The University of Chicago Library > The Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center > Finding Aids > Guide to the Samuel King Allison Papers 1920-1965
© 2009 University of Chicago Library
| Title: | Allison, Samuel King. Papers |
|---|---|
| Dates: | 1920-1965 |
| Size: | 19.5 linear feet (41 boxes) |
| Repository: |
Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center |
| Abstract: | Samuel King Allison (1900-1965), physicist. The papers document his career at the University of Chicago, both as student and faculty member, and his research on X-rays and lithium. The papers also include material on his service as director of the Enrico Fermi Institute for Nuclear Studies (1945-1965), and his chairmanship of the Physics Section of the National Academy of Sciences. The collection contains correspondence, manuscripts, notebooks, course notes, reprints, lectures, and speeches. |
The collection is open for research.
When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: Allison, Samuel King. [Box #, Folder #], Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library
Samuel King Allison was born in Chicago on November 13, 1900. In 1917 he entered the University of Chicago and received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1921 and his doctorate in 1923. Following his graduation, he became a fellow of the National Research Council at Harvard University (1923-1925); a fellow at the Carnegie Institute (1925-1926); and a member of the faculty at the University of California (1926-1930). In 1930 Allison returned to the University of Chicago, and, from that time until his death in September 1965, continued to be associated with the University.
During his career at the University of Chicago, Allison was not only active as a teacher and a research scientist, but also as an administrator and a civil servant. In the 1930s, Allison conducted experiments with X-rays, and published his results in a book, X-rays in Theory and Experiment. In the 1940s he began work on the liberation of nuclear energy, and was a member of the team working under Enrico Fermi which achieved the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction on December 2, 1942. Between 1943 and 1944 Allison served as director of the "Metallurgical Laboratory" which was developing a method for producing plutonium.
In November, 1944 Allison joined the Manhattan Project and was chairman of the Technical and Scheduling Committee at the Los Alamos Laboratory. He returned to the University of Chicago in 1945 to become the first director of the newly-formed Enrico Fermi Institute for Nuclear Studies. While director of the Institute, Allison encouraged the exchange of scientific information, free from military control. Allison also helped to found The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, and visited Spain and South America as guest lecturer and advisor.
In order to devote all of his time to research projects, Allison resigned as director of the Fermi Institute in 1958. He continued to travel, however, and was appointed by the Organization of American States to a "Direct Technical Assistance Field Mission" to the Centro Atomico, San Carlos de Variloche. From 1960 to 1963 Allison also served as Chairman of the Physics Section of the National Academy of Sciences.
When Herbert L. Anderson, Allison's successor at the Fermi Institute, resigned in 1963 to continue his research with a new particle accelerator at Argonne National Laboratory, Allison resumed his duties as director. Two years later, on September 1, 1965, Allison died while attending the Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research Conference held in Culham, England.
The Samuel King Allison papers contain 19.5 linear ft. of material that cover the period from the 1920s to the 1960s. The papers document his career at the University of Chicago, both as student and faculty member, and his research on X-rays and lithium. It also includes material on his service as director of the Enrico Fermi Institute for Nuclear Studies (1945-1965), and his chairmanship of the Physics Section of the National Academy of Sciences. The collection contains correspondence, manuscripts, notebooks, course notes, reprints, lectures, and speeches. The files themselves have not been formally processed and reflect the original order of the donation.
The collection has been divided into six series:
Series I contains materials from the University of Chicago.
Series II contains Allison’s X-ray Research.
Series III is Allison’s Lithium Research.
Series IV contains materials from the Enrico Fermi Institute for Nuclear Studies.
Series V contains materials from the National Academy of Sciences.
Series VI contains Allison’s Visual Materials.
