Mechanical Engineering Department Records

Mechanical Engineering Department Records, 1910-1976

Overview of the Collection

Title: Mechanical Engineering Department Records
Dates: 1910-1976 (inclusive)
19101976
Quantity: approximate 6650 items, ( 6 linear feet), ( 6 containers)
Collection Number: Archives 31
Summary: General correspondence, curriculum and research, and engineering, science and manpower war training.
Repository: Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Terrell Library Suite 12
Pullman, WA
99164-5610
Telephone: 509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu
Access Restrictions: The Collection is open for research use.
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Mechanical engineering courses have been a part of the curriculum since the founding of Washington State University in 1892. Growing steadily, the Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering was incorporated into the College of Mechanic Arts and Engineering in 1917. After the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Department separated, Howard H. Langdon chaired the Mechanical Engineering Department from 1933 through 1944. A native of Sumner, Washington, Professor Langdon received his B.S. from Washington State University in 1919 and his M.S. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1933. He was a member of Washington State University's engineering faculty from 1923 until his resignation in 1944.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The records of the Department of Mechanical Engineering are arranged in three series. A large part of the collection is correspondence and papers generated or received by Howard H. Langdon during his tenure as head of the department. Throughout the collection, the processor has attempted to maintain the original order of the materials within each folder.

Series one consists of general departmental correspondence, 1920-1944, divided into two subseries. The first subseries includes both incoming and outgoing correspondence from 1929 through 1943 relating to departmental activities, and is arranged alphabetically. Included in this subseries are inquiries pertaining to product analysis, research, and development of techniques and materials. This subseries also contains correspondence about departmental purchases, as well as communications from the public, manufacturers, and other educational institutions concerning published materials. Some of the correspondence in this subseries concerns prospective students, graduate placement, and departmental employment. The second subseries is correspondence from 1920 through 1944 arranged alphabetically by topic. Major topics include faculty hiring, industrial and professional associations minutes and materials, departmental financial data, departmental and university memoranda, and student information and letters. Also included in the second subseries are substantial portions of the professional correspondence of Howard H. Langdon as well as correspondence with manufacturers, such as General Electric.

The second series, curriculum and research, 1910-1976, is arranged alphabetically by topic. In addition to research and class materials, this series contains data derived from analyses of patented auto lubricants and records of concrete research and development.

The third series, Engineering, Science, and Manpower War Training, 1940-1944, reflects the University's participation in a federal engineer-training program for women, and is also arranged alphabetically by topic. Correspondence from prospective students, government publications, directives, memoranda, and minutes comprise the bulk of this series.

Acquisition Information

The records of the Mechanical Engineering Department were transferred to the University Archives, Washington State University in March (UA 77-14) and July (UA 77-29) of 1977 by the Department.

Processing Note

The collection was processed by Pat Graham Pidcock.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

1: General Correspondence Return to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
1	1-34	A-M 1240 items	1929-1943
2	35-45	N-Y 300 items	1929-1943
2	46	Alumni 25 items	1939-1942
2	47-50	American Society of Mechanical Engineers 135 items	1926-1941
2	51-52	American Society for Testing Materials 40 items	1929-1936
2	53-57	Applications for Faculty Positions 110 items	1932-1937
2	58	Army-Navy 4 items	1942
2	59	Bacharach Industrial Company 1 item	n.d.
2	60	Beta Theta Pi 15 items	1936-1939
2	61	Bills 25 items	1939-1941
2	62-63	Books 65 items	1939-1941
2	64-65	Budget 100 items	1932-1941
2	66	Bulletins 15 items	1933-1939
2	67	Bursar 10 items	1941-1942
2	68	Carl F. Miller and Company 5 items	1938-1939
2	69-70	Catalog Changes 15 items	1939-1942
2	71-72	Department Head 80 items	1939-1941
2	73	Department Staff Recommendations 35 items	1931-1934
2	74	Departmental Communications 5 items	1935-1939
2	75	Dynamometer 45 items	1929-1939
2	76	Fitchburg Steam Company 4 items	1920-1921
2	77	Friend, Dr. Bernard 2 items	1933
3	78-89	General Department and Student Files 370 items	1924-1941
3	90-92	General Electric Company 40 items	1934-1942
3	93	Goverment Bulletins 18 items	1934-1940
3	94	Goverment Materials Loans 40 items	1936-1942
3	95	Graduate Placement 5 items	1939
3	96	Holland, Pres. E.O. 20 items	1940-1942
3	97	Industry 7 items	1930-1932
3	98	Labor 2 items	1940
3	99-107	Langdon, Howard 320 items	1925-1942
3	108-109	Larrabee Furnace Company 35 items	1938-1939
3	110-111	Leaves of Absence 65 items	1939-1942
3	112-113	Library 55 items	1939-1941
3	114	Liquid Air Machine 5 items	1941
3	115	Machine Shop and Welding 45 items	1938-1942
3	116	Massachusetts Institute of Technology 25 items	1933-1936
3	117	Moore Stem Turbine Company 1 item	1921
3	118	National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics 40 items	1940-1942
3	119	National Electric Light Association 4 items	1924-1929
3	120-121	National Youth Administration 25 items	1939-1942
3	122	Phi Kappa Phi 25 items	1937-1939
3	123-124	Photo Equipment 10 items	1938-1944
3	125	Precinct Division 10 items	1938
3	126-129	Prospective Students 150 items	1939-1942
3	130-131	Purchase Orders 90 items	1939-1942
4	132	Purchasing 10 items	1939-1941
4	133-134	Radio Talks 35 items	1937-1941
4	135	Rice and Sargent Company 3 items	1920
4	136	Scholarships 10 items	1941
4	137	Society of Automotive Engineers 15 items	1939-1942
4	138	Staff Applications and Recommendations 30 items	1939-1941
4	139	Staff Letters 25 items	1938-1942
4	140	State License Examination Directory 10 items	1931-1937
4	141	Student Activities Committee 75 items	1939-1940
4	142	Student Applications and Recommendations 15 items	1939-1941
4	143	Student Inspection Trip 25 items	1936-1941
4	144-145	Student Lists 25 items	1939-1941
4	146	Summer Session 10 items	1941-1942
4	147	Terry Steam Turbine Company 1 item	1921
4	148	Valves 4 items	1929
4	149	Vilter Manufacturing Company 1 item	1921
4	150	War Department Survey 15 items	1927-1939

