Guide to the State College of Washington Office of the President: Wilson Compton and Charles Clement French Records 1948-1956
Archives 12

Summary Information

Repository
Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections
Creator
State College of Washington. Office of the President
Title
State College of Washington Office of the President: Wilson Compton and Charles Clement French Records
ID
Archives 12
Date [inclusive]
1948-1956
Extent
33 Linear feet of shelf space, 43 Boxes
Language
Collection materials are in English.
Abstract
The records in this collection consist of correspondence and related memoranda or reports of the State College of Washington (later Washington State University) Office of the President from 1948-1956

Preferred Citation

[Item description]

State College of Washington Office of the President: Wilson Compton and Charles Clement French Records, 1948-1956 (Archives 12)

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

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Biography/History

The functions and duties of the Washington State University President are defined in University Faculty Manual, edition of 1987, as:

In addition to being designated as secretary ex officio of the Board of Regents, the President as general agent of the Board is the chief executive officer of Washington State University. The President administers the policies approved by the Board of Regents, serves as advisor to the Board on policies and operations and is the agent through whom representations to the Board are regularly made. Other functions of the chief executive officer include: Leadership in developing policies and organization for teaching, research, and extension programs. Public administration of the University, including representation before the Legislature and other state agencies. Responsibility for the general welfare of students; the development, operation and maintenance of buildings, lands and equipment; financial matters pertaining to development, operation and maintenance of University; and the administration of regulations adopted by the Board of Regents. Responsibility, delegated by the Board of Regents, for all appointments, promotion, salaries, leaves, resignations, and dismissals. Presiding at meetings of the general faculty.

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Biography/History

Wilson Martindale Compton was born in Wooster, Ohio and attended the College of Wooster and earned a Ph.D. in economics from Princeton University as well as a law degree. In 1916, he married Helen Harrington, and later had four children together. Compton became President of the State College of Washington in 1945, and remained in that position until 1951. His presidency saw creation of the College Senate, a first Faculty Manual, and establishment by the faculty of general education requirements in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences for all students, as well as honors at graduation. In April of 1951, in the midst of difficult financial times due to state budget cuts, the Board of Regents ended the Compton presidency. After he left WSU, Compton was Director of the International Information Administration (IIA), the forerunner of the United States Information Agency (USIA), within the Department of State. He died in 1967.

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Biography/History

Charles Clement French was born in 1901 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. French held three degrees in chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania, including a Ph.D. in physical chemistry. In 1925, French married Helen Augusta Black (1902-1976) and they had two children.

He was dean of the college at Randolph Macon College in Virginia, an administrator at Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech), and vice president at Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College (Texas A&M). In 1952 French was selected to be the sixth President of the State College of Washington (which was renamed Washington State University during his term).

French served as chairman of the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education, and the Washington State Constitutional Revision Commission, as well as being a member of the Board of Trustees for the Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair). He retired in 1966 and was honored in 1968 with the university's new administration building being named for him. He received honorary degrees from Whitworth College, Pacific Lutheran University, and the University of Punjab. French died in Pullman, Washington in 1988.

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Scope and Content

The records in this collection consist of correspondence and related memoranda or reports of the State College of Washington (later Washington State University) Office of the President. They span the later years of the presidency of Wilson M. Compton, the short term of Acting President William Pearl in 1951, and the early years of the administration of C. Clement French.

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Arrangement

Organized in the original annual, alphabetical, subject files as received.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections  © 2022

https://libraries.wsu.edu/masc/

Terrell Library

P.O. Box 645610

Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA

509-335-6691

mascref@wsu.edu

Restrictions on Access

This collection is open and available for research use.

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply.

Acquisition Information

The records were transferred from the WSU Office of the President to the University Archives in 1976 (UA1976-10).

Processing Information

The records inventory prepared at that time was revised into container list format by Lawrence Stark during summer, 2000.

