Arthur H. Whiteley papers, 1933-2006
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Whiteley, Arthur H. (Arthur Henry), 1916-2013
- Title
- Arthur H. Whiteley papers
- Dates
- 1933-2006 (inclusive)19332006
- Quantity
- 40.33 cubic feet, (44 boxes and one oversized folder)
5 videoreel (1/2 in.) - Collection Number
- 5777
- Summary
- Professional and family papers of a UW Zoology professor and Friday Harbor researcher, including family history information regarding the Whiteley family of Dowagiac Michigan
- Repository
- University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
-
No restrictions on access to paper-based materials. No user access copy is available for films. Users may be able to obtain a reproduction of the media for a fee. Contact Special Collections for more information.
- Languages
- Collection materials are in English.
Biographical Note
Arthur H. Whiteley was a University of Washington professor of Developmental Biology and a past chair of the Division of Developmental Biology of the American Society of Zoologists. He was world renowned as a sea urchin developmental biologist. He and his wife often worked together at the Friday Harbor Laboratories. Following Helen Whiteley's death in 1990, Arthur planned a memorial for her at Friday Harbor. The Helen Riaboff Whiteley Center , which opened in 2000, provides a retreat for scholars and artists to contemplate, create and write. It is funded by the Helen R. Whiteley Foundation.
Arthur Whiteley was born in Dowagiac, Michigan on Dec. 17th, 1916. His father ran a daily newspaper and was a State Senator and Commissioner of Conservation. Arthur received a BA in Biology from Kalamazoo College, in 1938, and a MS in Zoology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1939. That same year, he entered graduate School at the University of California at Berkeley. There he met Helen Riaboff, an exceptionally bright undergraduate student of Microbiology, Zoology and Chemistry.
As for most young people at the time, the entry if the United States into WII changed Arthur's educational timeline. In 1942 he moved to Princeton University where he contributed to research on war-related subject of bends as it applied to aviators. He married Helen in San Francisco in 1944, returned to Princeton to finish his Ph. D in 1946, completed a year of post-doc training at the at the University of Texas in Galveston and another at California Institute of Technology. It was there where he began his life-long research into the development of Sea Urchin embryos.
In 1948, the Whiteleys moved to Seattle, Arthur beginning his research and teaching career in the UW Zoology Department, and Helen enrolled in a Ph. D program. She received her Doctorate in Microbiology in 1951. Summers were spent at Friday Harbor, often with the couple working on collaborative projects.
The years at the University of Washington were punctuated by several sabbatical trips abroad. The first was to Copenhagen on a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1955. The second was to Japan in 1962. In Japan, Arthur and Helen established life-long contacts with whom they both would collaborate over the years. They returned in 1982 to work on a collaborative project with Eizo Nakano.
Upon his retirement in 1985 Arthur embarked on a new cause prompted by the concerns of Friday Harbor residents over the impact that Salmon farming had on the environment.
Arthur's father was Harry H. Whiteley, born in Gaylord Michigan in 1882. He was both a journalist and politician. In 1914 he was elected to the Michigan State House of Representatives, and in 1922 he was elected a State Senator, serving two terms. In 1915 he also became Managing Editor of the Dowagiac Daily news. At the conclusion of his two terms as State Senator, Whitely was appointed to the newly formed State Conservation Commission. He served on the commission for 21 years, from 1927 until 1948, and as its chair from 1943-1945. In 2009, he was inducted into the Michigan United Conservation Clubs' hall of fame for his role in promoting an apolitical, science-based management of Michigan's natural resources.
Arthur's grandfather, Henry Whitely was born in Durham, England in 1853, but emigrated to the United States while very young He married Luella Eliza Piper (Lulu) in 1878 and they had four children, of which Harry was the eldest. The family settled in Millersburg, Michigan 1900.
Content Description
Correspondence, lab notebooks, lecture notes, writings, photographs, scrapbooks, family historical records
Personal and professional records of Arthur H. Whiteley Including a series of records which pertain to both of the Drs. Whiteley and could not be separated, such as joint correspondence. Also includes a series of records regarding the Whiteley family of Dowagiac, Michigan.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Use
Arthur and Helen Whiteley's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information
Materials received from Arthur Whiteley in 2010 and from and the estate of Arthur Whiteley in 2013. 5 videoreels of marine developmental biology films were transferred to this collection from the UW Libraries Media Archive in 2026. Videoreels had previously been held at Friday Harbor before being transferred to UW Libraries in 2015.
