US-RPB-of1CA.B2 Guide to the Zenas R. Bliss papers 1952-1966 Finding aid prepared by Brown University Library staff. Processing funded by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Brown University Archives
John Hay Library Box A Brown University Providence, RI, 02912 (401) 863-2148 email:archives@brown.edu
2012 September 14 This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2013 January 25 English Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) Zenas R. Bliss papers OF.1CA.B2 John Hay Library Special Collections
Box A Brown University Providence, RI 02912 Tel: 401-863-2146 email: hay@brown.edu
English 21.5 Linear feet 1952-1966 The Zenas R. Bliss papers contain office files and speeches compiled from 1952 to 1965, when Bliss was a Professor of Engineering, Dean of the College and Provost of Brown University. Bliss, Zenas R. (Zenas Randall), 1898-1993 Bliss (Zenas R.) papers Biographical note

Zenas Randall Bliss was born on March 3, 1898. His father, Major General Zenas R. Bliss (1835-1900) was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service to the United States during the American Civil War. Bliss graduated from Brown University in 1918 and earned his master's degree in 1919. From 1923 until his retirement in 1965, Bliss served in a range of teaching and administrative positions at Brown, including Instructor, Engineering Department (1923-1926), Assistant Professor of Engineering (1926-1933), Associate Professor of Engineering (1934-1937), Director of Research, Division of Engineering (1938-1957); Professor of Engineering (1940-1965), Dean of the University (1957), Provost of the University (1958-1965), and Provost and Professor of Engineering Emeritus (after 1965). His service to Brown included membership on the following committees: the Committee on Curriculum (1952-1954), the Committee on Admission (1956-1959), and the Committee on Academic Standing (1956-1958). He was both a member and chairman of the Athletic Council.

During World War II Bliss served with U.S. Army Intelligence, retiring as a colonel. In 1946 he was awarded the Legion of Merit. Prior to the war, he served in the 43rd Division Rhode Island National Guard. He was a member of the Cruising Club of America and was the navigator for the late Harold Vanderbilt on the America's Cup yachts Ranger and Rainbow in 1934 and 1937. He was a member of the University Club, serving as its President from 1947-1949; the Providence Art Club, the Society of Colonial Wars, and the Providence Athenaeum. He was a trustee of the Rhode Island School of Design, the Lincoln School in Providence, Rhode Island; Citizens Savings Bank, and the Director of Narragansett Electric company. Bliss died in Providence, Rhode Island, on September 11, 1993.

 Brown files Series I 1952-1966 A - Miscellaneous 1 1 Ad hoc Committee 1 2 1957-1958 Admission 1 3 1962-1965 Admission 1 4 1958-1962 Advisory Committee for State Scholarship Program 1 5 1959-1960 A E C Business 1 6 Aldrich-Dexter Field 1 7 1959-1960 Aldrich-Dexter Field 1 8 1958-1959 Aldrich-Dexter Field 2 9 1957-1958 Aldrich Field (Elmgrove Avenue) 2 10 1960-1961 Alumni-Associated 2 11 1963-1965 Alumni-Associated 2 12 1958-1963 Alumni Monthly 2 13 1958-1965 Alumni Monthly 2 14 1956-1958 ARPA 3 15 1961-1962 Athletics 3 16 1964-1965 Athletics 3 17 1963-1964 Athletics 4 18 1962-1963 Athletics 4 19 1960-1962 Athletics 4 20 1957-1960 Athletics-Budget 4 21 1965-1966 B-Miscellaneous 4 22 Banking School 5 23 Basic Research Reserve Fund 5 24 1964-1965 Basic Research Reserve Fund 5 25 1963-1964 Basic Research Reserve Fund 5 26 1962-1963 Basic Research Reserve Fund 5 27 1961-1962 Bicentennial Committee 6 28 Biology Building Committee 6 29 1958-1959 New Boiler 6 30 Brown Christian Association 6 31 Brown Clubs 6 32 Brown Daily Herald, Correspondence 6 33 Brown University Fund 6 34 1960-1961 Brown University Press 6 35 Budget-Provost 6 36 1964-1965 Budget-Provost 6 37 1963-1964 Budget-Provost 6 38 1962-1963 Budget-Provost 7 39 1961-1962 Budget-Provost 7 40 1960-1961 Budget-Provost 7 41 1958-1959 Budget-Provost, Travel 7 42 1963-1964 Budget-Provost, Travel 7 43 1962-1963 Budget-Provost, Travel 7 44 1961-1962 Budget-Provost, Travel 7 45 1960-1961 Budget-Provost, Travel 7 46 1958-1959 Budget-University 7 47 1963-1964 Budget-University 7 48 1962-1963 Budget-University 7 49 1961-1962 Budget-University 7 50 1960-1961 Budget-University 7 51 1959-1960 Budget-University 7 52 1958-1959 Budget-Miscellaneous 8 53 1963-1964 Budget-Miscellaneous 8 54 1962-1963 Budget-Miscellaneous 8 55 1959-1962 General note

