Collection Guide

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Administrative Information

Access and Restrictions: This collection is open for research.

Digital Surrogates: Except where indicated, this document describes but does not reproduce the actual text, images and objects which make up this collection. Materials are available only in the Special Collections Department.

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Use of Collections:  The University of Iowa Libraries supports access to the materials, published and unpublished, in its collections. Nonetheless, access to some items may be restricted by their fragile condition or by contractual agreement with donors, and it may not be possible at all times to provide appropriate machinery for reading, viewing or accessing non-paper-based materials. Please read our Use of Manuscripts Statement.

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Biographical Note

Lucas James DeKoster was born in Hull, Iowa, on June 18, 1918. He attended Kansas State University before transferring to Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, where he graduated in 1939 with a degree in mechanical engineering. From 1940 to 1947, he worked for the NACA (a forerunner of NASA) where he did propeller and jet engine research. DeKoster attended the Cleveland Marshall Law School, graduating in 1949. He then worked as a patent attorney in Cleveland. In 1951, he returned to Hull, Iowa, to establish a legal practice. A Republican, Mr. DeKoster was elected in 1967 to the first of five terms in the Iowa state senate, until 1983. He died in Hull, Sioux County, Iowa, on February 23, 2000.

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Scope and Contents

The papers of Lucas J. DeKoster date from 1967 to 1982. A group of clippings make up the first series.

Correspondence makes up the second series. Letters from Charles Grassley, Thomas Tauke, and Arthur A. Neu are included here.

DeKoster wrote a newsletter, aimed at his constituents, in which he kept them up-to-date on what was going on in the Iowa Legislature. These newsletters (which in his diary he refers to as "a euphemism for campaign letter") are included in the third series, Legislative. Apparently DeKoster sent these out to the newspapers in his area for them to quote from as they chose. Included in most of these files are the original typewritten copies, with DeKoster's holographic corrections and additions, and a carbon copy or photocopy of the final copy. Closely allied to the newsletters as a way of reaching his public, are a series of letters to the editors he wrote, often in response to articles and other letters. These are included in the legislative series as well. Papers relating to his committee service during his years in the Senate are included here. He served on the Judiciary Committee and the Corrections and Mental Health Appropriations Subcommittee among others. There are local and national publications and copies of articles about these topics included in the legislative series since they are thought to have served as research for proposed amendments to bills under the guidance of these committees.

The Miscellaneous series contains items that wouldn't fit comfortably under another heading.

Campaign materials, family business, community service items, and speeches are collected under the rubric Personal.

Photographs make up the last series in the group.

 

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Acquisition and Processing Information

These papers were given to the University of Iowa Libraries by Mr. DeKoster in installments from 1973 to 1982.

Guide posted to Internet: May 2002

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Box Contents List

Box 1

Clippings

Correspondence

1967 --- December 1978

Box 2

           Correspondence, continued

           January 1979 -- December 1982

Legislative files

Biographical sketch for Iowa Official Register

Committee files

Birth Defects Advisory Committee

Corrections and Mental Health Appropriations Subcommittee. Research materials(?)

Iowa Supreme Court. Commission on Judicial Districts

Judiciary Committee. Research materials(?) 2 folders, one in Oversized  Box 5

Senate Ethics Committee. 1 folder

Joe Welsh case. 2 folders

Legislative Advisory Committee. (This is DeKoster's advisory committee, made up of people from his constituency, not the Legislative Advisory Committee of the State Senate)

Legislative Newsletter

1967, 1969

Box 3

Legislative Newsletter, continued

1970 -- 1982 and undated

List of newspapers and radio stations to which the Legislative Newsletter was sent

Letters to Editors

Press releases

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous

New Office Building

Notes

Pardon for James Filarski

Personal

Campaign materials

Campaign finances

Campaign for State Senate, 1964

Campaign 1968 and 1972

Campaign 1978

Miscellaneous campaign materials

Republican campaign fund 1960

Family business. 2 folders

Community Service

Annual performance of The Messiah, 1960 -- 1970

Boy Scouts

Naval training cruise, 1957

Boyden Hull PTA

Hull Public Library. Board of Directors. 3 folders

Iowa State University. Alumni Achievement Fund

Iowa State Bar Association

Insurance Committee. 3 folders

Judicial Immunity Ad Hoc Committee

Legislative Committee

Iowa State Board of Public Instruction

1982 -- 1983

Box 4

Iowa State Board of Public Instruction, continued

1984 -- 1988

Micah Corporation. Board of Directors

Reformed Church in America

Christian Action Commission

Church and Economic Life. 2 folders

General. 3 folders

Human Rights and Race Relations

International Affairs

Marriage, Family Life, and Mental Health

Public Morals

Classes and Judicial Business

Committee of Church Government. 2 folders

Organ committee. 2 folders

"Sabbath Observance"

Sioux County Tuberculosis and Health Association

Speeches

Photographs

DeKoster official portrait for the Iowa Official Register. Reproduced here at the top of this finding aid.

Photocopy of a photograph of DeKoster, Lieutenant Governor candidate Terry Branstad, and Doug Ritsema, candidate for the Iowa House

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