Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

The Administration (1929-1959; 5 linear feet) series includes documents pertaining to the establishment of the fund, annual reports, and minutes and resolutions of the board of trustees. Additionally this series includes reports from the field received by Norton from Child Health Division staff members. The three largest files in this series correspond to the three divisions within the CFM: the Research Laboratory, the Child Health Division, and the Child Guidance Division. Each of these files includes such documentation as annual reports, correspondence of division directors, and various other reports and memoranda. The Research Laboratory is the smallest of these, but the researcher should note that its director Icie Macy-Hoobler donated her professional files to the library separately, and included with them are her CFM papers.

The Child Guidance Division subseries, in addition to annual reports and correspondence of one of its directors Maud Watson, is noteworthy for the correspondence exchanged between Norton and its other director John M. Dorsey. Dorsey was a distinguished psychiatrist and university educator who wrote long and thoughtful letters to Norton about child guidance and the kinds of programs needed to deal with the stresses confronting the state's young people, particularly urban youth.

The Administration (1934-1945) group consists of four folders of reports from various offices and organizations contributing to orientation.

The Administration series details the interactions between the governing heads of MIFA (the Forensic Council and State Manager), their members, and their sponsoring institution. The series also documents special initiatives undertaken to assist in MIFA's administration. The series is divided into four subseries: Forensic Council, Mailings, Standing Committees, and Topical Files. The Forensic Council contains the agendas, minutes, reports, and supporting documents of the Council's meetings and is, by far, the most comprehensive and orderly subseries. The files are arranged chronologically in this subseries. The Standing Committees subseries is composed of records pertaining to meetings of the debate, individual events, drama/theatre, and discussion/student congress committees. There are also a few files of the Middle Level individual events committee. These files are typically arranged chronologically by school year and are not complete. Many of the items in these files will also be found in the Forensic Council subseries, but it might be easier to first check the committee files to locate information concerning one of the MIFA activities. The subseries Mailings, 1967-2004, is arranged chronologically and contains materials mailed to coaches and participating schools. While a portion of these records can also be found in the Forensic Council series, these documents have been retained in this arrangement as full examples of the volume of material received by member schools during their participation in MIFA activities. The last subseries in this portion of the collection is of Topical Files, which arranges information alphabetically by topic rather than chronologically.

The Administrative series, 1930-2006 (2.5 linear feet), contains papers dealing with the administrative side of the library. This includes: annual reports, library statistics, budget, committees, staffing information, and unit goals.

The Administrative series spans less than 0.1 linear feet and includes materials pertaining primarily to the early years of the Center. Of particular note are Annual Reports of the Center (then the Dunbar Community Association) from 1937 to 1954, as well as Brochures, Fliers and Invitations regarding Center events and services from 1936 to 1998.

The Administrative (1937-1987) series is divided into two sub-series. The Correspondence sub-series contains letters and memos. The Committees sub-series contains memos, correspondence and minutes generated by administrative committees.

The Administrative File contains an incomplete run of materials from throughout the history of the camp. It includes a small amount of correspondence, scattered meeting minutes of the executive committee, grant applications and reports, financial records and staff and student information. The financial records include information on the land purchase and a sketch showing the location of the land. Staff manuals provide documentation of camp policy, activities, participation, and routine administrative functions such as counselor applications. Two ledgers are included within this series, the first of which lists students and counselors from 1922 to 1932. Information includes names, age, church, and sponsoring organization. The second ledger is a record of medical treatment covering the 1979 season.

The Administrative Files series (1873-2000, 8.8 linear feet) is divided into six subseries: Correspondence, Committees, Facilities and Equipment, Finances, Personnel, Reports and Topical Files.

Administrative Files (boxes 1-53; 55-67; 124-125; 131; 157; and 168) includes correspondence (boxes 1-67; and 168) spans the period from 1897-1999 when the various alumni and professional societies were combined into the Alumni Association. The basic arrangement of the correspondence is in chronological periods and thereunder in a basic alphabetical sequence. The bulk of the correspondence is that of the Alumni Association General Secretary (later Executive Director) although correspondence of field secretaries and other alumni officers is also present. Subject access to the correspondence is largely non-existent. In order to make use of these records some familiarity with key individuals or events in the history of the university is required. Much of the correspondence is routine in nature, pertaining to more mundane matters like payment of dues, subscriptions to the Michigan Alumnus and requests for football tickets. Interspersed among the mundane letters, however, are news items and reminiscences from alumni, information on various class memorials and responses to various Alumni Association requests such as names of alumni who fought in the Civil War, Spanish American War and later wars. Information on films and recordings detailing the work of the university which were made available to alumni groups is also interspersed among the correspondence.

Of particular note is correspondence surrounding the building of Alumni Memorial Hall (now the Art Museum). Built during 1908-1910, the planning, design, and intended use of the building was frequently discussed during the years from 1903 to 1912. Much of this discussion and fundraising took place at the same time a similar campaign was underway for the Michigan Union. Conflict between the two proposals as well as confusion among alumni solicited for funds by both campaigns is evident in the correspondence covering this period. Issues of the Michigan Alumnus during this period also help to frame the issues surrounding this controversy. Additional documentation on building projects is available in the Special Projects and Subjects series. Other key eras such as World War II are reflected in extensive correspondence with alumni in the armed services. Other materials within this series include alumni directories (including Black, Hispanic, Mexican, and Puerto Rican alumni), a list of directors and officers of the Alumni Association, meeting minutes, and retreat documemtation.