Envelope

 Budget-Miscellaneous 8 56 1958-1959 General note

Envelope

 Budget-Miscellaneous 8 57 1955-1958 Buildings and Grounds 8 58 1964-1965 Buildings and Grounds 8 59 1963-1964 Buildings and Grounds 8 60 1962-1963 Buildings and Grounds 9 61 1961-1962 Buildings and Grounds 9 62 1960-1961 C-Miscellaneous 9 63 Cammarian Club 9 64 1962-1963 Chamber of Commerce 9 65 1962-1965 Chamber of Commerce 9 66 1958-1962 Chaplain 9 67 1962-1965 Chaplain 10 68 1957-1962 Civil Defense 10 69 Colleges-Other 10 70 1960-1965 Colleges-Other 10 71 1957-1960 Commencement 10 72 1964-1965 Commencement 11 73 1963-1964 Commencement 11 74 1962-1963 Commencement 11 75 1961-1962 Commencement 11 76 1960-1961 Commencement 11 77 1959-1960 Commencement 11 78 1958-1959 Commencement 11 79 1957-1958 Committee-Academic Standing 11 80 Committee-Committees 11 81 Committee-Curriculum 11 82 1964-1965 Committee-Curriculum 11 83 1963-1964 Committee-Curriculum 12 84 1962-1963 Committee-Curriculum 12 85 1961-1962 Committee-Curriculum 12 86 1958-1961 Committee-Dramatic Productions 13 87 1958-1964 Committee-Dramatic Productions 13 88 1952-1958 Committee-Lectureships 13 89 1961-1964 Committee-Lectureships 13 90 1958-1961 Committee-Linguistics 13 91 1955-1956 Committee-Prizes and Premiums 13 92 Committee-Radioisotopes 13 93 Committee-Refectory Advisory 14 94 1956-1957 Committee-Retirement 14 95 1956-1958 Committee-Student Affairs 14 96 Committee-Tenure 14 97 1958-1959 Computing Laboratory 14 98 1962-1963 Computing Laboratory 14 99 1961-1962 Computing Laboratory 14 100 1958-1961 Conferences 15 101 Construction Planning 15 102 1964-1965 Construction Planning 15 103 1963-1964 Construction Planning 15 104 1962-1963 Construction Planning 15 105 1961-1962 Construction Planning 16 106 1960-1961 Construction Planning 16 107 1959-1960 Consulting Engineers 17 108 1957-1958 Contracts 17 109 1962-1963 Contracts 17 110 1957-1962 Controller 17 111 1963-1965 Controller 17 112 1962-1963 Controller 17 113 1958-1962 Convocations 18 114 1959-1961 Crew 18 115 D-Miscellaneous 18 116 Dean's Office 18 117 1964-1965 Dean's Office 18 118 1963-1964 Dean's Office 18 119 1962-1963 Dean's Office 18 120 1961-1962 Dean's Office 18 121 1957-1961 Dean of Students 19 122 Dean of the University 19 123 Departments-Air Force 19 124 Departments-Applied Math 19 125 Departments-Art 19 126 Departments-Astronomy 19 127 Departments-Biology 19 128 1961-1965 Departments-Biology 20 129 1957-1961 Departments-Botany 20 130 Departments-Chemistry 20 131 1961-1965 Departments-Chemistry 20 132 1957-1961 Departments-Classics 20 133 Departments-Economics 20 134 Departments-Education 21 135 Departments-Egyptology 21 136 Departments-Engineering 21 137 1964-1965 Departments-Engineering 21 138 1963-1964 Departments-Engineering 22 139 1962-1963 Departments-Engineering 22 140 1961-1962 Departments-Engineering 22 141 1960-1961 Departments-Engineering 23 142 1957-1960 Departments-English 23 143 Departments-Geology 23 144 1963-1965 Departments-Geology 23 145 1961-1963 Departments-Geology 23 146 1957-1961 Departments-History 24 147 Departments-History of Mathematics 24 148 Departments-Mathematics 24 149 Departments-Medical Science 24 150 Departments-Modern Languages 24 151 1961-1965 Departments-Modern Languages 24 152 1957-1961 Departments-Music 25 153 1961-1965 Departments-Music 25 154 1957-1961 Departments-Naval Science 25 155 Departments-Philosophy 25 156 Departments-Physics 25 157 1963-1965 Departments-Physics 26 158 1961-1963 Departments-Physics 26 159 1957-1961 Departments-Pictures 26 160 1958-1959 Departments-Pictures 26 161 1957-1958 Departments-Political Science 26 162 Departments-Psychology 27 163 1961-1965 Departments-Psychology 27 164 1957-1961 Departments-Religious Studies 27 165 Departments-Sociology and Anthropology 27 166 Departments-University Courses 27 167 Development Office 27 168 E-Miscellaneous 27 169 Educational Measurement 27 170 1961-1965 Educational Measurement 28 171 1957-1961 Engineering Societies 28 172 1961-1962 Extension Division 28 173 F-Miscellaneous 28 174 Faculty Club 28 175 Faculty Meetings 28 176 Faculty Miscellaneous 28 177 1964-1965 Faculty Miscellaneous 29 178 1963-1964 Faculty Miscellaneous 29 179 1962-1963 Faculty Miscellaneous 29 180 1961-1962 Faculty Miscellaneous 29 181 1957-1961 Faculty Summer Pay Plan 29 182 Faculty Work Loads 30 183 Faculty Children-Tuition Plan 30 184 1961-1962 Faculty Children-Tuition Plan 30 185 1959-1961 Faunce House 30 186 1961-1965 Faunce House 30 187 1957-1961 Fraternities 30 188 Fulbright Conference 30 189 1958-1959 G-Miscellaneous 31 190 General Faculty Research Reserve Fund 31 191 1964-1965 General Faculty Research Reserve Fund 31 192 1963-1964 General Faculty Research Reserve Fund 31 193 1962-1963 General Faculty Research Reserve Fund 31 194 1961-1962 General Faculty Research Reserve Fund 31 195 1960-1961 General Faculty Research Reserve Fund 31 196 1957-1960 Graduate School 31 197 1964-1965 Graduate School 32 198 1963-1964 Graduate School 32 199 1962-1963 Graduate School 32 200 1961-1962 Graduate School 32 201 1957-1961 Grants and Research 32 202 1962-1963 Grants and Research 32 203 1961-1962 Grants and Research 33 204 1958-1961 H-Miscellaneous 33 205 Honors Council 33 206 I C Courses 33 207 1958-1959 Impact, 33 208 Institute for Health Sciences 33 209 Insurance 33 210 Inventory 33 211 J-Miscellaneous 33 212 K-Miscellaneous 33 213 L-Miscellaneous 33 214 Libraries 33 215 1964-1965 Libraries 33 216 1963-1964 Libraries 33 217 1962-1963 Libraries 33 218 1961-1962 Libraries 34 219 1957-1961 Mr. Lindberg 34 220 1964-1965 M-Miscellaneous 34 221 MAT Program 34 222 Manning Street 34 223 Maxcy Hall 34 224 Meehan Auditorium 34 225 1960-1963 Meehan Auditorium 34 226 1958 General note

