The Homer L. Calkin Papers consist of 21 linear feet of manuscripts, dating from 1897-1996. The collection is organized into seven major divisions: 1) Career, 2) Publications, 3) Methodist Church files, 4) Personal papers, 5) Photographs, 6) Slides, and 7) Personal Objects/Oversized material. Within each series the material is arranged chronologically unless otherwise indicated.
Notation: VII:1:2 = Series VII, Box 1, Folder 2. This is a cross-listed item and indicates its actual location in the collection.
Series I consists of career items, mainly related to his time spent in the military and working for the Department of State, including his book Women in the State Department: Their Role in American Foreign Affairs. All publications included in this series are cross-listed with Series II.
Series II contains all of HLC's publications and related materials, including cross-listed publications located in Series I and III. Correspondence concerning publications and a general research file are also included in this series.
Series III is comprised of Methodist materials, divided into two subseries. The first contains Foundry Methodist Church materials including HLC's book Castings from the Foundry Mold. The second subseries consists of National/International Methodist materials, including the NEH grant for HLC's project on cataloguing Methodist manuscripts worldwide. The final product, Methodist archival and manuscript collections, is available in Special Collections but is not housed with this collection (x-collection Z6611.M55 C2). All publications included in this series are cross-listed with Series II.
Series IV consists of HLC's personal papers, divided into three subseries: personal papers, correspondence, and genealogical materials. The first two boxes of his personal papers contain scrapbook binders, which provide a general overview of his life from 1930-1985 as they include personal, Department of State, and Methodist items. Genealogical items are arranged alphabetically at the end of the series.
Series V is made up of photographs: one box of family photos and one box of travel photos. Series VI contains more than 15,000 color slides taken by HLC from 1948-1983. Most are slides of historic or tourist attractions as HLC traveled frequently within New England and Canada. There is also a large quantity of international slides, taken when he traveled for the State Department or for his Methodist research projects. Detailed slide lists written by HLC for the first seven boxes and boxes 22-23 can be found at the beginning of Series VII, Box 1, folders 1-2. All other slides were unlabeled and have been determined as specifically as possible, using HLC's appointment books and diaries, in addition to other resources.
Series VII comprises both oversized materials, which have been cross-listed within their proper series, and a few personal objects: his childhood alphabet blocks and a handmade ark, a pencil box from grade school, and his high school class ring; military dogtags, ribbons, and arm bands; Methodist Church convention badges; and lapel pins representing organizations to which he belonged. Series VIII contains materials related to Mary Calkin. Series IX is a chronological slide index. DD refers to the date developed. This date was used to situate the slides chronologically. Series X is an indexed list of geographical location and subjects. This list is not exhaustive but does provide an overview and mentions identifiable monuments and buildings. Please check the surrounding area in the corresponding slide box for other relevant slides, including unidentified sites and daily scenes.