Daniel C. Dunham papers, 1955-2021, bulk 1960s-1990s

Series V: Personal Papers

Series V primarily consists of Dunham's student work, and includes seminar essays for his Master of Planning at Columbia University, his diplomas, and his application for the Wheelwright Prize. Subseries 2 is related to his doctoral dissertation on mess housing in Bangladesh, which he never completed. Present here are manuscripts, the surveys he conducted, binders of his research, and correspondence, primarily between a Mr. Abdul Hamid who conducted the surveys and a Mr. Marshall Bear who coordinated their relationship. Dunham's interest in mess housing among single male workers began during his time as a professor at EPUET. There are surveys and sketches conducted by his students as well as photographs related to mess housing.

Finally, general correspondence includes personal letters, the majority of which are with Bangladeshi acquaintances seeking advice for employment or travel to the United States. Correspondence also includes numerous letters Dunham wrote to manufacturers regarding defective products, from glue to calendars to pressure cookers.


Subseries 1: Student Work


Box 5 Folder 5 Diplomas, 1959, 1972

Masters diplomas from Harvard and Columbia University.


Box 5 Folder 6 Wheelwright Application, 1972 Mar - Jun

Includes application formula, letters requesting recommendations, recommendation letters, and the final decision letter. The portfolio that accompanied this application is located in Series I: Architectural Works, Subseries 1: East Pakistan, File 1: Portfolio for Wheelwright Application. Letters of recommendation were written by Louis Berger, Shah Alam Zahiruddin, and B. N. Mukerje. (9 items)


Box 5 Folder 7 Student Work, Masters of Planning, Columbia University, 1967-1968

Includes Daniel Dunham's term papers completed as part of his Masters in Planning coursework, such as essays on solar energy, rickshaws, housing patterns in Asia, and foreign assistance to developing nations. Five essays are bound together in two separate volumes. (7 items)


Subseries 2: Doctoral Dissertation, Columbia University


Box 5 Folder 8 Research Binders, 1974

Included are two bound volumes. One includes primarily articles, clippings, and statistics related to the dissertation research. The other includes drafts, research articles, and correspondence related to the surveys, which were carried out in the field by a Mr. Abdul Hamid. Survey correspondence also included a Mr. Marshall Bear who appeared to help coordinate the survey. (2 items)


Box 5 Folder 9 Catalog Cards, circa 1968-1974

Annotated catalog cards related to research and bibliographies.


Box 5 Folder 10 Research Surveys with Sketches, circa 1960-1974

Included are surveys of single-men mess housing with sketches of accommodations. Surveys appear to have been conducted by the East Pakistan (Bangladesh) University of Engineering and Technology Faculty of Architecture and Planning. Based on correspondence from Daniel Dunham's time at EPUET/BUET, it is likely that students conducted these surveys and drafted the sketches.


Box 5 Folder 11 Research Surveys, circa 1968-1974

Included are survey formats and completed surveys of single-men living in mess housing. Surveys were bundled into A-1,A-2,B,C, and D collections. Based on letters found in his research binders, Mr. Abdul Hamid was responsible for conducting the surveys in Bangladesh while Daniel Dunham was in New York City, and coordination was conducted by Mr. Marshall Bear.


Box 5 Folder 12 Photographs, circa 1960-1974

Included are photographs and negatives of men, landscapes, and housing conditions. (17 items)


Box 5 Folder 13 Miscellaneous Research and Correspondence, 1965-1974

Included are charts, graphs, calculations, and maps related to single male population and mess housing. Also included is correspondence from Bob Mayers regarding Daniel Dunham's first inquiries into a PhD or Masters program at Columbia University and their application processes. A survey on Columbia University's PhD in Planning was also completed by Daniel Dunham and is included here, in which he expresses his opinions on the program.


Box 5 Folder 14 Manuscripts, Abstracts, Outlines, circa 1968

Included are a proposal, abstract, outline, and two draft manuscripts for Daniel Dunham's dissertation on "a study for the housing requirements for the 'non-family' households of urban renewal," which was titled "The 'Mess Dwellers' of Urbanized East Pakistan. Dunham never completed his PhD. (5 items)


Box 5 Folder 15 Manuscript Binder, 1968-1974

Included is a bound volume containing manuscripts, drafts, research clippings, survey questions, maps, sketches, and other research material organized into outlines and sections of the dissertation.


Box 5 Folder 16 Manuscript Binder, 1968-1974

Included is a bound volume containing manuscript, charts, photographs, survey questions and responses, and sketches.


Subseries 3: Miscellaneous Books and Correspondence


Box 5 Folder 17 The Last Whole Earth Catalog, 1971

Included is a copy of the Last Whole Earth Catalog inscribed with a Christmas and New Year note from a Chris and Audre to Daniel and Mary Frances Dunham.


Box 5 Folder 18 Correspondence, General, 1972-1993

Included are personal letters, the majority of which are with Bangladeshi acquaintances seeking advice for employment or travel to the United States. (8 items)


Box 6 Folder 1 Correspondence, Defective Products, 1972-1998

Included are letters to manufacturers and companies related to defective products, ranging from calculators to pressure cookers to glue and calendars. (23 items)