Technical Society of Knoxville Records
The Technical Society of Knoxville Records contains papers related to the society's business, operations, community activities and publications. The society, founded in 1921, strives to educate and assist its members and the public in technical areas that impact the Knoxville area and its inhabitants.
The collection covers the Technical Society of Knoxville's society business, activities and publications from 1921-2011, with the bulk of the material covering 1927-2009.
Series I: Society Business, 1921 June 7-2010, undated -- Series I is comprised of TSK's administrative, membership, and meeting documents, and audio/visual materials.
Subseries A: Presidents' Papers, 1921 June 7-1985 December 21 [bulk 1951-1985] -- This subseries contains correspondence and papers written or received by the society's presidents during their terms of service.
Subseries B: Treasurer/Secretary's Papers, 1948-2009 -- This subseries consists of financial documents and other papers relating to the function of treasurer and/or secretary.
Subseries C: Correspondence, 1949-2009, undated -- This subseries contains letters sent between society members, or between society members and the general public, regarding society business.
Subseries D: Meeting Minutes, Agendas and Other Papers, 1927-2010 -- This subseries includes meeting minutes, agendas and other papers regarding the society's annual meetings, board of directors' meetings, and weekly luncheon meetings.
Subseries E: Membership Materials, 1940-2008, undated -- The bulk of this series consists of membership applications. It also includes papers concerning new members and deceased members.
Subseries F: Awards, 1984 January 17-2006 [bulk 2001-2006] -- This subseries includes an award given to a TSK member in 1984, and rough drafts of awards given to members in the early to mid-2000s.
Subseries G: Reports, 1931-1998 -- The bulk of this subseries comprises of fiscal documents that include financial reports, quarterly reports, and treasurer reports. It also includes committee reports.
Subseries H: Audio/Visual Materials, 1984-2004 November 8, undated -- This subseries contains photographs documenting TSK's annual and luncheon meetings, the society's officers, and the society's seal. It also includes recorded interviews with society charter members and former presidents (with typed transcriptions), and a recorded luncheon presentation on highway maintenance. There are also name tags that were worn during an annual meeting.
Series II: Society Activities, 1936-2010, undated -- Series II is composed of documents and correspondence concerning committee activities, the society's community involvement and outreach, and programs presented at weekly luncheon meetings.
Subseries A: Committees, 1939-1983 -- This subseries includes papers and documents recording TSK committees’ activities concerning the society's administrative functions and community outreach.
Subseries B: Local Projects and Contributions, 1936-2009, undated -- This subseries contains papers and correspondence about the society's community involvement and outreach efforts, including areas regarding urban planning, education and environmental issues. It also includes papers related to the society's collaboration with other local organizations and conferences, such as the Tennessee Joint Engineering Action Group and WATTec.
Subseries C: Programs and Speakers, 1946-2010, undated -- The bulk of this subseries consists of papers and correspondence recording TSK member Walter Wunderlich's program planning for the society's weekly luncheon meetings. It also includes papers about the presentations at the meetings.
Series III: Publications, 1937-2011, undated -- Series III contains the society's yearbooks, newsletters, and other publications. It also includes papers related to creating and distributing the publications.
Subseries A: Yearbooks, 1937-2009 [bulk 1937-1989, 2000-2009] -- This subseries contains a representative spread of the society's yearbooks, which have information about the society and a membership directory. It also includes papers regarding the creation and distribution of the yearbooks.
Subseries B: Soupçon Materials, 1937-2011 -- This subseries comprises of a representative spread of the society's newsletter, The Technical Soupçon,. It also contains papers associated with the creation and distribution of the newsletter.
Subseries C: Other Publications, 1944-circa 2009, undated -- This subseries includes the society's constitution, annual meeting programs, historical publications, operating procedure manuals, and publications for related organizations. It also holds the society's logo and emblem.
Series IV: Oversized Materials, circa 1948-2001 April 16 -- Series IV consists of oversized posters and maps.
