Finding Aid
Submit Reference RequestPrintDownload PDF

Reference Request

* required
Please succinctly provide us with any information pertinent to your inquiry. If you are writing to us about a research request, provide as much detail as possible about the collections in which you are interested (including collection numbers, box numbers, and folder titles).
(if known)

The Smithsonian Institution Archives is using Constant Contact, a third-party contact management software vendor, to manage contacts and send eNewsletters. Please be advised that Constant Contact's Privacy Statement and Terms and Conditions apply to your use of these services. The Smithsonian Institution Archives has access to your name and email address which is subject to our privacy statement.

Finding Aids to Official Records of the Smithsonian Institution Archives

Record Unit 243

United States National Museum. Department of Zoology

Records, 1943-1958

Repository:Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C. Contact us at osiaref@si.edu.
Creator:United States National Museum. Department of Zoology
Title:Records
Dates:1943-1958
Quantity:9 cu. ft. (18 document boxes)
Collection:Record Unit 243
Language of Materials:English
Summary:

This record unit consists of records of the Department of Zoology under Head Curator Waldo LaSalle Schmitt and includes outgoing correspondence, 1946-1957; correspondence with the public, 1947-1957; and administrative records, 1943-1958. Also included are records of the Department of Biology, 1943-1947.

For other records relating to the Departments of Biology and Zoology see Record Units 143, 242, 7074, and 7181.

Historical Note

The Department of Zoology was created July 31, 1947, as part of a general reorganization of the United States National Museum. At that time, the Department of Biology was divided into the Departments of Zoology and Botany. Waldo LaSalle Schmitt, who had served as head curator of the Department of Biology since 1943, became the first head curator of Zoology. He held that position until his retirement in 1957.

Top of Page

Descriptive Entry

This record unit consists of records of the Department of Zoology under Head Curator Waldo LaSalle Schmitt and includes outgoing correspondence, 1946-1957; correspondence with the public, 1947-1957; and administrative records, 1943-1958. Also included are records of the Department of Biology, 1943-1947.

For other records relating to the Departments of Biology and Zoology see Record Units 143, 242, 7074, and 7181.

Top of Page

This collection is indexed under the following access terms. These are links to collections with related topics, persons or places.

Name

Subject

Physical Characteristics of Materials in the Collection

Top of Page

Preferred Citation

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 243, United States National Museum. Department of Zoology, Records

Top of Page

Container List

Series 1

OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE, 1946-1957. ARRANGED CHRONOLOGICALLY.

This series consists of copies of outgoing correspondence maintained by the Department of Zoology under Head Curator Waldo LaSalle Schmitt (records prior to July 31, 1947, were created by the Department of Biology). The correspondence is mostly routine and concerns the operation of the Department of Zoology.

Box 1

Outgoing correspondence, December 1946 - December 1947.

Box 1 of 18

Box 2

Outgoing correspondence, January 1948 - December 1948.

Box 2 of 18

Box 3

Outgoing correspondence, January 1949 - December 1949.

Box 3 of 18

Box 4

Outgoing correspondence, January 1950 - May 1951.

Box 4 of 18

Box 5

Outgoing correspondence, June 1951 - December 1952.

Box 5 of 18

Box 6

Outgoing correspondence, January 1953 - July 1954.

Box 6 of 18

Box 7

Outgoing correspondence, August 1954 - February 1956.

Box 7 of 18

Box 8

Outgoing correspondence, March 1956 - June 1957.

Box 8 of 18

Series 2

CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE PUBLIC, 1947-1957.

This series consists of correspondence (mostly outgoing copies) between the Department of Zoology and the general public. The correspondence is generally addressed to the Smithsonian Institution, United States National Museum, or outside government agencies and was referred to the Department of Zoology for response. Most of the correspondence is routine and deals with offers to collect and sell specimens, the identification of specimens, and requests for publications and information. The few incoming letters are usually acknowledgments of correspondence received from the Department. When a letter requesting information was received by the Department, the head curator referred it to the appropriate zoological division for response. The reply was prepared by a division staff member, who then returned it to the head curator for signature. Therefore, most of the correspondence is signed by Waldo LaSalle Schmitt. A smaller amount of material is signed by division staff members. The correspondence is arranged by zoological division and alphabetic thereunder.

Box 9

Folders 1-11 Head Curator of Zoology, A - Z.

Box 9 of 18

Box 10

Folders 1-9 Division of Birds, A - Z.

Box 10 of 18

Folder 10 Division of Echinoderms, C - Z.

Box 10 of 18

Folders 11-14 Division of Fishes, A - Z.

Box 10 of 18

Box 11

Folders 1-7 Division of Insects, A - Z.

Box 11 of 18

Folders 8-13 Division of Mammals, A - L.

Box 11 of 18

Box 12

Folders 1-4 Division of Mammals, M - Z.

Box 12 of 18

Folders 5-7 Division of Marine Invertebrates, A - Z.

Box 12 of 18

Folders 8-13 Division of Mollusks, A - Z.

Box 12 of 18

Box 13

Folders 1-8 Division of Reptiles and Amphibians, A - Z.

Box 13 of 18

Folders 9-10 Taxidermist, A - Z.

