This series contains correspondence, memos, lists, minutes, newsletters, newspaper clippings, and ephemera (actual ID cards and armbands) concerning the activities of the civilian defense program at Columbia University. Issues include civilian defense courses, air raid drills, and building control activities. The original order of this series was lost prior to processing so a new order was imposed based on the subject matter of the materials.
Correspondence in this series is primarily from Nicholas McKnight, Director of the Civilian Defense Program, but a significant amount of communication also comes from Fon W. Boardman, Jr. who was Assistant to the Director of the Civilian Defense Program. Boardman was in charge of ID card and armband distribution, a well documented aspect of the program in these files. In addition to correspondence and materials concerning the activities of the various committees and the Student Auxiliary Corps within the university community, McKnight's dealings with suburban defense organizations (particularly in New Jersey), the NYC Police Department, and the local New York civilian defense councils is also documented.
Three incidents are of particular note. These include December, 1941 correspondence between McKnight and representatives of Harvard, McGill University, University of Pennsylvania, Stanford and Yale regarding the civilian defense activities at those institutions; December, 1941 and early January, 1942 correspondence from students and staff concerning how they could help the war effort on campus in the wake of Pearl Harbor; and correspondence within the Barnard file concerning civilian defense activities on that campus and how it would work within the larger program forming at Columbia.
Box 45 Folder 11
Air Raid Alarm Information, 1941-1942 undated, 1941-1942, undated
Box 45 Folder 12
Air Raid Drills, 1942 March
Box 45 Folder 13
Assorted Material, 1941 undated, 1941, undated
Box 45 Folder 14
Building Control—Academic Buildings & Dormitories, c., 1941-1942
Box 45 Folder 15
Unit Enrollment, 1941-1942 undated, 1941-1942, undated
Box 45 Folder 16
Units—Lists, 1941 undated, 1941, undated
Box 45 Folder 17
Bulletin & Mailing List—Correspondence & Memos, 1941-1942
Civilian Defense
Box 45 Folder 18
Council Bulletin, 1942 1946, 1942, 1946
Box 45 Folder 19
Council Minutes, 1941-1942
Box 45 Folder 20
1 (Course), Dr. William H. McCastline, 1941-1942
Box 45 Folder 21
2 (Course), Professor Carl F. Kayan, 1941-1942
Box 45 Folder 22
3 (Course), Professor William D. Turner, 1941-1942
Box 45 Folder 23
4 (Course), Professor W.H. Hayes, 1942
Box 45 Folder 24
L100 (Course-- "An American in a World War"), 1942
Courses
Box 45 Folder 25
Info & Enrollment, 1941-1942
Box 45 Folder 26
Printed Matter, 1941-1942
Box 45 Folder 27
Program Outline, 1941 1943, 1941, 1943
Box 46 Folder 1
C.U. Civilian Defense Notebook, 1942
Box 46 Folder 2-4
Correspondence, 1941-1943, (3 Folders)
Box 46 Folder 5
Correspondence with Barnard College, 1941-1942
Committee on Campus Protection
Box 46 Folder 6
General, 1941-1942
Box 46 Folder 7
Memoranda, 1941-1943 undated, 1941-1943, undated
Box 46 Folder 8
Committee on Community Education, 1942-1943
Committee on Courses of Training
Box 46 Folder 9
General, 1941-1942
Box 46 Folder 10
Minutes, 1941-1942
Box 47 Folder 1
Committee on Protection of Valuable Possessions, 1941-1943
Box 47 Folder 2
Committee on Technical Advice, 1942
Committee on Volunteer Participation
Box 47 Folder 3
General, 1942-1943
Box 47 Folder 4
Meeting Minutes, 1942
Box 47 Folder 5
Extension Committee on Defense Courses, 1942
Box 47 Folder 6
Fire Safety Program, 1941-1942 1950, 1941-1942, 1950
Box 47 Folder 7
Identification Card Record, 1942
Identification Cards & Arm Bands
Box 47 Folder 8
General, ca., 1940s
Box 47 Folder 9
Correspondence, 1942-1943
Box 47 Folder 10
N.Y.C. Air Warden Service, 1942
Box 47 Folder 11
New York Police Department—Correspondence, 1942
Box 47 Folder 12
Newspaper Clippings, 1941-1945
Publications, 1942 undated, 1942, undated
Box 47 Folder 13
General, 1942 undated, 1942, undated
Box 47 Folder 14
Correspondence, 1942
Student Auxiliary Corps, 1941-1942
Box 47 Folder 15
General, 1941-1942
Box 47 Folder 16
Campus Patrol, 1942
Box 47 Folder 17
Fire Control Division, 1942-1943
Box 47 Folder 18
First Aid Squad, 1942-1943
Box 47 Folder 19
Suburban Defense Organizations—Correspondence, 1941-1942
Box 48 Folder 1
24th Precinct—Correspondence, 1941-1942
Volunteer Faculty Instructors
Box 48 Folder 2
Air Raid Warden Training, 1942
Box 48 Folder 3
Lists, 1942 undated, 1942, undated