Dates
- 1921-2011
Conditions Governing Access
Collections are stored offsite and must be requested in advance. See www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Conditions Governing Use
The UT Libraries claims only physical ownership of most material in the collections. Persons wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants on www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Extent
15.25 Linear Feet
Abstract
The Technical Society of Knoxville Records contains papers related to the society's business, operations, community activities and publications. The society, founded in 1921, strives to educate and assist its members and the public in technical areas that impact the Knoxville area and its inhabitants.
Biographical/Historical Note
The Technical Society of Knoxville (TSK) membership includes engineers, physicists, chemists, architects and other technology professionals. The society's mission is to educate and assist its members and the public in areas where technology has or can impact Knoxville and its inhabitants – such as planning, building codes, parking and traffic problems, and other issues.
The society began as the Knoxville Technical Society, and was formally organized on June 6, 1921, alongside the dedication of the University of Tennessee's Morgan Hall and Ayres Hall. Charter members elected Charles Edward Ferris, dean of UT's College of Engineering, as the society's first president. They also elected William Whaley as first vice-president; local architect Charles I. Barber as second vice-president; E. A. Sehorn, founder of civil engineering firm Sehorn and Kennedy, as treasurer; and Nathan W. Dougherty, then a professor at UT's College of Engineering, as secretary.
The society's community contributions focus on rectifying Knoxville's civic problems and assisting in educational projects. TSK's early discussions and civic projects challenged the city's issues with smoke abatement and city planning. The society has also tackled issues such traffic safety, pollution, flooding, building and zoning codes, fire protection, public health, waste management and civil defense through committees that study the issues and offer solutions to city and county governments. The society involved itself in educational projects as early as 1928 when it subsidized a quarterly publication managed by UT College of Engineering students. Since 1959, TSK has sponsored the formation of Junior Engineering Technical Societies in area high schools. The group also sponsors awards and manages the Southern Appalachian Science and Engineering Fair. The society created the Charles E. Ferris Endowment in 1983, which offers scholarships for engineering students at UT. Currently, TSK supports education in engineering, architecture, planning and physical sciences, including assisting with programs at UT and advising staff at Pellissippi State Community College.
The society also supported other civic groups like the Metropolitan Planning Commission, and joined groups like the Tennessee Joint Engineering Action Group. Beginning in 1973, TSK collaborated with other technical and professional societies to sponsor WATTec, an energy-related conference and exhibition held during National Engineers Week.
The society's main publications are its newsletter, the Technical Soupçon, and annual yearbook. Robert C. Matthews, a professor at UT's College of Engineering, created the Soupçon in 1937 as a weekly bulletin to announce upcoming programs, share news, and describe previous programs with attendance figures. It eventually evolved into a monthly newsletter. The yearbook includes society information and a membership directory.
Arrangement
The collection contains 17 boxes. The collection's series consist of the following content:
The collection covers the Technical Society of Knoxville's society business, activities and publications from 1921-2011, with the bulk of the material covering 1927-2009.
Series I: Society Business, 1921 June 7-2010, undated -- Series I is comprised of TSK's administrative, membership, and meeting documents, and audio/visual materials.
Subseries A: Presidents' Papers, 1921 June 7-1985 December 21 [bulk 1951-1985] -- This subseries contains correspondence and papers written or received by the society's presidents during their terms of service.
Subseries B: Treasurer/Secretary's Papers, 1948-2009 -- This subseries consists of financial documents and other papers relating to the function of treasurer and/or secretary.
Subseries C: Correspondence, 1949-2009, undated -- This subseries contains letters sent between society members, or between society members and the general public, regarding society business.
Subseries D: Meeting Minutes, Agendas and Other Papers, 1927-2010 -- This subseries includes meeting minutes, agendas and other papers regarding the society's annual meetings, board of directors' meetings, and weekly luncheon meetings.
Subseries E: Membership Materials, 1940-2008, undated -- The bulk of this series consists of membership applications. It also includes papers concerning new members and deceased members.
Subseries F: Awards, 1984 January 17-2006 [bulk 2001-2006] -- This subseries includes an award given to a TSK member in 1984, and rough drafts of awards given to members in the early to mid-2000s.
