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Benjamin Kaplan Papers

Collection 78

Kaplan, Benjamin (1906–1972). Papers, 1929, 1940–1972, 1977, n.d.

5 feet, 7.5 inches

Benjamin Kaplan was a well-known sociology professor at the University of Southwestern Louisiana. He received his B.A. and M.A. from Tulane University. Upon graduating from Tulane, he was employed by the Louisiana Department of Public Welfare as supervisor and parish director, 1930-1940. During World War II years he was a deputy director of personnel with the American Red Cross. He earned a Ph.D. in Sociology from Louisiana State University in 1952.

Kaplan served on the Southwestern Louisiana Institute/ University of Southwestern Louisiana faculty for over 25 years. He wrote several books: The Eternal Stranger, The Jew and His Family, and also contributed the chapter "Jews and Social Equality" in the book Meet the American Jew. Kaplan was named the Frank Godchaux Honors Professor of Sociology.

He also wrote and spoke on various topics, such as youth, aging, education, organization, etc. He was affiliated with the Red Cross, Civic Club, the Boys & Girls Scout programs, Rotary Club, etc.

A large portion of the collection are speeches and writings on the various topics of interest to Kaplan. There are also surveys and studies along with photographs, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and teaching materials, and student papers.

Series:

A. Notes 1-01 through 3-05

B. Writings

  1. Speeches
  2. Miscellaneous

C. Manuscript(s) 8-01 through 8-05

D. Studies and Surveys

  1. Kaplan 8-06 through 8-09
  2. Class 8-10
  3. Other 9-01 through 9-04

E. Newspaper Clippings 9-05 through 9-07

F. Correspondence

  1. General 9-08 through 9-09
  2. Financial 10-01

G. Biographical & Organizational Information 10-02

H. Photographs 10-03 through 10-05

I. Grade books 10-06

J. Course Outlines and Lectures 10-07 through 10-09

K. Quotations 11-01 through 11-02

L. Poetry 11-03

M. Miscellaneous 11-04 through 11-14

Inventory:

Box 1

1-01 Notes: Unorganized handwritten notes on various essays, speeches, etc.

1-02 Notes

1-03 Notes

1-04 Notes

1-05 Notes

1-06 Notes

Box 2

2-01 Notes: Unorganized handwritten notes on various essays, speeches, etc.

2-02 Notes

2-03 Notes

2-04 Notes

2-05 Notes

2-06 Notes

Box 3

3-01 Notes: Unorganized handwritten notes on various essays, speeches, etc.

3-02 Notes

3-03 Notes

3-04 Notes

3-05 Notes

Box 4

4-01 Writings: Jews

  • "Are Jews Different"

  • "The Messiah has been here all the time"

  • "What is your business as B'nai B'rith"

  • "Judaism and the American Family"

  • "The People of the Book"

  • "The Kaddish"

  • "The Spirit of Rosh Hashono"

  • "What Judaism Means to Me"

  • "What Yom Kippur"

  • "Judaism and the Family"

  • "Israel—The Eternal Ideal"

4-02 Writings: Jews

  • "The Yiddish Story—Its Humor, Its Pathos, & its Satire" "Jewish Contributions to America"

  • "Palestine and the Future of Judaism"

  • "The Future of the Jewish Family"

  • "The Jewish Mother"

  • "To Be or not to be a Jew"

  • "Some Observations Regarding Jewish College Students"

  • "Jewish Youth Faces America"

  • "Some Children Have Jewish Parents"

4-03 Writings: Jews

  • "What Means the Sabbath"

  • "You Cannot Stand Alone"

  • "The Jewish Family Today"

  • "The Jewish Education"

  • "Anti-Semitism"

  • "The Red Enigma"

  • "The Jewish Community Center for the Jewish Family in Today's Times"

  • "The Eternal Jewish Life in the Small Community"

  • "Sacred Music of the Jews in Exile"

4-04 Writings: Education

  • "Teaching - Agony and Ecstasy"

  • "What is Christian Education"

  • "Educating Youth for World Peace"

  • "Education for Citizenship"

  • "Education and the Wind of Change"

  • "The Changes in our Society & their Effects Upon the School Teacher"

  • "The Missing Factor in Contemporary Education"

  • "Better Teaching"

4-05 Writings: Family

  • "The Family in America Today"

  • "The American Family Today"

  • "Building Family Strength"

  • "Tension and Family Living"

  • "Religion and Family Living"

  • "Trends in the American Family"

  • "The Effects of the Maladjusted Child on the Family"

  • "Your Home, A Key to the Future"

  • "Parents go home"

  • "Learning For a Better Family Life"

4-06 Writings: Marriage, etc.

