Çï¿ûÊÓƵ

Finding Aid |
1971-1987

RG XXI: Committee on Knowledge

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION


Historical Note

The Committee commonly known as the Committee on Knowledge existed from 1971-1980, though activities of the Committee were explored by the Executive Office until 1987. It was established to examine the function of scientific societies in promoting research and communication about scientific ideas in the intellectual community and among various segments of society. It was a subcommittee under the Committee on the History of Recent Science and Technology for the life of that committee, from 1973 -1978. Sanborn C. Brown was chair from 1971-1976, following a year without a chair from 1976-1977, I. Bernard Cohen became chair in 1977-1980.

At a preliminary planning meeting held in November 1972, it was decided to conduct the project in three stages focused on three consecutive periods: Antebellum, 1870-1920, and 1980-1970. Symposia were held for each stage respectively in 1973, 1975, and 1982. The project resulted in two publications: The Pursuit of Knowledge in the Early American Public: American Scientific and Learned Societies from Colonial Times to the Civil War, edited by Alexandra Oleson and Sanborn C. Brown, published by Johns Hopkins University press in 1976; and The Organization of Knowledge in Modern America, 1860-1920, edited by Alexandra Oleson and John Voss, published by Johns Hopkins University Press in 1979. The third publication was drafted but never published. Plans began for a fourth stage predicting future trends but never came to fruition.

Funding was provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

Name Variations

Committee on the History of American Scientific Societies (1971-1973)
Committee on the History of Organizations for the Promotion of Learning in the United States (1973-1976)
Committee on the Growth of Institutionalized Learning in the United States, (1976-1980)

Scope and Content

The series is contained within the Çï¿ûÊÓƵ Archives’ Record Group XXI: Çï¿ûÊÓƵ Projects and Programs. This series contains the administrative and project records of the Committee, from 1971 to 1987 held in the executive office of John Voss and Ralph Burhoe by Alexandra Oleson with other project files. Included among administrative records are correspondence, minutes, and memoranda. Included among project records are correspondence, transcripts, and planning materials. 

A significant amount of material relates to the first three phases of the projects, very little related to the fourth and unfinished phase.  A fair portion of the related material includes individual papers, drafts, and final copies, of what was eventually published. While the papers presented at conferences did eventually become publications, records relating to the conference are primarily regarding conference planning, agenda items, and minutes.

Arrangement

Processing for the series utilized MPLP principles, thus minimum preservation steps were taken, and folder titles listed in the finding aid are as they appear on the actual folders. Records of the Committee were kept by Alexandra (Sandy) Oleson. Original order of the records was maintained, with records interfiled where appropriate. Some files were created outside the filing system and were incorporated with like materials. 
 
The series is divided into four subseries: Subseries 1: Phase I; Subseries 2: Phase II; Subseries 3: Phase III; and Subseries 4: Phase IV.

Subseries 1-3 are further organized into three sub-subseries: Sub-subseries 1: Administration; Sub-subseries 2: Conferences; and Sub-subseries 3:Publication. 

Subseries 2 is instead organized into two sub-subseries: Sub-subseries 1: Administration; and Sub-subseries 2: Publication.

Volume

8 records center cartons (7.5 liner feet)

Preferred Citation

[Item title, date]. Record Group XXI: Çï¿ûÊÓƵ Projects – Committee on Knowledge, 1971-1987. Archives, American Çï¿ûÊÓƵ of Arts and Sciences, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Subjects

Cohen, I. Bernard, 1914-2003
Brown, Sanborn C. (Sanborn Conner), 1913-1981
Oleson, Alexandra, 1939-
Voss, John, 1917-
Education, Higher--History
Knowledge
Learned institutions and societies
Science--Study and teaching
Science--United States--History
United States--Learned institutions and societies--History
Universities and colleges--History
Mellon Foundation
National Endowment for the Humanities
National Science Foundation

ITEM LIST


Subseries 1: Phase I, 1971-1978 (bulk 1972-1976)

Description: This sub-series documents the activity of the committee during its first phase resulting in The Pursuit of Knowledge in the Early American Public: American Scientific and Learned Societies from Colonial Times to the Civil War (1976). It contains three sub-sub series: Administration, Conference, and Publication

Arrangement: Sub-sub-series are arranged by function. The records they contain are arranged according to original order, which is generally chronological. Sub-sub-series Publication is further alphabetized by author.

