Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Professor of geology and paleontology at the University of Michigan, director of the Michigan Geological Survey, and chancellor of Syracuse University, popular lecturer and writer on scientific topics and as a Methodist layman who worked to reconcile traditional religious beliefs to nineteenth-century developments in the fields of evolutionary biology, cosmology, geology, and paleontology. Papers include extensive diaries, field notes and maps from travels and geological expeditions, correspondence, speeches, articles and other publications and photographs.

The papers of Alexander Winchell are those of an orderly man who carefully documented his own life through well-organized correspondence, diaries, notebooks, and scrapbooks. Winchell kept thorough evidence of his activities, writings, lectures, and thoughts, for most of his life. The only area that seems poorly documented is his university teaching. The collection does not appear to include significant material relating to relationships with students in the classroom.

"Alexander Winchell, an editorial tribute," published in The American Geologist (Feb. 1892, MHC call number DB/2/W759/A512), includes a year-by-year account of Winchell's life, based on the papers, and probably written by his brother N. H. Winchell. Although there are no footnotes in this work, it provides a useful summary of Winchell's activities and clues to the existence of documentation in the collection.

The collection is divided into six major series: Biographical, Correspondence, Diaries and journals, Writings and lectures, Reference and research files, and Scrapbooks; and three smaller series: Visual materials, Processing notes, and Card files.

Winchell's bibliography is located in Box 1 (the most complete copy is in the "Permanent memoranda" volume), and drafts of many of his writings are found in Boxes 8-14. Copies of many, but not all, of Winchell's publications are found in the MHC printed collection. The card catalog includes details for all separately cataloged items. There are also three collections of pamphlets that are not inventoried: two slightly different bound sets prepared by N. H. Winchell after Alexander Winchell's death (MHC call numbers DA/2/W759/M678/Set A and DA/2/W759/M678/Set B) and a two-box collection of pamphlets collected by the University Library (MHC call number Univ. of Mich. Coll./J/17/W759).

Academic unit of the University of Michigan established in 1903 as the Department of Forestry. Records include dean's administrative files, correspondence, minutes, reports and photographs documenting the administration of the school as well as classroom and field activities.

The School of Natural Resources records comprise 54 linear feet and span a wide range of years from 1903 to 1994. The records document the internal activities of the school, both administrative and academic; the role of the school as a unit of the University of Michigan; and curricular changes and the development of new academic programs over the years.

The Drama Season of the University of Michigan is a theater group on campus. Prior to 1952 known as the Ann Arbor Drama Season; the organization did not function from 1943 to 1948. The records collect scrapbooks, 1938-1942 and 1949-1961, containing clippings, programs, and production photographs; also correspondence files, legal and financial papers relating to operation of this Ann Arbor, Michigan, professional theater program, during the directorships of Robert Henderson, John O'Shaughnessy, and Valentine Windt.

The Drama Season records span the years 1929-1966. The material consists of scrapbooks from 1938 to 1942 and 1949 to 1961 (2 linear ft.) which contain mainly clippings from local and national newspapers, along with some programs and photographs.

Also included are alphabetically arranged administrative files relating to the operation of the theater and the performances. Materials include correspondence, legal and financial files and press releases. The bulk of this material is from the 1950s and 1960s.

The photographs series includes a photo album and production photographs, mostly from the 1950s and autographed photos of Lillian Gish and Billie Burke.

Organization of Ann Arbor, Michigan alumnae of the University of Michigan, sponsors scholarships, supported a cooperative house for women students; papers include officer's and committee files, publicity and events files and photographs, and a history of the Sarah Browne Smith Group.

The records of the University of Michigan Alumnae Club of Ann Arbor Sara Browne Smith Group include minutes, reports, scrapbooks, correspondence, and other materials relating to group activities.

1977 and 1981 Accessions. The 1977 accession includes material from 1930 to 1960, while the 1981 accession documents the period 1947-1981. The contents of these accessions are not further described in this Scope and Content Note.

1996 Accession. The records of this accession of the Sara Browne Smith Group are divided into seven series: historical information; officers' files; committees' files; miscellaneous administrative files; publicity files; events file; and photographs.