  • "Conflicts in Marriage"

  • "Love and Marriage in the U.S.A."

  • "Mixed Marriages"

  • "Don't Marry...Until!"

  • "Is Love Free?"

  • "Marital Adjustment"

  • "Courtship Behavior on Campus"

  • "Problems of Courtship and Engagement"

4-07 Writings: Youth

  • "Youth & the Future"

  • "Youth at the Crossroads"

  • "Community Responsibility - A Challenge to Youth"

  • "What is Really Your Business?"

  • "The Generation Gap"

  • "Patterns for Living"

  • "The Delinquent and You"

4-08 Writings: Youth

  • "Delinquent Homes - Delinquent Children"

  • "Happy Children are Good Children"

  • "What to Tell the Children"

  • "Some Children are reared by Parents"

  • "Ten Commandments for Parents From their Children"

Box 5

5-01 Writings: Aging

  • "Community Philosophy for the Aged"

  • "The Problem of the Aged"

  • "Aging in these Times"

  • "Aging in our Culture"

  • "Preparing People for Retirement"

  • "The Family and the Aged"

  • "Identification of Resources Available"

5-02 Writings: Sociology

  • "The Field of Social Welfare"

  • "Social Welfare in the World Crisis" or "For the Want of a Nail"

  • "A Sociologist Looks at Politics"

  • "Social Implications of the Space Age"

  • "The Changing South - A Sociological Evaluation"

  • "The Sociology of Mass Hysteria"

  • "Social Anthropology In Relation to Health & Illness", 6/66

  • "Social Mobility and Family Stability"

  • "A Sociological Analysis of Anti-Semitism"

  • "Sociology"

  • "the Sociological View of Juvenile Delinquency"

5-03 Writings: Sociology

  • "Social Security and Service"

  • "The Socio-Psychological Implications of Epilepsy"

  • "A Sociological Analysis of Communism"

  • "Some Sociological Implications of Food"

  • "The Sociology of Perfumes"

5-04 Writings: Psychology

  • "Normal and Abnormal Personality"

  • "The Crippled Child and His Personality"

  • "Art and Personality Development"

  • "Mental Health and the Individual"

  • "The Influence of Comic Books on Personality Development"

  • "The Integrated Personality"

  • "The Origin, Nature, and Development of Personality"

  • "Personality Development in Children"

  • "Teenage Personality"

  • "Methodology"

  • "How Best to Reach the Poor"

  • "Development of Personality"

5-05 Writings: Organizations

  • "The Goal of a Civic Club"

  • "The Rotary Yardstick of Human Conduct"

  • "The Ultimate Test of Rotary"

  • "A Worker's Training Program"

  • "Red Cross and Democracy"

  • "A Philosophy for the Red Cross Work"

  • "Red Cross in these Times"

  • "To Red Cross Spirit and the World Crisis"

  • "The Ideal that is Red Cross"

  • "Personnel Service or An Adventure in Human Relations"

  • "The Story of Red Cross"

  • "Unique Program:

  • "Sisterhood Loyalties:

  • "What is Sisterhood"

  • "Focusing F.H.A.—on Today's Problems"

  • "Scouting and Democracy"

  • "How the 4-H's Build Democracy"

  • "Fellowship"

  • "What am I doing here"

  • "What's Your Business as Scouters"

5-06 Writings: Political Science

  • "The Strength and Weakness of Communism"

  • "The Anatomy of Communism"

  • "The Place of the Individual in a Democratic Society"

  • "Learning the Ways of Democracy"

  • "Democracy for all"

  • "The Nature of Leadership"

  • "The Lost Liberals who aren't Lost at all", 6/1947

  • "Christianity and Democracy", April 8, 1945

  • "Experiment Crossroads"

  • "Today and Democracy"

  • "Russia - The Red Enigma"

Box 6

6-01 Writings: Race Relations

  • "Christianity and Race Relations"

  • "The Stranger Next Door: Who Needs Him?"

