ELWYN B. ROBINSON DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
CHESTER FRITZ LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA

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BENJAMIN A. RING PAPERS

COLLECTION:OGL #1310

DATES:1951-1992

SIZE:3.75 linear feet

INTRODUCTION

ACQUISITION:These papers were separated from documents that were deposited in 1994 by the Philosophy Department. (Acc #95-2027). An addition was deposited on May 26, 2005 (Acc.# 2005-2747).

ACCESS:Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Department of Special Collections.

RELATED MATERIALS:OGL #234, Beatrice Ring Papers, OGL #683, Paul B. Kannowski Papers

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Benjamin A. Ring was born November 4, 1925 in Catonsville, Maryland, where his father was a gardener at Spring Grove State Hospital. He grew up near Baltimore and attended the University of Maryland from 1943-1947. After earning a BA in history, Ring obtained an instructorship at Virginia Poly-technical Institute, teaching history, economics, and political science from 1948-1950. From 1952 through 1961 Ring held various positions within the Registrar's Office at Johns Hopkins University. At the same time, he worked toward a doctorate in Philosophy. Ring's dissertation, related to Hume's historic skepticism, was twice rejected by his doctoral committee.

Ring began his teaching experience at UND in the 1962-63 school year. He was named chair of the Philosophy Department the following year. Ring taught a full load of undergraduate and graduate classes as well as humanities and honors courses. In 1963 Ring taught at the National Science Foundation summer institute for gifted high school students. He directed the NSF program for the next two summers. In addition to his teaching duties, Ring was active in academic organizations. He served as treasurer (1965-66), vice president (1966-67), and president (1967-68) of the UND chapter of AAUP. He also helped establish an AAUP State Conference, for which he served as president from 1970 through 1971. Associated with his role at the State Conference, Ring chaired the Ethics & Grievance Committee and was appointed the AAUP Observer at meetings of the State Board of Higher Education.

At UND, Ring was a member of the University Senate from 1982-90, serving as its chair during the 1989-90 school year. He also helped establish GITAP and edited its newsletter, Salmagundi. With KFJM-FM, Ring began the series "AGORA of the Air," which brought together a variety of local humanities scholars to participate in the radio forum.

Ring also participated in non-academic organizations. Beginning in 1972, he was an active member of the North Dakota Committee for the Humanities and Public Issues. As a member of NDCHPI, Ring led workshops, acted in Chatauquas, served as a consultant for humanities projects, and spoke to groups and organizations throughout the state. As an outspoken opponent to United States involvement in Vietnam, Ring promoted peace issues at UND and participated in peace conferences held at the University. He was also active in the North Dakota Democratic Party, serving as a precinct committeeman in 1970 and running for a seat in the ND Legislature in 1982.

Ring retired following the 1989-90 school year and moved to Wisconsin with his wife, Beatrice. Sometime later, Ring was diagnosed with an acute form of leukemia. He died in his Wisconsin home January 30, 1992.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Benjamin A. Ring papers were separated from several boxes of documents deposited by the Philosophy Department in 1994. While they were processed, the Ring papers were divided into five series.

The addition to the Benjamin A. Ring Papers consists of a poem entitled "Planting a Tree to Honor Ben Ring." The poem was written by Dean Bernard O'Kelly, and was read by the group assembled at the planting of a tree in honor of Ring. The poem is dated May, 15, 1992.

SERIES I, Personal contains a draft of Ring's autobiography, How I Lived and What I Lived For; a transcript of a Ring interview (JUN 1975); materials related to Ring's graduate studies; and a limited amount of correspondence.

The addition to the Benjamin A. Ring papers is also located in this series, and is the text of a poem entitled "Planting a Tree to Honor Ben Ring." The poem was written by Dean Bernard O'Kelly, and was read by the group assembled at the planting of a tree in honor of Ring.

SERIES II, Professional/UND contains Ring's Academic Supplements (1967-87), promotion files (1962-90), course syllabi, travel requests, as well as documents related to "AGORA of the Air," graduate school, honors program, Indian Education Committee, and Human Relations Committee.

