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University of Michigan faculty group interested in the history of the university. Sound recordings and videotapes of interviews with former University of Michigan faculty, regents, administrators, and other interested individuals about the history of the university.

The materials in the Historica Critica collection are arranged first according to the medium on which the interview is preserved: Reel-to-Reel Audiotapes, Cassette Audiotapes, and Videotapes. Within each medium, the materials are in alphabetical order according to the subject of the interview. Some of the reel-to-reel audiotapes have more than one interview subject; these are arranged alphabetically according to the primary subject. It appears that the interviewers transferred the materials on reel-to-reel audiotapes directly to cassettes in several cases. This facilitates the arrangement of the cassettes into alphabetical order according to subject. The dates listed in the finding aid are the dates of the interview. Summaries of the interviews, prepared by Virginia Harris, are found in Box 1.

Physicist, University of Michigan professor, dean of the graduate school; correspondence, writings, speeches, organizational files, audio-visual materials.

Although the Ralph A. Sawyer collection includes materials relating to all phases of his career, beginning with his studies at the University of Chicago in 1918-1919, the strength of the files are for those activities outside of the University of Michigan, notably his work with the U.S. Navy laboratories, Joint Task Force One, the American Institute of Physics, and the Optical Society of America. Files dealing with his University of Michigan activities are less complete as these materials will be found with the records of those units which Sawyer headed.

Professor of electrical engineering at the University of Michigan. Files documenting his scientific research and professional activities, notably his studies of high-frequency power welding, vacuum tube development, gas discharge plasma, microwave electron tubes, use of rockets and satellites in investigations of the upper atmosphere, missile guidance systems, and military electronics; files relating to his involvement with various University of Michigan research centers and institutes; and photographs.

The William G. Dow Papers document his career as a faculty member of the University of Michigan Department of Electrical Engineering, his scientific research, his participation in professional organizations, and his other professional interests and activities. The collection also contains copies of published and unpublished technical and professional papers written by Dow, and two unpublished books. The papers include lecture notes taken by Dow, texts of lectures given by Dow and others, course materials used in Dow's classes, correspondence, minutes, reports, raw data, photographs, and other material relating to Dow's research. The papers are composed of six series: University of Michigan Activities, Research, Professional Organizations, Articles, Books and Talks, Topical Files, Correspondence, and Photographs. There is a great deal of overlap between theses series, as Dow was often engaged in educational, research, publishing, and professional activities simultaneously. Researchers are advised to consult the entire collection. A small group of biographical and bibliographical materials begins the collection.