Proposed Hockey Rink

 Mr. Mountain 34 227 1958-1959 National Defense to Education Act 34 228 1963-1965 National Defense to Education Act 35 229 1958-1962 National Science Foundation 35 230 NSF Senior Foreign Scientists Program 35 231 O-Miscellaneous 35 232 Operation Abolition 35 233 Office of Naval Research 35 234 1962-1963 Office of Naval Research 35 235 1961-1962 Office of Naval Research 36 236 1957-1961 Office Space 36 237 P-Miscellaneous 36 238 Parking 36 239 1961-1962 Pembroke College 36 240 1964-1965 Pembroke College 36 241 1963-1964 Pembroke College 36 242 1961-1963 Pembroke College 36 243 1957-1961 Photographic Laboratory 37 244 Physical Sciences Council 37 245 Placement Office 37 246 President's Office 37 247 1964-1965 President's Office 37 248 1963-1964 President's Office 37 249 1962-1963 President's Office 37 250 1961-1962 President's Office 38 251 1957-1961 Providence Armed Forces Advisory Committee 38 252 1957-1958 Providence Engineering Society 38 253 1960-1961 Publications (Misc.) 38 254 Purchasing 38 255 Quadrangle 38 256 1960-1961 Questionnaires 38 257 1964-1965 Questionnaires 38 258 1963-1964 Questionnaires 38 259 1962-1963 Questionnaires 38 260 1961-1962 Questionnaires 38 261 1957-1961 R-Miscellaneous 38 262 Raytheon Corporation 39 263 Recommendation, Letters of 39 264 1962-1963 Recommendation, Letters of 39 265 1961-1962 Recommendation, Letters of 39 266 1957-1961 Recorder 39 267 Refectory 39 268 Registrar 39 269 Resident Fellows 39 270 Rhode Island Hospital School of Nursing 39 271 Rhode Island School of Design 39 272 1960-1961 Rhode Island School of Design 39 273 1958-1960 Rosenberger Medal 40 274 S-Miscellaneous 40 275 Scholarships and Student Aid 40 276 Secretary of the University 40 277 Mr. Stevens 40 278 1963-1965 Student Activities 40 279 Student Residences 40 280 T-Miscellaneous 40 281 Telephones 40 282 Tougaloo 40 283 1964-1965 United Fund 40 285 University Christian Association 40 286 University Health Services 41 287 Vice President Appleget 41 288 1958-1959 Vice President Cochran 41 289 1964-1965 Vice President Cochran 41 290 1963-1964 Vice President Cochran 41 291 1962-1963 Vice President Cochran 41 292 1961-1962 Vice President Cochran 41 293 1959-1961 Vice President Cochran 42 294 1957-1959 Vice President Elmendorf 42 295 W-Miscellaneous 42 296 Worcester Polytechnic Speech - Correspondence 42 296a 1959 Yacht Club 42 297 1961-1965 Yacht Club 42 298 1958-1961 Speech files Series II 1957-1965 Broomhead Football Dinner 43 1 undated General note

