Last Week

This was my final week at the Loyola University Archives. I finished setting up my files into a series. I then created a series on Aviators. This involved putting the files into alphabetical order, labeling each folder with the contents, the date range, and its place in each box. In order to make a finding aid for the series I entered the information into the computer. The Dorr E. Felt Collection is an ongoing project so there was already a biographical sketch. I then created a scope and content, the series description, and named important subjects in the collection. It felt great to see a bit of the finished product!

Here is Series 1 - Aviators that I completed this week

 

Here is a close up of the boxes. You can see that each one is labeled with the collection - Dorr E. Felt Collection Aviation and the date range of the series - 1924-1930. At the bottom it tells you which box it is so that the collection remains in the correct order. This enables the archivist to find the information for researchers in a quick and efficient manner (it also makes their lives easier!).

 

 

Here is the finding aid for the collection I was working on - it feels great to see all my work put on paper for researchers to utilize.

 

 

This has been a great experience. Not only was I able to learn about archiving, but more importantly - I got great advice about the field, school choices, and career options. 

 

Week Fourteen

     This week I finished creating files for the series. I have begun to divide all of the folders into series. To do this I get  to spread the folders into piles across the gigantic table and use post it notes to label each pile as I go. I am almost finished creating the series. Once this is finished I will continue on with the process and create finding aids. Some of the series will be gigantic, such as aviators. There were two boxes of files just on this topic - not including the women aviators.


     I am amazed at how quickly time has gone by while working at the Loyola University Archives! Each day that I am there I learn new skills and aspects of an archivist's job. I find that the longer I am at the Archives the more I wish I could spend my entire week there. The best part of my experience has been finding out that my goal to work in the archives field is exactly what I want to do in the future.

Week Thirteen

     This has been a very rewarding week - I finally finished the very last container. Now that I have finished putting everything into files I have six boxes of files! In order to make it easier to organize the Dorr Felt Collection into series I have begun to take the files and narrow the subjects into even more files. This process is going quickly and I am able to have a good idea of how the series will be set up. I should be able to work on those soon. Once I have the series set up I will begin to work on finding aids for the collection.

     Working at the Loyola University Archives has taught me many things. The most important being that I love it! I am able to learn about the responsibilities and attributes in the archival field, as well as discuss the field and the available opportunities with experienced archivists. The amount of information, insights, and advice that I have received is invaluable.

Week Twelve

This week I continued the process of sorting the sources into the proper folders. I completed twenty-six of the containers, leaving just one box to finish! I am sharing my space with another worker and between the two of us the space is getting very crowded!

The five filing boxes are mine while the rest is not. I have one more box on the other side. I was so excited to be down to the last box that I took a picture of that as well.

 

 

   As always, there are many interesting things to be found in the boxes. This week its a poem by Rudyard Kipling that was published in the newspaper.

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                

                     I love the planes flying around the poem! Here is a close-up of the beginning of the poem -

 

 

As you see from the introduction to the poem plane races were a big deal in the 1920's. Along with the races the collection includes several flyers, both male and female. Not only were the flyers important, but the planes they were flying as well. During the period covered by the collection there were many types of planes created. My favorite is the dirigible.

 

 

I copied this picture from online images. The Graf Zeppelin traveled all over the world, transported people, delivered airmail, and created many records. It is amazing to see how massive these were. The dirigibles were also used for scientific purposes in places such as the Arctic.

 

This has been another great week at the Loyola University Archives. I am not only learning about the career and responsibilities that go with it, but also an appreciation for the 1920's and the incredible growth of aviation that occurred.

Week Eleven

      This week I continued to sort through all of the information in the boxes. I have finished twenty-two boxes so far. That leaves me just five boxes - and I am half way through with one of those. I have had to add another box for my files, now I am up to five of those.
     
      In the Dorr Felt Collection there is one picture so I was able to learn about the differences in  the folders that the pictures are stored in. These folders are even more protective than the normal archiving folder, which is acidic to protect the documents.
    
     Once I am finished separating the boxes I will begin to create finding aids for researchers looking for information. There are so many topics covered in this collection - it will be a challenge....
                                                         and nothing is better than a challenge!

       I find myself amazed every week how much I look forward to going in to the Loyola University Archives. I am getting ready to begin week twelve and I wish it could be week two! Doing this internship at the Loyola University Archives has helped me to realize that my goal of becoming an archivist is perfect for me!

Week Ten

This week I continue to sort the Dorr Felt collection. I emptied a couple more boxes - these ones packed to the point they don't close! As I was sorting into the various folders I couldn't get over the creativity on one hand and the similarity to our own time on the other. Here are a  couple examples...