Series I: University of Chicago |
Subseries 1: Notes, Outlines, Lectures for Physics Courses |
| Box 1 Folder 1 | General file, departmental courses, undated |
| Box 1 Folder 2 | Physics 326, Spring 1946 |
| Box 1 Folder 3 | Physics 262-263, Winter and Spring 1947 |
| Box 1 Folder 4 | Physics 242, Summer 1947 |
| Box 1 Folder 5 | Physics 211, Spring 1948 |
| Box 1 Folder 6 | Physics 105 & 106 & 107, 1948 and 1949 |
| Box 1 Folder 7 | Physics 463, Theory of Collisions, undated |
| Box 1 Folder 8 | Nuclear Physics 262 & 263, Winter & Spring 1950 |
| Box 2 Folder 1 | Basic, 1951 (Jan. - S.K.A. on committee), undated |
| Box 2 Folder 2 | Physics 362, Fall 1952, undated |
| Box 2 Folder 3 | Physics 362, Spring 1955 |
| Box 2 Folder 4 | Physics 102, Winter 1956 |
| Box 2 Folder 5 | Physics 215, Autumn, 1956 |
| Box 2 Folder 6 | Physics 237, Spring 1958 |
| Box 2 Folder 7 | Physics 121, 1959 |
| Box 2 Folder 8 | Spring 1959 |
| Box 2 Folder 9 | Physics 121, 1960 |
| Box 2 Folder 10 | Physics 362, Autumn 1961 |
| Box 3 Folder 1 | Physics 223, Spring 1962 |
| Box 3 Folder 2 | Physics 237, Spring 1963 |
| Box 3 Folder 3 | Physics 235, Autumn 1963 |
| Box 3 Folder 4 | Placement Exam, Autumn 1963 |
| Box 3 Folder 5 | Physics 235, Autumn 1964 |
| Box 3 Folder 6 | Department of Physics, PhD Candidacy Exams, undated |
Subseries 2: S. K. Allison's Physics Notebooks |
| Box 4 Folder 1 | Physics 105, 106, 107 (1948) |
| Box 5 Folder 1 | Physics 211, Mechanics, undated |
| Box 5 Folder 2 | Line Spectra, undated |
| Box 5 Folder 3 | "153 Problems in Differential Equations from Murray's Text," S. K. Allison, Math 47, Autumn Quarter, 1920 |
| Box 5 Folder 4 | "Notes: Physics 11 First Term," undated |
| Box 5 Folder 5 | "Electricity and Magnetism" (Filed September, 1954), undated |
| Box 5 Folder 6 | Sophomore Physics, Mechanics, undated |
| Box 6 Folder 1 | Sophomore Physics, Sound and Heat, undated |
| Box 6 Folder 2 | Alpha Particles, Counting Analyses, undated |
| Box 6 Folder 3 | Solutions to Electro Chemistry Problems, undated |
| Box 6 Folder 4 | Theoretical Physics, Part One, Electricity and Magnetism, Fall Quarter, undated |
| Box 6 Folder 5 | Notes on Theory of Definite Integrals and Fourier Series, undated |
| Box 6 Folder 6 | Solved Problems, Spring 1921 |
| Box 6 Folder 7 | Physics 361, X-Rays: "Scattering from Gases, i.e. the Dispersion," undated |
| Box 7 Folder 1 | Original X-Ray lectures, 1931-1932: Maxwell's Equations, undated |
| Box 7 Folder 2 | Physics 254, "Elect - Mag.," undated |
| Box 7 Folder 3 | Physics 356, Atomic Spectra & Atomic Structure, undated |
| Box 7 Folder 4 | Thermodynamics (1920) |
| Box 7 Folder 5 | Electron (1920) |
| Box 7 Folder 6 | "Electricity and Magnetism" (1929) |
| Box 7 Folder 7 | Electron Theory Book I (1922) |
| Box 7 Folder 8 | Electron Theory Book II (1922) |
| Box 8 Folder 1 | Number 1: Notes on Electromagnetic Theory of Light (Kimble's Lectures), undated |
| Box 8 Folder 2 | Number 2: (Contents listed on outside of notebook) (1925) |
| Box 8 Folder 3 | Number 3: (Contents listed on outside of notebook), undated |
| Box 8 Folder 4 | Number 4: (Contents listed on outside of notebook), undated |
| Box 8 Folder 5 | Number 5: (Contents listed on outside of notebook), undated |
| Box 8 Folder 6 | "Atommechanik," undated |
| Box 9 Folder 1 | Physics 357, 1947 |
| Box 9 Folder 2 | Physics 362, Fall 1961 |
| Box 10 Folder 1 | Stopping Theory, undated |
| Box 10 Folder 2 | Nuclear Physics Lectures, IV (Contents listed), undated |
| Box 10 Folder 3 | Stopping Power, Kevatron Research, current, undated |
| Box 11 Folder 1 | Nuclear Physics Lecture I, Contents listed on outside cover, undated |
| Box 11 Folder 2 | Nuclear Physics Lecture II, Contents listed on outside cover, undated |
