Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

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Collection

George Vargas papers, 1933-2016 (with gaps), undated

7.6 linear feet (in 8 boxes) — 3.85 GB (online) — 3 oversize folders — 2 tubes — 1 oversize poster — 1 oversize box

Online
University of Michigan graduate (BFA '74, MA '76, and Ph.D. '88) and artist, art historian, and educator with an emphasis in Latino art. Materials include artwork as well as research, teaching, and professional topical files.

The George Vargas papers present a look at the interests, work, and activities of artist and historian George Vargas. The material is dated from approximately 1933-2016 and includes topical files, artwork, and correspondence.

The strength of the collection is found in the numerous lectures written by Vargas, which reveal the depth of his research, the original artwork, and the broader view of multi-cultural and, particularly, Latino art activities in Michigan. Also of note are his extensive files of artists that were of interest to him as well as his own papers and publications.

The researcher should note that many items in the collection overlap various series. As a result, researchers should—in addition to reviewing multiple series—be sure to look for the "see also" notes that help identify some of these overlaps.

Collection

George William Cushing papers and sound recordings, 1942-1955

1.3 linear feet — 230 audiotapes (in 9 boxes) — 260 GB (online)

Online
News editor and vice president of Detroit, Michigan, radio station, WJR, moderator of radio program, "In Our Opinion". Correspondence, radio transcripts, scrapbooks, broadcast discs, and audio-tapes of discs; include material concerning career of Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg, the senatorial campaign of 1942 between Prentiss Brown and Homer Ferguson, and radio broadcasting in general.

The Cushing collection consists largely of sound recordings of a selection of the "In Our Opinion" radio program. There are also additional textual materials: clippings and other documents pertaining to the program and some transcriptions of particular programs.

The sound recordings of the "In Our Opinion" program were originally phonograph transmission discs. Nearly impossible to listen to because of their oversize format and the absence of appropriate players, the library applied for and received a grant in 1977 from the NHPRC to transfer a selection of the more than 600 discs onto reel-to-reel tapes. Many of the discs already showed signs of deterioration. The selection of what discs to preserve was based on the significance of the topics discussed and the importance of the interviewees. Among the guests were Senators Arthur Vandenberg and Homer Ferguson, automobile executive (later governor) George Romney, Congressman George Dondero, military historian General S.L.A. Marshall, political science Professor James K, Pollock, Governor Kim Sigler, Lowell Thomas, Thor Heyerdahl, Edward R. Murrow, and Episcopal Bishop Richard S. Emrich, among many others. Topics ranged from state and national politics, the impact of the war, foreign affairs, post-war re-conversion of the economy, and issues specific to Detroit and Michigan.

Collection

Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy (University of Michigan) publications, 1923-2018

6.2 linear feet — 1 bundle

Online
Includes brochures, manuals, proceedings, programs, and reports. Also contains bulletins or course catalogs from the School of Public Policy, the Institute of Public Policy Studies, the Institute of Public Administration, and the Institute of Public and Social Administration. Contains 1967 and 1968 W. S. Woytinsky lectures and the newsletters Newsletter: Institute of Public Administration, IPPS Newsletter and the School of Public Policy Newsletter. Also includes Bureau of Government bulletins, pamphlets, and reports and the newsletter The Staebler Caucus published by the Neil Staebler Political Education Fund. Also contains the Newsletter to Graduates published by the Michigan chapter of the American Society for Public Administration.

The Publications of the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy (6.2 linear feet) are divided into three subseries: Unit Publications, Sub-Unit Publications, and Student Publications. Some publications (or their successors) may no longer be available in print but are available on the school's website.

Collection

Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy (University of Michigan) records, 1917-2013 (majority within 1950-2002)

17 linear feet (in 18 boxes) — 10.2 GB

Online
The Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy (formerly the School of Public Policy) developed out of various institutes at the University of Michigan including the Institute of Social and Public Administration the Institute of Public Administration, and the Institute of Public Policy Studies. The School provides courses and conducts research in areas of public administration and public policy issues. Records include administrative files, correspondence, topical files and some material on research projects.

