Faculty Records (University Of Maine). Smith (David C.) Papers
Scope and Contents
The records mainly contain textual information created and curated by educator and historian David C. Smith. Smith was a widely recognized historian and lectured nationally and internationally on such topics as history, political science, climatology, agriculture, paper industry, literature, and popular culture. The records cover Smith's academic career at the University of Maine, but also his political work and time serving on numerous professional and community groups.
The record series Biographical Material contains photographs of Smith and his family, personnel information, copies of his Curriculum Vitae, details of various award nominations Smith received, and a copy of Smith's diploma from Paris High School.
The record series Correspondence contains both professional and personal correspondence on a range of subjects. Some of the correspondence includes Smith's wife Sylvia. Many of these subjects can also be found in other series.
The record series Political & Community Activity Records contains political flyers and memorabilia curated by Smith and newsletters from various political and community groups, particularly those concerned with social justice issues and the peace movement.
The subseries Central America Records contains publications, meeting material, and correspondence related to groups such as the Maine Coalition for Peace and Justice that were concerned with U.S. involvement in Central America.
The subseries Miscellaneous Political Records contains material regarding Smith's involvement in local, state, and national politics and labor issues, including various committee meeting material, political campaign material such as flyers, clippings, newsletters, correspondence with politicians, and material from Democratic Party conventions. Also, includes details of Smith's attempts to be elected as a Maine state representative and senator.
The subseries Students for a Democratic Society Records contains material curated by Smith on the activities of the Students for a Democratic Society on the University of Maine Orono campus, including publications, memorandums, and programs.
The subseries Vietnam War Records contains material related to opposition to the U.S. involvement in Vietnam, including committees at the University of Maine and publications about the war and the draft aimed at students.
The subseries University Labor Relations Records contains material curated by Smith during his time as a member and board member of the Associated Faculties of the University of Maine (AFUM), including newsletters, meeting material, memorandums, agreements, and correspondence with university administrators and faculty.
The record series Research, Presentations & Publication Records primarily contains research material curated by Smith on a range of subjects and manuscripts written by Smith.
The subseries Agriculture, Extension & Experiment Station Research Records contains various research material created and curated by Smith on the history of the agriculture industry in Maine, the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station, and Cooperative Extension work at the University of Maine. Smith wrote extensively on these subjects including the publications "An annotated bibliography of the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station" and "The Maine Agricultural Experiment Station: a bountiful alliance of science and husbandry". Also, contains manuscripts written by Smith and others, copies of Maine Agricultural Experiment Station and College of Agriculture publications, correspondence, and memorandums, and Experiment Station publications authored by Frank Surface and Raymond Pearl that were donated by Surface's family.
The subseries Canadian-American Studies Records contains University of Maine Canadian-American Center and Canadian Studies Program publications, flyers for various events and conferences both on and off campus related to Canadian-American relations and history, and miscellaneous reference material on the subject of Canadian studies.
The subseries Climate Change & Quaternary Studies Records contains various research material created and curated by Smith about climate change and his work teaching in the University of Maine Institute for Quaternary Studies. Smith wrote extensively about climate change including the publications "Historical dating of salt marsh dikes in coastal Maine: historically recorded earthquakes in eastern Maine" and was involved in numerous research projects. Includes Institute for Quaternary Studies course and committee material, publications, memorandums, and correspondence, climate change research data, reports, grant applications, budgets, and correspondence.
The subseries Forestry, Pulp and Paper Industries Research Records contains various research material created and curated by Smith about the forestry, pulp, and paper industries primarily in Maine. Smith wrote extensively on these subjects including the publications "Fleetwood Pride, 1864-1960: The Autobiography of A Maine Woodsman", "History of papermaking in the United States (1691-1969)" and "A history of lumbering in Maine 1860-1930". Smith was also actively involved in the production of the "From Stump to Ship" documentary. Includes draft manuscripts of publications, research material, and correspondence.
The subseries H.G. Wells Research Records contains draft manuscripts for Smith's biography of the author H.G. Wells "H.G. Wells: desperately mortal: a biography", other papers Smith and others wrote about H.G. Wells, research material curated by Smith, and details of an exhibit Smith organized at the University of Maine titled "H.G. Wells: An Exhibit of His Life and His Work".
The subseries History of the University of Maine Book Research Records contains draft manuscripts for Smith's "The first century: a history of the University of Maine, 1865-1965" and research material curated by Smith related to the history of the University of Maine including original copies of early University of Maine publications and photographs.
The subseries Miscellaneous Authored Works contains draft and published articles and papers written by Smith particularly on subjects related to the history of Maine and the second world war. Also includes book reviews written by Smith.
The subseries Miscellaneous Conference Records contains material related to academic conferences attended and, in some cases, presented at.
The subseries Miscellaneous Research & Reference Material contains research grant proposals submitted by Smith and colleagues on a range of subjects, reference material curated by Smith, and historic items related to the history of Bangor and Maine.
