creator:

Boast, Warren B. (1909-1990)

title:

Papers

dates:

1919-2007, n.d.

extent:

11.03 linear ft. (14 document boxes, 4 photograph boxes, 1 oversized box, and 1 map case folder)

collection number:

RS 11/6/14

repository:

University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

access:

Open for research

publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections Department

preferred citation:

Warren B. Boast Papers, RS 11/6/14, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

Biographical Information

1919-2007

1 document box, 4 photograph boxes, 1 oversized box, 6 folders (5.6 linear ft.)

This series contains biographies and news clippings about Dr. Boast. Also included are day planners which span two decades that contain notes on meetings, meals, and travels. Finally, there is a folder containing certificates accumulated by both him and his wife, Ruth, documenting professional, academic, and travel accomplishments. This series is arranged in alphabetical order.

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

1

Biographical information

1972-1990

14

5

80th birthday papers – loose papers from scrapbook, correspondence, printed banners, information

1988

17

80th birthday scrapbook (1 5x7", 20 4x6", 26 3x5" color prints)

1989

19

50th anniversary scrapbooks (14 3x5"color, 5 3x4" b/w, 6 2x3" color, 2 5x7" b/w prints), Florida and California vacation scrapbook

1950-1986

1

2

News clippings

1936-2007

1

3

Personal Day Planners

1970-1981

1

4

Personal Day Planners

1980-1987

1

5

Personal Day Planners

1988-1989

14

7

Photographs – Boast family photographs (2 8x10" b/w, 2 5x7" b/w prints)

1932-1961

14

8

Photographs – reunions (6 3x5" and 2 4x6" color prints)

1983

14

9

Photographs – Ruth Boast's 25th and 30th reunions (2 8x10" b/w prints)

1958-1963

14

10

Photographs – VEISHEA parades (20 3x5" b/w, 1 3x5" color prints)

1951-1981, n.d.

14

11

Photographs – retirement (7 loose 8x10" b/w prints from scrapbook)

1974

15

Retirement photo album (11 6x9" color, 25 6x9" b/w prints)

1954-1974

16

Retirement photo album (36 6x9" b/w prints)

1974

18

Retirement scrapbook – letters from friends

1975

14

12

School-aged papers, projects, test, art work

1919-1928, n.d.

14

14

Slides – Missouri vs. Iowa State football game; electrical engineering diagram and equipment (18 b/w slides)

1937

14

15

Slides – travel and unidentified equipment

n.d.

2

1

Travel and award certificates

1929-1986

Correspondence

1935-1990

2.5 document boxes (1.05 linear feet)

This series contains correspondence between Dr. Boast and colleagues, book publishers, and organizations. The bulk of the series is correspondence regarding his textbooks. He also reviewed manuscripts related to electrical engineering and provided articles for various encyclopedic publications and handbooks. This series is arranged in alphabetical order.

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

14

1

Ames School District – correspondence regarding lighting issues

1950-1953

1

6

Bonnevile Power Administration, Portland, Oregon – visit to facility

1968

14

2

City of Ames – correspondence regarding city projects, information, related articles

1951-1975

14

3

Class of 1933 – letter regarding 15 year reunion; class list

1948

1

7

Correspondence regarding job offers

1952-1961

1

8

Correspondence with individuals

1935-1990

14

4

Department head promotion – letters of congratulations

1954

2

2

Encyclopedia of Physics – contributed articles

1966-1985

1

9

General Electric Educational Program scholarship

1952-1954

1

10

Grolier Encyclopedia – contributed articles

1960-1966

1

11

Harper & Brothers – textbook publication and manuscript reviews

1950-1951

3

1

Harper & Brothers – textbook publication and manuscript reviews

1953-1965

3

2-3

Illumination Engineering – general correspondence

1940-1976

3

4

Iowa Emergency Resource Management Test and Exercise

1966

3

5

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. – manuscript reviews

1952-1955

3

6

McGraw-Hill Book Company – contributed articles to Encyclopedia of Science and Technology