| Box 12 Folder 1 | Nuclear Physics Lecture III, Contents listed on outside cover, undated |
| Box 12 Folder 2 | Lecture material A, undated |
| Box 13 Folder 1 | Lectures material B, undated |
| Box 13 Folder 2 | Thick target scattering, undated |
Subseries 3: Physics 235 |
| Box 14 Folder 1 | Lecture notes, undated |
| Box 14 Folder 2 | Exams, undated |
| Box 14 Folder 3 | Homework, undated |
| Box 14 Folder 4 | Miscellaneous material, undated |
| Box 14 Folder 5 | Laboratory, undated |
| Box 14 Folder 6 | Student records, undated |
Subseries 4: Miscellaneous Notes and Correspondence |
| Box 15 Folder 1 | Correspondence, 1945-1963 |
| Box 15 Folder 2 | 20th Anniversary of Chain Reaction, undated |
| Box 15 Folder 3 | Physics department, 1945-1949 |
| Box 15 Folder 4 | Physics College, 1959 |
| Box 15 Folder 5 | Notes, undated |
| Box 15 Folder 6 | Notes, undated |
Series II: X-ray Research |
| Box 16 Folder 1 | Apparatus
|
| Box 16 Folder 2 | Angular Distribution
|
| Box 16 Folder 3 | Application to Medical Sciences
|
| Box 16 Folder 4 | Artificial Radioactivity
|
| Box 16 Folder 5 | Beta Ray Spectra
|
| Box 16 Folder 6 | Constitution of nuclei
|
| Box 17 Folder 1 | Cosmic rays, undated |
| Box 17 Folder 2 | Cyclotron, undated |
| Box 17 Folder 3 | Fission
|
| Box 17 Folder 4 | Gamma rays
|
| Box 17 Folder 5 | High potential sources
|
| Box 17 Folder 6 | Institutional reports, undated |
| Box 17 Folder 7 | Ion sources
|
| Box 18 Folder 1 | Detection
|
| Box 18 Folder 2 | Disintegration
|
| Box 18 Folder 3 | "The X-Ray K Spectra of Some Heavy Elements," by David Saxon, undated |
| Box 18 Folder 4 | X-Rays, undated |
| Box 19 Folder 1 | Isomerism, undated |
| Box 19 Folder 2 | Isotopes
|
| Box 19 Folder 3 | Masses, undated |
| Box 19 Folder 4 | Mesotrons, undated |
| Box 19 Folder 5 | Neutrons, undated |
| Box 19 Folder 6 | Orbital electron capture, undated |
| Box 19 Folder 7 | Pair emission
|
| Box 19 Folder 8 | Photodisintegration, undated |
| Box 19 Folder 9 | Radio Chemistry, undated |
| Box 19 Folder 10 | Ranges
|
| Box 20 Folder 1 | Scattering
|
| Box 20 Folder 2 | Statistics
|
| Box 20 Folder 3 | "Focussing of Spheres", undated |
| Box 20 Folder 4 | Stellar energies, undated
|
| Box 20 Folder 5 | Summarizing articles, undated
|
| Box 21 Folder 1 | Neutrons in fission, undated
|
| Box 21 Folder 2 | Neutrons - high energy, undated
|
| Box 21 Folder 3 | Neutrons - resonance, undated
|
| Box 21 Folder 4 | Neutrons - thermal, undated
|
| Box 21 Folder 5 | Neutrons, general, undated |
Series III: Lithium Research |
| Box 22 | Nineteen envelopes containing, for the most part, experimental data on lithium, undated |
| Box 23 | Seven envelopes containing experimental data on lithium, undated |
Series IV: Enrico Fermi Institute for Nuclear Studies |
Subseries 1: Correspondence, Articles, and Speeches |
| Box 24 Folder 1 | Allison `Diary' concerning bomb tests at Alamogordo, New Mexico, July 16, 1945; Article for Science, November 16, 1962, about Arthur H. Compton. Reprint and letters, 1962 |
| Box 24 Folder 2 | Trustees Dinner, January 1960, Speech and Correspondence (University of Chicago), 1960 |
| Box 24 Folder 3 | Article for Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, December 1962, "Thoughts on the 20th Anniversary of the First Chain Reaction." Correspondence and article |
| Box 24 Folder 4 | Twentieth Anniversary of the First Chain Reaction Luncheon, December 1, 1962 |
| Box 24 Folder 5 | I.A.E.A. Bulletin, December 1962 |
| Box 24 Folder 6 | Comments on basic research for NAS, 1963 |
| Box 24 Folder 7 | Speech for National Association of Physical Plant Administration, May 1963 |
| Box 24 Folder 8 | Miscellaneous |
| Box 24 Folder 9 | Reprints (duplicates) of Allison's articles, undated |
