Frederick W. Kasch Papers

Collection

Identifier: MS-0479

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Frederick W. Kasch Papers (1937-2011) document Dr. Kasch’s work as an exercise physiologist, researcher, educator, and promoter of adult fitness in San Diego. The collection highlights his published research, coverage in the media, and awards of appreciation from colleagues, students, and research participants. It includes data from his renowned longitudinal study, “Thirty-three Years of Aerobic Exercise Adherence,” as well as a transcript of the NBC News interview “Cardiovascular Care.” The majority of the materials are concerned with Dr. Kasch's professional career at SDSU and date from 1950 to 1980. The collection is divided into seven series: Biographical (1913-2008), Correspondence (1954-2009), Photographs (1948-2006), Publications/Professional Work (1937-2010), Newsclippings and Media Coverage (1948-2008), Audiovisual (1978-2011), and Artifacts (1980-1999). Items are arranged alphabetically within each series and include newsclippings, correspondence, photographs, audio and video recordings, scrapbooks, publications and conference proceedings.

Dates

Creation: 1937-2011
Creation: Majority of material found in 1950-1980

Creator

Kasch, Frederick W. (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

The copyright interests in some or all of these materials have not been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with the creator(s) of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of archival collections is such that multiple creators are often applicable and copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine. In any case, the user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, obtaining publication rights and copyright infringement. When requesting images from Special Collections & University Archives for publication, we require a signed agreement waiving San Diego State University of any liability in the event of a copyright violation.

Biographical Note

Dr. Frederick William Kasch was born in Chicago on April 16, 1913 and moved to San Diego in 1948 where he spent the remainder of his life as an exercise physiologist, educator, and pioneer researcher of adult fitness. He attended Austin High School in Chicago in 1931, and earned a B.A. in 1935 and a M.A. in 1937 from the University of Illinois, where he played baseball. The team won the 1934 Big Ten Championship. Kasch earned a doctorate degree in education in 1956 from New York University and a PhD from Walden University in 1982.

Dr. Kasch became an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Education at San Diego State College in 1948. In 1952, he established an Exercise Laboratory at San Diego State and began the first adult fitness clinic, also known as the Adult Fitness Program (AFP), on campus. He retired in 1980 as Professor Emeritus. In 1990, a university exercise physiology lab was named in his honor and an endowment for graduate study was established in his name in 1999.

Dr. Kasch received numerous grants for research and supplies for the university. His works were published in journals such as the Journal of the American Podiatry Association, the Journal of the Association for Physical and Mental Rehabilitation, Research Quarterly, the Journal of the American Medical Association, and Physician and Sports Medicine. Dr. Kasch aslo co-authored the book Adult Fitness in 1968 and attended various national and international symposiums.