S. Frederick Starr Papers, 1962, 1974-75, 1980-1994, n.d.
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Administrative/Biographical History
A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, S. Frederick Starr (b. March 24, 1940) served as Oberlin College’s twelfth president (1983-1994). Starr is a dynamic leader both inside and outside academia and has taken a proactive position in national and international affairs. After attending Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati, Starr majored in ancient history at Yale University (1962), earned a master degree in Slavonic languages and literature at Kings College, Cambridge University (1964), and received a doctorate in history from Princeton University (1968). He served as an associate professor of history at Princeton from 1968, until he led the founding of the Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies, co-founded with George F. Kennan (1904-2005), at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, in 1974.
At the Kennan Institute, Starr was both secretary and associate director of The Wilson Center where he developed important relationships with Soviet specialists and established research and publication programs. His expertise and interest in U.S. and Soviet relations followed through his subsequent positions, and he continued to produce publications, serve on discussion panels, and give speeches and interviews on a variety of international topics. He spent time living, studying, and working in the Soviet Union and Western Europe. Fluent in Russian, Turkish, and German, Starr served from 1978 to 1979 as a special consultant to the Commission on Foreign Languages and International Studies during the Jimmy Carter administration. Immediately prior to serving as Oberlin College’s president, Starr was vice president for academic affairs at Tulane University in New Orleans, where he also was a professor of history and an adjunct professor of architecture.
Beyond being a respected authority on Russian affairs, Starr is also an accomplished musician. He plays the clarinet and saxophone, with a special interest in classic musical instruments. Starr founded the internationally renowned Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble while at Tulane University, New Orleans. As a member of Jazz Ensemble, he toured around the world playing 1880-1930 era New Orleans jazz music and using original instruments during performances. The jazz ensemble performed many times at Oberlin College, including at the large public reception following his inauguration as the college’s president.
A Renaissance-like scholar, Starr held a variety of interests that are mirrored in his research and writings. Starr is a prolific author of 20 books and over 200 articles on topics such as Russian studies, architecture, music, biography, and archaeology. He produced these writings while simultaneously balancing his busy schedule as an academic administrator. He also wrote pieces for national newspapers, including The New York Times, and appeared as a frequent commentator on mass media outlets such as CNN. Starr’s experience and expertise on Soviet education and other Russian affairs led the U.S. Congress to seek his views.
After stepping down as president on June 30, 1994, Starr became head of the Aspen Institute of Humanistic Studies (Maryland campus). The mission of this international think tank was to help businesses, government, academia, and others make decisions about important national and international issues. He left this position in 1995, and in 1996 became the founding chairman of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute at The Johns Hopkins University, Washington, DC. He also is a research professor at The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, at Johns Hopkins University.
Sources Consulted:
Faculty Directory. The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University website. Accessed Oct 8, 2007. http://apps.sais-jhu.edu/faculty_bios/faculty_bio1.php?ID=69.
“The Inauguration of Stephen Frederick Starr as President of Oberlin College,” Inauguration program, 24 September 1983.
“Oberlin’s President Prepares to Move On,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, 15 June 1994.
“President Starr to be president of Aspen Institute,” Oberlin College Observer, 26 May 1994
“Two presidential candidates visit Oberlin campus,” Oberlin College Observer, 11 November 1982, p 1.
“S. Frederick Starr to be president,” Oberlin College Observer, 25 November 1982, p 1.
Author: Emily R. Lockhart Forms of Material (links to similar genres) Administrative Information
The papers of S. Frederick Starr document the professional and personal activities (1980 – 1994) of a scholar-academic administrator immersed in many national, international, and educational subject areas. The manuscript group is distinct from Starr’s presidential records (RG 2/12), although the timeframe largely coincides with his term as Oberlin College’s twelfth president (1983-1994). Within these papers, evidence exists documenting Starr’s professional network, role as a scholar on Soviet and international affairs, and interest in classical jazz music. These professional papers, with the exception of 17 letters in Series I, provide little documentation of Starr’s family relationships. Additionally, the papers only cover the time during which Starr was president of Oberlin College and contain no documentation of Starr’s activities after stepping down. The manuscript papers are arranged in seven series as follows: Correspondence (general and relating to organizations), Invitation Files, Letters of Recommendation, Miscellaneous Files, Speeches/Talks Files, and Writings Files.