  • "One Nation - Indivisible"

  • "One Human Race"

  • "Race Relations in America"

6-02 Writings: Women

  • "The Mothers Role in the Modern Home"

  • "The Legal Secretary—Who Is She?"

  • "The Dilemma of the American Women"

  • "A Tribute to Faculty Wives"

  • "The Modern Woman's Dilemma"

  • "Nurses Make Good Wives"

  • "Nurses as Wives from the Point of View of a Husband"

  • "Women Changing Roles"

6-03 Writings: Men

  • "What is Man"

  • "Man the Animal"

  • "Man the Social"

  • "Man the Spiritual"

  • "Man the Mental"

  • "The Four - Way Test in These Days"

  • "The Dilemma of the American Male"

  • "Men Cannot Stand Alone"

6-04 Writings: World

  • "The Christian Churches & World Peace"

  • "The Church & the New World Order"

  • "Foundations for World Peace"

  • "Building World Security"

  • "Russia & the Future World Order"

  • "The Basic Foundations of a Stable World"

  • "Sciences Responsibility for World Peace"

  • "a Veteran Looks for World Peace"

6-05 Writings: America

  • "What America Means to Me"

  • "The Meaning of America"

  • "American Culture Today"

  • "The American Heritage"

  • "The Shape of America Today"

6-06 Writings: Holidays

  • "Christmas in America"

  • "Thanksgiving in America"

  • "What Easter Means to Me"

  • "The Meaning of Christmas"

  • "Christmas - A Test of Character"

6-07 Writings: Other

  • "My Legacy to You"

  • "Who is a Hippie?"

  • "Superstition"

  • "You are what you read"

  • "With Words Alone You Don't Make the Soup"

  • "Scholarships in these Times"

  • "Christianity"

  • "If I were a Christian"

  • "Science and Human Happiness"

  • "What to tell the Children"

  • "It is, first of all, People"

  • "Louisiana's Population in a Changing Society"

  • "The Profile of the Louisianan"

  • "We must overcome"

  • "The Human Side of Nursing"

  • "The Meaning of Atomic Energy"

  • "What is a Priest"

  • "Cutting the Apron String"

6-08 Writings: Other

  • "The Moral & Spiritual Aspects of Community Resources"

  • "Community Problems"

  • "Need and Problem Identification in Community"

  • "The Human Side of Guidance"

  • "A Journey Into Time and Space"

  • "Music as a Way of Life"

  • "On My Honor I will do my best"

  • "S.L.I.—U.S.A."

  • "So you want to be popular"

  • "Who is really on trial"

  • "Say it with Flowers"

  • "An Environmental Philosophy for the future"

  • "The Crisis of our age"

  • "Sisters Struggle with the Seventies"

6-09 Writings: Other

  • "Brotherhood in these Times"

  • "Brotherhood"

  • "What about Your Neighbor"

  • "Shareholders in the Business of Peace"

  • "If Men Want Peace"

  • "Leadership in the Atomic Age"

  • "You came to college—so what?"

  • "Geography and Civilization"

  • "Population Aspects of International Relations"

6-10 Writings: Miscellaneous, by Kaplan, Benjamin

  • "Observations of St. Martin Parish, LA. Site", pages typed for S.R.I. Follow through program, Jan. 12, 1970

  • "Some Observations Covering the Activities of Follow Through and Non-follow Through Classes", 7 pages typed for St. Martin Site.

6-11 Writings: Miscellaneous, by Kaplan, Benjamin

  • "The Jew & His Family—A Critique", 10 pages typed.

