Reel 1. This speech was delivered by Aaron M. Frank on March 24, 1949, at the Meier and Frank Department Store in Portland, Oregon. In this speech, Frank urges the assembled store employees to resist union organizing efforts. He enumerates the benefits provided to employees by Meier and Frank, gives examples of management and employee loyalty, lists his responsibilities as director, and makes a plea for an employee vote of confidence. The employees ultimately voted against unionization.

Transcript. This speech was delivered by Aaron M. Frank on March 24, 1949, at the Meier and Frank Department Store in Portland, Oregon. In this speech, Frank urges the assembled store employees to resist union organizing efforts. He enumerates the benefits provided to employees by Meier and Frank, gives examples of management and employee loyalty, lists his responsibilities as director, and makes a plea for an employee vote of confidence. The employees ultimately voted against unionization.

Blueprint of the Meier & Frank Building's Alder Street Elevation.

Architectural drawing of the Meier & Frank Building's elevations on Alder Street and Morrison Street.

Architectural drawing of the exterior details of the Meier & Frank Building. Includes plans for the 10th story cornice looking up, typical pier and section, high point roof, low point roof, and the 12th floor line.

Architectural drawing of the Meier & Frank Building's first story ceiling. Includes details such as the plan at columns and the plan at the center of the ceiling panel.

Architectural drawing of the Meier & Frank Building's front elevation on Fifth Street.

Blueprint of the Meier & Frank Building's Sixth Street Elevation.

A photograph of four children wearing halloween costumes. One child holds a plastic jack-o-lantern pail and two other children hold shopping bags with a logo for the Meier & Frank Department Store.

A photograph of a crowd of people gathered on a raised platform above the flood waters in front of the Meier & Frank Department Store during the 1894 flood. A man stands in front of the platform, submerged up to his knees in the flood water.

A photograph of a crowd of people gathered on a raised platform above the flood waters in front of the Meier & Frank Department Store during the 1894 flood. A typed caption below the photograph reads, "Views of the Flood, Portland, Oregon, June, 1894."

A photograph of a crowd of people gathered on a raised platform above the flood waters in front of the Meier & Frank Department Store during the 1894 flood. Additional people are seated on a rowboat in front of the platform. Four men stand beside the boat, submerged to their hips in the flood water.

A photograph of the dining room in a model home built on the roof of the Meier & Frank Department Store in Salem, Oregon. A typed caption glued to the page above the photograph reads, "Model Home -- Roof, February, 1956."

Photograph showing a display of boxes of Junket products, including rennet powder, ice cream mix, and tablets, at Meier & Frank in Portland. See related image No. 372A0947. Image note: Spots of discoloration due to negative damage.

A photograph of the exterior of a model home built on the roof of the Meier & Frank Department Store in Salem, Oregon. A typed caption glued to the page above the photograph reads, "Model Home -- Roof, February, 1956."

A photograph of the fireplace in a model home built on the roof of the Meier & Frank Department Store in Salem, Oregon. A typed caption glued to the page above the photograph reads, "Model Home -- Roof, February, 1956."

A photograph of Gerry Frank sitting in the driver's seat of an automobile. Six additional passengers are visible in the vehicle with Frank. The letters, "M&F" are painted on the door of the automobile in the style of the logo for the Meier & Frank Department Store.

Two men sit in a horse-drawn delivery wagon on a street outside of a Meier & Frank store in Portland, Oregon. An automobile prepares to pass the wagon from behind. Pictured from left to right are Lawrence Horseman, driving the wagon, and A.W. Holts, a senior driver who began working at Meier and Frank in 1903. This wagon is a part of the 100th anniversary celebration of the Meier and Frank company (negative 12 of 12).

Jack Meier and Richard Frank, also known as Dick Frank, look at a desktop full of items at the Meier & Frank company in Portland, Oregon. Jack Meier is on the left and is seated at the desk. Richard Frank stands to the right and leans on Jack's chair and the desk. The items on the desk are likely related to the upcoming 100th anniversary celebration of the Meier & Frank company. Jack Meier was the corporation secretary and administrative assistant to management while Richard Frank was the corporation treasurer at Meier & Frank (negative 1 of 12).

A photograph of the kitchen in a model home built on the roof of the Meier & Frank Department Store in Salem, Oregon. A typed caption glued to the page above the photograph reads, "Model Home -- Roof, February, 1956."

A photograph of the living room in a model home built on the roof of the Meier & Frank Department Store in Salem, Oregon. A typed caption glued to the page above the photograph reads, "Model Home -- Roof, February, 1956."

Three-quarters portrait of an unidentified employee at Meier & Frank in Portland standing next to a display of boxes of Junket products, including rennet powder, ice cream mix, and tablets.

Portrait showing three unidentified people, probably employees, with a huge cake displayed at Meier & Frank in Portland. The cake display includes cans of Alpine Milk and Softasilk cake flour. Two of the people in the photo are holding a sign with the following text: “The Pilgrim Cake / 100 lbs. / made with Softasilk Cake Flour and Alpine Milk / Order Yours in the Bakery Dept.”

A photograph of players for the Meier & Frank football team. The players are posed in a group wearing jerseys that read, "Meier & Frank Co." One of the kneeling players holds a football.

Photograph showing people on a stage during a style show at Meier & Frank Department Store in Portland. Several people stand arm in arm, while one woman walks across the stage to the right. Another woman stands in a set, possibly designed to look like a birdcage. An audience is seated in front of the stage (negative 2 of 3).

Photograph showing women in dresses during a style show at Meier & Frank Department Store in Portland. The models are walking down a runway, with people seated on either side. Other models can be seen at the top of stairs on either side of the stage (negative 1 of 3).

Tape 1, Side 1. This oral history interview with Gerry Frank was conducted by Jim Strassmaier at Frank’s office in Salem, Oregon, from May 25, 1988, to May 2, 1990. In this interview, Frank discusses his family background and early life in Portland, Oregon, including his early education and the Meier & Frank department store, his family's business. He talks briefly about attending Stanford University, then discusses his Army service in Europe during World War II and his studies at Cambridge University in England. He talks about returning to Portland to work at Meier & Frank. Frank speaks at length about Mark Hatfield’s family background and early life. He talks about Hatfield’s early political career, spirituality, and marriage to Antoinette Kuzmanich. He talks about the 1965 sale of Meier & Frank, and his subsequent deeper involvement with Hatfield’s political career. He discusses economic planning work on the Governor’s Advisory Committee, working with Glenn Jackson, and the Republican Party in Oregon. He talks about Hatfield’s elections; Hatfield’s brush with the vice presidential nomination in 1968; and Hatfield’s working relationships with Oregon state legislators. He describes Hatfield’s opposition to the Vietnam War, as well of some of Hatfield’s other controversial positions. He then talks about going to Washington, D.C., his duties as a member of Hatfield’s staff, and other members of Hatfield’s staff. He also talks about the conflict between Hatfield’s liberal views and the increasing conservatism of the Republican Party. He speaks at length about managing Hatfield’s office, including managing correspondence and staff, and contracting with the Herman Miller company for furniture. He discusses the ways in which Hatfield remains connected to his constituency; the areas in which he disagrees with Hatfield; and how they handled a real estate scandal during Hatfield’s 1984 re-election campaign. He discusses his personal activities, including writing an Oregon guidebook and his involvement with various organizations. He closes the interview by talking about how he first became acquainted with Mark Hatfield; Hatfield’s political agenda; and issues contemporary to the interview session in 1990, including environmental concerns about logging and the proposed division of the Ninth Circuit Court.