Physical Education policies and decisions. A separate folder is dedicated to Jack Scott, former Director of Athletics and Chairperson of the Physical Education Department. Also included are anonymous anthropometric measurements and materials on the history of athletics.
Series IX. Miscellaneous Published Materials, 1929-31, 1971-73 (0.6 l.f.)
This series includes bound issues of Black Sports magazine, 1971-73; Reports from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, 1929-31; and “The College and Society,” by Ernest H. Wilkins, 1931.
Series X. Non-Textual Records, 1958, 1960-93, n.d. (0.6 l.f.)
This series contains miscellaneous non-textural items collected by Shults. Included are copies of Shults’ writings on audiocassette, microcards, and computer disk, photographs of various athletic teams, and VHS video tapes of soccer games.