Evening star., 1940-05-24
W. P. A. Historical
Survey Develops
Data for Students
Exhibition of Work
Is Under Way at
McGiII BuiIdino

Work for the benefit of historians
and students is included in the
District of Columbia historical
records survey being conducted I'M
der the Division of Professional
and Service Projects of the District
Work Projects Administration, and
an exhibition of which is being
held in the McGill Building, 9OS
G street NV. The exhibition,
which opened Tuesday, is to con-
tinue through today.
The work of the survey in WASH
ington. under direction of Henry
B. billiard, is broad in it's scope,
covering church archives, public
records, imprints and manuscripts
OF these descriptive indices are be-
ing made, so that the researcher
can locate the exact material de-
sired. The indices being compiled
are designed to give sufficient de-
scription to enable person to To-
cate any given piece of material
without having to go through a
large pile under a general classifi-
cation.
The survey here includes prepara-
ton Of inventories and published
guides to the municipal archives of
the District government, church
archives, compilation of a central
catalogue of early American i'm
prints, preparation of an annotated
photography of American history,
preparation of autobiography
of American music, indeXing of
Negro newspapers at Howard Uni
versity, compilation of guide in
dices, calendars of important manu-
script collections, a survey of early
American maritime records in the
National Archives, a survey of Rus
sian Church archives in Alaska
prior to the cession of the Terri
tory, now in the Library of Con-
greSS, a survey of the executive
communications of the Presidents
and the editing and indexing of
the hearings held before the Sem
ate Munitions and Monopolies Com
mitteeS.
d. c. Publications Included.
Publications of the survey in the
District issued or in preparation
for early release include:
A calendar of the letters and
documents of Peter Force (early
Washington Mayor and historian)
on the Mecklenburg Declaration of
Independence, in the John L. Loo
mis- collection here; a directory of
churches and religious organizations
In the District, an inventory of
the archives of the Washington
Cathedral, an inventory of the ar
chives of the Lutheran Church in
Washington, a preliminary inven-
tory of municipal archives of the
District, a guide to manuscript de-
positories in the District, an in
ventory of the Episcopal Diocese
OF Washington, calendar of the
Frederick Douglass writings in the
Frederick Douglass Memorial Home
here and calendar of the cor
respondence of Alexander Graham
Bell in the Volta Bureau here.
The survey being made here ties
In with a national survey. it is
pointed out. AS result of it many
documents hitherto not known to
exist are being uncovered. From
some of the imprints obtained in
the West much additional light Is
expected to be shed on the early
history of that section of the coun-
try. The imprints date from 1900.
Included in the exhibition in the
McGill Building is a photostatic
copy of letter written by Robert
Fulton to the then commissioner
of patents accusing the latter of
granting the steamboat patent to
himself.
Old Controversy Uncovered.
Also uncovered during the survey
was considerable correspondence of
controversial nature between the
famous educator, Edward M. GAL
laudet, and DR.. Alexander Graham
Bell regarding methods of teaching
the deaf. The former contended
they should be taught the sign
language, while DR.. Bell insisted
they should be taught how to talk.
The photography of American his
tory at the Library of Congress will
cover some 350,OO0 items, it is said.
Among other items being pre-
pared is an index on all available
magazine articles on the District
Of Columbia, dating from 1900. Still