Preliminary Inventory of the Philip M. Smith Papers, circa 1898-1935, 1954-2013 SPEC.PA.56.0186 Finding aid prepared by Devon Boerman Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections
1858 Neil Avenue Columbus, OH, 43210
2018 June

When the Antarctic Oral History Collection is processed, add a related materials note to both collections.

 This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2018-07-17T15:29-0400 English Describing Archives: A Content Standard Philip M. Smith Papers SPEC.PA.56.0186 Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections 6.47 Cubic feet circa 1898-1935, 1954-2013 Philip M. Smith was a polar administrator and glaciologist who worked in Greenland in 1955-1956 and then in Antarctica for Operation Deep Freeze II and International Geophysical Year, 1956-1957. Smith's focus was in tractor-train trailblazing operations, where he experimented with electronic crevasse detection equipment. He also provided administrative coordination of American polar research. The Philip M. Smith Papers, dated circa 1898-1935 and 1954-2013, contains photographs, slides, reports, and artifacts which document Smith's polar regions research administration career, as well as his own fieldwork. (6) framed items; (3) oversize flat boxes; (3) cartons English Smith, Philip M. (Philip Meek), 1932-2014 Arrangement of Materials

Materials are arranged alphabetically by folder titles; some titles were assigned by the creator of the collection, and some determined by processors, which are based on topics, titles of published works, or format descriptions. Slides and artifacts were boxed separately and are arranged in the order that they were received.

 Acquisitions Information

Accession No. PA.2014.0003: David Garrison as executor of Smith's estate, 2014 June

 Preferred Citation

[identification of item], Philip M. Smith Papers, SPEC.PA.56.0186, Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center Archival Program, Ohio State University

 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Contains 35mm slides.

 Access to Materials

Materials in this collection are available for use, but may be used in the University Archives reading room only. Audio/visual materials and computer media may need a use copy produced before access is allowed. Contact the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center Archival Program at polararchives@osu.edu for more information.

 Use of Materials

Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright, and are made available for research and educational purposes. In general, the OSU Libraries do not own the copyright for materials from our collections and cannot grant copyright permissions for these materials. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright and do not require permission to use.

 Processing Information

Processed by archives staff, circa 2014-2016. Finding aid written by: Devon Boerman, 2018 June

 Biographical Note

While training to be a commissioned Officer in the United States Army, Philip M. Smith received a bachelor's degree in Education (1954) and a Master of Arts (1955) from Ohio State University. In 1955, he petitioned for and was assigned a year-long deployment in Greenland as a glaciologist, where he was tasked with maintaining safe trails for heavy equipment tractor trains, and also conducted research regarding over-ice transportation and snow/ice construction. The following year, United States Navy Rear Admiral George Dufek, then Commander of United States Naval Support Forces in Antarctica, asked Smith to take charge of tractor-train trailblazing operations associated with Deep Freeze II, itself a project in association with the International Geophysical Year (IGY). Smith accepted this administrative role in polar regions in addition to his glaciological research, and spent the months leading up experimenting with state of the art electronic crevasse detection equipment.

By February 1957, the job was done. Smith went to Washington to assist in planning for the remainder of the 18-month IGY, and soon after, returned to Little America V to conduct field work measuring ice glow and anticlinal uplifts of ice shelves. Following the conclusion of the International Geophysical Year, Smith played a role in coordinating the shifting of resources and creation of new organizations and agencies to take on the responsibility of continuing American polar research. For the remainder of his career, Smith continued field work with the National Academy of Sciences, the National Science Foundation, and other major institutions. Under Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, he served consecutively as Associate Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy for Natural Resources, Energy and Science. Smith died February 16, 2014, at age 81.

 Scope and Contents

The Philip M. Smith Papers, dated circa 1898-1935 and 1954-2013, contains photographs, slides, postal covers, publications, reports, newspaper clippings, treaties, artifacts, certificates and maps, which document Smith's career in administration of research in the Polar Regions, as well as his own fieldwork. Some of the artifacts and framed prints contain materials such as paintings and signs that predate Smith's career and relate to polar explorers, including British explorers, and to landscapes.

 Operation Deep Freeze. Smith, Philip M. (Philip Meek), 1932-2014 Antarctica--Discovery and exploration--American--20th century Cultural artifacts Glaciologists--Antarctica--20th century International Geophysical Year, 1957-1958--Antarctica Photographs Polar regions--Discovery and exploration--American--20th century Reports Slides (photographs) Antarctic Manual 1 1 1960 Antarctic Deepfreeze Association 1 2 2004-2005 Antarctic Treaty 1 3 1961 Antarctic Treaty First Day Covers 1 4 1971 June 23 Antarctic Treaty Memorial Project 1 5 2008 Biographical 1 6 1998, 2005 and undated Scope and Contents

Includes photocopies of a 1960 newspaper clipping about Smith, the transcript of his oral history interview by Dian Belanger (1998), and two versions of "My Polar Years," one dated 2005, the other undated