1958-1971

3

7

McGraw-Hill Book Company – contributed articles to Encyclopedia of Science and Technology revision

1979-1988

3

8

McGraw-Hill Book Company – contributed articles to Standard Handbook for Electrical Engineers revision

1965-1987

3

9

McGraw-Hill Book Company – manuscript reviews

1955

4

1

Monitron Industries, Inc. – licensing of patent technology

1976

4

2

National Science Foundation – Graduate Traineeship Program

1964

4

3

National Science Foundation – Senior Postdoctoral Fellowships Evaluation Committee

1964-1965

2

3

People's Gas and Electric court case correspondence with law firm regarding expert witness testimony

1953-1955

4

4-5

Principles of Electric and Magnetic Circuits – general correspondence

1949-1968

4

6

Principles of Electric and Magnetic Circuits – Harper & Brothers correspondence

1949-1950

4

7-8

Principles of Electric and Magnetic Fields – general correspondence

1947-1965

4

9

Vector Fields – correspondence

1961-1974

4

10

Visiting Engineer to Muscatine Community College

1965

4

11

Whirlpool Corporation regarding speech given on improved speaker fidelity

1976

Papers and Presentations

1936-1984, n.d.

1 document box (0.42 linear feet)

This series contains published writings and presentations prepared by Dr. Boast. The material includes copies of his dissertation and research papers along with notes and material used during a presentation in Chicago promoting his patent technology. This series is arranged in alphabetical order.

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

4

12

Dissertation – "A Conductometric Analysis of Portland Cement Pastes and Mortars and Some of Its Applications"

1936

4

13

Paper – "Biomedical Engineering Horizons in Veterinary Medicine"

1963

4

14

Paper – "Circuit Protective Devices" presented to the Iowa Chapter of International Association of Electrical Inspectors

1940

4

15

Paper – "A Comprehensive Academic Programme in Biomedical Electronics"

1960

4

16

Paper – "Economics of Circuit Design" presented to the Iowa Chapter of International Association of Electrical Inspectors

1944

5

1

Paper – "An Electric Analog Method for the Direct Determination of Power System Stability Swing Curves"

1951

5

2

Paper – "Engineering Education"

1947

5

3

Paper – "Frequency Compensation of Electro-Acoustical Transducers" (unpublished materials related to patents)

1976-1977, n.d.

5

4

Paper – "Functional Design of Buildings for Electrical Education"

1950

5

5

Paper – "An Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biomedical Electronics" presented at 1962 general meeting of American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)

1961-1963

5

6

Paper – "Lighting – A Survey of Light Sources and Applications" from The Book of Popular Science

1966-1967

5

7

Paper – "Medically -and Engineering- Oriented Facilities, Instruction, and Research in Bio-Medical Electronics"

1961

5

8

Paper – "Memorandum on Design Details for One Embodiment of the Compensation System for Flat Frequency Response" (unpublished)

n.d.

5

9

Paper – "Method for Obtaining the Electrical Model for Compensation for the Speaker's Cone-to-Air Coupling and the Room Cavity Resonance Phenomena"

1975

5

10

Paper – "Modern Lighting Design" presented at Building Industry Conference

1950

5

11

Paper – "A New Design for the A-C Network Analyzer"

1946

5

12

Paper – "Preparing Tomorrow's Engineers" presented at Fifth District AIEE meeting

1957

5

13

Paper – "Quasi-Static Fields" presented at Dartmouth College

1952

5

14

Paper – "Reminiscences of the Early Days of the IEEE Education Society"

1984

5

15

Paper – "Transpositions and the Calculation of Inductance from Geometric Mean Distances"

1950

5

16

Paper – "Universal Swing Curves for Two Machine Stability Problem with Multiple Switching"

1956

5

17

Presentation – "Why Go To Graduate School?" (note cards)

1963

5

18

Presentation at Chicago – notes

ca. 1976

5

19

Presentation at Chicago at Dvorkovitz University Industry Forum regarding patent technology

1975-1976

5

20

Principles of Electric and Magnetic Fields: Answers to Problems

ca. 1956

Research and Patents

1935-1980, n.d.

