Gerald Ford Visit to Elon

Collection

Identifier: Mss.Coll.009

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection encompasses a variety of materials all relating to Gerald Ford’s visit to Elon College on February 25, 1986. The collection is divided up into seven series, and then chronologically within each series where applicable. The seven series are Correspondence; Diagrams; Financial Documents; Lists; Literary Productions; Photographs; Printed Material. The items in this collection offer a glimpse into the processes involved in planning and organizing a “big name” speaker to visit and/or speak at Elon University. In addition, the contents of the materials provide information about Gerald Ford, how the surrounding communities planned and reacted to the speech and visit, and what it takes to organize a large event on Elon’s campus. This collection also contains historic and unique photographs of Gerald Ford.

One of the larger series in the collection (the correspondence series) offers dialogue relating to the initial steps taken to plan the visit of Gerald Ford to Elon College’s campus in February of 1986. Once the decision was finalized, the correspondence reflects more of the steps taken and questions asked to formally plan and organize Ford’s visit to campus. Of particular interest is a letter written to Jo Williams and George Troxler from President Fred Young (August 1, 1985) that lists nine questions that President Young had been thinking about and wanted others to also think about and possibly provide answers to, regarding Ford’s upcoming visit (1:2).

The four smallest series in this collection include diagrams; financial documents; lists; and literary productions. They all include only two to three items in each folder. The diagrams series provides a “blue print” of the floor plan of the Elon College Alumni Gymnasium, showing what the lay out was like when Gerald Ford visited the campus (2:1). Financial documents only contains two invoices listing prices that Elon College was charged in order to get prints made for black and white transparencies and photographs, as well as color transparencies (3:1). Found in the lists series are three duplicate papers that mention various local newspapers, TV stations, and reporters that were responsible for covering the Ford press conference at Elon College (4:1). Furthermore, the literary productions series contains three drafts of an introductory speech given by President Fred Young, formally introducing Gerald Ford (5:1). The location of the final introductory speech is unknown.

The photographs series contains a large number of photographs. This series is broken up into two categories that include pictures taken only of Gerald Ford and pictures taken of other individuals that were involved in events that happened during Ford’s visit (6:1, 6:2). The majority of the photographs are taken of Gerald Ford, either in black and white or color (6:1). The photographs taken of other individuals are mostly in color and are unidentified (6:2).

The largest series in the collection (the printed materials series) contains a variety of items that pertain to Gerald Ford’s visit to Elon College in 1986. The majority of the series is made up of newspaper clippings from multiple local newspapers (7:4-7:10). The information gathered from the clippings provides insight into the plans and events leading up to Ford’s visit, as well as the aftermath and reaction to his speech and visit. Also within this series are some basic biographical facts about Gerald R. Ford that was put together by Elon College’s Public Information Office (7:3). Furthermore, this series includes multiple drafts of schedules/agenda’s detailing what was going to take place during the hours of the day when Ford visited the campus (7:12-7:14). Although it is not official, the closest draft to the final version of the schedule/agenda can be found in the folder under the date of February 1986 (7:14). This series not only offers basic information about Ford’s visit to Elon College, but also provides some propaganda-type related materials involved with the recruitment and advertisement of his visit (7:11).

Dates

1966 - 1986

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Copyright Notice

The nature of the Archives and Special Collections of Belk Library means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Archives and Special Collections of Belk Library claims only physical ownership of most materials. The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to the U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research of otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

Biographical / Historical

See Series 7, Folder 3 for biographical information

Extent

0.5 Linear Feet (1 archival box)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

This collection contains letters, memos, newspaper clippings, photographs and other forms of printed materials relating to Gerald Ford's visit to Elon College on February 25, 1986. The collection is arranged alphabetically by type of material into seven series, then chronologically within each series, where applicable. Each series provides information pertaining to the steps taken to plan and organize Ford's visit, as well as how the media covered the event. There is some basic biographical information about Gerald Ford within this collection, but the majority of the collection contains correspondence, photographs, and printed materials.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged alphabetically by type of material into seven series, then chronologically within each series, where applicable. The series are: Correspondence; Diagrams; Financial Documents; Lists; Literary Productions; Photographs; Printed Material.