Box 13 of 18

Series 3

ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS, 1943-1958. ARRANGED ALPHABETICALLY.

This series consists of material relating to the administration of the Department of Zoology (records prior to July 31, 1947, were created by the Department of Biology). Included are personnel records, data on exhibits, and budget material.

Box 14

Folder 1 Air Force exhibit - photographs.

Box 14 of 18

Folder 2 Alcohol regulations, 1951.

Box 14 of 18

Folder 3 Budget, 1946.

Box 14 of 18

Folder 4 Budget, 1947.

Box 14 of 18

Folder 5 Budget, 1948.

Box 14 of 18

Folder 6 Budget, 1949.

Box 14 of 18

Folder 7 Budget, 1950.

Box 14 of 18

Folder 8 Budget, 1951.

Box 14 of 18

Folder 9 Budget (SI), 1956.

Box 14 of 18

Box 15

Folder 1 Budget (SI), 1957.

Box 15 of 18

Folder 2 Budget (SI), 1958.

Box 15 of 18

Folder 3 Civil Service Commission, 1943-1949, 1955-1956.

Box 15 of 18

Folder 4 Court construction, justification for, 1954.

Box 15 of 18

Folder 5 Current information, 1946-1947.

Box 15 of 18

Folder 6 Division of Insect Identification, United States Department of Agriculture, 1945.

Box 15 of 18

Folder 7 Equipment, 1943-1953.

Box 15 of 18

Folder 8 Exhibits, 1943-1948, 1952-1953.

Box 15 of 18

Folder 9 Expenditures, 1948.

Box 15 of 18

Folder 10 Expenditures, 1949.

Box 15 of 18

Box 16

Folder 1 Expenditures, 1950.

Box 16 of 18

Folder 2 Expenditures, 1951.

Box 16 of 18

Folder 3 Fessenden exhibit, 1944-1945.

Box 16 of 18

Folder 4 Fisheries inquiries, 1944.

Box 16 of 18

Folder 5 Foraminifera collections, 1946-1949.

Box 16 of 18

Folder 6 Leave regulations, 1944-1945, 1950.

Box 16 of 18

Folder 7 Lectures by staff members, 1949.

Box 16 of 18

Folder 8 Management Improvement Program, 1950.

Box 16 of 18

Folder 9 Management Improvement Program, 1951.

Box 16 of 18

Folder 10 Management Improvement Program, 1953.

Box 16 of 18

Folder 11 Management Improvement Program, 1954.

Box 16 of 18

Folder 12 Museum procedure, 1943-1949.

Box 16 of 18

Folder 13 Museum training courses.

Box 16 of 18

Folder 14 New Caledonia exhibit - photographs.

Box 16 of 18

Box 17

Folder 1 Personnel: General, 1944-1958.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 2 Personnel: Job descriptions, Head Curator of Zoology.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 3 Personnel: Job descriptions, Division of Birds.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 4 Personnel: Job descriptions, Division of Echinoderms.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 5 Personnel: Job descriptions, Division of Fishes.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 6 Personnel: Job descriptions, Division of Insects.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 7 Personnel: Job descriptions, Division of Mammals.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 8 Personnel: Job descriptions, Division of Marine Invertebrates.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 9 Personnel: Job descriptions, Division of Mollusks.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 10 Personnel: Job descriptions, Division of Plants.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 11 Personnel: Job descriptions, Division of Reptiles and Amphibians.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 12 Personnel Utilization, 1944.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 13 Plan of Operations, 1946.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 14 Plan of Operations, 1950.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 15 Policy Committee, 1945-1946.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 16 President's Scientific Research Board, 1947.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 17 Record of Distribution, 1948-1949.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 18 Research Program, 1948.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 19 Research Program, 1949.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 20 Research Program, 1952.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 21 Research Program, 1953.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 22 Research Program, 1954.

Box 17 of 18

Folder 23 Research Program, 1955.

Box 17 of 18

Box 18

Folder 1 Science Training Group, 1947.

Box 18 of 18

Folder 2 Smithsonian Centennial Exhibit, 1946.

Box 18 of 18

Folder 3 Space requirements, 1944.

Box 18 of 18

Folder 4 Space requirements, 1949.

Box 18 of 18

Folder 5 Space requirements, 1950.

Box 18 of 18

Folder 6 Suggestion Committee, 1948.

Box 18 of 18

Folder 7 Superintendent's Office, 1943-1951.

Box 18 of 18

Folder 8 Travel, 1947-1949.

Box 18 of 18

Folder 9 Work backlog, 1944-1946.

Box 18 of 18

Folder 10 Work Load Program, 1943.

Box 18 of 18

Folder 11 Work Load Program, 1944.

Box 18 of 18

Folder 12 Work Load Program, 1945.

Box 18 of 18

Folder 13 Work Load Program, 1946.

Box 18 of 18

Folder 14 Work Load Program, 1947.

Box 18 of 18

Folder 15 Work Load Program, 1950.

Box 18 of 18

Folder 16 Work Load Program, 1951.

Box 18 of 18

Folder 17 Work Load Program, 1954.

Box 18 of 18

Top of Page