Sub-subseries 1: Administration

Box 1

Folder 1Proposal for Summer Study on the History of American Scientific Societies - Phase I
Folder 2[loose Phase I - General]
Folder 3[loose Phase I - General]
Folder 4[loose Phase I - General]
Folder 5[loose Phase I - General]
Folder 6[loose Phase I - General]
Folder 7[loose Phase I - General]
Folder 8Learned Societies Phase I
Folder 9American Learned Societies - Nov, 1972-June, 1973 - Correspondence since Nov. Planning Session

Sub-subseries 2: Conference

Box 1 (cont)

Folder 10History of Learned Societies, June 18, Day 1 - PM Session [transcript]
Folder 11Conference on Learned Societies, Morning Session, June 20 [transcript]
Folder 12Conference on Learned Societies, Review and Discussion Session, June 20 PM [transcript]
Folder 13Conference on the Early History of Societies for the Promotion of Learning in the United States, Friday, June 22, 1973

Sub-subseries 3: Publication

Box 1 (cont.)

Folder 14Contract 
Folder 15[loose Phase I - Publication] 
Folder 16[loose Phase I - Publication] 
Folder 17[loose Phase I - Publication] 
Folder 18[loose Phase I - Publication] 
Folder 19Bowler 
Folder 20Cassedy 
Folder 21[loose Phase I - Publication - Cohen] 
Folder 22Ewan 
Folder 23Hindle 
Folder 24J. Hobbins 
Folder 25Kohlstedt 
Folder 26McCorrison 
Folder 27Reingold 
Folder 28Sinclair 
Folder 29[loose Phase I - Publication - Storr] 
Folder 30Whitehill 
Folder 31Reviews of Phase I Study 

Subseries 2: Phase II, 1973-1983 (bulk 1974-1980)

Description: This sub-series documents the activity of the committee during its second phase resulting in The Organization of Knowledge in Modern America, 1860-1920 (1979). It contains two sub-sub series: Administration, and Publication

Arrangement: Sub-sub-series are arranged by function. The records they contain are arranged according to original order, which is generally chronological. Sub-sub-series Publication is further alphabetized by author.

Sub-subseries 1: Administration

Box 2

Folder 1[loose Phase II - General]
Folder 2[loose Phase II - General]
Folder 3Learned Societies Phase II
Folder 4American Scientific Societies - Phase II
Folder 5[loose Phase II - Financial]
Folder 6[loose Phase II - Financial]
Folder 7Phase II - Expenses
Folder 8Phase II - Planning Meeting, September 21, 1973
Folder 9Learned Societies II - Lists, Programs - Phase II
Folder 10Phase II - Papers, Description
Folder 11Phase II - Conference Arrangements
Folder 12Phase II - American Learned Societies, May 30, 1974 - Sides 1 & 2 - [transcript]
Folder 13Phase II - Newagen - Log and Partial Transcript
Folder 14Phase II - Applied Fields
Folder 15History of Learned Soc - Luria, Mellon, and [Keguid]
Folder 16Phase II - Org [ill.]

Sub-subseries 2: Publication

Box 2 (cont.)

Folder 17Phase II - Prospective Authors
Folder 18Work-for-Hire Agreement - Phase II
Folder 19Phase II Acceptance by Hopkins - 1975 - January 1978
Folder 20Johns Hopkins - II, Marketing
Folder 21Questionnaire
Folder 22Summaries - Phase II - American Learned Soc. 
Folder 23Preface - Ph. II
Folder 24Prospectus - Ph. II

Box 3

Folder 1Phase II - Publication - Footnotes 
Folder 2Copy Editing - Phase II 
Folder 3Academic Disciplines - Phase II 
Folder 4Allen 
Folder 5Buck 
Folder 6Dupree 
Folder 7Galambos 
Folder 8Haraway 
Folder 9Harris 
Folder 10Hawkins 
Folder 11Higham 
Folder 12Hobbins 
Folder 13John Rae 
Folder 14Keller 
Folder 15Kevles 
Folder 16Kohlstedt 
Folder 17MacLeod 
Folder 18Paul 
Folder 19Plotkin 
Folder 20Purcell 
Folder 21Reingold 
Folder 22Ringer 
Folder 23Rosenberg 
Folder 24Ross 

Box 4

Folder 1Rossiter 
Folder 2Shils 
Folder 3Veysey 1/2 
Folder 4Veysey 2/2 
Folder 5Phase II - Complimentary Copies and Reviews 

Subseries 3: Phase III, 1974-1988 (bulk 1977-1984)

Description: This sub-series documents the activity of the committee during its third phase resulting in a drafted but never published regarding the history of knowledge post-Civil War to the present. It contains three sub-sub series: Administration, Conference, and Publication

Arrangement: Sub-sub-series are arranged by function. The records they contain are arranged according to original order, which is generally chronological. Sub-subseries Publication is further alphabetized by author.

Sub-subseries 1: Administration

Box 4 (cont.)

