Robert M, Warner Appointed Archivist of the United States
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Volume 7, Number 2 Spring 1980 Michigan Archival Association Newsletter ROBERT M, WARNER APPOINTED ARCHIVIST OF THE UNITED STATES On May 16 Admiral Rowland G. Freeman, He is well-known to Michigan archi administrator of the General Services vists through the volume Modern Manu Administration, appointed Robert M. script Library written in 1966 with Warner as the Sixth Archivist of the Ruth Bordin, the Guide to Manuscripts United States. He will begin his new in the Michigan Historical Collections, duties July 15. 1963, and his many activities in the Warner, director of the Michigan Society of American Archivists, the Historical Collections since 1966, Historical Society of Michigan and the began his professional career as As Michigan Archival Association. sistant in Research at the MHC in 1953, Warner said, "I am looking forward performing the duties of the manu to new challenges as Archivist of the scripts curator. In 1957, he began a United States. But I have mixed feel four-year term as Field Representative. ings. My professional archival career In 1961, he became Assistant Director, has been entirely in Michigan. I a position he held until assuming the found Michigan archivists to be an ex directorship in 1966. Warner comments, tremely congenial and interesting "It is a big step from the sorting group of people to work with, and room in the Rackham Building to the these associations are very important Archivist of the United States." to me. I hope we can continue them As director of the MHC, Warner even though distance will separate us." built the Bentley Historical Library1 and expanded the professional staff to include the reference archivist, photographic curator, and conserva NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORTS tor. A new program in records manage- . ment -and a two-year masters program The 1980 Michigan Archival Associa in archival management have been tion Nominating Committee has nominated launched. Warner also participated Pat Hudson, Archivist of the Monroe in the negotiations for ' the Gerald County Historical Commission, for pre R. Fard presidential library. sident of the MAA for the 1980-1982 Robert Mark Warner was born in term. Nominated for the two Executive Montrose , Colorado in 1927. He gradu Committee positions , 1980-1983, are ated from Muskingum College in Ohio Sister Mary Lucy McDonald, Provincial with a degree in history in 1949. Arch1vist, Sisters of Mercy Provin After service in the United States cialate, and Larry Massie, Assistant Army in Germany, he went to graduate Director, Regional History Collection, school at the University of Michigan, Western Michigan University. Members receiving a MA in 1952 and a Ph.D. may place other nominations before in 1958. His dissertation was a bio the memberships at the spring meeting. graphy of Michigan Governor Chase S. The nominating committee included Osborn, investigating Osborn's rela Martin McLaughlin, State Archives, tionship to the nation-wide Progres Theresa Spence, Michigan Technological sive Movement in the early twentieth University, and Mildred Hilton, Bur century. ton Historical Collection. 1 " HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MICHIGAN AN A non-profit organization, the NOUNCES NEW DIRECTOR Historical Society of Michigan pro motes the preservation of state and The Historical Society of Michi local history throughout Michigan. gan has announced the appointment of It is supported by more than 6 , 000 Thomas L. Jones as the new executive members. It serves as a major clear director for the Society. inghouse for information to assist "We are pleased that Jones has more than 270 local historical and accepted our invitation to be the preservation organizations in Michi executive director , " said William gan. S. Schindler, president of the So ciety ' s board of trustees. "He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge about state and local his FORD ARCHIVES MOVES TO LOVETT HALL tory to the Society having served as public information director for The Ford Archives at Henry Ford the Detroit Historical Department Museum is being moved into modern and lecturer on local history at facilities at the Museum' s Lovett the University of Michigan, Wayne Hall, according to Archives ' director State University, Marygrove College Douglas Bakken. and Wayne County Community College." · The Ford Archives is the single Previous to this work, Jones was largest business or industrial ar heritage coordinator for the Detroit chives in North America. It is a Bicentennial observance and research valuable resource for scholars , jour assistant at the Michigan Historical nalists and automobile enthusiasts Collections at the University of and restorers. Michigan. The Archives was founded in 1951 Former executive director Frank by Ford Motor Company to preserve its C. Wilhelme resigned to accept the records and to present a comprehen