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Leon E. Truesdell papers (Ms. 2011.004)

Brown University Library

Box A, John Hay Library
Providence, RI 02912
Tel: 401-863-2148
E-mail: archives@brown.edu

Inventory

Series 1. Inventory by Leon E. Truesdell
Box 1, Folder 1
This series contains Truesdell’s typewritten inventory of the papers as he had organized them and his notes about their contents.

Series 2. Correspondence regarding published works
Boxes 1-2
This series includes material, chiefly correspondence, related to both books and articles written by Truesdell between 1924 and 1965. The material in Subseries D. Proposed farm census of Puerto Rico 1945 and Subseries E. Puerto Rico correspondence after 1940 was included here by Truesdell because it was so closely related to his work on the Census of Puerto Rico in 1935.

Subseries A. Farm Tenancy in the United States
Box 1, Folder 2
This subseries contains material concerning a 1924 book co-authored by Truesdell entitled Farm Tenancy in the United States: An Analysis of the 1920 Census Relative to Farms Classified by Tenure. Most of the material in this subseries consists of correspondence between Truesdell and his co-author E.A. Goldenweiser.

Subseries B. Farm Population in the United States
Box 1, Folder 3
This subseries contains correspondence and a supplementary manuscript related to Truesdell’s 1926 monograph Farm population of the United States. An Analysis of the 1920 Farm Population Figures. The correspondence includes parts of the original draft of the manuscript and critical comments from reviewers.

Subseries C. Census of Puerto Rico
Box 1, Folders 4-16
This census of population and agriculture in Puerto Rico was undertaken by the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration (PRRA) in 1935.Truesdell was placed in charge of the tabulation phase of the project in 1936. Most of the correspondence in this subseries concerns the production of the consolidated volume on the census, entitled, in English, Census of Puerto Rico :1935. Population and Agriculture. The correspondence is primarily between Truesdell and E.D. (Everett Dana) Brown, his administrative assistant in San Juan; S.L. (Sol Luis) Descartes, a member of the faculty of the University of Puerto Rico; and Willard H. Smith, assistant chief of the Population Division of the Bureau of the Census in Washington, D.C. Other correspondence concerns a personnel matter and Truesdell’s “vigorous protest” regarding the publication of Wenzell Brown’s book Dynamite on our Doorstep: Puerto Rican Paradox, which was published in 1945.

In addition to correspondence, this subseries contains newspaper clippings, statistical tables, three bulletins containing the first published results of the census, and Truesdell’s report on his trip to Puerto Rico in 1943.

The correspondence with the Bureau of the Census, E.D. Brown, and S.L. Descartes was originally filed in reverse chronological order. It has been re-filed in chronological order to correspond to the arrangement in the rest of the papers.

Container Description Date
Box 1, Folder 4 Correspondence between Census Bureau in Washington, D.C. and Truesdell in Puerto Rico (1 of 5)
1935 Aug 5-1936 Mar 31
Box 1, Folder 5 Correspondence between Census Bureau in Washington, D.C. and Truesdell in Puerto Rico(2 of 5)
1936 Apr 1-1936 Apr 30
Box 1, Folder 6 Correspondence between Census Bureau in Washington, D.C. and Truesdell in Puerto Rico (3 of 5)
1936 May 2-1936 May 29
Box 1, Folder 7 Correspondence between Census Bureau in Washington, D.C. and Truesdell in Puerto Rico (4 of 5)
1936 Jun 1-1937 Jun 14
Box 1, Folder 8 Correspondence between Census Bureau in Washington, D.C. and Truesdell in Puerto Rico (5 of 5)
1936 Jan 17-1937 Feb 24
Box 1, Folder 9 Correspondence with Brown, E.D. (1 of 3)
1936 Jun 13-1936 Sep 30
Box 1, Folder 10 Correspondence with Brown, E.D. (2 of 3)
1936 Oct 2-1937 Apr 5
Box 1, Folder 11 Correspondence with Brown, E.D. (3 of 3)
1937 Jan 1-1937 Feb 18
Box 1, Folder 12 Correspondence with Descartes, S.L.
1936 Jun 18-1938 Jun 9
Box 1, Folder 13 Additional material and correspondence regarding the 1935 census
1936 Apr 29-1938 Jul 25
Box 1, Folder 14 Census bulletins: Population nos. 1-2; Agriculture
1935
Box 1, Folder 15 General report of trip to Puerto Rico
1943 Jun 21
Box 1, Folder 16 Correspondence regarding Dynamite on our Doorstep
1947 Feb 25-1947 Oct 14

Subseries D. Proposed farm census of Puerto Rico
Box 1, Folder 17
In April of 1945, Truesdell went to Puerto Rico to begin work on a proposed census of agriculture. Because of the unavailability of satisfactory assistants and because the cost of the census would exceed the monies available for it, the project was cancelled. In addition to correspondence, this subseries includes newspaper clippings, form letters, an expense account, and the proposed 1945 Farm Schedule.

