James E. (Gene) Bottoms Papers
Collection DescriptionBiographical NoteJames E. (Gene) Bottoms was born in 1938. A native of rural Forsyth County, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1960 and an Ed.D. in 1965, both from the University of Georgia. Dr. Bottoms spent his entire career working in secondary and post-secondary education policy in Georgia and nationwide, including serving as a guidance consultant for local school districts (1962-1963); Supervisor of Student Services (1964-1966), Assistant State Director of Vocational Education (1966-1972), and the Director of Teacher Education, Staff and Program Development (1972-1977) in the Georgia Department of Education; and Executive Director of the American Vocational Association (1977-1985). In 1986, Dr. Bottoms launched a campaign for Georgia School Superintendent against two other contenders: former School Superintendent Werner Rogers (a previous appointee of Gov. Joe Frank Harris) and Ed Deagan, a former president of the Georgia Association of Educators. This race was the first election for Superintendent in which the incumbent hadn't been appointed by the Governor since 1932. Werner would go on to win the race. Dr. Bottoms joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 1987, becoming Senior Vice President in 1997. His work with SREB has focused on improving standards for college- and career-preparedness through the High Schools That Work Initiative. Throughout his career he has provided guidance and testimony to Congress relating to proposed federal vocational education standards. Scope and ContentThis collection documents Dr. Bottoms' career in education policymaking. It includes personal and professional correspondence, report drafts and final copies, and research material. Highlights include copies of congressional testimony and proposals for federal vocational education standards, handwritten campaign strategy notes for the 1986 School Superintendent race, Dr. Bottoms' numerous publications, and information about his High Schools That Work Initiative with the Southern Regional Edugation Board. Organization and ArrangementThis collection is arranged in five series: Early Life, Proposed Federal Vocational Legislation, Southern Regional Education Board, Superintendent's Race, and Publications. The order of the files follows the donor's original filing scheme. Each series entry is accompanied by descriptive information provided by the donor, detailing its contents. Administrative InformationConditions Governing AccessThis collection is open for research. This collection contains digital files. To access these files, please request the folders you would like through the finding aid using your research account. An archivist will be in contact with you to explain how to access the files. Please note that not all file formats are currently supported by the library for research use. This collection contains audiovisual materials. Reference copies of the audiovisual recordings are available upon request. Research requests will be filled as soon as possible and will be dependent upon the condition of the recordings. Preferred CitationJames E. (Gene) Bottoms Papers. Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Georgia, 30602-1641. CopyrightBefore material from collections at the Richard B. Russell Library may be quoted in print, or otherwise reproduced, in whole or in part, in any publication, permission must be obtained from (1) the owner of the physical property, and (2) the holder of the copyright. It is the particular responsibility of the researcher to obtain both sets of permissions. Persons wishing to quote from materials in the Russell Library collection should consult the Director. Reproduction of any item must contain a complete citation to the original. Finding Aid PublicationFinding Aid prepared by Hannah York and Robert Lay, 2022-11-28. Related Materials and SubjectsSubject Terms |
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Athens, GA 30602-1641