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Related Materials

Related Material

Compton Family Dramatization Cassette Recording, 1947 (CT 9)

Wilson Compton Day Books and Papers, 1928-1997 (Cage 810)

Claude Simpson Manuscript, “The Compton Years, The State College Of Washington, November 1944-September 1951", 1986 (Cage 5058)

State College of Washington Office of the President: Wilson M. Compton Records, 1944-1952 (Archives 160)

Charles Clement French Papers, 1914-1971 (Cage 310)

Charles Clement French Papers, 1967-1969 (Cage 490)

Charles Clement French Century 21 Exposition Planning Records, 1958-1962 (Cage 727)

Washington State University Office of the President: Charles Clement French Records, 1957-1966 (Archives 203)

Washington State University Office of the President: Assistant to the President Records, 1954-1985 (Archives 216)

Washington State University Office of the President Media, 1937-2006 (Archives 328)

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Names and Subjects

Corporate Name(s)

Subject(s) :
  • State College of Washington. Office of the President -- Records and correspondence
  • Washington State University. Office of the President -- Records and correspondence
  • State College of Washington -- Presidents -- Records and correspondence
  • Washington State University -- Presidents -- Records and correspondence
Creator(s) :
  • Washington State University. Office of the President

Personal Name(s)

Subject(s) :
  • Compton, Wilson Martindale, 1890-1967 -- Records and correspondence
  • French, C. Clement (Charles Clement), 1901-1988 -- Records and correspondence
  • Pearl, William Armour, 1893- -- Records and correspondence
Creator(s) :
  • Compton, Wilson Martindale, 1890-1967
  • French, C. Clement (Charles Clement), 1901-1988
  • Pearl, William Armour, 1893-

Subject(s)

  • College presidents -- Washington (State) -- Pullman
  • Colleges and Universities
  • Washington (State)

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Detailed Description of Collection

1948 

box folder

A  

1 1

College of Agriculture  

1 2

B  

1 3

C  

1 4

Committees/Council  

1 5

D and E  

1 6

F  

1 7

G  

1 8

H  

1 9

I, J, and K (none)  

2 1

L  

2 2

M, N, and O (none)  

2 3

P and Questionnaires  

2 4

R  

2 5

Regents  

2 6

S  

2 7

T, U, and V  

2 8

W, X (none), Y (none), and Z  

2 9

W.S.C.-Organization  

2 10

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1949 

box folder

A  

3 1

B  

3 2

C  

3 3

Committees/Council  

3 4

D  

3 5

E  

3 6

F  

4 1

G  

4 2

H  

4 3

I  

4 4

J, K, and L  

4 5

M  

4 6

N and O  

4 7

P  

4 8

Q  

4 9

R  

4 10

S and T  

4 11

U  

5 1

V, W (none), X (none), Y and Z  

5 2

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1950 

box folder

A  

5 3

Athletics  

5 4

B  

5 5

C  

5 6

Committees/Council  

5 7

D  

5 8

E  

5 9

F  

6 1

G and H  

6 2

I, J, and K  

6 3

L and M  

6 4

N  

6 5

O  

6 6

P  

6 7

Q  

6 8

R  

7 1

S and T  

7 2

U, V, and W (No X, Y, Z)  

7 3

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1951 

box folder

A  

7 4

A  

7 4a

B  

8 1

C  

8 2

Committees/Council  

8 3

D  

8 4

E  

8 5

F  

8 6

Financial Data  

8 7

G and H  

8 8

I  

9 1

J, K, and L  

9 2

M  

9 3

N and O  

9 4

P  

9 5

Q and R  

9 6

S and T  

9 7

U  

10 1

V, W, X (none), Y, Z (none)  

10 2

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1952 

box folder

A  

10 3

B  

10 4

C  

10 5

Committees/Council  

10 6

D, E, and F  

10 7

Fiscal Data  

11 1

G, H, and I  

11 2

J, K, L, and M  

11 3

N and O (none)  