no location

 Address to Alumni (?) 43 1 undated General note

no location

 Brown Engineering Association Spring Dinner 43 1 undated General note

no location

 Introduction for Luncheon for Students on Scholarship and Donors 43 1 undated General note

no location

 Introduction to Model United Nations 43 1 undated General note

Brown University

 Dedication of James V. Crofton School 43 1 undated General note

Cranston

 Parents Day 43 1 undated General note

Brown University

 Introduction of Thomas J. Watson 43 1 undated General note

Brown University, Citizen dinner convocation

 Introduction of President Francis Horn (President of URI) 43 1 undated General note

Brown University, Honoring Plantations House

 Good Education as a Result of Taxation 43 1 undated General note

no location

 Class of 1902 43 2 1957 June 02 General note

Squantum Club

 Members of Class of '61 43 2 1957 September 10 General note

Brown University (Providence)

 Senior Chapel 43 2 1957 September 25 General note

Brown University (Providence)

 Cranston High School 43 2 1957 October 23 General note

Cranston

 Junior Chapel 43 2 1957 October 24 General note

Brown University (Providence)

 Article for the Brown Daily Herald 43 2 1957 October Class of 1928 43 2 1957 November 06 General note

Brown University (Providence)

 Boston Brown Club 43 2 1957 November 12 General note

Boston

 A Democratic Experiment 43 2 1957 November 14 General note

Brown University (Providence). AE Club

 Eagle Rock Brown Club 43 2 1957 November 19 General note

no location

 Chapel 43 2 1957 December 18 General note

Brown University (Providence)

 Framingham Brown Club 43 3 1958 January 29 General note

Framingham, MA

 Dedication of Westview School 43 3 1958 February 06 General note

Cranston

 Alumni Council Dinner 43 3 1958 February 06 General note

Brown University (Providence)

 Brown Engineering Association 43 3 1958 February 07 General note

New York

 Sigma Xi 43 3 1958 March 06 General note

no location

 Brown Club of Fairfield County 43 3 1958 March 20 General note

Darien, CT

 Introduction for Eleanor Roosevelt 43 3 1958 April 14 General note

[Brown University?]

 Introduction of Rear Admiral George J. Dufek 43 3 1958 April 17 General note

no location

 Welcome to Conference (?) 43 3 1958 May 03 General note

Brown University (Providence)

 Hartford Brown Club 43 3 1958 May 14 General note

Hartford, CT (?)

 Senior Dinner 43 3 1958 May 29 General note

Brown University (Providence)

 Greetings to Associated Alumni 43 3 1958 October 11 General note

no location

 Pittsfield Brown Club 43 3 1958 October 21 General note

no location

 Introduction for Robert Finkelstein 43 3 1958 October 28 General note

Alumnae Hall, Brown University, Rhode Island Citizens Association for the Public Schools

 South Shore Brown Club 43 3 1959 February 08 General note

no location

 Worcester Polytechnic 43 4 1959 February 24 General note

Worcester, MA

 Fairfield County Brown Club 43 4 1959 April 17 General note

no location

 Rhode Island Council of P.T.A.s 43 4 1959 May 14 General note

no location

 Cranston High School 43 4 1959 June 16 General note

Cranston, RI

 Cape Cod Brown Club 43 4 1959 August 27 General note

Hyannis, MA

 United Churchmen 43 4 1959 November 14 General note

Round Top Church (?)