The series University of Maine Administrative & Teaching Records contains material created and curated by Smith during his tenure as a professor at the University of Maine.
The subseries Bangor Community College Records primarily relates to a transit project to connect the Orono and Bangor campuses.
The subseries College of Arts and Sciences Records contains memorandums, correspondence, and meeting material related to the operations of the University of Maine's College of Arts and Sciences.
The subseries Graduate School Records contains memorandums, correspondence, reports, and meeting material related to the operations of the University of Maine's Graduate School and the teaching of graduate programs.
The subseries Raymond H. Fogler Library Records contains material related to exhibits and presentations about H.G. Wells that were held in the library and organized by Smith. Also, includes correspondence regarding Library collections.
The subseries History Department Records contains course material, lecture notes, blank examination papers, meeting minutes, correspondence, reports, newsletters, memorandums, papers authored by faculty in the Department, and publicity for lectures, conferences, and symposiums sponsored by the University of Maine's History Department which Smith was a faculty member in.
The subseries Honors Program Records contains correspondence, reports, publications, memorandums, research notes, and reports related to the University of Maine Honors Program and the Honors Center.
The subseries Miscellaneous Committee Records contains meeting material, correspondence, and reports relating to various University of Maine committees and task forces that Smith served on during his tenure at the University of Maine.
The subseries Miscellaneous Course Material contains correspondence, flyers, proposals, syllabi, reading lists, course descriptions, and lecture notes for various courses Smith and colleagues taught at the University of Maine.
The subseries Miscellaneous University of Maine Communications & Publications contains copies of University of Maine and departmental memorandums, announcements, newsletters, reports, and publications that Smith curated during his tenure at the University of Maine. Also, includes flyers for events held on campus.
The subseries Phi Kappa Phi Records contains correspondence, meeting minutes, newsletters, and a certificate of appreciation awarded to Smith for his service to Phi Kappa Phi including as University of Maine Chapter president.
The subseries Sigma Xi Records contains a copy of the Sigma Xi Records Book, correspondence, and newsletter of the honors society.
The subseries University of Maine Press Records contains meeting material, reports, and correspondence from Smith's time serving on the Board of Editors. Also, publicity material for University of Maine Press publications.
The subseries Women in the Curriculum Records contains flyers for the WIC lectures and events, newsletters, and correspondence.
The series University of Maine at Farmington Records Smith curated as an alumnus of the University including Alumni Association meeting minutes, newsletters, and correspondence.
The series Professional Group Records contains newsletters, correspondence, reports, and meeting material from various professional groups, mostly related to preservation and the study of history Smith was a member of, including the American Historical Association, Maine Historic Preservation Commission, Maine Teachers Association and National Education Association, Northeast Historic Films, and Penobscot Heritage Museum.
Dates
- 1833-2011
- Majority of material found within 1960-1996
Creator
- Smith, David C. (David Clayton), 1929-2009 (Person)
- Surface, Frank M. (Frank Macy), 1882-1965 (Person)
- Pearl, Raymond (Person)
Restrictions on Access
Kept at Fogler Library's offsite storage facility. One week's notice required for retrieval.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
Information on literary rights available in the repository.
Biographical Note
David Clayton Smith was born in Lewiston, Maine in 1929. He received a B.S. in 1955 at Farmington State Teachers College. He received an M.Ed. in 1956 and an M.A. in history and government in 1958 from the University of Maine. He received a Ph.D. in history in 1965 from Cornell University. He taught five years at Hobart and William Smith College, Geneva, N.Y., then returned to teach at the University of Maine. In 1965 he joined the University of Maine history faculty. He is a widely recognized historian and lectured nationally and internationally on such topics as history, political science, climatology, agriculture, paper industry, literature, and popular culture. In 1986 he wrote a biography of H.G. Wells which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. He was also a prolific writer, writing or editing more than 30 books and had more than 125 articles published on subjects including the logging and lumbering industry in Maine, history of the University of Maine, and wartime letters during the Second World War.
During his career at the University of Maine Professor Smith was Bird and Bird professor of history. He was also professor of agricultural history at Maine Agricultural Experiment Station and professor of quaternary studies in the Institute for Quaternary Studies. He was awarded the University's Researcher of the Year Medal, in 1989. He was also awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award from University of Maine at Farmington, in 1987. Professor Smith also served on numerous University committees and as the president of UMaine Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi. Smith retired from the University in 1994.
Professor Smith was also actively engaged in politics and community action locally and nationally and at the University of Maine with the Associated Faculties of the University of Maine (AFUM). He also served on the board of numerous groups relating to history and preservation including the American Historic Association, Maine Historic Preservation Commission, Northeast Historic Films, Forest History Society, and Penobscot Heritage Museum.
There is also material in the record group relating to Professor Smith's wife Sylvia (White) Smith; son, Clayton, and daughter, Katherine. And also Smith's mother Ella Smith, who was "house mother" at Chadbourne Hall on the University of Maine Orono campus.
