Dates

• Majority of material found within 1910 - 1995

Extent

5 boxes Linear Feet (James Kermit (J. K.) Stoner (January 8, 1910-February 7, 1995) was born in Mt. Joy, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. His parents were Benjamin Franklin Stoner (1885-1954) and Lydia Ann Roberts Stoner (1884-1970). On June 3, 1932, J. K. Stoner married Annebelle Nichol (February 6, 1901-March 30, 1990), who was the daughter of Frank and Ida Lydic Nichol. J. K. Stoner attended high school in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, and graduated in 1927. He went to Indiana State Teachers College (IUP), majored in business, and graduated with a B.S. in 1931. He earned his Master’s degree (1936) and Doctor of Education (1953) from the University of Pittsburgh. Stoner began his teaching career as an instructor at New Kensington Junior High School in 1931 where he taught ninth grade general business training for three years. From 1934 to 1937, he was instructor in the New Kensington Senior High School. In 1936-1937, he was an instructor in the Standard Evening School for Adults in New Kensington. From 1937 to 1942, Dr. Stoner was supervisor of student teachers and instructor in business education courses at Indiana Senior High School. In 1942 and 1943, he was an instructor for adults in the Pennsylvania State University Extension. During World War Two, Lieutenant J. K. Stoner served in the United States Navy from 1942-1946, and he was stationed in Pearl Harbor and Washington, D.C. During his three years of active duty service, he worked for the Bureau of Aeronautics and on the Staff of the Air Force, Pacific Fleet as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Naval Reserve in the United States and overseas. In 1946, J. K. Stoner was Coordinator of Distributive Education of the Indiana Public Schools, and he taught evening class in Retailing and Salesmanship to store employees. From 1946 to 1972, he taught accounting, business mathematics, and law at Indiana State Teachers College (ISTC), Indiana State College (ISC), and later IUP. Dr. Stoner was a professor at the IUP College of Business for 26 years, having first taught in many area high schools including Indiana High School. He was founder of Delta Pi Epsilon business fraternity at IUP, and served on the board of directors of Penelec. Dr. Stoner retired in 1972 as the interim Dean of the College of Business at IUP. For over 17 years, Dr. Stoner wrote a weekly column, Ham with Wry published in the Indiana Evening Gazette, which were later compiled and published in two separate volumes in 1980 and 1994. He was highly involved in Indiana, Pennsylvania community affairs, holding memberships in the VFW Post 1989, he was a 50-year member of the Kiwanis Club, the Indiana Chapter of the American Red Cross and served as chairman from 1980 to 1982, as well as the Business Advisory Council of IUP. He joined the Masonic fraternity in 1931, and was 50-year member of Acadia Lodge F. & A.M. in Indiana, Pennsylvania. He belonged to the Graystone Presbyterian Church in Indiana. In addition to Ham with Wry, J. K. Stoner was the author of two high school textbooks in marketing and retailing, numerous articles in professional magazines, and freelance articles in several publications. Dr. Stoner’s wife of 57 years, Annabelle Nichol Stoner, passed away on March 30, 1990 at St. Andrews Village in Indiana. Dr. J. K. Stoner passed away at the Indiana Hospital on February 7, 1995.)

Language of Materials

English