Descriptive
summary
|
creator: |
Boast,
Warren B. (1909-1990) |
|
title: |
Papers |
|
dates: |
1929-2007, n.d. |
|
extent: |
5.46
linear ft. (13 document boxes and 1 map case folder) |
|
collection number: |
RS 11/6/14
|
|
repository: |
University Archives, Special Collections Department,
Iowa State University. |
Administrative
information
|
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 note
|
|
Warren Benefield Boast
was born in Topeka, Kansas, on December 13, 1909. He
received his B.S. (1933) and M.S. (1934) from the University
of Kansas. Dr. Boast received his Ph.D. (1936) from Iowa
State College (University) where he also served as a
Graduate Assistant (1934-1936) in the Department of
Electrical Engineering.
Upon graduation, he
joined the faculty at Iowa State as an Instructor (1936) in
the Department of Electrical Engineering. He was then
promoted to Assistant Professor (1940), Associate Professor
(1943), Professor (1948), and Professor Emeritus (1975). He
was named Head (1954-1975) of the Department of Electrical
Engineering at Iowa State University and held that position
until his retirement in 1975.
Dr. Boast’s research
and expertise in electrical engineering provided valuable
benefit to the community and the region. Beginning as early
as 1937 he served as a consulting engineer to the Ames
School Board, the City of Ames, the City of Webster City,
and to other governmental and industrial organizations. As
a member of the Engineering Experiment Station, he was in
charge of the design and construction of the first
10-kilohertz A-C network analyzer, which was used
commercially by many Midwest utilities. Towards the end of
his career he researched improvements of frequency response
of electro-mechanical devices including the audio response
of loudspeakers. His work resulted in several patents.
Dr. Boast was also
an accomplished author. He wrote four textbooks:
Illumination Engineering (1942, 1953), Principles of
Electric and Magnetic Fields (1948, 1956), Principles
of Electric and Magnetic Circuits (1950, 1957), and
Vector Fields: A Vector Foundation of Electric and Magnetic
Fields (1964). He also was a contributor to several
scientific encyclopedias and handbooks and reviewed numerous
manuscripts for publishers.
Dr. Boast was active
in numerous professional organizations and served on several
conference boards. He was heavily involved in the Institute
of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and served as
chairman of the Iowa Section and represented the IEEE at
several national and international committees and
conferences. He was a member of the Engineers’ Council for
Professional Development and served on the Education and
Accreditation Committee (1958-1969). He was also a member
of the Illuminating Engineering Society beginning in 1938.
Honors and awards
received by Dr. Boast include: Anson Marston Distinguished
Professorship at Iowa State University (1964), the Marston
Medal (1980), Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers Fellow, and Illuminating Engineering Society
Fellow and Lifetime Member. He was also a member of the
academic and professional engineering honorary societies of
Sigma Xi, Phi Kappa Phi, Pi Mu Epsilon, Tau Beta Pi, Sigma
Tau, and Eta Kappa Nu.
Warren
Boast married Ruth J. Hansen on November 28, 1936, and
together they had three sons: Richard, Charles, and Thomas.
Dr. Boast passed away in Ames, Iowa, on September 26, 1990. |
|
Collection description
|
|
This collection
(1929-1994, n.d.) includes biographical material,
correspondence, and research materials related to the career
of Dr. Warren B. Boast. The collection includes Dr. Boast’s
correspondence with his publishers, professional
organizations, university and departmental colleagues, and
consulting clients. There is also correspondence related to
his research and patent applications. Much of Dr. Boast’s
activities related with various professional organizations
are documented by numerous reports and correspondence.
Materials related to his work as a consulting engineer
include correspondence, reports, and oversize drawings which
are housed in a map case folder.
The
collection also contains much of Dr. Boast’s research on
electro-mechanical transducers which he performed from
1974-1980. The prototype control box he built resulting
from this research is housed in the University Archives
Artifact Collection. There are also copies of his five U.S.
patents and one British patent in the collection. |
|
Organization
|
|
The collection is organized into seven
series:
Series 1,
Biographical Information, 1929-2007 (alphabetical)
Series 2,
Correspondence, 1935-1990 (alphabetical)
Series 3,
Papers and Presentations, 1936-1984, n.d. (alphabetical)
Series 4,
Research and Patents, 1935-1980, n.d. (chronological)
Series 5,
Consultant Work, 1947-1955 (chronological)
Series 6,
Iowa State University, 1952-1987 (chronological)
Series 7, Organizational Affiliations and Conferences,
1954-1990 (alphabetical) |
Description of series
|
|
|
|
|
Series 1 |
Biographical Information |
1929-2007 |
|
extent: |
6 folders |
|
|
description: |
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. |
|
|
|
Container list
|
Box |
Folder |
Title |
Dates |
|
1 |
1 |
|
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 |
|
1932-1961 |
|
14 |
8 |
|
1983 |
|
14 |
9 |
|
1958-1963 |
|
14 |
10 |
|
1951-1981, n.d. |
|
14 |
11 |
|
1974 |
|
15 |
|
|
1954-1974 |
|
16 |
|
|
1974 |
|
18 |
|
|
1975 |
|
14 |
12 |
|
1919-1928, n.d. |
|
14 |
14 |
|
1937 |
|
14 |
15 |
|
n.d. |
|
2 |
1 |
|
1929-1986 |
Description of series
|
|
|
|
|
Series 2 |
Correspondence |
1935-1990 |
|
extent: |
2.5
document boxes (1.05 linear feet) |
|
|
description: |
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. |
|
|
|
Container list
|
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 |
Description of series
|
|
|
|
|
Series 3 |
Papers and Presentations |
1936-1984, n.d. |
|
extent: |
1 document
box (0.42 linear feet) |
|
|
description: |
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. |
|
|
|
Container list
|
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 |
Description of series
|
|
|
|
|
Series 4 |
Research and Patents |
1935-1980, n.d. |
|
extent: |
4.5
document boxes (1.89 linear feet) |
|
|
description: |
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. |
|
|
|
Container list
|
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 |
|
