Collection inventory


Special Collections home page

Earl Hoyt Bell Papers

A description of his papers at the Syracuse University Archives


Finding aid created by: Kyle C. Wilson
Date: 2007



Biography

Earl Hoyt Bell

Earl Hoyt Bell (1903-1963) was an American anthropologist and educator.

Earl Hoyt Bell was born in Shellrock, Iowa, on March 27, 1903. He completed his undergraduate work at Iowa State Teacher's College, and in 1931 he received his Ph.D. in social anthropology from the University of Wisconsin.

From 1931 to 1940, Bell taught anthropology at the University of Nebraska and served as the director of the university's Archaeological Survey. From then until 1948 his skill in research and administration took him to various positions within the United States Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Agricultural Economics, Division of Farm Population and Rural Welfare. In 1942 Bell served as Assistant Director of the Arkansas Valley Planning Project and then returned to the Bureau of Agricultural Economics as Senior Social Scientist until 1947. This assignment took him to Poland with the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, Agricultural Rehabilitation Division. From 1947 to1948 he was Chief of Mission to Poland for the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund.

In 1949 Bell joined the faculty of Syracuse University as professor of sociology and anthropology and chair of the department. He resigned as chair in 1957 to devote more time to research and writing but remained affiliated with Syracuse University.

Bell was a Fellow of the Society for American Archaeology and a member of the American Anthropological Association and other various sociological societies. His writings include Chapters in Nebraska Archaeology, Culture of a Contemporary Rural Community, and Social Foundations of Human Behavior.

Bell died on October 17, 1963, while on leave from Syracuse University for further writing.


Scope and Content Note

The Bell Papers span the years 1934 to 1960 and relate to his activities in connection with the United States Department of Agriculture, archaeological studies in Nebraska, and the Department of Sociology at Syracuse University. The papers include photographs, class paperwork, articles, notes, and his thesis.


Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

Please note that the collection is housed off-site, and advance notice is required to allow time to have the materials brought to the Reading Room on campus.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.


Related Material

The Archives hold a clipping file and portrait file for Earl Hoyt Bell.


Selected Search Terms

Names

Bell, Earl H. (Earl Hoyt), 1903-1963.
Syracuse University. -- Department of Sociology.
United States. Dept. of Agriculture.

Subjects

Archaeology.
Sociology, Rural -- United States.
Syracuse (N.Y.) -- History.
College teachers.
Higher education.

Types of Material

Articles.
Examinations (documents)
Notebooks.
Photographs.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Earl Hoyt Bell Papers,
University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of unknown donor, 1966.

Processing Information

The items in this collections have been placed in acid free folders and the photographs have been placed in mylar sleeves.


Arrangement

Items are foldered and arranged in alphabetical order.


Table of Contents

Subject Files


Inventory