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Howard F. Baer donated an addenda to the Howard F. Baer Papers to the Western Historical Manuscript Collection at the University of Missouri-St. Louis on May 15, 1987.
Baer received an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Washington University in 1971 in recognition of his service in community improvement programs and his leadership in promoting cooperation between St. Louis and St. Louis County. (See collection 36.) He continued his community service work in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1974, Baer became chair of the board of the Missouri Mansion Preservation Inc., a non-profit corporation organized to continue the renovation and restoration of the Missouri Governor's Mansion.
As a member of the Missouri Botanical Garden's Board of Trustees, Baer travelled to Japan in 1977. He studied its gardens and made recommendations for improvements to the Missouri Botanical Garden's Japanese Garden.
The Missouri Botanical Garden Trustees filed suit in the circuit court of the City of St. Louis in 1979 to have approved a revision of Henry Shaw's Last Will and Testament concerning the governing of the Missouri Botanical Garden. The Circuit Court approved of the changes in 1980 which allowed the Board to appoint more trustees, set the terms of office for board members, and create a board more representative of its constituency.
In 1979, after a nine year hiatus, Baer rejoined the Zoological Subdistrict Commission. As a member of the commission, Baer oversaw the improvements of the grounds and facilities, attended various fundraising receptions, and helped set Zoo policies.
In 1983, Baer received the Mayor's Award for the Arts in 1983 for his role as a cultural and civic leader in the St. Louis community. The author of one memoir Saint Louis To Me (1978), Baer published his second book, an autobiography entitled An Ordinary Man, in 1985.
SCOPE AND CONTENT
The addenda primarily documents Baer's activities as a member of the Zoological Subdistrict Commission of the St. Louis Zoo from 1979 to 1984 and his activities as a Trustee of the Missouri Botanical Garden from 1975-1985. The bulk of the collection contains correspondence concerning fundraising, building and grounds improvements, and special events for both the St. Louis Zoo and the Missouri Botanical Garden.
The collection is divided into four series: 1) St. Louis Zoological Park, 1979-1984, folders 1-7; 2) Missouri Botanical Garden, 1977-1985, folders 8-20; 3) Other Activities, 1962-1983, folders 21-28; 4) Photographs and Books, 1976-1985, folder 29.
SERIES DESCRIPTION
SERIES 1 - ST LOUIS ZOOLOGICAL PARK, 1979-1984, FOLDERS 1-7
The St. Louis Zoological Park series contains correspondence concerning special zoo events, exhibits, the design and maintenance of buildings and grounds, and the health of the animals. It includes financial reports, Zoological Subdistrict meeting minutes, memos, rules and policy statements concerning zoo operations, articles, newsclippings, and a brief history of the St. Louis Zoo. Arranged chronologically.
SERIES 2 - MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN, 1977-1985, FOLDERS 8-20
The Missouri Botanical Garden series contains correspondence concerning financial contributions, capital fund drives, Zoo-Museum tax district revenues, building and grounds maintenance, including the Japanese Garden, the Education/Visitor Orientation Center, and the area along Alfred Avenue adjacent to the Botanical Garden, and Garden programs. It also contains financial statements, Board of Trustees bylaws and meeting minutes, the original and amended versions of Henry Shaw's Last Will and Testament, "The Life and Legacy of Henry Shaw," a legal history of the Botanical Garden, and the retirement plan for Missouri Botanical Garden employees. Arranged alphabetically.
SERIES 3 - OTHER ACTIVITIES, 1962-1983, FOLDERS 21-28
This series contains book reviews written by Howard Baer for the Post-Dispatch and Globe-Democrat from 1962-1980, the 1971 commencement program from Washington University where Baer received an honorary degree, congratulatory notes from friends and associates, correspondence from the Missouri Mansion Preservation efforts, 1974-1982, and the Mayor's Awards for the Arts in 1983. It also contains fundraising correspondence from Choate and Princeton, the secondary school and university Baer attended. Arranged alphabetically.
SERIES 4 - PHOTOGRAPHS AND BOOKS, 12287-12289, 1976-1985, FOLDER 29
This series contains two photographs of Missouri Botanical Director, Peter Raven, with Howard Baer, Missouri Governor, Christopher Bond, and two Japanese dignitaries celebrating the opening of the Missouri Botanical Garden's Japanese Garden, c.1976, and one photograph of the proposed design of the Education/Visitor Orientation Center, c.1977. It also contains An Ordinary Man, the 1985 autobiography of Howard F. Baer.
FOLDER LIST
BOX 1 (045256)
FOLDERS 1-29
SERIES 1 - ST. LOUIS ZOOLOGICAL PARK, 1979-1984, FOLDERS 1-7
Folder 1. St. Louis Zoological Park, 1979
2. St. Louis Zoological Park, 1980
3. St. Louis Zoological Park, 1981
4. St. Louis Zoological Park, January-May 1982
5. St. Louis Zoological Park, June-December 1982
6. St. Louis Zoological Park, 1983
7. St. Louis Zoological Park, 1984
SERIES 2- MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN, 1977-1985, FOLDERS 8-20
8. Missouri Botanical Garden, 1977
9. Missouri Botanical Garden, 1978
10. Missouri Botanical Garden, January-May 1979
11. Missouri Botanical Garden, June-December 1979
12. Missouri Botanical Garden, 1980
13. Missouri Botanical Garden, January-May 1981
14. Missouri Botanical Garden, June-December 1981
15. Missouri Botanical Garden, 1982-1985
16. Missouri Botanical Garden - Building Program, 1977-1980
17. Missouri Botanical Garden - Business Committee, March 1980 - May 1981
18. Missouri Botanical Garden - Business Committee, June 1981 - August 1982
19. Missouri Botanical Garden - Japanese Garden, December 1975 - February 1976
20. Missouri Botanical Garden - Retirement Plan For Employees, January 1, 1981
SERIES 3 - OTHER ACTIVITIES, 1962-1983, FOLDERS 21-28
21. Baer Book Reviews, 1962-1980
22. Choate School, 1973-1978
23. Mayor's Awards for the Arts, November - December 1983
24. Missouri Mansion Preservation, 1974-1982
25. Princeton University, 1971-1974
26. Princeton University, 1975-May 1978
27. Princeton University, June 1978 - 1980
28. Washington University Honorary Degree, May - July 1971
SERIES 4 - PHOTOGRAPHS AND BOOKS, 1976-1985, FOLDER 29
29. Photographs, 466.1-466.3, c.1976-1977
An Ordinary Man, located on bookshelf
INDEX
Baer, Howard F. f. 1
Bond, Christopher S. f. 29
Garden Neighborhood Improvement Association f. 11, 12
Globe Democrat Woman of the Year, 1978 f. 9
Greensfelder, Albert P. f. 9
Mayor's Awards for the Arts f. 23
Missouri Botanical Garden f. 8-20, 23, 29
Missouri Botanical Garden Japanese Garden f.7-20, 29
Missouri Botanical Garden Tax Levy Opposition, f. 6
Missouri Department of Conservation f. 5
Missouri Mansion Preservation Incorporation f. 5
Open Space Council f. 7
St. Louis Zoological Park f. 1-7
St. Louis Zoological Subdistrict Commission f. 1-7
Shaw, Henry f. 8, 11
Schoemehl, Vincent C. f. 23
Washington University f. 28
STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MISSOURI RESEARCH CENTER-ST. LOUIS
222 THOMAS JEFFERSON LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS
8001 NATURAL BRIDGE ROAD
ST. LOUIS, MO 63121
(314) 516-5143
whmc@umsl.edu