11 4

P  

11 5

Q  

11 6

R  

11 7

S  

12 1

Speeches-Dr. French  

12 2

T and U  

12 3

Union Building  

12 4

V, W, X (none), Y and Z  

12 5

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1953 

box folder

A and B  

12 6

C  

13 1

D and E  

13 2

F  

13 3

Financial Data (Investment Study)  

13 4

G, H, I, J, and K (none)  

13 5

L, M (none), N, and O (none)  

13 6

P  

13 7

Q and R  

14 1

S and T  

14 2

U, V, W, and X, Y, Z (none)  

14 3

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1954 

box folder

A  

14 4

A  

14 4a

B  

14 5

C  

14 6

Committees/Council  

15 1

Committees/Council  

15 1a

D  

15 2

E  

15 3

F  

15 4

Financial Data  

15 5

G  

15 6

H  

15 7

I  

16 1

J, K, and L  

16 2

M  

16 3

N  

16 4

O and P  

16 5

Pakistan Data  

16 6

Q  

16 7

R  

17 1

S  

17 2

State Government  

17 3

State Government-Education Government  

17 3a

T and U  

17 4

V, W, X (none), Y (none), and Z  

17 5

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1955 

box folder

Aa-Ag  

17a 1

Al-Az  

17a 2

B  

17a 3

C  

17a 4

Committees  

17a 5

D  

17b 1

E-Fa  

17b 2

Fi-Fz  

17b 3

G-H  

17b 4

I-J  

17b 5

K-L  

17b 6

M-N  

17c 1

O-P  

17c 2

Pakistan  

17c 3

Q-R  

17c 4

Regents  

17d 1

S  

17d 2

State  

17d 3

T-U  

17d 4

V  

17d 5

W-Z  

17d 6

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1956 

box folder

A  

18 1

Accounting Office  

18 2

Admissions Office  

18 3

Advisory Board, Agricultural Sciences  

18 4

Advisory Board, Animal Husbandry  

18 5

Advisory Board, Central Committee, 9156  

18 6

Advisory Board, Technology  

18 7

Agricultural Chemistry  

18 8

Agricultural Economics  

18 9

Agricultural Engineering  

18 10

Agricultural Experiment Station  

19 1

Agricultural Experiment Station  

19 1a

Agricultural Sciences, Institute of  

19 2

Agricultural Sciences, Institute of  

19 2a

Agricultural Experiment, Station-Irrigation  

19 3

Agricultural Experiment Station-Western Washington  

19 4

Agricultural Experiment Station-Other Units  

19 5

Agricultural Extension Service  

19 6

Agricultural Sciences Newsletter  

19 7

Agriculture, College of  

20 1

Agronomy, Department of  

20 2

Agronomy, Farm  

20 3

Air Pollution Committee  

20 4

Air Science and Tactics, Department of  

20 5

Alumni  

20 6

Aluminum Company of America  

20 7

American Association of University Professors  

20 8

American Association of University Women  

20 9

American College Public Relations Association  

20 10

American Council on Education  

20 11

American Council on Education-Publications  

20 11a

American Society for Engineering Education  

20 12

Animal Disease Program  

21 1

Animal Husbandry, Department of  

21 2

Animal Husbandry, Department of  

21 2a

Animal Husbandry, Hilltop Building Area  

21 3

Architectural Engineering, Department of  

21 4

Ashlock, Joseph L. (Lonestar Dietz)  