The Starr papers consist of correspondence, invitations, printed materials, and research files. These files include original documents, information copies, and annotated documents. Betsy Young, presidential assistant, maintained both these papers and the presidential records in the president’s office. While arranging and describing documents found in this manuscript group, adhering to the principles of original order was made easy owing to the initial organization.
The bulk of the papers are found in Series 1 and Series 2. These document important relationships Starr cultivated with individuals and organizations (1983-1994). Series 1 is organized by individual (A-Z), while Series 2 is filed by organization and thereunder alphabetically. The correspondence documents Starr’s proactive role in advancing the interests of Oberlin College as well as his own. Seventeen letters filed under “Starr” document Fred Starr’s correspondence (1985-1991) with his brother, George A. and nephew Stephen Z. In the series, many of the correspondents are of national and international reputation, with a majority of them coming from academic circles. He was a frequent consultant on topics relating to the Soviet Union and its relationship to the United States and served on the board of directors for the American Committee on U.S.-Soviet Relations (1988-1993) and the board for the Centre for Russian and East European Studies (beginning in 1994). The Literaturnaia gazeta named Starr laureate during 1988 for Russian language writings in the Russian press.
Given that he was an influential scholar and spokesperson for international affairs, Starr received numerous invitations to various events as well as requests to provide presentations beyond Oberlin. Included among these are the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the American Committee on US-Soviet Relations. Series 3 documents these invitations and Starr’s response to accept or decline the offers. On a related note, Series 6 Speech Files documents Starr’s speeches by providing full-text documentation or handwritten outlines of the speech, including speeches delivered to Oberlin College audiences and speeches delivered at events outside the Oberlin College community. These document Starr’s research interests and his authority to speak on these subjects.
The remainder of these manuscript papers, Series 7, is made up of files relating to Starr’s writings, which supported seven book titles and two articles. Included in these files are two critically acclaimed works: Red and Hot: The Fate of Jazz in the Soviet Union, 1917-1980 (1983) and Melnikov: Solo Architect in a Mass Society (1978).
Series 5, a miscellaneous grouping, includes Starr's collection of Soviet posters dating from 1962 and 1974-75.
Outline of the Arrangement
Series 1. Correspondence (General)
Series 2. Correspondence (Relating to Organizations)
Series 3. Invitation Files (Speaking Engagements et al., Accepted and Declined)
Subseries 1. Accepted Speaking Engagements
Subseries 2. Declined Speaking Engagements
Subseries 3. Invitations Declined (re: attendance at)
Series 4. Letters of Recommendation*
Series 5. Miscellaneous Files
Series 6. Speeches/Talks Files
Subseries 1. Speeches/Talks, Oberlin College
Subseries 2. Speeches/Talks, Outside Oberlin College
Subseries 3. Speech/Talks Reference Files
Series 7. Research Files relating to Starr’s Writings
*Restrictions have been placed on these records.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series 1. Correspondence (General), 1983 – 1994 (4.8 l.f.)
General correspondence consists of incoming and outgoing letters arranged alphabetically by surname. Each document was labeled by the creator (Starr) or his agent in red ink on the right hand margin with the sender’s surname. Topics account for Starr’s involvement and interest in U.S.S.R. and U.S. relations, jazz music, New Orleans history, and travel to the U.S.S.R. Snapshots of Starr’s opinions on other scholarly writings sent to him by the authors can also be found here. Occasionally, Starr would correspond with Oberlin alumni to cultivate alumni relationships and build greater support for future college development efforts.
Series 2. Correspondence (Relating to Organizations), 1983 – 1994 (2 l.f.)
Files mainly contain correspondence with various external organizations and document Starr’s involvement with many of these influential national organizations. Some file units contain other documents relating to the organization. Arranged alphabetically by organization, those of particular interest include American-Arab Affairs Council; The Aspen Institute of Humanistic Studies; Congressional Roundtable on US-Soviet Relations; Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies; National Foreign Language Center; Rockefeller Brothers Fund; Smithsonian Institution; and the World Economic Forum. A fairly substantial part of this series documents Starr’s involvement in researching a WGBH (Boston, Massachusetts) television series “Who are the Russians?” which never materialized due to concern over themes and funding issues, on the history of Russia and the Soviet Union in 1986.