  • "The Jew & His Family—An Evaluation", 2 pages typed

  • "Saint or Sinner—Herbert Spencer", 10 pages typed

Box 6A

6A-01 Writings: "The Jew & His Family" - 331 pages typed

6A-02 "The Jew & His Family" - 331 pages typed

Box 7

7-01 Writings: Miscellaneous, by Kaplan, Benjamin

  • "Jews and Social Equality", typed, pp. 1-32, a critical analysis of the concept of social equality in America

  • "Changes in the Jewish Family From Biblical Times to the Present", typed, pp. 1-12, a brief analysis of the nature of the Jewish family

7-02 Writings: Miscellaneous, by Kaplan, Benjamin

  • "Social Work as a Profession", typed, pp. 1-6; a survey of a book written by Esther Lucille Brown at the Russell Sage Foundations in New York

  • "The Shetell Family: A Socio-Psychological Survey", typed, pp. 1-7; a survey derived in part from a chapter in the manuscript entitled, The Jew and His Family.

7-03 Writings: Miscellaneous, by Kaplan, Benjamin

  • "Jewish Survival", typed, pp. 1-9, a preview of a book entitled Honor Thy Father and Mother.

  • "Judah Philip Benjamin", typed, pp. 1-22 (essay)

  • "The Four Great Ages of Judaism", typed, pp. 1-13

7-04 Writings: Miscellaneous, by Kaplan, Benjamin

  • "Aging - A Quality of the Mind", a paper by Kaplan presented at a panel on aging and health, Apr. 2, 1965, at U.S.L., found on pp. 14-17 of the May 1966 The Catholic Charities Review.

7-05 Writings: Miscellaneous, by Kaplan, Benjamin

  • "The Socio-Cultural Foundation of the Jewish Community", a paper by Kaplan reprinted from the proceedings of the Louisiana Academy of Sciences, v. 15, Aug. 1952, pp. 101- 109

7-06 Writings: Miscellaneous, by Kaplan, Benjamin

  • Same: paper by Kaplan from the proceedings of the Southwestern Sociological Society in Dallas, TX, April 1953, pp. 105-114

7-07 Writings: Miscellaneous, by Kaplan, Benjamin

  • "Community Philosophy for the Aged", a paper by Kaplan from the proceedings of conference "Rehabilitation for the Aged" sponsored by Chronic Diseases, Medical Care and Gerontology Section in cooperation with U.S. Public Health Services; Tulane University, Feb. 23-25, 1967, typed, p. 69-76.

7-08 Writings:Miscellaneous, by others

  • Papers written by other people on various topics

Box 8

8-01 Manuscripts: The Land in Between, typed, n.d., Chapters 1- 7

8-02 Chapters 8-10

8-03 Chapters 11-12

8-04 Chapters 1-6 [different draft]

8-05 Same: "How the Mighty Have Fallen", Chapter 8, typed, pp. 1-45

8-06 Studies & Surveys, by Kaplan

  • A Survey of Teenage Marriages in Lafayette Parish, La. from 1946-1964, prepared by the Dept. of Sociology (U.S.L.) 1965, directed by Father Ivan Arceneaux & Dr. Benjamin Kaplan, typed, pp. 1-96

8-07 Studies & Surveys, by Kaplan

  • A Survey of the Origin, Educational Background & Length of Residency in Lafayette of the Oil & Allied Industries Personnel Lafayette, La., Jan. 1960, typed, S.L.I., pp. 1- 40

8-08 Studies & Surveys, by Kaplan

  • Under All—Is the Land, pp. 1-5, typed.

8-09 Studies & Surveys, by Kaplan

  • A Study of Newsboys in New Orleans, Kaplan's thesis for graduate school at Tulane University in 1929, pp. 1-58, typed.

8-10 Studies & Surveys, by class

  • A Survey of the Amount of Money Spent by the Students of S.L.I. in the City of Lafayette conducted by the class in social research, typed, pp. 1-7.

  • Duson, a sociological survey of community life conducted by Social Research Class (S.L.I.), typed, 1953, p. 1-37

  • Carencro, a sociological survey of community life, St. Landry Parish (1941), Senior Sociology Students of S.L.I., typed, pp. 1-23

Box 9

9-01 Studies & Surveys, by other

  • A Study of Adolescent Girls, ages 11-18 years, highlight summary of findings & interpretations, pp 1-4 and also 12 tables, Nov. 1956, Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. & Survey Research Center (Institute for Social Research - University of Michigan).