21 5

Association of Land-Grant Colleges and Universities  

21 6

Association of Land-Grant Colleges and Universities-Executive Committee  

21 7

Associated Students  

22 1

Associated Women Students  

22 2

Audio Visual Center  

22 3

Ayland's Sheet Metal Works, Contracts  

22 4

B-General  

22 5

Bacteriology and Public Health, Department of  

22 6

B and C Construction Company, Contracts  

22 7

Barnes Construction, Contracts  

22 8

Board of Regents  

22 9

Bonds-Regents  

22 10

Bon Marche-Contracts  

22 11

Botany, Department of  

22 12

Britton, Raymond J.-Contracts  

22 13

Brownell, Katherine-Estate  

22 14

Buildings and Grounds, Department of  

22 15

Burcham and Blair-Housing Loan  

22 16

Budget Office  

23 1

Business Manager and Controller  

23 2

C-General Correspondence  

23 3

C and S Builders-Contracts  

23 4

Camp Easter Seal  

23 5

Chambers of Commerce  

23 6

Chemical Engineering, Department of  

23 7

Chemistry, Department of  

23 8

Civil Defense  

23 9

Civil Engineering, Department of  

23 10

College Architect  

23 11

College Life Insurance Company  

23 12

College Housing and Food Service  

23 13

College News Bureau  

24 1

Columbia Interstate Compact Commission  

24 2

Committee, Manual  

24 3

Committee on Committees  

24 4

Committee-Academic  

24 5

Committee-Activities Board  

24 6

Committee-Admissions  

24 7

Committee-ASSCW Board  

24 8

Committee-Athletic Board  

24 9

Committee-Budget  

24 10

Committee-Commencement  

24 11

Committee-Educational Policies  

24 12

Committee-Educational Policies  

24 12a

Committee-Educational Policies (Proposed Data)  

24 13

Committee-Faculty Executive  

25 1

Committee-Fraternity Welfare,1956  

25 2

Committee-Freshman-Faculty Weekend  

25 3

Committee-Graduate Studies  

25 4

Committee-Good Student  

25 5

Committee-Housing and Food  

25 6

Committee-Improvement of Instruction  

25 7

Committee-Insurance and Retirement  

25 8

Committee-International Education  

25 9

Committee-Lecture, Artists  

25 10

Committee-Library  

25 11

Committee-Patent Policy  

25 12

Committee-Research  

25 13

Committee-Safety  

25 14

Committee-Scholarship Standards  

25 15

Committee-Space Priorities  

25 16

Committee-Ten Year Plan  

25 17

Committee-Traffic Control  

25 18

Committee-Union Board  

25 19

Committee-Miscellaneous  

25 20

Compton Union  

26 1

Computer Center  

26 2

Culler, Gale, and Martell-Architect Fees  

26 3

Cusick's, Inc.-Contract  

26 4

D-General Correspondence  

26 5

Davis, Vera-Estate  

26 6

Dairy Science, Department of  

26 7

Dean of Faculty  

26 8

Deans, Directors and Department Chairmen  

26 9

Dean of Students-Annual Report  

26 10

Dean of Students-Annual Report  

26 11

Dedereer, Michael-Regent  

27 1

Dormitories  

27 2

Drop-out Study  

27 3

Durand and Son-Contract (Well drilling)  

27 4

Durham, Milton W.-Regent  

27 5

E-General Correspondence  

27 6

Economics, Department of  

27 7

Economics and Business, School of  

27 8

Education, School of  

27 9

Education, School of-Columbia Basin Report  

27 9a

Electric Smith, Inc.-Contract  

27 10

Enrollment Statistics  

28 1

Engineering and Mineral Technology  

28 2

Entomology, Department of  

28 3

Evergreen Editorials  

28 4

Evergreen House-Contract  

28 5

F-General Correspondence  

28 6

Faculty Orientation  

28 7

Faculty Manual  

28 8

Faculty and Staff,1956  

28 9

Ferris, Joel E.  

28 10

Financial Information  

28 11

Financial Information-1957-59 Budget Request  

28 11a

Fine Arts, Department of  

28 12

Football-President's Box  

28 13

Foreign Languages, Department of  

28 14

Forestry and Range Management, Department of  

28 15

4-H Club  

28 16

French, C. Clement  

28 17

Friends of the Library  

28 18

Ford Foundation  

29 1

Fund for the Advancement of Education  

29 2

Fund for the Advancement of Education-National Committee Member  

29 2a

Future Problems  

29 3

G-General Correspondence  

29 4

General Education  

29 5

General Electric-Hanford Office  

29 6

General Extension Service  

29 7

General Studies Program  

29 8

Geology, Department of  

29 9

Getzum Products-Endorsement Issue  

29 10

Gillespie, Ralph T.  