Subseries E. Puerto Rico correspondence after 1940
Box 1, Folders 18-27
The correspondence in this subseries is between Truesdell and various colleagues in Puerto Rico and the United States. His original arrangement has been retained. This subseries includes other material such as a list of the census districts in Puerto Rico, a map of their location, and newspaper clippings. Truesdell’s arrangement of this material has been retained. The six 1940 bulletins of population for Puerto Rico which were listed on page five of Truesdell’s inventory for this section of his papers are missing.

Container Description Date
Box 1, Folder 18 Correspondence with Brown, E.D. (1 of 2)
1937 Nov 9-1944 Dec 2
Box 1, Folder 19 Correspondence with Brown, E.D. (2 of 2)
1945 Apr 11-1951 Feb 26
Box 1, Folder 20 Correspondence with Descartes, S.L.
1937 Nov 9-1959 May 26
Box 1, Folder 21 Correspondence with Poco, Rafael
1941 Jan 23-1949 Jul 28
Box 1, Folder 22 Correspondence with Oliveras, Candido
1943 Sep 16-1960 May 7
Box 1, Folder 23 Correspondence regarding the Social Science Research Center, University of Puerto Rico
1945 Apr 2-1948 Feb 27
Box 1, Folder 24 Correspondence with Bartlett, F.P.
1942 Jun 23-1942 Jun 26
Box 1, Folder 25 Correspondence with other colleagues in Puerto Rico (arranged by correspondent)
1943 May 26-1963 May 1
Box 1, Folder 26 Correspondence with colleagues in the United States and Puerto Rico (arranged chronologically)
1939 Feb 14-1960 Jan 15
Box 1, Folder 27 Other material and correspondence regarding the Census of Puerto Rico 1940
1939 Aug 29-1943 Dec 7

Subseries F. The Canadian Born in the United States
Box 2, Folders 1-7
The correspondence in this subseries is related to the publication of Truesdell’s 1943 monograph The Canadian Born in the United States. The subseries also includes parts of Norman L. Gold’s unpublished manuscript about Canadian and American immigration policy, distribution lists, book reviews, and a catalog from Yale University Press.

Container Description Date
Box 2, Folder 1 Correspondence with Brebner, J.B.
1939 Jan 24-1939 Nov 27
Box 2, Folder 2 Correspondence with Coats, R.H.
1935 Apr 24-1945 Jul 24
Box 2, Folder 3 Correspondence with Hansen, Marcus L.
1938 Jan 31-1938 Jul 20
Box 2, Folder 4 Correspondence with Shotwell, J.T.
1937 Oct 4-1957 Oct 29
Box 2, Folder 5 Correspondence with Yale University Press
1939 Feb 6-1939 Jun 23
Box 2, Folder 6 Other correspondence regarding publication
1939 Jan 14-1944 Aug 4
Box 2, Folder 7 Autograph notes and pages of manuscript by Gold, Norman L.
undated

Subseries G. Sex and Age of International Migrants
Box 2, Folders 8-10
This 1953 monograph entitled Sex and Age of International Migrants: Statistics for 1918-1947 was sponsored by the United Nations Department of Social Affairs, Population Division. This subseries contains correspondence related to its publication as well as the original manuscript of the book.

Container Description Date
Box 2, Folder 8 Correspondence (1 of 2)
1951 Feb 2-1952 May 28
Box 2, Folder 9 Correspondence (2 of 2)
1952 Jun 4-1954 Feb 19
Box 2, Folder 10 Manuscript as submitted
1952 Mar 29

Subseries H. Farm Population 1880-1950
Box 2, Folder 11
This monograph entitled Farm Population: 1880 to 1950 was published by the Bureau of the Census in 1960. This subseries contains material related to the publication of the manuscript, including an unfinished article about the farm population of the United States; criticism of the manuscript; comments by reviewers and counter-comments by the author; and the final pages of the manuscript.

