Finding Aid: MS 510 C. Ward Crampton Papers

Item Information

Title:
Finding Aid: MS 510 C. Ward Crampton Papers
Description:
Most of the materials found in this collection pertain to Crampton’s professional career as a doctor, author, and researcher. The collection includes hand written and typed manuscripts, both published and unpublished. There are also hand written notes and brainstorming ideas based on his work with the Department of Education. Correspondence between Crampton and other professionals within the field of medicine can be found throughout the collection, with the bulk of correspondence in series 2: Personal medical files. Crampton served on many committees throughout the medical field having to do with his areas of particular expertise. There are some committee minutes as well as notes on the committees’ goals and other proceedings. These can be found in series 1: Professional career, Subseries c: Committee proceedings. There are also other printed materials and books written by other people within the collection. These quite possibly could have been used by Crampton as reference sources. The collection has a fairly extensive array of photographs that were used by Crampton in his research and publications. Most notably these pictures can be seen within the Boys’ Life magazine in which he headed an article from 1934 to 1937. There is also a collection of these articles and other newspaper columns that are represented either written by Crampton, or contain reviews about his research and publications. There is also a series for personal papers in which there can be found hints of biographical information. Throughout the collection, one will note that Crampton has handwritten notes in the margins and signed his initials (C.W.C). It almost seems as if later in his life he went back over his accomplishments within this collection and made notes as to why they were important or what he used them for. Crampton’s work as the author of the “Keeping Physically Fit” article in Boys’ Life magazine (associated with the Boy Scouts of America) is heavily represented in this collection. In his article from the May 1937 issue, Crampton assesses Lou Gehrig’s swing. Original photographs of Lou Gehrig used in this article can be found in Box 1, Folder 11 of this collection. His studies and publications on posture are also heavily represented within the collection and contain original photographs of subjects (persons used to represent the idea he was conveying). The bulk of this information ranges from the 1910s through the 1930s. His work with the Department of Education and Physical Fitness also makes up a large portion of this collection expanding from the 1920s and the 1930s. Perhaps Crampton’s most extensive studies and expertise can be seen from his work with geriatrics and gerontology. This piece of the collection also takes up a large portion (4 folders) of series 1a and seems to span his entire professional career (1920 – 1950). The biggest claim to fame in this collection comes from Crampton’s work with the Byrd Antarctic Expedition. In August of 1928 at the Health Service Clinic of the Post Graduate Medical School in New York, Crampton examined the men who were to participate in Admiral Byrd’s expedition. Sadly, there is not a lot of material in this collection pertaining to the actual exams. There is however, a copy of a letter from Admiral Byrd thanking Crampton for examining his crew. Throughout the collection one can note Crampton’s extreme persuasion towards the necessity of keeping a regular medical record of oneself. He also was an advocate of preventative care. A good example of this belief can be found in the evidence within his personal medical record. Biographical information can be found in series 3 in which there is a typed record of all of his professional accomplishments written in 1933 and another from 1946. For a biography of C. Ward Crampton, see: https://springfield.as.atlas-sys.com/agents/people/551
Creator:
Overton, Rebecca
Date:
November 2012
Format:
Documents
Location:
Springfield College Archives and Special Collections
Collection (local):
College Archives Digital Collections
Subjects:
Boy Scouts
Camp Fire Girls
Finding aids
Crampton, C. Ward (Charles Ward), 1877-1964
Byrd, Richard Evelyn, 1888-1957
Boy Scouts of America
Physical fitness
Link to Item:
http://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15370coll2/id/27513
Terms of Use:
Text and images are owned, held, or licensed by Springfield College and are available for personal, non-commercial, and educational use, provided that ownership is properly cited. A credit line is required and should read: Courtesy of Springfield College, Archives and Special Collections. Any commercial use without written permission from Springfield College is strictly prohibited. Other individuals or entities other than, and in addition to, Springfield College may also own copyrights and other propriety rights. The publishing, exhibiting, or broadcasting party assumes all responsibility for clearing reproduction rights and for any infringement of United States copyright law.
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Publisher:
Springfield College
Language:
English
Identifier:
196_76_123_92_2022-7-9_171726702-10067700351