29 11

Grade Study-S. T. Stephenson  

29 12

Graduate School  

29 13

H-General Correspondence  

30 1

Hall, Stanton-Regent  

30 1a

Hansen and Parr-Contract  

30 2

Hastings, Tula F. Young-Estate  

30 3

High School Summer Camp  

30 4

History and Political Science, Department of Divided, Fall  

30 5

Home Economics, College of  

30 6

Horticulture, Department of  

30 7

Housing  

30 8

I-General Correspondence  

30 9

Inaugurations  

30 10

Industrial Research, Department of  

30 11

Information, Office of  

30 12

Insurance Data  

30 13

Insurance, Office of  

30 13a

Intercollegiate Athletics, Department of  

30 13b

International Education, Institute of  

30 14

International Harvester Company  

31 1

International Students Office  

31 2

J-General Correspondence  

31 3

Journalism  

31 4

K-General Correspondence  

31 5

Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corporation  

31 6

Kellogg Foundation  

31 7

L-General Correspondence  

31 8

Land-Acquisition, Leases, etc.  

31 9

Library  

31 10

M-General Correspondence  

31 11

Mathematics, Department of  

31 12

McCluskey, James A.-Regent  

31 13

Mechanical Engineering, Department of  

31 14

Medical and Biological Research  

31 15

Memorial Hospital  

31 16

Military Science and Tactics  

31 17

Mines, School of  

31 18

Mock Political Convention  

31 19

Music, Department of  

31 20

N-General Correspondence  

32 1

National Collegiate Athletic Association  

32 2

National Commission on Accrediting  

32 2a

National Education Association  

32 3

National Project on Agricultural Communication  

32 4

National Renders Association  

32 5

National Science Teachers Association  

32 6

Neill, Marshall A.  

32 7

Non-Faculty Personnel Office  

32 8

Northwest Association of Secondary and Higher Education  

32 9

Northwest Window Cleaning Company-Contracts  

32 10

Nuclear Reactor  

32 11

Nursery, School of  

32 12

O-General Correspondence  

32 13

Olympia Newsletter  

32 14

Oregon State System of Higher Education  

33 1

Otis Elevator Company  

33 2

Overby, Fred Memorial  

33 3

P-General Correspondence  

33 4

Pacific Coast Intercollegiate Athletic Conference-Correspondence  

33 5

Pacific Coast Intercollegiate Athletic Conference-Minutes  

33 6

Pacific Coast Intercollegiate Athletic Conference-Reports  

33 7

Pacific Coast Conference of Presidents  

34 1

Pacific Northwest Conference on Banking  

34 2

Pacific Northwest Hazen Conference  

34 3

Pacific Northwest Conference on Higher Education  

34 4

Pakistan-Correspondence,1956  

34 5

Pakistan-Reports #5-#8  

34 6

Pakistan, Dr. French's Trip  

35 1

Pharmacy, School of  

35 2

Physical Education, Recreation, and Athletic, School of  

35 3

Physical Education, Men  

35 4

Physical Education, Women  

35 5

Physics, Department of  

35 6

Placement, Bureau  

35 7

Plant Pathology, Department of  

35 8

Poultry Science, Department of  

35 9

President's Office  

35 10

Psychology, Department of  

35 11

Pullman, City of  

35 12

Purchasing Agent, Office of  

35 13

Questionnaires  1965 

35 14

R-General Correspondence  

35 15

Radio-KWSC  

35 16

Registrar  

36 1

Republican Central Committee  

36 2

Requisitions-Travel of Dr. French  

36 3

Research Corporation  

36 4

Research Studies  

36 5

R.O.T.C. Facilities  

36 6

Resources for the Future, Inc.  