Subseries I. The Development of Punch Card Tabulation
Box 2, Folder 12
This monograph entitled The Development of Punch Card Tabulation in the Bureau of the Census, 1890-1940 was published in 1965. In addition to correspondence this subseries includes cost estimates for publication of the book, comments from reviewers and “experimental tally sheets” for collecting data.

Subseries J. Correspondence related to specified reprints
Box 2, Folder 13
This subseries contains correspondence related to articles written by Truesdell for various professional journals between 1924 and 1949.

Series 3. Professional correspondence
Boxes 2-3
The correspondence in this series has been taken from several sections of Truesdell’s original inventory of his correspondence. The material labeled “professional activities” was originally in the section he called “minor activities” and is arranged by topic. Truesdell's arrangement of the other correspondence in this series has been retained. The correspondence with other statisticians is arranged alphabetically by correspondent. The correspondence on specific topics and the interoffice memoranda are arranged chronologically. The letter to President Taft was regarding a raise in Truesdell’s pay, which he later received.

Container Description Date
Box 2, Folder 14 Letter to President Taft and acknowledgement of its receipt by the White House
1912 Oct 1-1912 Oct 3
Box 2, Folder 15 Professional activities (1 of 3)
1929 Mar 12-1934 Mar 3
Box 2, Folder 16 Professional activities (2 of 3)
1937 May 21-1943 Aug 26
Box 2, Folder 17 Professional activities (3 of 3)
1936 Mar 14-1952 Sep 2
Box 2, Folder 18 Correspondence with statisticians: Brand, Charles E. through Davis, Irving G.
1929 May 24-1958 May 29
Box 2, Folder 19 Correspondence with statisticians: Deardorf, Neva R. through Glass, D.V.
1929 Apr 10-1967 Jul 5
Box 2, Folder 20 Correspondence with statisticians: Hauser, Philip M. through Miro, Carmen
1930 Aug 16-1971 Jun 7
Box 2, Folder 21 Correspondence with statisticians: Myrdal, Gunnar through Pendell, Elmer
1929 Jun 4-1969 Mar 5
Box 2, Folder 22 Correspondence with statisticians: Perkins, G.E. through Stephan, Frederick P.
1929 Dec 20-1966 Jan 20
Box 2, Folder 23 Correspondence with statisticians: Tauber, Conrad and Irene through Tobey, Charles E.
1936 Dec 21-1966 Jul 6
Box 2, Folder 24 Correspondence with statisticians: Whelpton, P.K. through Woodbury, Robert M.
1927 Jun 14-1949 Feb 4
Box 2, Folder 25 Correspondence with Morgenstern, Oskar and others regarding "rounding"
1951 Feb 16-1951 Mar 30
Box 3, Folder 1 Correspondence on specific topics (1 of 2)
1915-1947 Nov 5
Box 3, Folder 2 Correspondence on specific topics (2 of 2)
1948 May 13-1969 Sep 2
Box 3, Folder 3 Interoffice memoranda (1 of 2)
1919 Sep 8-1948 Apr 9
Box 3, Folder 4 Interoffice memoranda (2 of 2)
1948 Jul 18-1964 Nov 17

Series 4. Personal correspondence
Box 3, Folders 5-8
This series contains material taken from Truesdell's inventory of his correspondence and the section of his inventory that he labeled “minor activities”. Truesdell wrote several letters to women's colleges asking if there were any exceptions to their requirement that applicants pass an exam in Latin. The correspondence regarding pronunciation primarily concerns Truesdell’s criticism of a pamphlet entitled A Short-Cut to Correct Pronunciation, which was published by the Better English Institute of America in 1946. A copy of the pamphlet is included in the folder. His correspondence with Brown faculty members includes letters from W.H.P. Faunce, President of Brown University from 1899 to 1929; Alexander Meikeljohn, Dean of the College from 1901 to 1912; Lindsay Todd Damon, Professor of English; and Walter G. Everett, Professor of philosophy. The letter dated 1967 was to a librarian at Brown University regarding a question Truesdell had about a quotation from Charles Darwin.