| Box 24 Folder 10 | "Science and Government" delivered for the University College, ca. 1958 |
| Box 24 Folder 11 | "Science and Scientists as National Assets" delivered at Chicago Teachers Union, April 19, 1958 |
| Box 24 Folder 12 | "Science and Scientists" delivered at Monsanto Science Club, St. Louis, September 23, 1958 |
| Box 24 Folder 13 | "Phi Beta Kappa," Chicago, June 10, 1959 |
| Box 24 Folder 14 | "The Moon, Sputniks, Sewer Pipes and Atoms," Navy Pier, 1959 |
| Box 24 Folder 15 | Allison's memoirs of A. H. Compton, manuscript and reprint, undated |
| Box 24 Folder 16 | H. A. Bethe, Honorary Degree presented by SKA, Convocation, June 12, 1953 |
| Box 24 Folder 17 | Book reviews, undated |
| Box 25 Folder 1 | Enrico Fermi file, 1955 |
| Box 25 Folder 2 | "On the Hydrogen Bomb," 1950 and 1956 |
| Box 25 Folder 3 | Reprint of article "Uranium and the Shape of Things to Come," appeared in Confluence, April 1956 |
| Box 25 Folder 4 | E. P. Winger Honorary Degree, December 20, 1957 |
| Box 25 Folder 5 | "Survival of the fittest: Race for Space," undated |
| Box 25 Folder 6 | American Society for Metals dinner, November 1957 |
| Box 25 Folder 7 | "Thoughts on the Tenth Anniversary of First Chain Reaction," article which appeared in the University of Chicago Magazine, December 1952 |
| Box 25 Folder 8 | Alumni lecture, December 18, 1952 |
| Box 25 Folder 9 | A. H. Compton Honorary degree, December 18, 1952 |
| Box 25 Folder 10 | "Comments on Universities in U.S.," (Reply to Leopold Infeld), April 23, 1952 |
| Box 25 Folder 11 | Hamburg Conference on Cultural Freedom, July 24-25, 1953 |
| Box 25 Folder 12 | Symposium on Intellectual Freedom and the Elections, October 29, 1952 |
| Box 25 Folder 13 | Research Corporation Dinner (Libby Award), ca. March 18, 1952 |
| Box 25 Folder 14 | "Responsibilities of a University Professor," Puerto Rico, March 15, 1951 |
| Box 25 Folder 15 | Experimental Program of Institute for Nuclear Studies, Mexico, 1950 |
| Box 25 Folder 16 | "The State of Physics or the Perils of Being Important," November 26, 1949 |
| Box 25 Folder 17 | Reprints of articles: "Control and Beneficial Use of Atoms"; "Atomic Energy in Industry and the Physical Sciences"; "Institute for Nuclear Studies," , undated |
| Box 26 Folder 1 | Correspondence, Advisory Council (Science) of the Democratic National Committee, undated |
| Box 26 Folder 2 | Miscellaneous correspondencev |
| Box 26 Folder 3 | Assorted old publications, undated |
| Box 26 Folder 4 | MPE, Report and meeting, November 20, 1953 |
| Box 26 Folder 5 | Pare Lorentz film "No Place to Hide," script, undated |
| Box 26 Folder 6 | "Condon and Shortley," , undated |
| Box 27 Folder 1 | Argonne Midwest Accelerator, file inactive since 1957 |
| Box 27 Folder 2 | Brookhaven Visiting Committee, file inactive since 1959 |
| Box 27 Folder 3 | Letters on x-ray book to Van Norstrand Co., Inc. and letters from A. H. Compton about book, undated |
| Box 27 Folder 4 | Books: Abridged edition of B. O. Pierce's "A Short Table of Integrals"; Second revised edition of "A Short Table of Integrals"; Fourth edition of Barlow's Tables, undated |
| Box 28 | Reprints of articles, undated |
| Box 29 | Correspondence, Penetration of Charged Particles, 1956-1957 |
| Box 30 Folder 1 | Oak Ridge Reports, 1956-1958 |
| Box 30 Folder 2 | Miscellaneous correspondence, 1945-1963 |
| Box 30 Folder 3 | Miscellaneous correspondence, 1945-1963 |
| Box 30 Folder 4 | Miscellaneous correspondence, 1945-1963 |
| Box 30 Folder 5 | Louis Slotin, personal history, 1945-1948 |
| Box 30 Folder 6 | Slotin Memorial Fund, 1947-1960 |
Subseries 2: Betatron Files |
| Box 31 Folder 1 | Betatron equipment, undated |
| Box 31 Folder 2 | Betatron equipment, undated |