"The First Airplane Model That Had Feathered Wings, Shown In England"! There are several examples of inventors trying to create more birdlike planes. Here is a close-up of the plane picture

 

 

Another favorite for the future of flying is ships - Literally!

 

 

 

 

Not all of their ideas were so outlandish though. One article is could be a headline in todays news - in fact, I'm pretty sure I recently heard about this on the news!

 

 

Who doesn't want to have a party on a plane with a bunch of electronics? I don't think many people realize that television on airplanes was thought of in the 1920's - that's one of the reasons I love being in the Loyola University Archives. Never again will I look at contemporary and historical times in the same way!

 

Another area I find to be interesting is the pilots themselves. Lindbergh was compared to everyone!

Even Amelia Earhart....

 

 

And another interesting thing about Amelia - she came from Chicago. You would think the city would advertise the fact more - possibly even have an Amelia Earhart day...we could all have a day off to fly airplanes???

 

 

 

I am still enjoying every moment in the Loyola University Archives. Not only do I find out interesting historical facts (and science fiction), but I am gaining real world experience - and loving it! There is nothing better than looking forward to going to work!

Week Nine

 

 

 

 

This has been another great week at the Loyola University Archives! I find myself looking forward to coming in, but hating to leave! I have been continuing to go through the original boxes and sort the information into the appropriate files. I have grown from one box to four boxes! I have finished two-thirds of boxes (I just completed box eighteen out of twenty-seven). It amazes me how far I have progressed on this collection - especially when I look back at some of my old pictures. Here are a couple of images of my changing work desk --
        

 

 

This was my work area in the beginning stages of processing the Dorr Felt Collection. These were the original containers, stuffed to the brim with information to sort through. - The white towel on the table is to clean your hands periodically as they become black from the newspaper ink.


 

 

                                             

This is my work area now - you can see the original box on the left and the new files being created to the right. The three little boxes are plastic paper clips. There are many papers that are held together by metal pins or metal paper clips - an archivist's enemy! (Metal can rust) As I separate I remove the offending objects and replace them with plastic paper clips. This way the papers Dorr Felt intended to stay together do - yet with no chance of causing any damage to the sources. You can also see that there are two sizes of folders (acid free) which I use to sort the sources. The long white and yellow strips on the side of the box are used as dividers while filing to create a more efficient system.

                                                

 

 Here is a close up of the filing boxes. You can see that the dividers can be close together or far apart. The ones that are far apart have multiple files of sources. The box on the left contains folders such as parachuting, accidents and deaths, personal correspondence, advertising.... The middle container is some of the flyers - such as Lindbergh, Brock,Schlee, Acoste, Coste, Le Brix, Maitland, and many, many more. Most of the flyers flew in groups. The cox on the right contains more of the flyers, Chicago, and military and pre-war.


 

Week Eight

This week I realized I am half way through - and was sorely disappointed!
     As I have continued to work through the boxes of information, sorting them into files, I have not only been remembering my amazement as I first went through these sources, but continue to feel amazement. As I am filing away I notice different aspects to the sources. Dorr Felt's personal notes have a shaky quality  - and he mainly wrote in pencil. In the newspaper clippings not only are words spelled differently - but also peoples names! One week it may be MacCracken and another McCracken.
 
 

      I am also finding that Dorr Felt collected a lot of everything  and did not necessarily organize it very well. There is information about the Chicago Public Schools, Unions, and business information.Even with all the disorganization of his methods I still find it fascinating that he took the time and effort to pay a company to clip all the articles and pay for the many containers to store the articles, correspondence, advertisements, pamphlets, air mail envelopes, and so forth - as well as the personnel. It has left his proceeding generations with a wealth of information .....    

                         Thank you Dorr Felt!!                                                                    

 

 

 



 

This week I went to the Loyola University Archives page and was perusing the information and I found some very helpful links for anyone who would like more information on the field of archiving -

 

Here are the links (now added to my favorites!)



 

         Society of American Archivists

 

 

        Midwest Archives Conference

 

 

        International Council of Archives

 

 

 





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Week Seven

     This week I continued to file the sources into their appropriate categories. I completed several more boxes and am continually creating more subcategories for the categories. While this process is lengthy I am enjoying all of it. As the weeks go on I find myself enjoying the internship more and more.
     I was also able to help with another aspect of the archivist position this week. The nursing students are having a ceremony and requested some of the sources in the Loyola University Archives to be on presentation. I helped with the process of finding interesting areas to showcase for the display. I also learned how to set up pictures on display.
     While these items are on display an archivist must be present. The process involves finding out what is needed for the display, the preparation of the display, and preparing to deliver everything to the event. Once there, the archivist must set up, stay for the duration of the event, take down the display, and bring everything back to the Loyola University Archives.
     It was fun to learn another area involved in the world of archiving. Learning the essentials of the field is exciting and constantly piques my interest. The role of the archivist is important - and involves much more than just learning  how to categorize, organize, and preserve history for future researchers and generations to enjoy.