Container Description Date
Box 3, Folder 5 Correspondence regarding requiring Latin for college admission
1933 Aug 17-1935 May 21
Box 3, Folder 6 Correspondence regarding pronunciation
1946 Nov 29-1949 Jul 21
Box 3, Folder 7 Correspondence with Everett, Walter G.
1906 Aug 21-1918 May 24
Box 3, Folder 8 Correspondence with Brown University faculty and librarians
1905-Nov 4-1967 May 12

Series 5. Education
Boxes 3-4
This series contains material taken from several sections of Truesdell’s original inventory, including “List X. Miscellaneous items” and “List H. Early manuscripts”. It includes papers written during his academic career as well as material written for classes that he took because of personal interest. The "Prize Essays" were written in competition for various prizes given for the best essay or performance in a debate on a particular topic. “Delta class” was a discussion class made up of young men who were members of the First Congregational Church in Washington, D.C. This folder includes a photograph of the class taken by Truesdell in 1914. The material labeled “Evening school classes in economics” is from a class that Truesdell taught from 1922 to 1925 at the YMCA School in Washington, D.C., the Washington School of Accountancy and the National School of Accountancy.

Container Description Date
Box 3, Folder 9 Mt. Harmon School: Bible notebook
1899-1900
Box 3, Folder 10 Leland and Gray Seminary: papers written for classes
1902-1903
Box 3, Folder 11 Brown University: Comparative anatomy notebook
1904 Sep-1905 Feb
Box 3, Folder 12 Brown University: Prize essays
1905 Dec 11-1907 Apr 9
Box 3, Folder 13 Brown University: English literature and composition
1903 Sep 28-1907 May 13
Box 3, Folder 14 Brown University: Philosophy
1905 Oct 21-1907 Feb 12
Box 3, Folder 15 Brown University: Social sciences
1906 Jan 16-1906 Oct 22
Box 3, Folder 16 Brown University: Articles for The Brunonian
1904 Apr 8-1906 Dec
Box 3, Folder 17 Robert Brookings Graduate School (1 of 2)
1924 Oct 7-1926 Apr
Box 3, Folder 18 Robert Brookings Graduate School (2 of 2)
1926 Jun 7-1940 Nov 26
Box 3, Folder 19 Delta class
1911-1972 Apr 19
Box 3, Folder 20 Short story writing: lessons 1-6
1911 Jul 17-1913 Jun 20
Box 3, Folder 21 Short story writing: lessons 7-16
1912 Jan 4-1913 Jun 25
Box 4, Folder 1 Emerson efficiency course (1 of 5)
1918 Jul 16-1919 Feb 24
Box 4, Folder 2 Emerson efficiency course (2 of 5)
1913-1919
Box 4, Folder 3 Emerson efficiency course (3 of 5)
1913
Box 4, Folder 4 Emerson efficiency course (4 of 5)
1913
Box 4, Folder 5 Emerson efficiency course (5 of 5)
1913
Box 4, Folder 6 Evening school classes in economics (1 of 2)
1922-1926
Box 4, Folder 7 Evening school classes in economics (2 of 2)
1923-1926

Series 6. Manuscripts
Boxes 4-5
Almost all of the manuscripts in this series were written by Truesdell as part of his work as a professional demographer and statistician from 1911 to 1970. His personal writings include two short stories, poems, and biographical material compiled for the Historical Society of Rowe, Vermont. A complete list of the titles of these manuscripts is included in the following sections of Truesdell's original inventory: "List K. Early manuscripts", "List M. Manuscripts", "List N. Verse manuscripts", "List Q. Criticisms and translations", and "List R. Letters to the editor". The manuscripts numbered M-56 through M-58 were not included in the papers. Correspondence is included with some of the manuscripts.