4.5 document boxes (1.89 linear feet)

This series contains research notes, calculations, and copies of Dr. Boast's patents. Most of the early research is focused on his dissertation topic and his three earlier patents, with the bulk of this consisting of the correspondence and materials submitted in the patent applications. Dr. Boast's later research was focused on the improved quality of sound reproduction using electro-mechanical and electro-acoustical transducers to compensate for frequency distortion. His efforts resulted in three patents (one British and two from the United States Patent Office) and a prototype control box. The correspondence regarding the patent applications and subsequent tests performed on the control box by General Electric in Schenectady, New York, are contained in this series. The prototype control box is housed in the University Archives Artifact Collection (Artifact 2005-154.1). This series is arranged in chronological order.

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

5

21

Research notebook – "A Correlation of Electrical and Structural Properties of Concrete"

1935-1936

5

22

Wattmeter calculations and drawings (oversize drawing in map case)

1947-1953

5

23

Generator patent application and correspondence

1949-1952

6

1

Wattmeter-Varmeter patent application and correspondence (oversize drawings in map case)

1949-1953

6

2

Phase-shifting transformer patent application and correspondence

1951-1956

6

3

Patent #2,588,797: "Generator"

1952

6

4

Patent #2,661,457: "Wattmeter-Varmeter"

1953

6

5

Patent #2,737,626: "Phase-Shifting Transformer"

1956

6

6

Comments on patent search on Application for Method and Apparatus for Frequency Compensation of Electro-Mechanical Transducer

1974

6

7

Strip chart data

1974

6

8

Patent search on Application for Method and Apparatus for Frequency Compensation of Electro-Mechanical Transducer

1974-1975

6

9

Research notebook

1974-1975

2

4-6

Patent data for electro-mechanical transducer

1974-1976

6

10

Current amplifiers – calculations and notes

1975

6

11

Electro-acoustic transducer – calculations and notes

1975

6

12

General analyses

1975

6

13

Power supply – calculations and notes

1975

7

1

Simulated inductors – calculations and notes

1975

7

2

Speaker and room models

1975

7

3

Voltage amplifiers – calculations and notes

1975

7

4

Analyses of Patents Referenced by Examiner of Application #540,806 (Boast) "Method and Apparatus for Frequency Compensation of Electro-Mechanical Transducer"

ca. 1975

7

5

Notes and data

1975-1976

2

7

Patent proposal first draft (electro-acoustical transducer)

1975-1976

2

8

British patent application and correspondence

1975-1978

7

6

Current regulator diode – calculations and notes

1975-1978

7

7

Calculations and notes

1976

7

8

Cone breakup reinforcement – calculations and notes

1976

7

9

Drafts on response to patent examiner regarding electro-mechanical transducer patent

1976

7

10

Equipment and supplies needs

1976

7

11

Limiters: high and low frequency – calculation and notes

1976

7

12

Low frequency and high frequency fitting

1976

7

13

Norelco 12" speaker data

1976

7

14

Norelco AD8061/W8 acoustic tests

1976

7

15

Patent #3,988,541 – "Method and Apparatus for Frequency Compensation of Electro-Mechanical Transducer"

1976

7

16

Pink noise and warble signals – calculations and notes

1976

7

17

Quam #8A10x-736, air suspension

1976

7

18

Quam 8"air suspension with whizzer cone – calculations and notes

1976

7

19

Quam 8" bass reflex tuned port – calculations and notes

1976

7

20

Quam 8" speaker, extended range, 8A10x-946 – calculations and notes

1976

8

1

Resonance signal processor – calculations

1976

8

2

Solid state RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) equalizer – calculations and notes

1976

8

3

Speaker research file

1976

8

4

Patent write-up and data for electro-acoustic transducer

1976-1977

8

5

Turner microphone response correction factors

1976-1977

8

6

Iowa State University Research Foundation (ISURF) – correspondence regarding patent technology and invention (4 3x3" color prints)

1976-1980

8

7

Iowa State University Research Foundation (ISURF) – frequency compensation of electro-acoustical transducers

1977

8

8

Re-amplifier, solid state – calculations and notes

1977

8

9

Research notes – audio amplifier design and circuit diagrams

1977

8

10

Marketing patent technology

1977, n.d.