Week Six

     This week flew by! I have been steadily working through the boxes, getting each source where it needs to go. The files are quickly filling up with the multitudes of information. As the files fill up I am creating new files that will be subcategories. I continue to be amazed by different things I find (or re-find) throughout the collection. Some of my favorites have been a woman who was cured from being "slow" by flying, one newspaper published before and after pictures - this was definitely a moment that could only take place in the 1920's. There is a file growing on Ford - they had an airline and also manufactured airplanes. Yet the most interesting part is probably the level of competition among the nations to achieve the newest record. Even this competition did not stop them from helping each other. Every time pilots went missing, no matter what country they were from, all the other pilots would fly out to search. Sometimes countries who had ships nearby, when a plane was feared to have gone down in the ocean, would go out to the area and help in the searches.
     Another area of competition was the dirigibles - humungous blimps that carried both passengers and freight. These were also used by the military to explore the Arctic. In the newspapers there are images of the glaciers and I wonder if they are still there or if they have already melted.
     Every week I find myself enjoying this field more and more. The longer I am doing the work, the more efficient I am getting. I no longer just respect the field, but also find myself enjoying multiple aspects of it.

Week Five

     Every time I walk towards the Loyola University Archives, located in the Cudahy Library, I find myself more excited. I worked diligently for the first four weeks to survey all of the information in the collection, now comes the fun part. It is time to begin sorting all of the information into their proper places. I will separate all of the sources into files based upon commonalities, such as plane races, balloons, dirigibles, Lindbergh, and many more topics. This process will be done twice, with twenty-seven boxes and ten years of information to go through, it will need to be refined.
     So far, I have been able to create the appropriate files for the information to be separated by, and have finished with the first two boxes. I am looking forward to my next week - I love organizing! I am a firm believer that everything has a place and as long as you know where that is your life will remain organized. At the Loyola University Archives there is an added benefit of organizing history for researchers and future generations to learn about. Since the Archivists maintain an organized history, people are able to learn more in a chaotic free environment, enabling a greater understanding and perception of the various topics.
     With every week I am here, I find myself appreciating the efforts and skills of Archivists more. This job is not just a science, but an art. Individuals working in Archives need a certain finesse, as well as, creativity and knowledge. I am constantly encountering new skills that are required in the field and adding them to my mental files along with the life skills I have already gained.

Week Four

     This has been another great week at the Loyola University Archives. I finished my survey on the materials in Dorr Felt Air Board of Chicago Collection boxes. I found so many interesting things while sorting through the documents, I took pictures of a few.
     Some of the most fascinating aspects are the rapid growth of the aeronautics field - and how it affected the business world, international politics (who can have the biggest, fastest planes with the most world records), research, and the distinctions among class and sex in society. There is also an enormous amount of information about preparing for the next war!

 

This is a winner from a sea plane race

 

 

 

The importance of Chicago during the building of plane routes, including personal, commercial, and air mail.

Air Mail was a new concept and a big deal. Throughout the years there are articles on the flyers - including Lindbergh - the planes, routes, taxes, contracts, and so much more.... Ironically, today we are looking at getting rid of mail altogether!

It's only 1928 and already the various parts of the military are practicing for the next war...

 

 

 

     I even found a poem by Rudyard Kipling in box 24 - dates 7/15/29 - 11/1/29. I also discovered that Amelia Earhart was just one woman among many - there was multiple women that came before, during, and after her time of racing and trying for records. In addition to all of this, there were multiple advertisement for airlines and manufacturing companies, including (but not limited to) Ford, Boeing, and  Gray Goose Airlines.
     Since Dorr Felt traveled around Europe there are also French newspapers, German postcards, and correspondence with European companies about the aeronautical technologies. Every minute I spend at the Loyola University Archives still fascinates me!

Who is Dorr Felt

This week I'm posting information on who Dorr Felt was - word for word - from the Loyola Archives and Special Collections information sheet. I for one, am grateful to this man!

 

Dorr Felt Biographical Sketch:

     Dorr Eugene Felt was born in Rock County, WI on March 18, 1862. At 14 he began  a machine shop in Beloit, WI. He moved to Chicago in 1882 and obtained work as a mechanic. A perceptive and skilled worker an entrepreneurial spirit, in his free time Felt devised and constructed a computation device out of such crude materials as a macaroni box, rubber bands, and metal skewers.

