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Columbia University in World War II collection, 1933-1975

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Series IV: Civilian Defense

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.

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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