Series 3. Invitations Files (Speaking Engagements et al., Accepted and Declined), 1983-1994 (0.4 l.f.)
This series consists of the following four subseries:
Subseries 1. Accepted Speaking Engagements, 1983 - 1994 (0.2 l.f.)
This subseries contains invitations and acceptance letters requesting speeches/talks on a wide range of topics. Occasionally, a newsletter or program announcement accompanying the correspondence contains the title of the topic. Folders are arranged chronologically by year; and the files for years 1983-1987 are arranged thereunder alphabetically by engagement.
Subseries 2. Declined Speaking Engagements, 1985-1990 (0.1 l.f.)
Starr typically maintained his correspondence in which he declined speaking invitations. These are arranged chronologically.
Subseries 3. Invitations Declined (re: attendance at), 1983 – 1994 (0.1 l.f.)
Starr received invitations to a variety of local, state, national, and international events. These are arranged chronologically. Many invitations contain handwritten notes stating the reason why Starr declined the invitation.
Series 4. Letters of Recommendation, 1985 – 1994 (0.3 l.f.) *
Starr wrote letters of recommendation for Oberlin students and professional colleagues who sought admission to educational institutions, scholarships, or employment opportunities. Letters are arranged alphabetically by name. These restricted files can be used only by permission of the Archivist.
Series 5. Miscellaneous Files, 1962, 1974-75, 1980-94, n.d. (6.27 l.f.)
Included here under this general series title are Starr’s topical correspondence, his cartoon drawings, quotations of interest to him, a poster of the Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble including Starr, who founded the group, collected business cards of U.S.S.R. contacts, and posters. Of particular interest is a published March 1992 discussion paper of the Roundtable Group on the Academic Research Enterprise on which Starr served. The publication is titled Fateful Choices: The Future of the U.S. Academic Research Enterprise.
Series 6. Speeches/Talks Files, 1983 - 1994 (1.75 l.f)
Consisting of three subseries, this series of speeches/talks files represent Starr’s wide variety of locations and of topics regarding his speaking engagements. Many files contain only handwritten notes or outlines, and the final draft of the speech is not included. The series are divided into three subseries: Speeches/Talks at Oberlin College, Speeches/Talks Outside Oberlin College, and Speech Reference Files.
Subseries 1. Speeches/Talks, Oberlin College, 1983 - 1993 (0.6 l.f.)
Files in this subseries contain full-text documents, handwritten notes, or outlines of the talking points of a given speech. Included among the 77 Oberlin College addresses found in this subseries are ones given at commencement exercises (11), to general faculty (11), incoming freshman classes (8), the alumni association (4), and class reunions (3). These are arranged chronologically and foldered by speaking engagement.
Subseries 2. Speeches/Talks, Outside Oberlin College, 1983 – 1993 (1.1 l.f.)
Full-text documents or handwritten outlines for speeches throughout the state, the nation, and a few international are found in this subseries. Topics of the speeches underscore Starr’s primary research interests: the Soviet Union, education, jazz music, and New Orleans history. Many of the themes include social mores, such as popular and high cultures. One particular file to note is comments regarding his acceptance of an honorary degree (May 6, 1984) from Olivet College in Michigan. The speeches are arranged alphabetically by location or institution.
Subseries 3. Speech Reference Files, 1984 (0.05 l.f.)
Photocopies of articles of interest collected by Starr and his staff as reference materials for future or past speeches.
Series 7. Research Files relating to Starr’s Writings, 1978-95 (0.8 l.f.)
Mainly Starr’s collected research files that pertain to seven of his scholarly writings. Among them are the following: Against Two Evils (1981); Bamboula!: The Life and Times of Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1995); Melnikov: Solo Architect in a Mass Society (1978); The Oberlin College Book of Bandstands (1987); Red and Hot: The Fate of Jazz in the Soviet Union, 1917-1980 (1983); Russia’s American Colony (1987); and Southern Comfort: The Garden District of New Orleans, 1800-1900 (1989). Correspondence with book publishers and scholars are the main type of material in the files.