| Box 31 Folder 3 | Betatron budget estimates, undated |
| Box 31 Folder 4 | Betatron, undated |
| Box 31 Folder 5 | Betatron, "Donut", undated |
| Box 31 Folder 6 | G. E. Conference, January 23-24, 1951 |
| Box 31 Folder 7 | Betatron, technical file, 1949-1950 |
| Box 31 Folder 8 | Betatron, operating rules, proposed, undated |
| Box 31 Folder 9 | Betatron, magnet, undated |
| Box 31 Folder 10 | Monthly statements of expenditures and encumbrances for 100 mev. betatron, 1949-1950, 1950-1951, 1951-1952 |
| Box 32 Folder 1 | Betatron, financial statements and finances, undated |
| Box 32 Folder 2 | Betatron, health physics, undated |
| Box 32 Folder 3 | Betatron, letters to G. E., undated |
| Box 32 Folder 4 | Betatron, contracts, undated |
| Box 32 Folder 5 | Betatron pole change, undated |
| Box 32 Folder 6 | Betatron, letters to G. E., Chicago Office, 1950 |
| Box 32 Folder 7 | Various, undated |
| Box 32 Folder 8 | Various, undated |
Subseries 3: Notes, Memoranda, and Correspondence, undated |
| Box 33 Folder 1 | Institute, Nuclear Physics Journal Club, undated |
| Box 33 Folder 2 | Institute, housing, undated |
| Box 33 Folder 3 | Crank letters, undated |
| Box 33 Folder 4 | Allison, engagements, 1949-1950 |
| Box 33 Folder 5 | Allison, engagements, 1946 |
| Box 33 Folder 6 | Allison, engagements, miscellaneous, undated |
| Box 33 Folder 7 | Atomic power letters, undated |
| Box 33 Folder 8 | Atomic Scientists of Chicago, undated |
| Box 33 Folder 9 | Bush - Groves - Hutchins, undated |
| Box 33 Folder 10 | Franck, undated |
| Box 33 Folder 11 | Ford Foundation (C. S. Smith to C. C. Lauritsen) , undated |
| Box 33 Folder 12 | Libby, undated |
| Box 33 Folder 13 | MGM movie, undated |
| Box 33 Folder 14 | Mulliken, undated |
| Box 33 Folder 15 | Press releases, undated |
| Box 34 Folder 1 | Flugge article, undated |
| Box 34 Folder 2 | Allison, personal correspondence, aid to California, undated |
| Box 34 Folder 3 | Allison, personal correspondence, lure, visa situation, undated |
| Box 34 Folder 4 | Institute, miscellaneous, undated |
| Box 34 Folder 5 | Purchase orders, 1948-1955 |
| Box 34 Folder 6 | (3 in 1) travel expenses, undated |
Subseries 4: Correspondence |
| Box 35 Folder 1 | General correspondence, ca. 1953-1955; Engagement calendar, 1956-1957 |
| Box 35 Folder 2 | Personal correspondence before 1955
|
| Box 35 Folder 3 | Correspondence regarding Controlled Thermonuclear Fusion Panel, 1965 |
Series V: National Academy of Sciences |
| Box 36 Folder 1 | Allison's trip to Egypt in 1960, January through March, under the auspices of the Department of State, undated |
| Box 36 Folder 2 | Allison's trip to Egypt in 1960, January through March, under the auspices of the Department of State, undated |
| Box 36 Folder 3 | Allison's trip to Argentina, undated |
| Box 36 Folder 4 | American Institute of Physics, Visiting Scientists Program, undated |
| Box 36 Folder 5 | Physics, Teaching of, undated |
| Box 37 Folder 1 | Correspondence, 1956-1964 |
| Box 37 Folder 2 | Atomic Energy Bills, printed copies, 1945 |
Series VI: Visual Materials |
| Box 38 | 95 Plastic and glass lantern slides of charts, graphs, drawings, and photographs of nuclear research equipment, used for lectures and seminars (FRAGILE), circa 1970s |
| Box 39 | 88 Plastic and glass lantern slides of charts, graphs, drawings, and photographs of nuclear research equipment, used for lectures and seminars (FRAGILE), circa 1970s |
| Box 40 | 45 Plastic and glass lantern slides of charts, graphs, drawings, and photographs of nuclear research equipment, used for lectures and seminars (FRAGILE), circa 1970s |
| Box 41 | 77 Plastic 35mm slides of charts, graphs, drawings, and photographs of nuclear research equipment, used for lectures and seminars (FRAGILE), undated |