Frank Hamilton Jeter Papers 1918-1957

Born on May 2, 1891, in Union County, South Carolina, Frank Hamilton Jeter was the son of a prosperous landowner. Raised in a small farming village that was surrounded by his father's property, Jeter lived and worked in that environment until he left to attend Clemson College, in Clemson, South Carolina. He graduated from Clemson in 1911 with a degree in agronomy. Jeter earned high marks. The 'practical' lessons he learned growing up on a farm enabled him to be successful in his agricultural studies. At Clemson he developed an interest in writing, devoting much of his time to literary work. He served as the editor of the college magazine during his senior year.

After graduating Jeter was employed as a field demonstration agent for a fertilizer company. In 1915, he took a position as the Extension Editor for the fledgling Cooperative Extension Service that was being organized at North Carolina State College (later North Carolina State University). At the time, there was no precedent for that kind of agricultural publication work. Jeter made contacts with local newspapers, the Associated Press, and other news agencies to get them interested in stories about farmers and farm people. Working closely with the newly established Amercian Association of Agricultural College Editors, he began weekly publication of "The Extension Farm News," a news bulletin that was distributed to press outlets, and members of the regional agricultural community.

Also in 1915, Jeter married Irene Albert of Atlanta, Georgia. In the following years, the couple had three children--Frank, Robert, and Jane. Jeter maintained a high level of civic involvement throughout his life. He was a member of the Raleigh Kiwanis Club and a Ruling Elder of Raleigh's First Presbyterian Church. Additionally, he was active in promoting Alpha Zeta, Alpha Gamma, and Epsilon Sigma Phi fraternities, and served as chairman of the editorial section for the Association of Southern Agricultural Workers.

Over a period of four decades, Frank Jeter developed a voice for the North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service and the southern farmer. His prolific writing, his presence as a public speaker, and his management and promotion of Extension publications helped bring national recognition to southern agriculture. In 1948, in recognition for his pioneering work in the field of agricultural journalism, and the advancement of agricultural education, Jeter was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Science by his alma mater, Clemson College.

The Frank Hamilton Jeter Papers document Jeter's work with the North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service, as well as his tenure as agricultural editor and director of publications at North Carolina State College (later North Carolina State University). These files contain Jeter's writings on agriculture and document his appearances at Extension, civic, and farm meetings throughout North Carolina, as well as his many honors and awards in the field of agricultural communications. The files contain newspaper clippings and information pertaining to his editing work. The articles were published in numerous North Carolina newspapers as well as in North Carolina Agricultural Extension publications. There is also material from Jeter's weekly farm program on WPTF Radio in Raleigh. Also included are certificates of appreciation and correspondence documenting awards and tributes, tributes to Jeter after his death in 1955, and an autobiographical profile.

This collection is organized into three series.

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[Identification of item], Frank Hamilton Jeter Papers, MC 00034, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Material donated by the family of Frank Hamilton Jeter.

Processed by Michael Watts, 2005 July ;

Updated by Aaron Cusick, 2009 November