13

11-12

Patent application correspondence

1977-1978

8

11

Research notebook

1977-1979

8

12

Transducer notes and data

1977-1980

8

13

British patent #1,535,935 – "Electro-Mechanical Transducer with Frequency Compensation"

1978

8

14

Patent #4,109,107 – "Method and Apparatus for Frequency Compensation of Electro-Acoustical Transducer and Its Environment"

1978

9

1

Research notes – audio amplifier design and circuit diagrams

1978

9

2

Chronological index of research: 1978-1979

1979

9

3

Room acoustic signal processor design

1979

9

4-7

Research notes – audio amplifier design and circuit diagrams

1979

9

8-9

Calculations and notes

1979-1980

10

1

General Electric correspondence and reports regarding electro-acoustical transducer patent technology

1980

10

2

General Electric data and correspondence regarding patent technology

1980

10

3

Patent data

n.d.

Artifact

Collection

Prototype control box (Artifact 2005-154.1)

n.d.

10

4

Reference notes

n.d.

Consultant Work

1947-1955

1 document box (0.42 linear feet)

This series contains work performed by Dr. Boast in making recommendations for lighting and electrical circuit upgrades for several buildings, mostly schools, in Ames, Iowa. The files consist mostly of correspondence and reports prepared by Dr. Boast. Oversize drawings of wiring and lighting plans are stored in the map case and indicated if available. This series is arranged in chronological order.

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

10

5

Central Junior High School, Ames School District – metal shop electric rewiring revision (oversize drawings in map case)

1947

10

6

Crawford School, Ames School District – electrical specifications

1947-1948

10

7

Ames School District – illumination survey

1948

10

8

First Baptist Church, Ames, Iowa – lighting and wiring specifications

1948

10

9

Welch School, Ames School District – electric lighting circuit revisions

1948

10

10

Webster City, Iowa – power plant

1948-1950

10

11

Central Junior High School, Ames School District – electric lighting circuit revisions

1949

10

12

Lincoln and Beardshear Schools, Ames School District – electric wiring and lighting revisions (oversize drawings in map case)

1949

10

13

Boone, Iowa, High School football field floodlighting system (oversize drawings in map case)

1950

10

14

Iowa State Highway Commission – standard specifications for maintenance garages

1950

10

15

Roosevelt School, Ames School District – electric wiring and lighting revisions (oversize drawings in map case)

1950

10

16

Central Junior High School, Ames School District – electric wiring and lighting revisions (oversize drawings in map case)

1951

10

17

Lincoln Way, Ames, Iowa – street lighting design (oversize drawing in map case)

1951

10

18

Ames City Library – lighting report

1952

10

19

Crawford and Whittier Schools, Ames School District – specifications for electric wiring and lighting revisions (oversize drawings in map case)

1952

2

9

Ames School District High School football field floodlight system (oversize drawing in map case)

1952-1953

10

20

Iowa State University Experiment Station analytical balance room in West Chemical Engineering Building – lighting recommendations

1953

10

21

Iowa State University President's Office, Beardshear Hall – lighting plans

1953-1954

10

22

Congregational Church, Ames, Iowa – lighting report and plans

1954

10

23

Collegiate Methodist Church addition, Ames, Iowa – lighting (oversize drawings in map case)

1955

10

24

McFarland Clinic, Ames, Iowa – lighting diagrams (oversize drawings in map case)

ca. 1955

Iowa State University

1952-1987

1 document box (0.42 linear feet)

This series contains departmental correspondence and reports relating to the Department of Electrical Engineering and organizations affiliated with Iowa State University. This series is arranged in chronological order.