position of director of business sive his tory of the company and the school funds and alumni relations automobile industry to the general for the Graduate School of Business public. The Archives was originally Administration at the University of housed in Ford ' s Fair Lane mansion Michigan. in Dearborn and then moved to t h e " We will miss Frank," added old Ford Rotunda exhibition building. Schindler. "During his nearly nine In 1965, Ford Motor Company donated years as director, the Society re the Archives to the Edison Institute , alized a sizeable increase in pro the corporate name for Henry Ford grams, services and membership. " Museum and Greenfield Village . - The · " I am very excited about the Institute is not connected to Ford challenge offered to me in directing Motor Company or the Ford Foundation. the Historical Society of Michigan," The Archives contains the complete Jones said. "This society has had papers of Henry and Clara Ford - in a long and dedicated tradition of cluding everything from gas bil ls and preserving the heritage of this menus to personal diaries and family state and I am looking forward to deeds. It contains the complete re carrying on this exciting and valu cords of the Ford Motor Company from able work. I am also looking for 1903 to 1950 including reports , memos ward to the opportunity of visiting and plans from finance, public rela the local societies and museums tions , engineering, plant expansion throughout the state. " and sales. These records offer a Jones is a Ph.D. cafididate' at 'the comprehensive view of the growth of University of Michigan and a gradu the automobile industry in Detroit. ate of the University of Detroit. Printed material on Ford products He is married and the father of two from 1903 to the present includes ad daughters. vertisements , owners manuals , factory 2 letter.s and promotional brochures. Colorado and Maine, increasing to 47 Over 400,000 negatives, glass the number of states which have re~ slides and prints document the Ford ceived historical records program Motor Company history and the life funding. of Henry Ford. The Commission will meet next on In the 1950's , Owen Bombard con June 12-13, The next deadline for ducted 300 oral history interviews records grant applications is June l with people connected with Ford or for consideration at the October me important Ford Motor Company pro eting. Records grants recommended jects. at the February meeting included a Moving these massive holdings has grant of $8, 8.44 to the Bayliss Public been a major Museum project. A Library, Sault Ste. Marie, to arrange generous grant of several hundred and describe archival materials re thousand dollars from the Ford Motor lating to shipping, mining, fishing Company Fund made the new facility and the fur trade in the Great Lakes possible. region during the nineteenth century The new Archives will offer users and the involvement of Indians in the latest in research convenience. these industries. The storage area is three times lar ger than the space in the Museum. The stack area of 30,000 cubic feet is one of the largest non- governmental BUSINESS ARCHIVES WORKSHOP FACULTY SET archives stack areas in the. country with two floors of steel shelving. The Society of American Archivists ' The special air-conditioned environ Fourth Business Archives Workshop, ment will provide for long term pre "Business Archives: The Basics and servation of company records. Beyond, " will take place August 18-22 In addition to the expanded stor at the Ford Archvies and the historic age area, the new facility will pro Dearborn Inn in Dearborn, Michigan. vide more room for staff and visitors The workshop is divided into two including a special lobby and wel courses: a three- day "Basic Archival coming area, a reading room and a Procedures" course (August 18-20) and processing area. a two-·day " Selected Topics in Business The Archives is open to anyone Archives" course (August 21- 22 ). In with a legitimate education or jour dividuals may register for the entire nalistic interest. Office hours are five-day course , or either the three 8:3Q a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through day or two- day course only. The re Friday. Persons planning to visit gistration fee for the entire work are encouraged to write ahead to shop is $250; for the' three-day identify themselves and the purpose course only, the fee is $180 and for of their visit so that the staff can the two- day course , the fee is- $95. assemble material. Room and board are extra. The three-day basic course will be taught by Douglas Bakken, Ford Archi ves, and Edie Hedlin, NHPRC, who have NHPRC GRANTS ANNOUNCED taught the three previous basic cour ses as well. They will use case During its late February meeting, studies, slide presentations, practica, the National Historical Publications and lectures to cover the basic archi and Records Commission recommended val functions as they relate to busi $520,734 for 28 historical records ness archives.