Processing Note
Collection is unprocessed. Date ranges are approximate.
Separated Materials
Approximately 10 boxes of Helen Whiteley papers separated and accessioned as Helen Whiteley Papers acc. # 4337-004
Detailed Description of the Collection
- Description: Professional Correspondence
Contains some joint correspondence of Helen and Arthur
Dates: 1946-1985Container: 5777-001 Box 1 Lab Notebooks
- Description: Lab NotebooksDates: 1936-1990Container: 5777-001 Box 2
- Description: Lab NotebooksDates: 1936-1990Container: 5777-001 Box 3
- Description: Lab NotebooksDates: 1936-1990Container: 5777-001 Box 4
- Description: Lab NotebooksDates: 1936-1960Container: 5777-001 Box 5
- Description: Lab NotebooksDates: 1936-1990Container: 5777-001 Box 6
Lecture Notes
- Description: Zoology 111, 112Dates: 1947-1965Container: 5777-001 Box 7
- Description: Biology 401, 402Dates: 1972-1987Container: 5777-001 Box 7
- Description: Biology 401, 402Dates: 1972-1987Container: 5777-001 Box 8
- Description: Biology 401, 402Dates: 1972-1987Container: 5777-001 Box 9
- Description: Zoology 516Dates: 1952-1966Container: 5777-001 Box 9
- Description: Zoology 536Dates: 1954-1983Container: 5777-001 Box 10
- Description: Biology 508, 509, 510Dates: 1948-1983Container: 5777-001 Box 11
- Description: Zoology 517Dates: 1949-1974Container: 5777-001 Box 11
- Description: Zoology 517Dates: 1949-1974Container: 5777-001 Box 12
- Description: Zoology 586Dates: 1968-1987Container: 5777-001 Box 12
Research Notes and Writings
- Description: Research NotesDates: 1944-1983Container: 5777-001 Box 13
- Description: Research NotesDates: 1944-1983Container: 5777-001 Box 14
- Description: Writings
General Notes: Comprises original manuscripts, galley proofs and reprints. Also includes figures and photos prepared for publication and some correspondence.
Dates: 1939-2010Container: 5777-001 Box 15 - Description: WritingsDates: 1939-2010Container: 5777-001 Box 16
- Description: WritingsDates: 1939-2010Container: 5777-001 Box 17
- Description: WritingsDates: 1939-2010Container: 5777-001 Box 18
Japan
- Description: PapersDates: 1963-1984Container: 5777-001 Box 19
- Description: PhotographsDates: 1962-1963, 1977, n.d.Container: 5777-001 Box 20
Subject Series
- Description: Friday Harbor Labs (UW)Dates: 1949-2008; 1949-1987Container: 5777-001 Box 21
- Description: Fish FarmsDates: 1999-2009Container: 5777-001 Box 22
- Description: American Society of Zoologists, Developmental Biology Division
General Notes: Arthur Whitely chaired of this organization 1973-1974
Dates: 1962-1984Container: 5777-001 Box 23 - Description: Miscellaneous records
General Notes: Includes files on lab methods, NSF grant proposal 1982, and files on workshops, seminars and conferences.
Dates: 1969-1987Container: 5777-001 Box 24
Arthur's PHD students and Colleagues
- Description: Arthur's PHD students and ColleaguesDates: 1952-1988Container: 5777-001 Box 25
- Description: Arthur's PHD students and ColleaguesDates: 1952-1988Container: 5777-001 Box 26
Photographs, undated
Other Descriptive Information
General Notes: Includes, prints, slides, negatives and albums, mostly undated
- Description: Research PhotosContainer: 5777-001 Box 27
- Description: Research PhotosContainer: 5777-001 Box 28
- Description: Friday Harbor Labs and Family Photos
General Notes: Includes 6 unidentified cassette tapes
Container: 5777-001 Box 29 - Description: Family and Miscellaneous PhotosContainer: 5777-001 Box 30
- Description: Family and Miscellaneous PhotosContainer: 5777-001 Box 31
Marine Developmental Biology Films, approximately 1981-1984
Five films produced by Whiteley, likely made for Zoology or Biology 536 courses (Comparative Invertebrate Zoology). Whiteley had the films moved from the Seattle campus to the UW's Friday Harbor facility in 2007.