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

11

1

Iowa State College (University) interoffice memos

1952-1971

11

2-3

Cyclone Computer – collected reports, correspondence, and clippings

1954-1960

11

4

Iowa State University A-C Network Analyzer Advisory Board – meeting minutes and correspondence

1954-1962

11

5

Instruction Manual: Iowa State College Network Analyzer

1955

11

6

Correspondence with power companies regarding graduate courses for practicing engineers

1965

11

7

Osborn Research Club – membership and reports

1966-1972

11

8-9

Engineers' Council for Professional Development (ECPD) Inspectors' visit to Iowa State University

1971

11

10

Program Review – University Studies 530X: Technology and Social Change in Foreign Cultures

1972-1974

11

11

Iowa State University Twenty-Five Year Club

1974-1982

11

12

Engineering Seminar presentation – September 16, 1976

1976

2

10

Warren B. Boast Electrical Engineering Scholarship Fund – correspondence

1976-1987

11

13

Senior Advisory Group of Engineers (SAGE) membership listing

1978

11

14

College of Engineering Development Committee

1978-1979

11

15

Marston Medal – correspondence and program

1980

Organizational Affiliations and Conferences

1948-1990

2 document boxes (0.84 linear feet)

This series contains correspondence, reports, and materials related to professional organizations Dr. Boast was a member of as well as conferences he attended. He was a longtime member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), served on the Education and Accreditation Committee of the Engineers' Council for Professional Development, and attended numerous conferences. This series is arranged in alphabetical order.

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

12

1

American Society for Engineering Education, North Midwest Section – annual meeting materials

1970

12

2-3

American Standards Association Sectional Committee on Electric and Magnetic Magnitudes and Units – correspondence and reports

1958-1970

12

4

College Relation Conference, Allen-Bradley Company – correspondence and programs

1968

13

10

Conference on Electricity and Magnetism in Engineering Education

1955

12

5

Engineers' Council for Professional Development Inspection Team – Michigan State University

1969

12

6

Engineers' Council for Professional Development, Education and Accreditation Committee – Lamar State College of Technology

1958

12

7

Engineers' Council for Professional Development, Education and Accreditation Committee – New Mexico State University

1960

12

8

Engineers' Council for Professional Development, Education and Accreditation Committee – University of New Mexico

1961

12

9

Engineers' Council for Professional Development, Education and Accreditation Committee – University of Arkansas

1963

12

10

Engineers' Council for Professional Development, Education and Accreditation Committee – University of Wisconsin

1965

12

11

Engineers' Council for Professional Development, Education and Accreditation Committee – California State Polytechnic College (4 8x10" b/w prints)

1965

12

12

Engineers' Council for Professional Development, Education and Accreditation Committee – University of Akron

1966

12

13

General Electric Professors Conference – correspondence and programs

1960

14

6

Hearth and Heather Club – invitation letter, membership list

1982-1987

12

14

Illuminating Engineering Society of North America – correspondence regarding award of Fellow

1975-1976

12

15

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers – correspondence regarding award of Life Membership

1975-1976

12

16

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers – general correspondence

1972-1983

12

17

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers – rosters and list of activities

1978

13

1

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Central Iowa Section – correspondence

1959-1984

13

2

International Conference on Electrical Engineering Education (Fifth Sagamore Conference) – correspondence and programs

1961

13

3

Iowa Engineering Society, Board of Inquiry – general correspondence

1965

13

4

McDonnell Aircraft Corporation – Engineering Symposium

1957

13

5

Midwest Symposium on Circuit Theory, Iowa State College – correspondence and programs

1957-1958

13

6

Midwest Symposium on Circuit Theory, Michigan State University – correspondence and programs

1956

13

7

National Electronics Conference – Board of Directors meeting minutes and correspondence

1972-1990

14

13

School Executives Lighting Conference – program, registration lists, photographs (2 8x10" b/w prints)

1948

13

8

Symposium on Circuit Analysis, University of Illinois – correspondence and programs

1954-1955

13

9

Texaco Conference on Petroleum Exploration, Production, and Refinery Research and Technology – correspondence, programs, and note (1 8x10" b/w print)

1961