 Clippings: Various polar topics 1 7 1957-2008 Inventing the IGY (International Geophysical Year) 1 8 2008-2009 "Mt. Vinson and the Evolution of US Policy on Antarctic Mountaineering, 1960-1966" 1 9 1966, 2012 National Science Foundation: Antarctic Status Reports 1 10 1959 National Science Foundation: Antarctic Status Reports 1 11 1960 National Science Foundation: Antarctic Status Reports 1 12 1961 National Science Foundation: Antarctic Status Reports, no. 46 1 13 1962 October NGPR (New Generation of Polar Researchers) 1 14 2008 May Ohio State University Speech 1 15 2007 Photographs: Negatives 1 16 undated Uncaptioned Photographs: Operation Deep Freeze 1 17 1967 Photographs: Polar 1 18 circa 1967-2002 Uncaptioned Polar Research Board: 85th Meeting and Planning for the International Polar Year 1 19 2002 November 25-26 Polar Stamps and First Day Covers 2 1 1961-1973 Polar Stamps and First Day Covers 2 2 1956-1971 Polar Stamps and First Day Covers 2 3 1966-1991 Polar Stamps and First Day Covers 2 4 1959-2009 PM-3A Nuclear Power Plant, Antarctica 2 5 1979-2013 Publications: Operation Deep Freeze II: Army-Navy Trail Party Report 2 6 1956 Publications: Various authors, polar topics 2 7 1954-2008 Publications: Various authors, polar topics 2 8 1957-2008 Publications: Various authors, polar topics 2 9 1954-2008 SCAR (Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research) Report 2 10 2004-2006 SCAR (Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research) Report 2 11 2000 SCAR (Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research) Report 2 12 2009 Study of United States Antarctic Research Program for the Office of Management and Budget 2 13 1972 Writings by Philip M. Smith: includes published articles, papers and speeches 2 14 1960-2005 Greenland 3 Slide 1 circa 1955 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

35mm slides

 Greenland 3 Slide 2 circa 1955 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

35mm slides

 Greenland 3 Slide 3 circa 1955 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

35mm slides

 Little America/Byrd Traverse; other early years 3 Slide 4 undated Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

35mm slides

 Army Navy Trail Party to Byrd Station 3 Slide 5 undated Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

35mm slides

 Little America, McMurdo, International Geophysical Year 3 Slide 6 circa 1955-1957 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

35mm slides

 9 rolls of 35mm black-and-white negatives 3 1 undated Framed item: 6 Antarctic envelopes framed together 4 1 1958-1962 Framed item: Small American flag 4 2 1979 Scope and Contents

Framed with quote by Byrd and quote by Robert Byrd Breyer, Byrd's grandson, commemorating the 50th anniversary of Byrd's Flight over the South Pole.

 Framed item: Image of Fridtjof Nansen with inscription, "Believe me. Yours very sincerely" and his signature 4 3 before 1930 Framed item: Letter from Lincoln Ellsworth to Mr. President (Franklin D. Roosevelt) 4 4 1935 Oversized certificates 4 1 1956-1970 Scope and Contents

Includes certificates for crossing the equator and the Arctic Circle.

 Food crate sign, "Special Cabin Biscuits, National Antarctic Expedition" 4 5 circa 1901-1914 Wood and metal, in two pieces. Plaque: Mounted samples from the first geological probe from the Dry Valley Drilling Project 4 6 circa 1970s Artifacts circa 1955-2013, undated Inuit art item: Model kayak with harpoon and oar 5 undated Inuit art item: Soapstone carving of a sea lion or seal, by artist E9882 (Daniel Inukpuk) 5 circa 1960-2013 Inuit art item: Ivory (?) carved into an Inuit sledger and 3 sled dogs 5 undated Inuit art item: Small carved seal 5 undated Inuit art item: Small beaded leather coin purse 5 undated Scarf with Antarctica printed in the center 5 undated Antarctic medals in wooden display frame 5 undated Silver ashtray with United States Ship (USS) Glacier stamped into the center 5 circa 1955-1966 Brass plate commemorating the PM-3A nuclear power plant 5 circa 1960-1972 Maps 1956-1958 Scope and Contents

Antarctica, National Geographic Society: 1957; Antarctica: Amundsen Sea to Palmer Peninsula: 1956; Chart of Antarctic Stations During International Geophysical Year 1957-1958, prepared for use during US Navy Operation "Deepfreeze II" 1956-1957; and Antarctic Trail Chart Little America (annotated and printed in reverse); 1956

 Antarctica, National Geographic Society 6 1957 Antarctica: Amundsen Sea to Palmer Peninsula 6 1957 Chart of Antarctic Stations During International Geophysical Year 1957-1958, prepared for use during United States Navy Operation "Deepfreeze II" 6 1956-1957 Antarctic Trail Chart Little America 6 1956 Scope and Contents

Annotated and printed in reverse.

 Framed item: "Hut Point from the top of Observation Hill" painting 1 1911 January Framed item, "Iridescent Clouds, Looking North From the Ramp on Cape Evans" painting 2 1911 August 9 Framed item, "McMurdo Sound, Easter" painting 3 1911 Framed item, "Parasalena, Cape Evans, McMurdo Sound" painting 4 1911 January 15 Framed item, "Peaks of Payne" 5 undated Framed item, "Belgica" photographic print 6 circa 1898