The University of Michigan Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy record group documents the history and development of public policy studies at the University of Michigan. The records contain some information on the beginning of instruction in public administration in 1915 and the formation of the Institute of Social and Public Administration in 1936. The bulk of the material documents the administration and subsequent reorganizations of the academic unit currently known as the School of Public Policy. Records include correspondence, minutes, historical materials and topical files concerning the Institute, its Lansing Office, its programs in the Republic of China and documented the Philippine Islands, and the Michigan Constitutional Convention of 1961- 1962. the records have been received in three major accessions, 1972 (boxed 1-9), 1997 (boxes 10-14) and 2006 (boxes 15-18).

Most of the materials comprising the 1972 accession cover the period from the 1950s to the mid-1980s. Unfortunately, few documents about the establishment and development of the public policy studies curriculum between 1915 and 1945 exist. Particular strengths of the record group are the materials on the Philippine Institute of Public Administration and the Taiwan Center for Public and Business Administration Education. The German Training Program files also offer insight into international interests of the public administration faculty at the University of Michigan. The German Training Program was a program established to provide Germans with a knowledge of American political and social institutions, democratic skills, and development of individual competence in fields of knowledge such as journalism, pedagogy, and public administration. Other series in the School of Public Policy records allow for a general overview of the structure of the School of Public Policy. They also demonstrate the composition and research interests of the faculty and students in the department.

The records comprising the 1997 accession from the School of Public Policy were primarily arranged chronologically. This arrangement has been retained and the record group has been broken down into a Chronological Files series, several Topical Files series, a Sound Recordings Series, and a Photographs series. It should be noted that some of the files in the Topical Files series include documents created after the dates noted in the series heading.

The 2006 accession consisted of additional administrative files and material relating to the dedication of the Joan and Sanford Weil Hall groundbreaking and dedication.

Collection

Glenn C. Gillespie papers, 1905-1959

2 linear feet — 1 oversize folder — 2 film reels — 2 optical discs (DVDs)

Online
Opinions written as judge, June 1, 1921-December 4, 1935 (7 volumes); photograph albums; account book, 1908-1910; miscellaneous clippings, citations, and correspondence and motion pictures

The Gillespie papers consist of clippings and miscellaneous items relating to his legal career and articles on his death, photographs, judicial opinions and films.

The Photographs consist of portraits and s composite photos of Oakland County Bench and Bar, 1924 and 1950, and a folder of copy prints of photos from the two albums. The albums contain numerous images of hunting and fishing scenes, many from Houghton Lake and the Au Sable River, oil rigs in Genesee county, the Detroit Ski Club ski jump in Rochester, Michigan, photos of the First and Second Michigan Air Tours, 1929 and 1931, view of Mackinaw City, Mich storefronts, 1917, Ranger, Texas, street views and oil rigs, 1919, vacation at Isle Royale, Mich., 1935, and a trip to the Soo Locks and Tahquamenon Falls.

The Judicial Opinions Series includes all of he opinions Gillespie wrote as a member of the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court of Michigan, 1921-1934

The Motion Pictures series consists of two 16mm films documenting portions of the First and Second Michigan Air Tours, 1929-1930, including footage of airplanes and aerial views of Michigan scenes; includes views of Governor Fred Green, the airship Graf Zeppelin, and Mackinac Island The films were digitized in 2011 and are now available on DVD or as streaming files (on request).

Collection

G. Mennen Williams papers, 1883-1988 (majority within 1958-1980)

843 linear feet — 42 oversize volumes — 147 audiotapes (3 3/4 - 7 1/2 ips; 5-10 inches; reel-to-reel tapes) — 46 audiocassettes — 30 phonograph records — 42.1 GB (online)

Online
Governor of Michigan 1949 to 1960, under-secretary of state for African Affairs from 1961 to 1965, and Michigan Supreme Court justice from 1970 to 1986 and leader in state and national Democratic Party. Papers document his public career and aspects of his personal and family life and include correspondence, subject files, staff files, speeches, press releases and news clippings, photographs, sound recordings, films and videotapes.

