Buena Maris Mockmore Papers, 1916-1969
Steinmetz, Buena Margason Maris Mockmore, 1898-1967
.35 cubic feet

Scope and Content Note

The Mockmore Papers consist of photographs, news clippings, correspondence, award certificates, publications, presentations and speeches documenting the life and work of Buena Margason Maris Mockmore Steinmetz, particularly her tenure at Oregon State University and later Iowa State University. The collection contains four series: Personal Information, including memorials, favorite poem, and certificates of award; Speeches and Presentations on family relationships, especially understanding teenagers; Radio and Television Programs on children and families; Publications and Teaching Aids including handouts on family relationships and values, plus a commemorative booklet on OSC's 75th Anniversary Charter Day. Of particular interest are the questions submitted by teenagers at Mockmore's Family Life meetings. Although the questions were written in the 1940s and 1950s, and the wording is sometimes dated, the problems discussed are still relevant.


Historical Note

Buena Margason Maris Mockmore Steinmetz was born in Salem, Oregon on 2 August 1898. She attended the University of Oregon briefly before her marriage and George Washington University for a short time during her marriage to Homer Maris, a Tacoma educator and author of "Carry Me Back," the OSC alma mater. Homer was the brother of long time director of extension at OSU, Paul V. Maris. After her husband was killed in an auto/bicycle accident in 1933, Steinmetz attended the University of Puget Sound, receiving a BA degree in 1936. She taught school in Tacoma for a year before coming to Oregon State College, where she earned a MS degree in Home Economics in 1939. Steinmetz taught family relations and was an extension specialist in child development and child family life at OSU before becoming Dean of Women in 1941, serving in that capacity until 1948. In 1943 she took a leave of absence to work in the highest woman's job at the Hanford atomic project for the DuPont Co., returning to OSC in 1944. Steinmetz received a War Department citation for her work.

In 1946 she married Dr. Charles Mockmore, the head of civil engineering at OSC. When Dr. Mockmore died in 1953, she joined the staff at Iowa State University as extension specialist in child development and family life. While there Steinmetz developed a program of parent-teenager understanding by speaking to high school assemblies first, followed by parents' meetings. In 1960, she returned to Oregon after marrying Avery Steinmetz. She headed the Oregon Home Economics Association for two years and was active in the American Association of University Women. On 18 December 1967 she passed away in Portland. Steinmetz was survived by her husband, Avery; a daughter, Mrs. Marjorie Maris Peterson; four stepchildren: Mrs. Charlotte Mockmore Spring, Regina T. Mockmore, William E. Steinmetz and Mrs. Gretchen E. Bunnell.


Related Materials

The Dean of Women's Office Records (RG 57) contain related materials. Several photograph collections also contain related materials: Harriet's Collection #288; College of Home Economics (P 44); Dean of Women's Photograph Collection (P 97); Home Economics Extension (P 115); and Art Lowe Photograph Collection (P 213). The Memorabilia files of Buena Maris, American Association of University Women, and Home Economics Extension Council have references to Steinmetz. NOTE: Most references to records in the Archives are listed as Buena Maris or Buena Mockmore.

Location

SR 6/6/6/21
2/2/09/42 - Photographs

Inventory

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