Historical Records Survey Projects P. M. Hamer, Assistant Director in Charge of the Inventory of Federal Archives Kathleen Bruce, State Supervisor CD ser. 2 no.45 Research and Records Programs Harvey E. Becknell, Director Milton W. Blanton, Regional Supervisor Division of Community Service Programs Blanche M. Ralston, Chief Regional Supervisor WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION Howard O. Hunter, Commissioner ©7-15-42 The Inventory of Federal Archives in the States is one of the products of the work of the Survey of Federal Archives, which was operated as a nation-wide project of the Works Progress Administration from January 1, 1936, to June 30, 1937, and which has been continuod in Virginia since that dato as a state project of that Administration and of the Work Projects Administration of the Federal Works Agency. The plan for the organization of the Inventory is as follows: Scrics I consists of reports on the administration of the Survey, acknowledgmonts, and general discussions of the location, condition, and content of federal archives in the states. Succccding sorios contain the detailed information secured by workers of the Survey, in inventory form, a separate series number being assigned to cach of the cxccutive departments (except the Department of State) and other major units of the Federal Government. Within each series No. 1 is a general introduction to the field organization and records of the governmental agency concerned; the succeeding numbers contain the inventory proper, separate numbers being assigned to each state in alphabetical order. Thus, in cach series, the inventory for Alabama is No. 2, that for Arizona No. 3, that for Arkansas No. 4, etc. For each local office information regarding each series, or unit of related records, is presented in the following order: title, inclusive dates ("to date" indicating an open file at the time the information was secured), general description of informational content, description of the system of filing or indexing (if any), a statement of frequency and purpose of use, form of the record itself (bound volume, sheets in folders, etc.), lincar footage, description of the containers, physical condition of the records (not stated if satisfactory), location by room number or other identifying information, and finally the number of the Form 58SA on which this information was originally recorded by a Survey worker and from which it was abstracted for the Inventory. This form is on file in the National Archivos. In Virginia the work of the project was under the supervision of Mr. Terry C. Durham from its inception until September 1936. He was then succeeded by Dr. Kathleen Bruce under whose direction the project was reorganized and a new survey begun. Dr. Bruce has continued in charge of Feacral Archives work, although in January 1940 the Survey of Federal--Archives was consolidated with the Historical Records Survoy with Dr. Bruce as state supervisor of the combined project. This inventory of the records of the Federal courts in Virginia was prepared in the Richmond office of the Survey and with the exception of the Introduction and the brief history of each local agency was edited, before it was finally typed, by Dr. Richard Stenberg of the Washington office. The entries were arranged by Dr. Stenberg. Dr. Bruce wrote the Introduction. The research in the United States statutes was made by Miss Eleanor Belt under the immediate direction of Dr. Bruce. Richmond, Va. May 15, 1942 Kathleen Bruce Kathleen Bruce, State Supervisor Historical Records Survey of Virginia |