 Felt called the machine a Comptometer. A mechanical calculator, the Comptometer was the first mechanical calculator to greatly improve upon the first mechanical computing device created, the arithmometer, which was first commercially distributed in 1851.

Felt opened Felt and Tarrant Manufacturing Company with Chicago businessman Robert Tarrant in 1889; a large manufacturing facility in Chicago, out of which he built and sold Comptometers. The Comptometer computing device became a great commercial success and was sold and used world-wide. Felt went on to invent more devices and acquired 46 domestic patents and 25 foreign patents.

As a result of Felt's experience as president of a large industrial company, he was asked by the U.S. Dept. of Labor to participate in a study of labor relations in Europe. Joining a team of other individuals from the U.S., Felt toured England and France in order to examine manufacturing facilities and to speak with owners, managers, and laborers about the successes and frustrations of labor conditions in the two countries. The results of the commission's inquiries were reported and published, but more importantly this trip marked the beginning of Felt's close involvement with national and international trade and labor interests. Felt attended and spoke at labor conferences and wrote about labor conditions, unions, communism, Bolshevism, and other labor related subjects.
     In addition to writing and speaking on broad topics, Felt held posts as president and director of the Illinois Manufacturers Association, president of the Illinois Society Sons of the American Revolution, and director of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 1920. Felt was a regional advisor on the War Industries Board in 1918, a board member of the Chicago Association of Commerce, and a member of Chicago's Union League Club.

 

    This is a picture out of a book in the Loyola University Archives about the Felt family genealogy that I found fascinating. Underneath is a close up.

 

 

 

      I am working on the part of the collection which consists of the Air Board of Chicago and information regarding flying: all sorts of designs and technology within the aeronautics fields, the many pilots, the investing companies, and so much more...

     Until I began working with this collection I did not understand how rapidly the technologies, discoveries, and world competitions for the best programs developed. In the 1920's people were excited over Air Mail and the ability to communicate with others faster - today we communicate with the world in seconds and are in jeopardy of losing the Postal Service altogether - it is amazing what can happen in less than a century!

Week Two

     This week I have continued to survey the Dorr Felt collection. Last week I was able to get through boxes one through eight, while this week only boxes nine through fifteen. My consolation is that the boxes have steadily increased with the amount of materials inside. Its now getting hard to fit the sources back into the box and close it! I am actually increasing in speed, even though I finished one less box.... I wonder if I will find the rest of the boxes continue grow in size?
     Every box I open has something that makes me smile. I have found advertisements for shoes that I wish they would sell again! There was a headline about gentlemen preferring blondes...  I continue to find articles on plane racing, records, regulations, airports, Chicago's growing importance, and stories about the many men and women involved in flying.
     One of my absolute favorite finds this week is on Lindbergh, the first pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. There was an article in the newspaper explaining his personality through the use of physiognomy. We all hear about these things in classes, but I never expected to see it first hand.

An Introduction into the World of Archives

     This week I began my internship at the University of Loyola Chicago Archives and Special Collections. The Archives were founded in 1938 by John Mortell, S.J.. The mission of the Archives and Special Collections is to collect and preserve the history of Loyola University Chicago and assist researchers in using the collections. It holds over 8,000 linear feet of collections that include Loyola records; Catholic collections; the papers of Samuel Insull and several of his employees and companies; faculty, staff, and alumni papers, political papers, and many more. Rare books are part of the Special Collections which contains over 12,000 volumes. The staff here provide a fountain of knowledge, support, and encouragement to every person that walks through their doors.
      

                                                                             

My work area, some of the boxes from the Dorr Felt Collection

    
                           

     From the moment I walked in I found myself immersed in the world of the Archives. We began by deciding on the collection I will be working on first. During the semester I will be working on processing a collection, creating a digital collection, and learn the various responsibilities of working in  archives. The collection I will be working on is Dorr Felt; Air Board of Chicago. In order to begin the process we first reorganized collections. In order to have space to bring the Dorr Felt collection to my work area, we first needed to bring a collection into another storage area. This was a great way to start the day, I love to organize and reorganize everything. With so many types of storage I was reminded of the Container Store - but better! Once my area was set up I began the work of processing. Rule number one: pencils only! My first step in processing is to go through every box and find out what it contains. I am currently working on creating a list of the types of sources (articles, correspondence, personal notes) and the main subject for each box. I have around 25 boxes to go through, and later there are additional boxes that will be utilized. So far, I have finished 8 and I am loving every second of it. It is amazing to see the differences between the 1920's and now, while at the same time recognizing how many aspects remain constant. One difference is the spelling - clue was spelled clew. The political cartoons remind me of the same issues going on today.


  
                                                                


A political cartoon in the newspaper