creator:

Ralph E. Speer, Jr.

title:

Papers

dates:

1948-1994, n.d.

extent:

9.03 linear feet (12 manuscript boxes, 2 half manuscript boxes and 3 oversize boxes)

collection number:

RS 21/7/99

repository:

Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

access:

Open for research

publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections Department

preferred citation:

Ralph E. Speer, Jr., Papers, 1948-1994, n.d., RS 21/7/99, University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

Biographical note

Ralph E. Speer Jr. (1931-1994) was born August 3, 1931 in Sault St. Marie, Michigan.  He graduated from Iowa State University with a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering (1954) and also did some graduate work at the University of Michigan and Iowa State University. 

Speer was the Director of Public Works for the City of West Des Moines, Iowa (1990-1994).  During his professional career he also worked for Iowa City, Iowa; Rockford, Illinois; and Newport News, Virginia. 

Speer was active in several national professional organizations.  He served as President of the Institute of Transportation for the American Public Works Association (APWA) and for the Iowa and Oklahoma chapters of the American Public Works Association.  He was a member of the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Institute of Traffic Engineers, and the National Society of Professional Engineers. 

Speer was a Korean War veteran and a retired commander of the Civil Engineer Corps for the United States Naval Reserve.  Speer died on October 16, 1994 in Rochester, Minnesota.  He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Collection Description

The collection contains artifacts, biographical information, committee records, conferences, course work material, notes, papers, professional engineering societies materials, and slides.

Also included in this collection are some records of the American Public Works Association (APWA).  The civil engineering coursework materials comprise the majority of the collection.

Organization

The collection is arranged alphabetically in 8 series.  Each individual series is arranged chronologically.

American Public Works Association (APWA) records

1

1

APWA Regional Seminar on Planning and Programming Urban Transportation Improvements

1961

1

2

Iowa American Public Works Association

1968-1970

1

3

APWA miscellaneous material

1969-1970

1

4

Institute for Municipal Engineers (IME) Program Committee

1972-1973

1

5

American Public Works Association newsletter

Oct. 1973

1

6

Paper:  “Pride and Performance in Public Works” by Lambert Mims

1974

1

7

APWA Education Foundation workshops

1974-1976

1

8

Correspondence – Director of Public Works, Norman, OK

1974-1977

1

9

Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Request for the transfer of modules developed by the USAC program

1975

1

10

Dec. 1976

1

11

APWA membership status report for the last quarter of 1976

1976

1

12

Oklahoma Chapter APWA Convention and Equipment Show

1976

1

13

APWA membership status report of the first quarter 1977

1977

1

14

APWA Educational Foundation workshop information

1977-1978

1

15

Results of survey by the APWA Task Force on Revenue Shortfall

1981

1

16

IME Program Committee

1981-1982

1

17

APWA brochure

1982

1

18

APWA Joint Survey –Capital Budgeting and Infrastructure Needs

1983

1

19

APWA Board Members

1983

1

20

Regional meeting – Illinois Chapter of APWA

1983

1

21

Correspondence – Director of Public Works, Rockford, IL

1983-1984

1

22

1984

1

23

Snow and ice control management brochures

1984

1

24

Guides for Chapter Leaders -

1984-1985

1

25

Jan. 1985

1

26

South Dakota Chapter APWA meeting minutes and notes

1986-1988

1

27

Correspondence

1986-1988

2

1

Correspondence – 1988 APWA Honors and Awards Committee

1987

2

2

Formation of the Southeastern Branch of the South Dakota Chapter APWA – petition, bylaws, and correspondence

1987

2

3

APWA membership applications

1987-1988

2

4

Miscellaneous APWA chapter newsletters

1987-1988

2

5

Correspondence and notes – Southeastern Branch of South Dakota Chapter APWA

1988

2

6

APWA Regional Director Candidate data forms and nominations

1988

2

7

Annual Activity Report for Southeastern Branch of South Dakota Chapter APWA

1988

2

8

Correspondence – APWA Honors and Awards Committee

1988

2

9

APWA Chapter Officer Training Workshop – Chapter Newsletters

1988

2

10

Agenda materials for project sponsors annual meeting – private sector contracts and agreements for public work services

1988

2

11

APWA meeting minutes for private sector contracts and agreements for public work services