2: Curriculum And Research Return to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
4	151	Audit Information Exchange 1 item	1976
4	152	Coal Testing 25 items	1910-1912
4	153	Concrete 15 items	n.d.
4	154-155	Concrete 55 items	1929-1936
4	156	Concrete and Aggregate 10 items	1936-1937
4	157	Concrete Research 50 items	1928-1936
4	158	Department Schedules 10 items	1931-1932
4	159	Departmental Functioning 13 items	1974-1976
4	160	Dynometer 30 items	1933-1940
4	161	Examinations 12 items	1964-1972
4	162	Experimental Stoker 10 items	1938-1939
4	163-165	Lubrication 75 items	1929-1941
4	166-170	Lubrication- Chevrolet Road Tests 95 items	1926-1930
4	171	Materials Testing Laboratory 10 items	1939-1941
4	172-184	Mechanical Engineering 250 items	1921-1942
4	185	Orifice Thin Plate 10 items	1930-1934
5	186	Research Materials 25 items	1937-1941
5	187	Schedules 15 items	1937-1941
5	188	Senior Thesis 1 item	1932
5	189	Student Finances 7 items	1972-1976
5	190	Tau Beta Pi 2 items	1970-1974
5	191	Turbine Blueprints 15 items	1921

3: Engineering, Science, And Manpower War Training Return to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
5	192	Books- Engineer Defense Training 10 items	1941
5	193-202	Correspondence 270 items	1942-1944
5	203	Course Development 10 items	1940-1941
5	204	Defense Publications 2 items	1942-1943
5	205-206	Department Labor Standards 75 items	1941
5	207-212	Directives, Memoranda, and Minutes 55 items	1940-1943
5	213	Financial Data 25 items	1941-1943
5	214	Forms 2 items	1943-1944
5	215	Inactive File 3 items	1942
5	216	Industrial Training 10 items	1941-1942
5	217	Literature 10 items	1943-1944
5	218	Material for Speeches 15 items	1940-1941
5	219	Original and Supplementary Materials 10 items	1940
5	220-222	Personal Notes- H.H. Langdon 65 items	1940-1944
5	223-228	Preliminary Proposals 75 items	1943-1944
5	229-232	Publications and Bulletins 120 items	1940-1943
5	233-235	Publicity 65 items	1942-1943
5	236	Reports 10 items	1940
5	237-247	Regional Advisors Meeting 50 items	1940-1944
5	248	Speeches 25 items	1942
5	249	Supervising Training Outlines 10 items	n.d.
5	250	Training of Women 50 items	1941-1942
5	251	War Manpower Commission 3 items	1943-1944
5	252	Washington Copies 125 items	1941-1944

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Mechanical engineering--Study and teaching--Archival resources

Corporate Names

Washington State University. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering--Archives (creator)
Washington State University. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering--Records and correspondence

Other Creators

Personal Names
- Langdon, Howard H.--Archives (creator)
Corporate Names
- State College of Washington. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering. (creator)

Archives West Finding Aid

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