Ann Arbor, Michigan, group of University of Michigan Alumnae Club. Notebooks containing minutes, correspondence, reports and printed miscellanea.

The Alumnae Club Margaret L. Waterman Group records are organized into three series: Records, Alumnae Council Collected Materials, and Scrapbooks. The collection includes notebooks of past presidents, meeting minutes, correspondence, planning materials, reports, lecture programs, printed miscellanea, and scrapbooks.

Ann Arbor, Michigan civil rights activist known for his confrontational style and advocate of black economic development, welfare rights, affordable housing and other causes, and a founder of the Washtenaw County Black Economic Development League. Papers, primarily documenting his work with the WCBEDL, include correspondence, scrapbooks, trial transcripts, and photographs.

The Charles Thomas, Jr. papers relate mainly to the activities of WCBEDL, the organization founded by Thomas in 1970. Materials in the collection include scrapbooks, trial transcripts, newsclippings, photographs, and correspondence, (including four letters from Coretta Scott King located in the WCBEDL correspondence file).

Unitarian minister, anti-imperialist, and advocate of independence for India. Extensive professional and family correspondence, diaries, sermons, manuscripts of books and articles, research notes, topical file on India, printed material, newspaper clippings, and miscellanea; also papers concerning his career first as a Baptist minister, later a Unitarian minister in Ann Arbor, Michigan and elsewhere, including his involvement in the Western Unitarian Conference.

The Sunderland papers are very complete for the early years of his career (1868-1887). The collection is divided into the following thirteen series: Correspondence, undated and 1868-1936, Visual Materials, Student papers and notebooks, Church and Ministerial Activities, Western Unitarian Conference, Diaries, Notebooks, etc., Sermon file, Manuscripts of Books and Articles, Research Notes and Manuscripts, Printed Materials, Topical Files on India, Miscellaneous Papers and Notebooks, Biographical/Autobiographical Material, and Topical File.

Vice-president and secretary of the University of Michigan; correspondence; research materials for his biographies of university presidents; files relating to activities on the Ann Arbor City Council; course notes from classes at the University of Michigan; and photographs.

The Shirley Wheeler Smith papers include a combination of personal and professional materials. Much of Smith's career with the U-M is documented in the official records of the University, most notably in the records of the Secretary's Office and the papers of the presidents under whom he served (Angell, Hutchins, Burton, Little, and Ruthven). Even so, these papers contain much material relating to the business affairs of the U-M. The extensive correspondence files (with partial index) demonstrate wide influence in all phases of University operations as he corresponded with presidents, faculty, members of the board of regents, and other university personnel. Also documented in the collection is Smith's activities with the city of Ann Arbor and with other community organizations.

The collection has been arranged into the following series: Correspondence; Research for writings; Topical files; Ann Arbor City Council; Papers (by date); Personal and miscellaneous; and Photographs.

General secretary of the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan and editor of the Michigan Alumnus; correspondence, drawings and etchings, photographs and other visual materials

The Shaw collection is an assemblage of personal materials such as correspondence, essays and student notebook, and of Shaw's work as an artists including drawings, etchings, and other examples of artistic expression that he used in connection with his work with the University's Alumni Association and its publications. Records of Shaw's activities with the university will be found in the record groups for the Alumni Association and the Bureau of Alumni Relations also located at the Bentley Library. The collection has been divided into five series: Correspondence, Essays, Drawings and Etchings, Miscellaneous, and Photographs and other Visual Materials.

Ann Arbor, Michigan, family. Family correspondence of Carl, physician and geologist, his wife Frederika, his son Louis, and his daughter Julia; journals, 1861-1905, of Carl Rominger, including notes on his expeditions as State Geologist of Michigan, and other travels through New York, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Ohio; and miscellaneous scrapbooks and account books; also photographs.

The collection has been arranged into the following series: Biographical and genealogical material; Correspondence; Miscellaneous and other papers; Notebooks from courses at Tübingen, 1839-1842; Carl L. Rominger notebooks and journals, 1861-1905; and Drafts and manuscripts of various writings.

The notebooks and journal are especially rich documenting Rominger's interest in geology, paleontology, and allied fields in New York, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Ohio, with the bulk pertaining to Michigan where Rominger served as state geologist.