All videoreels are Sony EIAJ-1 1/2-inch open reel video tape, V-32 (2370 ft)
- Description: Film: Beroe Cleavage D442, Summer 19831 videoreel (1/2 inch)
Written on reel: D-197
Written on case: Beroe cleavage D442
Container: 5777-001 Box 44, Reel 1 - Description: Film: Beroe Development Tape 2, Summer 19831 videoreel (1/2 inch)
Written on reel: DBTP #3. Beroe devel. tape 2. Whole tape cont. from tape 1. 7/20/83 AHW Zool536
Written on case: Beroe D-639
Container: 5777-001 Box 44, Reel 2 - Description: Film: D447 Cleavage Demonstrations, March 19831 videoreel (1/2 inch)
Written on reel: Edited tape 1. REL 3-83 D447
Wrriting on case: Edited tape: D. excentricus cleavage, termite parasites, D447
Inventory in case:
- No. 10 Newly fertilized D. excentricus to 16-cell, unedited, 16x, Nomarski, 72x time?
- No. 95 Newly fertilized D. excentricus, pronuclear movements 40x Nomarski
- No. 107 Same sequence to blastula 40x Nomarski
- No. 229 Newly fertilized D. excentricus to 16-cell polarization, 16x
- No. 271 Newly fertilized D. excentricus to 32-cell polarization, 16x
- No. 311 (340-390 best) Newly fertilized D. excentricus first cleavage, Nomarski, 40x
- No. 392 Blastula D. excentricus, ciliation and hatching, bright field
- No. 411 Termite gut parasites, polarization, real time
- No. 301-311 40x Nomarski, microm[?] behavior 16-cell to 32-cell
Container: 5777-001 Box 44, Reel 3 - Description: Film: SDS Embryos1 videoreel (1/2 inch)
Written on reel: SDS embryos 799- end REL. O-357 - R R class [?] save. D-640 Y81
Container: 5777-001 Box 44, Reel 4 - Description: Film: Z-402 D-99, March 19841 videoreel (1/2 inch)
Written on reel: D-99 3/84
Includes handwritten note with possible details about the contents, although it is difficult to read.
Container: 5777-001 Box 44, Reel 5
Arthur Whiteley Personal Papers
- Description: CorrespondenceDates: 1938-1959Container: 5777-001 Box 32
- Description: CorrespondenceDates: 1938-1959Container: 5777-001 Box 33
- Description: CorrespondenceContainer: 5777-001 Box 34
- Description: Miscellaneous Personal RecordsContainer: 5777-001 Box 35
- Description: Student Notes--USCDates: 1936-1941Container: 5777-001 Box 36
Arthur H. Whiteley and Helen Riaboff Whiteley Joint Papers
- Description: Joint CorrespondenceDates: 1947-1996Container: 5777-001 Box 37
- Description: Papers concerning Helen's Death and Legacy
General Notes: Includes audio tape recording of memorial tribute. January 25, 1991.
Dates: 1990-1998Container: 5777-001 Box 38 - Description: MemorabiliaDates: 1973-1995Container: 5777-001 Box 38
- Description: Drs. A. H. Whiteley and H. R. Whiteley Joint PublicationsDates: 1973-1983Container: 5777-001 Box 39
Whiteley Family Papers
Other Descriptive Information
General Notes: A small group of records relating to the Whiteley Family of Dowagiac, Michigan. Includes photos, clippings, an extensive biographical information regarding Arthur's father, Henry Huntington Whiteley, and genealogical information regarding earlier Whiteley family members.
- Description: Whiteley Family History compiled and transcribed by Gerald Micketti
Donated by Gerald Micketti, 2024
Transcription and copy of "Biography Harry Huntington Whiteley 1882-1957," copies of newspaper clippings of various Whiteley family members.
Container: 5777-001 Box 34 - Description: ClippingsContainer: 5777-001 Box 41
- Description: Arthur H. Whiteley Scrapbook
General Notes: High School and Kalamzoo College
Dates: 1932-1937Container: 5777-001 Box 42 - Description: Scrapbooks
General Notes: Harry H. Whiteley Editorials Published in the Dowagiac Daily News
Dates: 1933-1950Container: 5777-001 Box 43 - Description: Large format items regarding A.H. Whiteley and H. H. WhiteleyDates: 1937, n.d.Container: 5777-001 OS Folder 1
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- University Archives/Faculty Papers (University of Washington)
- Zoology teachers--Washington (State)--Seattle--Archives
Corporate Names
- University of Washington. University Archives
Other Creators
Personal Names
- Whiteley family--Genealogy
- Whiteley, Arthur H. (Arthur Henry), 1916-2013--Archives