36 7

Retirement  

36 8

Rogers, Alan-Regent  

36 9

Rural Sociology, Department of  

36 10

S-General Correspondence  

36 11

Sabbatical Leave  

36 12

St. Luke's Hospital  

36 13

Salary Scales  

36 14

Scholarships  

37 1

Sciences and Arts, College of  

37 2

Seattle First National Bank  

37 3

Senior-Faculty Weekend  1956d 

37 4

Small Classes  

37 5

Social Security  

37 6

Sociology, Department of  

37 8

Speech, Department of  

37 9

Speeches and Reprints  

37 10

Spokane Art Center,1956  

37 11

Spokane Review  

37 12

Springer Paint Company-Contract  

37 13

Staff-Resident Instructional  

37 14

State of WA-Attorney General  

37 15

State of WA-Auditor  

37 16

State of WA-Budget, Director of  

37 17

State of WA-Census Board  

37 18

State-Conservation and Development  

38 1

State-Game, Department of  

38 2

State-General, Administration, Department of  

38 3

State-Governor, Office of  

38 4

State-Labor and Industries, Department of  

38 5

State-Legislative Budget Committee  

38 6

Legislative Budget Committee  

38 6a

Legislative Budget Committee  

38 6b

State-Legislative Council  

38 7

State-Liquor Control Board  

39 1

State-Public Lands, Department of  

39 2

State-Superintendent of Public Instruction  

39 3

State-Treasurer  

39 4

State-Miscellaneous Data  

39 5

State-Correspondence-Legislative Members  

39 6

Students Book Corporation  

39 7

Student Evaluation of Instruction  

39 8

Student Health Services  

39 9

Student Publications  

39 10

Summer Session  

39 10a

T-General Correspondence  

39 11

Teachers Insurance and Annuity Company  

39 12

Technology, Institute of  

39 13

Thiry, Paul-Architect  

39 14

Tuition and Fees  

39 15

U-General Correspondence  

40 1

U.S. Government-Agriculture, Department of  

40 2

U.S. Government-Atomic Energy Commission  

40 3

U.S. Government-Armed Forces Institute  

40 4

U.S. Government-Defense, Department of-Air Force  

40 5

U.S. Government-Defense, Department of-Army  

40 6

U.S. Government-Defense, Department of-International Cooperation Administration  

40 7

U.S. Government-Defense, Department of-Navy  

40 8

U.S. Government-Health, Education and Welfare  

40 9

U.S. Government-Housing and Home Finance Agency  

40 10

U.S. Government-Interior, Department of  

40 11

U.S. Government-National, Science Foundation  

40 12

U.S. Government-State, Department of  

40 13

U.S. Government-State, Department of-UNESO  

40 14

U.S. Government-Miscellaneous Data  

40 15

U.S. Government-Correspondence-Congressmen  

40 16

Universities and Colleges, A-I  

41 1

Universities and Colleges, J-W  

41 1a

University of Washington  

41 2

Universities and Colleges-Miscellaneous Colleges  

41 3

Universities and Colleges-Miscellaneous Universities  

41 3a

United Paving Company-Contract  

41 4

Veterinary Medicine, College of  

41 5

Visiting Professor and Lecture Fund  

41 6

W-General Correspondence  

41 7

Washington Cattlemen's Association  

42 1

Washington Conference on Higher Education  

42 2

Washington Farm Electrification Committee  

42 3

Washington Mortgage Company  

42 4

Washington State College-Consolidated Endowment Fund  

42 5

Washington State College-Education Fund  

42 6

Washington State College-Miscellaneous  

42 7

Washington State College-News  

42 8

Washington State College-Scholarship and Development Fund  

42 9

Washington State Council of Carpenters  

42 10

Washington State Council of Farmer Co-ops  

42 11

Washington State Farm Bureau  

42 12

Washington State Grange  

42 13

Washington State Mental Health Survey Committee  

42 14

Washington State Research Council  

42 15

Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education  

43 1

Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education  

43 1a

Western Personnel Institute  

43 2

Wildlife Management Program  

43 3

XYZ-General Correspondence  

43 4

YMCA and YWCA  

43 5

Zoology, Department of  

43 6

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