The G. Mennen Williams Papers consist of official and personal files arranged into six subgroups: 1) Gubernatorial papers, 1949-1960 (681 linear ft.); 2) Non-gubernatorial papers, 1883-1948 and 1958-1988 (107 linear ft.); 3) Visual materials, ca. 1911-1988 (ca. 25 linear ft.); 4) sound recordings, 1950-ca. 1988 (5 linear ft.) Scrapbooks, 1948-1987 (43 vols.) and State Department Microfilm, 1961-1966 (23 reels).

As part of its own control system, the governor's office maintained a card index to the correspondents in many of the subgroups and series within the gubernatorial papers. This card file is located in the library's reading room. In addition, Nancy Williams and her staff compiled an extensive and detailed run of scrapbooks covering the Williams years. There is a separate inventory to these scrapbooks in a separately bound volume.

Strategy for Use of the Gubernatorial Papers: Although the Williams gubernatorial collection consists of hundreds of linear feet of material, the file arrangement created by the governor's staff is a fairly simple one to understand and to use.

The bulk of the collection falls within specific functional groupings, corresponding to the various activities and responsibilities that Williams performed as governor. Thus, if the researcher is uncertain of what portions of the collection might be relevant to his/her research, he/she is advised to think in terms of gubernatorial function. Does the proposed research concern the workings or area responsibility of a state board? If so, the Boards and Commissions series would be the most likely place in which to find material. The election of 1954? Then Democratic Party/Campaign Papers should be first choice. The passage of a specific piece of legislation? Here, Legislative Files is an obvious choice. The possible choices (called subgroups and series) that the researcher has are listed in the Organization of the Collection section. A description of the contents of each of these subgroups/series is provided below.

If, at first, unsuccessful in finding material on any given topic, the researcher might consider these additional strategies:

1. Refer to the Williams card index (located in the library's reading room). Sometimes, the name of an individual associated with a subject provides the easiest point of access into the collection. This file is arranged alphabetically and lists the dates of letters between an individual and the governor's office. This file only indexes the larger series and subgroups in the collection. It does not index the staff files, or parts of the Democratic Party/Campaign subgroup. Nevertheless it is an invaluable tool, and can uncover important material otherwise buried.

2. Refer to the various series of staff papers. Staff members were often closely involved in a specific subject areas (Jordan Popkin and aging, for example) and thus their files are frequently rich in source material.

3. If only partially successful in locating desired material, the researcher should think of an alternative subgroup or series. The governor's office, for a variety of reasons, often filed related material in different locations depending upon the source of a document. Thus, information relating to a strike might be filed both under the Labor Mediation Board in Boards and Commissions, and Strikes in General Subjects. Furthermore, if the strike influenced a specific piece of legislation, there could be material in the Legislative Files.

Collection

Graduate Program of Medical and Biological Illustration (University of Michigan) Records and Illustrations, 1902-1991, 1950-1985

24.3 linear feet — 11 oversize boxes — 1 oversize folder — 4 film reels (16 mm)

Online
This record group contains original artwork, administrative materials, and audiovisual materials produced by the University of Michigan Graduate Program of Medical and Biological Illustration. The records represent the work of approximately 35 medical illustrators spanning the years 1902-1991. The material documents the work of the faculty of the program and other prominent illustrators.

The records are arranged in to two basic categories: 2 general series concerning program administration, and 17 series related to specific illustrators. The 19 series are as follows: General/Background, Gerald P. Hodge Illustrations, Alfred P. Teoli Illustrations, Evelyn Erickson Sullivan Illustrations, Max Brödel Illustrations, Emily Perry Illustrations, Elton E. Hoff Illustrations, Ralph Sweet Illustrations, Jeanette Young Illustrations, Neil Hardy Illustrations, J. McLaughlin Illustrations, Mary Lou Cummings Illustrations, Rictor S. Lew Illustrations, Grant S. Lashbrook Illustrations, Stephen G. Gilbert Illustrations, Denis Lee Records and Illustrations, Miscellaneous Illustrations, Unidentified Illustrators, and Audiovisual Materials. A small selection of illustrations displaying a variety of artists' work, techniques, and subjects has been digitized. The materials in each artist's series are predominantly arranged as received from the donor.