David C. Smith died on November 7, 2009.
Extent
22 boxes (Full size boxes)
1 box (Half size box)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
The majority of material came to Special Collections as loose items in boxes, with material on the same subject scattered across numerous boxes with no discernable order or arrangement. The processing archivist attempted to group material on the same subject together, and file names were added.
The Records Group is broken down intellectually into the following record series: 1. Biographical Material, 2. Correspondence, 3. Political & Community Activity Records, 4. Research, Presentations & Publication Records, 5. University of Maine Administrative & Teaching Records, 6. University of Maine at Farmington Records, and 7. Professional Group Records.
The record series Political & Community Activity Records is further broken into the following subseries 1. Central America Records, 2. Miscellaneous Political Records, 3. Students for a Democratic Society Records, 4. Vietnam War Records, and 5. University Labor Relations Records.
The record series Research, Presentations & Publication Records is further broken into the subseries 1. Agriculture, Extension & Experiment Station Research Records, 2. Canadian-American Studies Records, 3. Climate Change & Quaternary Studies Records, 4. Forestry, Pulp and Paper Industries Research Records, 5. H.G. Wells Research Records, 6. History of the University of Maine Book Research Records, 7. Miscellaneous Authored Works, 8. Miscellaneous Conference Records, and 9. Miscellaneous Research & Reference Material.
The record series University of Maine Administrative & Teaching Records is further broken into the following subseries 1. Bangor Community College Records, 2. College of Arts and Sciences Records, 3. Graduate School Records, 4. Raymond H. Fogler Library Records, 5. History Department Records, 6. Honors Program Records, 7. Miscellaneous Committee Records, 8. Miscellaneous Course Material, 9. Miscellaneous University of Maine Communications & Publications, 10. Phi Kappa Phi Records, 11. Sigma Xi Records, 12. University of Maine Press Records, and 13. Women in the Curriculum Records.
The record series Professional Group Records is further broken into the following subseries 1. American Historical Association Records, 2. Maine Historic Preservation Commission Records, 3. Maine Teachers Association and National Education Association Records, 4. Northeast Historic Films Records, and Penobscot Heritage Museum Records.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of David C. Smith.
Boxes 21 and Folders 1-13 in Box 22 were donated to Special Collections as Accession #2015-0523b by David C. Smith's son Clayton W. Smith on May 21, 2015.
Folders 14-38f in Box 22 and Folders 1-11 in Box 23 were donated to Special Collections as Accession #2006-0918a by David C. Smith in the Summer of 2006.
Accruals
Accruals related to Professor Smith are not expected.
Separated Materials
Some University of Maine publications found in the papers were tranferred to Special Collections to be catalogued as serials.
General
Formerly SpC MS 468.
Processing Information
Processed by Matthew Revitt and student worker Kari Beaty, June 2019 - February 2022, Raymond H. Fogler Library Special Collections Department. Processing involved a collection survey, grouping loose items into subjects, and rehousing material into appropriate archival folders and the boxes and folders numbered and titled using information from ArchivesSpace. Processing also involved the creation of this finding aid.
- Agricultural education -- History -- United States Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Articles Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Associated Faculties of the University of Maine System
- Bangor (Me.)
- Canadian-American Border Region Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Climate change Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Clippings Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Clippings Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Correspondence Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Forests and forestry -- Maine Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Historic preservation Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Interviews Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Labor movement -- Maine Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Logging -- Maine -- History Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Lumbering -- Maine -- History Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Maine -- Climate -- Observations Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Maine -- History Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Maine -- Politics and government -- 20th century Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Maine Agricultural Experiment Station
- Manuscripts for publication Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Minutes Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Newsletters Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Periodicals Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Phi Kappa Phi. Chapter 1 (University of Maine)
- Photographs Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Political parties -- United States Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Raymond H. Fogler Library
- Reports Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Research (Document genres) Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Reviews Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Sigma Xi
- Smith, Ella
- University of Maine -- History
- University of Maine -- Faculty
- University of Maine . Institute for Quaternary Studies
- University of Maine Press
- University of Maine at Farmington
- University of Maine. Canadian-American Center
- University of Maine. Climate Change Institute
- University of Maine. College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- University of Maine. Cooperative Extension
- University of Maine. Department of History
- University of Maine. Graduate School
- University of Maine. Honors College
- University of Maine. Women in Curriculum Program
- Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Maine -- Protest movements Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Wells, H. G. (Herbert George), 1866-1946
- Women soldiers -- United States -- Correspondence Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Wood-pulp industry Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Source
- Smith, Clayton W. (Person)
- Title
- University of Maine. Smith (David C.) Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Matthew Revitt and Kari Beaty
- Date
- February 11, 2022
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English.
Repository Details
Part of the Raymond H. Fogler Library University Archives Repository
5729 Raymond H. Fogler Library
University of Maine
Orono ME 04469-5729 United States
207-581-1686