SERIES III, Professional Associations consists of materials related to the ND Committee on the Humanities, ND Council for Higher Education, State Board of Higher Education, AAUP, and the American Council on Education.

SERIES IV, Summer Programs consists of materials the Institute on Student Involvement (ISI) and National Science Foundation (NSF) summer institute for gifted high school students. ISI was a six-week program that Ring attended in 1969. Held at Claremont Colleges, California, ISI brought together about 35 deans and professors from around the nation to study "sources of student discontent." ISI documents include schedules, discussion topics, Ring's notes, correspondence, questionnaires, reading lists, poetry, news clippings, articles, and staff & participant rosters.

NSF documents relate to a summer institute for gifted high school students that was hosted by UND in the early 1960's. NSF materials include correspondence, proposals & grants, budget, expenditures, as well as student applications, evaluations, and publications. Documents are arranged chronologically. (For other NSF Summer Institute materials, see: OGL #683, Paul B. Kannowski Papers)

SERIES V, Underground & Student Press contains several student newspapers (1964-70). Also included in this series are documents related to a variety of free press issues, such as the ACLU, Committee Concerned About Vietnam, CORE, UND Indian Association, and Young Democrats. Newspapers and organizations are arranged alphabetically.

BOX AND FOLDER LISTING

SERIES I: Personal
Box 1
Folder

  1. Autobiography: How I Lived and What I Lived For.
  2. Transcript of Ring interview, JUN 1975.
  3. Correspondence, memos, reports, articles, 1960, 1966-82, 1992.
  4. Ring graduate papers, ca. 1950's.
  5. Ring dissertation draft, "Hume: Skeptic as Historian," ca. 1965.
  6. Workshops, conferences off-campus, 1969-77.

Box 3
Folder

  1. "Planting a Tree to Honor Ben Ring," Poem Written by Dean Bernard O'Kelly: May 15, 1992.

SERIES II: Professional/UND

Box 1
Folder

  1. Academic supplements, 1967-87.
  2. Promotion file, selected writings, 1962-82.
  3. Promotion file, student materials, 1979-82.
  4. Promotion file, peer evaluations, 1981-83.
  5. Promotion file, recommendations, 1982.
  6. Promotion file, academic records, 1982.
  7. Promotion file, tenure information, 1973-89.
  8. Promotion file, evaluations, 1975-90.
  9. Form F.
  10. Course syllabi, 1981-88.
  11. Philosophy Dept. reports & memos, 1978-83.
  12. Faculty lecture: "Hume and the Use of History," 1973.
  13. Travel requests, 1976-90.
  14. Report on institutional goals inventory, ca. 1978.
  15. Faculty letter to the president, 1965.
  16. Learning Systems literature, 1969-70.
  17. Graduate School, Philosophy courses, 1959-64.
  18. Graduate School, memoranda, 1961-71.
  19. Graduate School, Ring resignation, 1982.
  20. Honors Program, correspondence & memos, 1975- 84.
  21. Honors Program, Vietnam Colloquium, 1980-81.
  22. Human Relations Committee, correspondence & memos, 1972-75.
  23. "AGORA of the Air," correspondence, memos, grants, 1981-85.
  24. "AGORA of the Air," correspondence, bank statements, reports, 1980-81.
  25. Indian Education Committee, 1972-74.

SERIES III:Professional Associations

  1. NDEA, controversial speech by Ring, reactions, OCT 1971.
  2. ND Humanities Council, correspondence, applications, agendas, 1965-85.
  3. ND Committee on Humanities, members, 1972.
  4. ND Committee on Humanities, correspondence, 1972.
  5. ND Committee on Humanities, correspondence, 1972-74.
  6. ND Committee on Humanities, papers & proposals, 1972.
  7. ND Committee on Humanities, applications & proposals, 1972-75.
  8. ND Committee on Humanities, United Plainsmen Association, 1975.
  9. ND Committee on Humanities, Upper Mid-West, 1974.
  10. Tri-State Humanities Project, memos, reports, conference papers, 1972-74.