Collection

Grand Hotel (Mackinac Island, Mich.) records, circa 1855-2017 (majority within 1946-2012)

27.5 linear feet (in 29 boxes) — 2 oversize folders — 94.4 GB (online)

Online
The Grand Hotel records comprise documents, photographs, audio and videographic material collected about the hotel by its management. The strength of the collection is in its documentation of the guest experience at the hotel, and the evolution of amenities offered by the hotel during the mid-to-late 20th century. A small number of items also provide a glimpse of the hotel's earliest days as a summer resort.

The Grand Hotel records are arranged in six series: Printed Material, Miscellaneous, Press Clippings and Publications, Photographic Material, Audio Material, and Videographic Material.

Collection

Grant Kohn Goodman papers, 1943-1995

0.5 linear feet — 1 digital audio file

Online
Grant K. Goodman was a student at the University of Michigan's Army Intensive Japanese Language School (AIJLS) during World War II. Goodman was the primary organizer of several AIJLS class reunions in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The collection contains papers documenting the AIJLS, specifically the Second Class, 1943-1944. It includes educational materials, reports, and commencement programs, as well as materials from the School's 1943 production of the musical "Nips in the Bud." A significant portion of the collection is made up of photographs, depicting life at AIJLS, Fort McClellan, Alabama, and in post-surrender Japan. Also included are materials related to Goodman's organization of the AIJLS reunions, largely comprised of correspondence, various written recollections, and a collection of six videocassettes.

The Grant K. Goodman collection documents the establishment and daily operations of the Army Intensive Japanese Language School (AIJLS), operating on the University of Michigan campus during World War II, as well as Goodman's later efforts to organize AIJLS reunions. The files are divided into seven series, and consist of papers, photographs and AV materials: Army Intensive Japanese Language School, Correspondence, "Nips in the Bud," Photographs, Publicity, "Random Recollections of the Second Class, AIJLS", and Videotapes.

Collection

Guild House records, 1924-2005 (majority within 1940-1990)

10 linear feet — 6 oversize volumes — 10.2 GB (online)

Online
Ecumenical Christian campus ministry at the University of Michigan. Records include correspondence, minutes, financial reports, annual reports, newsletters, photographs, audio-tapes; materials concerning University of Michigan religious organizations, including Office of Religious Affairs, the Association of Religious Counselors, Student Religious Association, the Interfaith Center, and the Protestant Foundation for International Students; also files on other religious organizations, especially the Ann Arbor Bible Chair, the Michigan Christian Foundation of the Disciples of Christ; and papers concerning Ann Arbor churches, particularly the Bethlehem Evangelical Church, the First Congregational Church, and the Memorial Christian Church.

The records of Guild House have come to the library in different accessions dating from the 1970s. Covering the period from the 1920s to the 2000s, the records document the different roots of the modern Guild House. Besides correspondence, financial reports and annual reports, the record group includes the student newsletter The Microphone, as well as various reports of retreats, banquets, luncheons, and discussion sessions.

Because the members of the Guild House were so active, the record group includes materials on social issues such as civil rights, disarmament, diplomatic recognition of China, apartheid, and social and political issues in Central America. For a view of the Vietnam War peace movement and other political issues the collection of J. Edgar Edwards, director and campus minister of the Guild House from 1957 to 1973, should be consulted. This collection has been separately cataloged.

There are also numerous sound tape recordings of Guild House programs and meetings, a microfilm copy of the record book of the Upper Room membership under H.L. Pickerill's predecessor Thomas Iden, photographs, and scrapbooks.

More specifically, the record group has been arranged into the following series: Church Campus Ministries; Guild House Organizational Records; Related Organizations; Publications and related; Directors; Photographs, Scrapbooks, and Sound Recordings. The strength of the collection is its documentation of Guild House's involvement in significant social and political issues of the 1950s-2000s.