9-02 Studies & Surveys, by other

  • Circumstances of Sex Education; a national study of college student experiences and desires, conducted by Bernard B. Hoffman, Jr., March 1969, typed, pp. 1-98.

9-03 Studies & Surveys, by other

  • A Geographical Survey of Lafayette Parish, submitted by Jerry Pierre Conques, Mrs. Russell Davis, Jacqueline Martin, and Mrs. Neely Ann C. Taylor for Geography & Resources of La.; Geography 350 - B. Kaplan; contains photographs, maps, newspaper clippings, etc., pp. 1-116.

9-04 Studies & Surveys, by others

9-05 Newspaper Clippings on Kaplan, dated: 1946-1972

9-06 Newspaper Clippings: clippings on Kaplan, n. d.

9-07 Newspaper Clippings: other

  • includes Mario Mamalakis article

9-08 Correspondence, General, 1949-1972

9-09 Correspondence, General, Personal

Box 10

10-01 Correspondence, Financial, 1969-1970 (3 items)

10-02 Biographical materials

  • articles, certificates, membership cards

10-03 Photographs: Kaplan

10-04 Photographs: Cemeteries in St. Martinville, Grand Coteau, and Lafayette.

10-05 Unknown U.S.L., #10 basketball player

10-06 Gradebooks: #1 Fall, Spring, Summer 1968; #2 Summer 1969, Fall, Summer 1970; #3 Fall, Spring, Summer 1971; Spring 1972

10-07 Course Outlines & Lectures

  • Outlines & Lectures of various courses taught by Kaplan, such as SOCI 370, 441, etc.

10-08 Course materials

10-09 Course materials

Box 11

11-01 Quotations

11-02 Quotations

11-03 Poetry

11-04 Miscellaneous course evaluation materials

  • Fall, 1971 evaluations for Sociology 440, 405

  • 24 Nov. 1969 questionnaire of activities to Kaplan from Ray Authement. Academic Vice President; SOCI 405 analysis test on courtship

11-05 Miscellaneous, 1964 - 1971

  • Invitation to hear a panel discussion of community needs from the Lafayette Chapter, Louisiana Association for Mental Health, 22 Jan. 1965

  • Invitation to the 2nd Annual Reformation - All Saints' Celebration at the First Presbyterian Church in Jennings on 7 Nov. 1971

11-06 Miscellaneous

  • Outline, "Southerners View the World,” and part XII. of outline Southern Jews

11-07 Miscellaneous

  • Social background data sheet and typed interview between patient and interviewee

11-08 Miscellaneous

  • Bulletins: Unitarian Church, Birmingham, Alabama: 1965 (4) and 1968 (2); bulletin, Catholic Family Leader, Washington, D.C.: June, 1961, v.1, #3

11-09 Miscellaneous: programs

  • Inauguration de la Maison Acadienne Francaise at S.L.I., 29 October 1955; SASN Banquet, 15 May 1963

11-10 Miscellaneous: articles

  • Mark Millstone, review of Kaplan book The Eternal Stanger in The Workmen's Circle Call, Nov., 1957: 9

11-11 Miscellaneous: articles

  • Sociology at Louisiana State University, Feb. 1951, 8 pp; Louisiana Senior Citizen, April, 1972: 15 pp; Louisiana Department of Public Welfare, Louisiana Welfare, v. 21, # 2, (July, 1961: 15 pp

11-12 Miscellaneous: professional activities

  • Southwestern Sociological Association membership roster, 1966; Mid-Southern Conference International Higher Education Vanderbilt Institute on Judaism, Vanderbilt Divinity School, Nashville, Tennessee, June 13-23, 1971

11-13 Miscellaneous, USL

  • American Association of University Professors, Feb. 1961; Young Democratic Club constitution, 16 June 1964

11-14 Miscellaneous: Aging

  • Voorhies, P. J. and Malcolm Martin, Report to the Lafayette Commission on the Aging, n.d. includes a survey made by Ben Kaplan; Bateman, J. W. A Report of the 2nd State Conference State Advisory Committee on Aging, L.S.U., 15 Oct. 1963