Folder 6Correspondence 
Folder 7Phase III, thru 1981 [1/2] 
Folder 8Phase III, thru 1981 [2/2] 
Folder 9Phase III, thru 1982 
Folder 10Phase III, Jan.-April 1982 
Folder 11Phase III, April -May 22, 82 
Folder 12Phase III, May 23, 1982-June 28, 1982 
Folder 13Phase III, Sept. 1982-[Jun. 1984] 
Folder 14Phase III - Background outline 
Folder 15Phase III 

Box 5 

Folder 1Phase III  
Folder 2Phase III 
Folder 3Phase III - Proposal 
Folder 4Phase III - NSF-NEH Proposal 
Folder 5Phase III - NSF-NEH Grant 
Folder 6Phase III - ill. [Planning Meeting] 
Folder 7Planning Meeting Phase III May 26, 1977 
Folder 8Phase III - Letters of Invitation 
Folder 9Agenda, participants, list, etc. 
Folder 10Memos on Arrangements - Mailings 

Sub-subseries 2: Conference

Box 5 (cont.)

Folder 11Phase III - Organization of Conference
Folder 12Phase III - Lists of Participants
Folder 13Phase III - Suggested Participants
Folder 14[Phase III - Collected Sample Essays 1/2]
Folder 15[Phase III - Collected Sample Essays 2/2]
Folder 16[loose Phase III - Conference - Agenda]
Folder 17[loose Phase III - Conference - Transcript]
Folder 18[loose Phase III - Conference - Notes]
Folder 19Phase III - Meeting Notes

Sub-subseries 3: Publication

Box 5 (cont.)

Folder 20Organization of Book [folder 1 of 3]
Folder 21Organization of Book [folder 2 of 3]
Folder 22Organization of Book [folder 3 of 3]

Box 6

Folder 1Phase III - List of Papers 
Folder 25 set complete 
Folder 3Phase III - Responses - June Deadline 
Folder 4Correspondence with Rejected Contributors 
Folder 5Phase III - Correspondence with Contributors 
Folder 6Work-for-Hire Agreements - Phase III 
Folder 7Phase III - Summaries of Papers 
Folder 8Austin, William 
Folder 9[loose Phase III - Publication - Brieger] 
Folder 10[loose Phase III - Publication -Brooks] 
Folder 11Carroll, P. Thomas 
Folder 12[loose Phase III - Publication - Coates] 
Folder 13[loose Phase III - Publication - Cole] 
Folder 14[loose Phase III - Publication - Culler] 
Folder 15[loose Phase III - Publication - Dupree] 
Folder 16Fought, John 
Folder 17Fought, John; Hymes, Dell 
Folder 18Robert Geiger 
Folder 19[loose Phase III - Publication - Hollinger] 
Folder 20[loose Phase III - Publication - Jackson] 
Folder 21[loose Phase III - Publication - Kammen] 
Folder 22Kammen 
Folder 23Kimmelman, Barbara 
Folder 24Kohler, Robert E. 
Folder 25[loose Phase III - Publication - Kohler] 
Folder 26[Loose Phase III - Publication - Lakoff]  
Folder 27Lakoff, Sanford 
Folder 28Harry Levin 
Folder 29[Loose Phase III - Publication - Mandelbaum] 
Folder 30McCaughey, Robert A. 
Folder 31Robert Morison - American Higher Education 
Folder 32Norberg, Arthur L. 

Box 7

Folder 1Orlans, Harold
Folder 2[loose Phase III - Publication - Orlans]
Folder 3[loose Phase III - Publication - Reingold]
Folder 4[Loose Phase III - Publication - Reingold]
Folder 5Reingold, Nathan
Folder 6Nathan Rosenberg
Folder 7Rossiter, Margaret W.
Folder 8[Loose Phase III - Publication - Rutkoff/Scott]
Folder 9[Loose Phase III - Publication - Sass]
Folder 10[Loose Phase III - Publication - Seidel]
Folder 11Seidel, Robert W.; Heilbron, J. L.
Folder 12[Loose Phase III - Publication - Shils]
Folder 13[Loose Phase III - Publication - Shils]
Folder 14[Loose Phase III - Publication - Veysey]
Folder 15[Loose Phase III - Publication - Veysey]
Folder 16George Wise - Corporate Research
Folder 17Wolfe - 3rd Version
Folder 18[Loose Phase III - Publication - Wolfe]
Folder 19[Loose Phase III - Publication - Wolfe]
Folder 20[Loose Phase III - Publication - Wolfe]
Folder 21[Loose Phase III - Publication - Wright]

Box 8

Folder 1Paper Comments - [sic]
Folder 2Phase III - Correspondence with Discussants
Folder 3Sass - Comments
Folder 4Comments
Folder 5Comments
Folder 6Phase III - Letters of Inquiry
Folder 7Phase III - Letters of Inquiry

Subseries 4: Phase IV, 1977-1983

Description: This sub-series documents the activity of the committee during its fourth and final phase in which it attempted to plan a project to forecast the future of knowledge. 

Arrangement: The records they contain are arranged according to original order, which is generally chronological. 

Box 8 (cont.)

Folder 8Phase IV [- General, 1982-1987]
Folder 9Phase IV Planning
Folder 10Phase IV-End of Growth
Folder 11Phase IV - California