Container Description Date
Box 4, Folder 8 Early manuscripts
1911-1914 Dec 2
Box 4, Folder 9 Trip reports: Rural organization in Massachusetts and Maryland
1915 Mar 9-1915 Apr 5
Box 4, Folder 10 Statistical topics: m1-m8
1916-1928
Box 4, Folder 11 Statistical topics: m9-m18
1928-1929
Box 4, Folder 12 Statistical topics: m19-m36
1929-1939
Box 4, Folder 13 Statistical topics: m37-m55
1940-1948
Box 4, Folder 14 Statistical topics: m59-m72
1943-1970
Box 4, Folder 15 Statistical topics: m73-m76
1949-1970
Box 4, Folder 16 American Year Book material (1 of 3)
1929 Jan 4-1942 Feb 12
Box 4, Folder 17 American Year Book material (2 of 3)
1942 May 4-1951 Dec 19
Box 4, Folder 18 American Year Book material (3 of 3)
1937-1951
Box 5, Folder 1 Collier's Year Book material (1 of 2)
1940 Sep 30-1949 Feb 14
Box 5, Folder 2 Collier's Year Book material (2 of 2)
1940 Aug 31-1955 Jun 3
Box 5, Folder 3 New International Year Book material
1948 Nov 8-1953 Apr 15
Box 5, Folder 4 Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences material
1931 Mar 31
Box 5, Folder 5 Doubleday's Encyclopedia material
1942 May 13-1942 Jun 29
Box 5, Folder 6 The American People's Encyclopedia material
1952 Jan 15-1955 Oct 21
Box 5, Folder 7 Encyclopaedia Britannica material (1 of 8)
1928 Feb-1941 Jan 25
Box 5, Folder 8 Encyclopaedia Britannica material (2 of 8)
1941 Jan 28-1942 Dec 29
Box 5, Folder 9 Encyclopaedia Britannica material (3 of 8)
1943 Jan 7-1946 Oct 4
Box 5, Folder 10 Encyclopaedia Britannica material (4 of 8)
1946 Oct 9-1949 Dec 29
Box 5, Folder 11 Encyclopaedia Britannica material (5 of 8)
1950 Jan 11-1951 Feb 28
Box 5, Folder 12 Encyclopaedia Britannica material (6 of 8)
1951 Mar 5-1951 Dec 12
Box 5, Folder 13 Encyclopaedia Britannica material (7 of 8)
1951 May 14-1952 May 20
Box 5, Folder 14 Encyclopaedia Britannica material (8 of 8)
1952 Sep 17-1955 Sep 30
Box 5, Folder 15 Material compiled for a tabulation manual
1933-1935
Box 5, Folder 16 Verse manuscripts
1902-1949
Box 5, Folder 17 Everett, Walter Goodman: A New "Symphony"
1909
Box 5, Folder 18 Truesdell, Leon Edgar: The Star-Token and Other Verses
1907 Dec
Box 5, Folder 19 The Elements of Personal Power: notes and other material
1921 Oct 16-1923 May 25
Box 5, Folder 20 Letters to the editor
1912 Jan 13-1970 Sep 26
Box 5, Folder 21 Criticism of articles
1936 Jul 27-1968
Box 5, Folder 22 Book reviews
1943 Jul 19-1969 Sep 6
Box 5, Folder 23 Translations
1943 Sep 4-1945 Feb 20
Box 5, Folder 24 List of published books
1926-1972 Jan 5

Series 7. Reprints
Box 6, Folders 1-5
This series contains reprints of Truesdell's early writings while he as a student at the Leland and Gray Seminary as well as reprints of some of his professional publications. The reprints are dated from 1902 to 1972. A list of these titles, including Truesdell's notes on some of the contents, may be found in the section labeled "Reprints and minor publications on official business" in Truesdell's original inventory.

Container Description Date
Box 6, Folder 1 Leland and Gray Seminary Messenger: v.1 nos. 1-3; v.2 no.2, pp. 86-89; and v.2 no.3
1902 Mar 14-1903 Jun
Box 6, Folder 2 Professional publications (1 of 4)
1916 Mar 15-1918 Jul 27
Box 6, Folder 3 Professional publications (2 of 4)
1918 Jul 1-1918 Jul 27
Box 6, Folder 4 Professional publications (3 of 4)
1922 Jun-1937 Jan
Box 6, Folder 5 Professional publications (4 of 4)
1922 Jun-1972

Series 8. Personal and biographical
Box 6, Folders 6-11
This series contains biographical material about Truesdell and the Truesdell family as well as material related to Truesdell's personal interests. The personal background material includes a list of Truesdell's official appointments in Washington, D.C. between 1911 and 1968 as well as several photographs of him. Two of the photographs were taken at his family's home in Massachusetts when Truesdell was two years old and again at the same place when he was eighty-two. Truesdell served on the finance committee of the Cosmos Club from 1953 to 1963. Buff Wyandotte's are the breed of chickens that Truesdell raised on his farm prior to entering Brown University. The blueprint was produced as part of a summer job Truesdell held while at Brown.

Additional biographical material may be found in manuscript numbers 73 and 74 in Series 6. Manuscripts, and reprint numbers 49.1 and 49.2 in Series 7. Reprints.

Container Description Date
Box 6, Folder 6 Personal background material
1882-1973 Nov 11
Box 6, Folder 7 Truesdell genealogy (1 of 2)
1899 Mar 30-1965 Sep 3
Box 6, Folder 8 Truesdell genealogy (2 of 2)
1899 Oct 30-1960 Aug 5
Box 6, Folder 9 Cosmos Club finance committee
1958 Feb 7-1964 Mar 20
Box 6, Folder 10 Buff Wyandotte chickens
1898-1903
Box 6, Folder 11 Blueprint
1906 Jul 25