Box 2
Folder

  1. American Council on Education, reports.
  2. American Council on Education, Conference on College Teacher Preparation, 1958.
  3. American Council on Education, bibliography.
  4. AAUP, bylaws, 1966-67.
  5. AAUP, correspondence reports, memos, 1948, 1965-74.
  6. AAUP, committee reports, 1967-75.
  7. AAUP, academic freedom, 1964, 1968-69.
  8. AAUP, ethics & grievances, 1970-71.
  9. AAUP, collective bargaining, 1972.
  10. AAUP, membership lists, 1967-74.
  11. ND Council for Higher Education, constitution, 1970-71.
  12. NDCHE, correspondence, 1972.
  13. NDCHE, reports, 1973.
  14. NDCHE, conference, 1969-70.
  15. State Board of Higher Education, correspondence, 1970-71.
  16. SBHE, agendas, resolutions, notes, 1966-67, 1970-71.
  17. SBHE, membership lists, 1967, 1969.
  18. SBHE, "Higher Education Act," 1965.
  19. SBHE, studies & reports, 1968, 1972.
  20. SBHE, Education USA newsletter, 1967-74.

SERIES IV:Summer Programs

  1. Institute for Student Involvement, studies & reports, 1960, 1967-68.
  2. ISI, correspondence, 1969.
  3. ISI, schedules, 1969.
  4. ISI, special topics, 1967-69.
  5. ISI, notes & general information, ca. 1969.
  6. ISI, participants & staff, 1969.
  7. ISI, clippings, articles, pamphlets, 1969.
  8. ISI, questionnaire on campus power structure, 1969.
  9. ISI, proposals, 1969.
  10. ISI, Deena Metzger pornography case, 1969.
  11. National Science Foundation, correspondence, 1963-65.
  12. NSF, proposal & grant, 1963.
  13. NSF, form letters, 1963.
  14. NSF, portrait, 1963.
  15. NSF, class assignments, 1963.
  16. NSF, readings, ca. 1963.
  17. NSF, director's meeting, 1964.
  18. NSF, budget, 1964.
  19. NSF, expenditures, 1964.
  20. NSF, form letters, 1964.
  21. NSF, information requests & mailings, 1964.
  22. NSF, participants, 1964.
  23. NSF, completed applications, 1964.
  24. NSF, accepted applications, A-C, 1964-65.
  25. NSF, accepted applications, D-G, 1964-65.
  26. NSF, accepted applications, H-K, 1964-65.
  27. NSF, accepted applications, L-O, 1964-65.
  28. NSF, accepted applications, P-R, 1964-65.
  29. NSF, accepted applications, S, 1964-65.
  30. NSF, accepted applications, T-Z, 1964-65.
  31. NSF, rejections, 1964.
  32. NSF, awards banquet, 1964.
  33. NSF, Pre-Collegiate Science/Math Program, 1964.
  34. NSF, proposal & grant, 1965.
  35. NSF, director's meeting, 1965.

Box 3
Folder

  1. NSF, expenditures, 1965.
  2. NSF, form letters, 1965.
  3. NSF, registration, 1965.
  4. NSF, student evaluations, 1965.
  5. NSF, NOVA, student publication, 1963-64.
  6. NSF, brochures, 1963-65.
  7. NSF, publicity, 1963-65.

SERIES V: Underground and Student Press

  1. "Charge," 1970.
  2. "Eccentric," 1970.
  3. "Ignite," 1968-69.
  4. "It Isnt," 1964.
  5. "The Sphere Review," 1969.
  6. "Synanon," 1968-69.
  7. ACLU related materials, 1971.
  8. Committee Concerned About Vietnam, 1967.
  9. Congress Of Racial Equality, 1963-64.
  10. Protest poems.
  11. Special events, 1970.
  12. UND Indian Association, "OMINICYA," ca. 1970.
  13. Young Democrats, 1970-74.

SEPARATIONS RECORD

The following photographs were removed from the collection and placed in the University Archives Photograph Collection.

UAP #21,337 Professor Benjamin A. Ring, ca. 1970's.
UAP #21,338 NSF Pre-Collegiate Science-Mathematics Program participants, summer 1963 (names included).

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