Physical Location

The collection is located in Belk Library Archives Satellite Shelving at Elon University. Please contact the Archivist and Special Collections Librarian for further details about the location.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Unknown

Related Materials

For related materials pertaining to Gerald Ford's visit to Elon, please refer to the following publications listed below. Magazine of Elon December 1974, pg. 1 March 1986, pg. 1 Maroon and Gold (Elon student newspaper) May 6, 1966, pg. 1-2 Burlington Daily Times-News April 22, 1966 April 25, 1966 April 26, 1966 Alamance Gleaner October 25, 1934 (or could be 1974?)

Processing Information

Processed by Katie Nash, January, 2006

Note: The numbers following the name/subject entry indicate in which Series#:Folder# that name/topic can be found (ex. 1:1). If no Series#:Folder# is listed, then a number will indicate in which Series the name/topic can be found. Dates of the items are given in parentheses for an individual Series/Folder or, if at the end, for the entire subject/name entry (no date=n.d.). Numbered entries come before alphabetical listings.

Alamance Country Club, 7:2, 7:13, 7:14 (1986)

Alumni Gymnasium, 7:1, 7:13, 7:14 (1986)

Associated Press, 1:3 (1986)

Bowman, Fred, 5:1 (1986)

Burlington, NC, 3:1, 7:2, 7:13 (1986)

Butler, Bill, 1:4, 1:5 (1986)

Cline, Ned, 1:3 (1986)

Eisenstadt, Art, 1:3 (1986)

Elon College Fact Summary, 7:3 (1986)

Flesher, John, 1:3 (1986)

Ford, Gerald R., 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 5:1, 6:1, 6:2, 7:1, 7:2, 7:3, 7:12, 7:13, 7:14 (1985, 1986)

Fulkerson, Chris, 7:13 (1986)

Greensboro News and Record, 1:3 (1986)

Greensboro, NC, 1:3 (1986)

Hawks, Bill, 6:2 (1986)

Hawks, Jenny, 6:2 (1986)

Haworth, Priscilla, 1:4 (1986)

Holland House, 7:13, 7:14 (1986)

Holt, “B”, 5:1 (1986)

Hunt, Sam, 5:1 (1986)

Jones, Ms Shane E., 1:1, 1:4 (1985, 1986)

Kivette, Camille, 6:2 (1986)

Kivette, Florence Olga (Kivette Childress), 6:2 (1986)

Lindley, Mary, 6:2 (1986)

Lindley, Tom, 6:2 (1986)

McDowell, Tim, 5:1, 7:12, 7:13 (1985, 1986)

McNeill, Diane L., 3:1 (1986)

Martin, Governor James G., 5:1, 7:1, 7:14 (1986)

Maynard, Jim, 6:2 (1996)

Maynard, Joey, 6:2 (1986)

Mooney Building, 7:1, 7:2, 7:13 (1986)

Nixon, Richard, 7:1 (1986)

O’Connell, Margie, 1:4 (1986)

Omni Studio, 3:1 (1986)

Perkins, Nan, 1:3, 1:4, 1:5, 7:12, 7:13 (1985, 1986) Powell, Betty, 6:2 (1986)

Raleigh, NC, 1:3 (1986)

Troxler, George, 1:2, 1:4, 7:12, 7:13 (1985, 1986)

White, Chris, 7:12 (1985) Williams, Jo Watts, 1:2, 7:12, 7:13 (1985, 1986) Winston-Salem Journal, 1:3 (1986) Winston-Salem, NC, 1:3 (1986)

Young, Dr. Fred, 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 5:1, 7:2, 7:12, 7:13, 7:14 (1985, 1986)