Subseries G: Reports, 1931-1998 -- The bulk of this subseries comprises of fiscal documents that include financial reports, quarterly reports, and treasurer reports. It also includes committee reports.
Subseries H: Audio/Visual Materials, 1984-2004 November 8, undated -- This subseries contains photographs documenting TSK's annual and luncheon meetings, the society's officers, and the society's seal. It also includes recorded interviews with society charter members and former presidents (with typed transcriptions), and a recorded luncheon presentation on highway maintenance. There are also name tags that were worn during an annual meeting.
Series II: Society Activities, 1936-2010, undated -- Series II is composed of documents and correspondence concerning committee activities, the society's community involvement and outreach, and programs presented at weekly luncheon meetings.
Subseries A: Committees, 1939-1983 -- This subseries includes papers and documents recording TSK committees’ activities concerning the society's administrative functions and community outreach.
Subseries B: Local Projects and Contributions, 1936-2009, undated -- This subseries contains papers and correspondence about the society's community involvement and outreach efforts, including areas regarding urban planning, education and environmental issues. It also includes papers related to the society's collaboration with other local organizations and conferences, such as the Tennessee Joint Engineering Action Group and WATTec.
Subseries C: Programs and Speakers, 1946-2010, undated -- The bulk of this subseries consists of papers and correspondence recording TSK member Walter Wunderlich's program planning for the society's weekly luncheon meetings. It also includes papers about the presentations at the meetings.
Series III: Publications, 1937-2011, undated -- Series III contains the society's yearbooks, newsletters, and other publications. It also includes papers related to creating and distributing the publications.
Subseries A: Yearbooks, 1937-2009 [bulk 1937-1989, 2000-2009] -- This subseries contains a representative spread of the society's yearbooks, which have information about the society and a membership directory. It also includes papers regarding the creation and distribution of the yearbooks.
Subseries B: Soupçon Materials, 1937-2011 -- This subseries comprises of a representative spread of the society's newsletter, The Technical Soupçon,. It also contains papers associated with the creation and distribution of the newsletter.
Subseries C: Other Publications, 1944-circa 2009, undated -- This subseries includes the society's constitution, annual meeting programs, historical publications, operating procedure manuals, and publications for related organizations. It also holds the society's logo and emblem.
Series IV: Oversized Materials, circa 1948-2001 April 16 -- Series IV consists of oversized posters and maps.
Missing Title
- Series I: Society Business, 1921 June 7-2010
- Subseries A: Presidents' Papers, 1921 June 7-1985 December 21 [bulk 1951-1985]
- Subseries B: Treasurer/Secretary's Papers, 1948-2007
- Subseries C: Correspondence, 1949-2009, undated
- Subseries D: Meeting Minutes, Agendas and Other Papers, 1927-2010
- Subseries E: Membership Materials, 1940-2008, undated
- Subseries F: Awards, 1984 January 17-2006 [bulk 2001-2006]
- Subseries G: Reports, 1931-1998
- Subseries H: Audio/Visual Materials, 1984-2004 November 8, undated
- Series II: Society Activities, 1936-2010, undated
- Subseries A: Committees, 1939-1983
- Subseries B: Local Projects and Contributions, 1936-2009, undated
- Subseries C: Programs and Speakers, 1946-2010, undated
- Series III: Publications, 1937-2011, undated
- Subseries A: Yearbooks, 1937-2009 [bulk 1937-1989, 2000-2009]
- Subseries B: Soupçon Materials, 1937-2011
- Subseries C: Other Publications, 1944-circa 2009, undated
- Series IV: Oversized Materials, circa 1948-2001 April 16
Previous Citation
Materials in this collection were previously cited as MS.0742, MS.1128, MS.1568, and MS.1712. All materials from previous collections are contained within this collection.
Acquisition Note
This collection was donated to Special Collections by the Technical Society of Knoxville and Walter O. Wunderlich, circa 2008-2012.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository