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Conference on Problems of American Foreign Policy records, 1950-1961, bulk 1950-1956

A Guide to the Records at the Indiana University Archives

Finding aid prepared by John Cash.

Summary Information

Repository
Indiana University Office of University Archives and Records Management
1320 East Tenth Street
Herman B Wells Library E460
Bloomington, IN 47405-7000
Phone: 812-855-1127
Fax: 812-855-8104
Email: archives@indiana.edu
http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives

Creator
Indiana University. President.

Title
Conference on Problems of American Foreign Policy records,1950-1961,  bulk 1950-1956

Collection No.
C241

Extent
1 cubic foot

Language
Materials are in English.

Abstract
This series of conferences was held annually at Indiana University from 1950 through 1956. They were organized by a committee under the general direction of the university president's office in cooperation with the U.S. Dept. of State and with funding from the Lilly Endowment. Collection consists of correspondence, financial records, working papers, invitations, programs, and publicity materials.

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Advance notice is required.

Administrative History

This series of conferences was held annually at IU from 1950 through 1956. It was organized by a committee under the general direction of the office of President Herman B Wells in co-operation with the US Department of State, and with funding from the Lilly Endowment. The primary organizational work was done by Peter Fraenkel of the President’s office and Austin V. Clifford of the Law School. Others who were active in organizing the conferences included Edward Buehrig, Department of Government; Frank Lee Benns, Department of History; and John T. Hays, of Hays & Hays Law Firm.

The conferences sought to bring State Department officials together with academic and civic leaders from the Midwest for frank discussions of current foreign policy problems. In this they were successful. However, recognizing that they were not moving beyond discussions of current events to the deeper issues of the nature and purpose of foreign policy per se, the committee determined to end the conference in its current form in the spring of 1957. Planning for a renewed conference continued into 1960, but none was held.

Arrangement

Records organized into one series, Administrative files, and then further organized into nine subseries representing each planned conference.

Scope and Content Note

These files were generated by various IU participants, but seem to be primarily those of the President’s office. An inventory was made in 1994, and duplicate printed material was discarded, but no attempt was made to reorganize the material within the folders. During processing, working papers were unified, financial records combined, correspondence related to planning and organization was separated from invitations and correspondence with guests, and the records arranged in chronological order. The records are organized into one series, Administrative files. Each conference represents a sub-series. Within each sub-series, folders contain working papers, organizational correspondence, invitations and related correspondence, programs and packets, requisitions and vouchers, and publicity and news clippings, all in chronological order.

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information
Accession 1059
Usage Restrictions
Copyright interests for this collection have been transferred to the Trustees of Indiana University. For more information, contact the Indiana University Archivist.
Preferred Citation
[Item], Conference on Problems of American Foreign Policy records, Collection C241, Indiana University Archives.
Processing Information
Processed by John Cash.

Completed in 2004.

Series: Box 1 Administrative files, 1950-1961 
Subseries: Conference on Problems of American Foreign Policy, 22-24 June 1950 
Box 1 Working papers, 22 Apr. 1950 – 13 Sep. 1950,  undated 
Correspondence, 13 Feb. 1950 – 25 Jun. 1950,  undated 
Invitations, 6 Jun. 1950 – 30 Jul. 1950 
Requisitions and vouchers, 9 Jun. 1950 – 9 Aug. 1950 
Agendas, publicity and programs, 18 Jun. 1950 – 27 Jun. 1950,  undated 
Subseries: 2nd Conference on Problems of American Foreign Policy, 20-21 July 1951 
Box 1 Working papers (Fraenkel’s files), 2 Feb. 1951 – 24 Aug. 1951,  undated 
Correspondence, 30 Jan. 1951 – 18 Dec. 1951,  undated 
Correspondence (Wells, Clifford, Fraenkel), 17 May 1951 – 23 Jul. 1951 
Invitations, rosters, and administrative arrangements, July 1951,  undated 
Requisitions and vouchers, 18 Jul. 1951 – 20 Sep. 1951 
Agendas, publicity and publications, Summer 1950 – Summer 1951  undated 
Subseries: 3rd Conference on Problems of American Foreign Policy, 11-12 July 1952 
Box 1 Correspondence, 28 Aug. 1951 – 6 Aug. 1952,  undated 
Correspondence (Fraenkel’s file), 22 Jun. 1952 – 10 Sep. 1952,  undated 
Programs, rosters, packets, undated 
Requisitions and vouchers, 3 Jul. 1953 – 12 Nov. 1953 
Subseries: 4th Conference on Problems of American Foreign Policy, 10-11 July 1953 
Box 1 Correspondence 1 Dec. 1952 – 10 Sep. 1953,  undated 
Pamphlets, agendas, press release, undated 
Receipts and vouchers, 3 Jul. 1953 – 12 Nov. 1953 
Subseries: 5th Conference on Problems of American Foreign Policy, 9-10 July 1954 
Box 1 Correspondence, 28 Sep. 1953 – 14 Oct. 1954,  undated 
General correspondence (Fraenkel’s file), 18 Mar. 1954 – 14 Sep. 1954,  undated 
Requisitions and vouchers, 11 May 1954 – 20 Jul. 1954 
Agendas, news clippings, guest book, October 1953 – 29 Jul. 1954,  undated 
Subseries: 6th Conference on Problems of American Foreign Policy, 24-25 June 1955 
Box 1 Acknowledged correspondence (Fraenkel’s file), 9 Nov. 1954 – 18 Aug. 1955,  undated 
General correspondence, 9 Nov. 1954 – 8 Apr. 1955,  undated 
“Conference on Values” materials from general correspondence, 5 May 1958 (sic) 
Vouchers, news clippings, 26 Apr. 1955 – 30 Aug. 1955 
Subseries: 7th Conference on Problems of American Foreign Policy, 29-30 June 1956 
Box 1 Correspondence, 28 Jun. 1955 – 7 Dec. 1956,  undated 
Vouchers and receipts, 13 Jan. 1956 – 28 Aug. 1956 
Subseries: 1957 Conference on Problems of American Foreign Policy (cancelled)
Box 1 Correspondence, receipts, 3 Jul. 1956 – 18 Jun. 1957,   undated 
Subseries: Conference on Problems of American Foreign Policy (not held)
Box 1 Correspondence, account statements, 31 Oct. 1959 – 28 Feb. 1961