 Parents Day 43 4 1959 November 24 General note

Brown University (Providence)

 The Myth of the Barrington School System 43 5 1960 January 19 General note

Barrington, RI. Address to the Barrington PTA Council

 Providence Executives Association 43 5 1960 March 10 General note

Providence, RI

 Wilmington Brown Club 43 5 1960 March 24 General note

no location

 Small Manufacturers Dinner 43 5 1960 April 24 General note

Providence, RI

 Dinner for Professor Robert George 43 5 1960 April 25 General note

no location

 Reunion, Class of 1910 43 5 1960 June 04 General note

Squantum Club

 Parents Day 43 5 1960 October 22 General note

Brown University

 Council of Churches Meeting 43 5 1960 November 21 General note

no location

 Welcome to Foreign Correspondents 43 6 1961 March 28 General note

no location

 Andover Brown Club 43 6 1961 April 07 General note

Andover

 Andover Brown Club 43 6 1961 April 07 General note

Andover

 Rhode Island Civil War Centennial Commission Review 43 6 1961 April 30 General note

Dexter Training Grounds, Providence

 Address to Alumni (?) 43 6 1961 September 07 General note

Worcester

 Brown and Sharpe Luncheon 43 6 1961 October 12 General note

Sharpe Refectory, Brown University

 N.E. Section of ASEE 43 6 1961 October 14 General note

Brown University

 Standardization Committee 43 6 1961 October 16 General note

Arden House

 Introduction of James B. Fisk, President of Bell Telephone Laboratories 43 6 1961 October 25 General note

Brown University

 Parents Day 43 6 1961 October 28 General note

Brown University

 Phi Beta Kappa 43 7 1962 March 05 General note

no location

 Sigma Xi Banquet 43 7 1962 March 08 General note

no location

 Dedication of Engineering Laboratory 43 7 1962 May 03 General note

Brown University

 New York Brown Club 43 7 1962 May 22 General note

New York

 Class of 1902 43 7 1962 June 03 General note

Squantum Club

 Father-Daughter Banquet 43 7 1962 October 13 General note

Pembroke College

 Parents Day 43 7 1962 October 27 General note

Brown University

 Engineering Colloquium 43 7 1962 December 14 General note

Brown University

 ASME Dinner 43 8 1963 May 08 General note

no location

 Lunch for David Davenport 43 8 1963 June 06 General note

Brown University

 Fourth International Conference on Rheology 43 8 1963 August 26 General note

Brown University

 International Commission on the Properties of Steam 43 8 1963 September 02 General note

Brown University

 Parents Day 43 8 1963 September 26 General note

Brown University

 Engineering Meeting 43 8 1963 November 14 General note

Brown University

 M Course Seminar - The University Business 43 8 1963 December 10 General note

Brown University

 Brown Engineering Association 43 9 1964 May 15 General note

Brown University

 Class of 1905 43 9 1964 May 30 General note

no location

 Eleventh International Conference on Cell Biology 43 9 1964 August 31 General note

Brown University

 Parents Day 43 9 1964 September 24 General note

Brown University

 Third Annual Engineering Symposium for Secondary School Science Teachers 43 9 1964 November 20-21 General note

Brown University

 University Club Christmas Party 43 9 1964 December 18 General note

Brown University

 Phi Beta Kappa 43 10 1965 March 04 General note

Brown University

 Cranston High School East Honors Day 43 10 1965 May 19 General note

Cranston

 Testimonial Lunch for William B. McCormick 43 10 1965 June 10 General note

Brown University

 Collection information

The Zenas R. Bliss papers have been organized into two series: I. Brown files II. Speech files

The Zenas R. Bliss papers document the range of roles that Bliss played in the University. They have been organized into two series: The Brown files series contains office files arranged alphabetically by topic. The bulk of the files in this series are tied to Bliss's role as Provost and include budgetary planning, departmental planning and accounting, and faculty relations. Additional materials include materials related to athletics, basic research at Brown and various academic committees and departments. The Speeches series consists of speeches given by Bliss at a range of dinners, meetings, dedications, and other events, both at Brown and elsewhere. Among the speeches is an introduction given for Eleanor Roosevelt in 1958.

There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.

Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.

Zenas R. Bliss Papers, OF-1CA-B2, Brown University Archives.

 Administrative information

Additional information

Names Brown University. Office of the Provost. Subjects Education Engineering--Study and teaching (Higher) Universities and colleges--Administration Universities and colleges--Finance Occupations

Types of Materials Office files Speeches RIAMCO Browsing Term Education