Collection: George S. Roper, Sr. Papers | Georgetown University Archival Resources

Scope and Contents

The George S. Roper, Sr. papers consist of correspondence, reports, and memoranda concerning his positions as Chief of the Air Transport Section and Civil Air Attache at the State Department. The material documents the development of international civil aviation, concentrating on commercial travel, military air transport, international agreements, and air route networks. Also included are lecture notes from a course on air transport, given by Roper at Georgetown University. Note: Click on "External Documents" below for a link to the finding aid for the collection.

Dates

1935 - 1957

Conditions Governing Access

Most manuscripts collections at the Georgetown University Booth Family Center for Special Collections are open to researchers; however, restrictions may apply to some collections. Collections stored off site require a minimum of three days for retrieval. For use of all manuscripts collections, researchers are advised to contact the Booth Family Center for Special Collections in advance of any visit.

Biographical Note

George Stevens, Roper, Sr. was born on April 13, 1908 in Rockford, Illinois. He received his AB degree from Georgetown University in 1931 with a double major in economics and ocean shipping. While at Georgetown, he served as Secretary to the vice president of the University. In 1934, Roper received his MBA degree from Harvard with specialization in transportation and foreign trade, after which he joined the Colombian Steamship Company and remaining until 1938. George Roper successfully combined his business expertise within the federal government when in 1938 he was appointed to the Civil Aeronautics Board as a transportation economist . He was appointed in 1941 as transportation specialist with the Administration of Export Control, Washington, D.C., and during that same year, was assigned as an economic analyst with the American Embassy in Venezuela.

In 1942 he received an appointment as Chief of the Air Transport Section, Aviation Division, Department of State. Among his many activities as Chief, Roper successfully negotiated an air transport agreement with Spain. From 1945 to 1949, he was Civil Air Attache with the American Embassy in Canada, becoming First Secretary and Consul, and Chief of the Transportation and Telecommunications Section with the American Embassy in Mexico from 1949 to 1951. In 1951 he served as First Secretary and Consul, and Chief of Liasion Section at the American Embassy in Manila, Philippines. There he stayed until 1954 when he retired from government service. Upon his retirement from the federal government, Roper resumed his association with Georgetown University and was appointed to the faculty of Georgetown University School of Foreign Service as an instructor in "Airport Transportation Management" for students of International Transportation.

From 1956 to 1968 Roper held a variety of positions within the University, among them: Administrative Assistant to the Director of Institute of Languages and Linguistics; Assistant to Administrator for Physical Plant; Business Manager with Investment Properties; Assistant to the Treasurer; Assistant to Vice President for Business Management; Secretary for the General Planning Committee; and Assistant to Vice President for Planning and Physical Plant. He was also very active in Georgetown's protest of increased traffic at National Airport, Washington, D.C. during the late 1960s. George S. Roper, Sr. died on 16 May 1979. He was married and had four children.