1988

2

12

Public Works Pro-Views (second quarter 1988 & 1989)

1988-1989

2

13

APWA Southeastern Branch of the South Dakota Chapter – meeting notices and minutes

1988-1989

2

14

Correspondence – Southeastern Branch of the South Dakota Chapter APWA Executive Board meeting

1988-1989

2

15

APWA mailing list (South Dakota)

1988-1989

2

16

APWA Education Foundation workshop brochures

1988-1989

2

17

1988-1989

2

18

APWA Pubic Works Conference brochure

Mar. 1989

2

19

Research in Progress (comments on APWA Survey findings)

June 1989

2

20

Proposed budget for Southeastern Branch of the South Dakota Chapter APWA

1989

2

21

Correspondence – APWA Honors and Awards Committee

1989

2

22

APWA professional career development brochures

n.d.

22

23

APWA stationery

n.d.

2

24

APWA workshop I Presentation Methods handout

n.d.

2

25

APWA Research Foundation – questionnaire for street maintenance and management

n.d.

2

26

APWA chapter publication specifications

n.d.

2

27

Guidelines for consultants employed by the APWA Educational Foundation

n.d.

Biographical Information

2

28

Biographical information

1953-1994

2

29

Unidentified photographs

n.d.

2

30

Boys State identification card

1948

2

31

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute identification card

1949

2

32

Engineering Society brochures and Engineer’s Carnival program

1953

2

33

Iowa State College Commencement Program

1953-1954

2

34

Iowa State College fee cards

1953-1954

2

35

ca. 1954

2

36

1957

2

37

American Heart Association “Cardiac Arrest”

1983

14

College scrapbook

1950-1954

Committee Records

3

1

Advisory Committee University of Iowa Traffic Engineering Education (1 of 2)

1971

3

2

Advisory Committee University of Iowa Traffic Engineering Education (2 of 2)

1971

3

3

Committee correspondence – Second Stage Problem Solving Submittals for Research Programs for the National Cooperative Highway Research Program

1982

Conferences

3

4

International Public Works Congress and Equipment Show

1974

3

5

International Public Works Congress and Equipment Show

1975

3

6

International Public Works Congress and Equipment Show

1976

3

7

International Public Works Congress and Equipment Show

1988

Course Work

3

8

Supplementary problems in Mechanics of Materials

n.d.

3

9

n.d.

3

10

Civil Engineering 485 Notes and Procedures

n.d.

3

11

Civil Engineering 490 Notes

n.d.

3

12

Chemistry – Atomic Energy Report

ca. 1949

33

13

English 12-2 – Atomic Energy:  A World Responsibility

ca. 1949

3

14

English 101, 102, and 103

1949

3

15

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Engineering Drawings

1949-1950

3

16

General Chemistry Laboratory Manual (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)

1949

3

17

Civil Engineering 211 Field Books

1950

3

18

Civil Engineering 212

1950

4

1

Civil Engineering 360 – Soil Engineering

1950

4

2

Engineering Drawing 132

1950

4

3

Engineering Drawing Workbook, Book IV, Working Drawings

1950

4

4

Workbook for a One Term Course in Engineering Problems

1950

4

5

Mathematics 101X

1950

4

6

1950

4

7

Civil Engineering 213 Field Notebook

1951

4

8

Civil Engineering 300 sample notes

1951

4

9

Civil Engineering 360 – notes, syllabus, problem sets

1951

4

10

Civil Engineering 360 – soil engineering laboratory report

1951

4

11

Civil Engineering 497 – handout and printed materials

1951

4

12

Economics 384A

1951

4

13

General Engineering 108

1951

5

1

Mathematics 212R

1951

5

2

Mathematics 213

1951

5

3

Mathematics 314

1951

5

4

Military Science 201, 202, and 203

1951

5

5

Military Science 301

1951

5

6

Physics 221

1951

5

7

Physics 221 Laboratory

1951

5

8

Physics 223

1951

5

9

Physics 223 Laboratory

1951

5

10

Speech 311 – syllabus and speech evaluations

1951

map

case

Plan for road project T83NR26W

1951

5

11

Civil Engineering 331 – problem sets, quizzes, and syllabus

1952

5

12

Civil Engineering 331 – design of a warehouse

1952

5

13

Civil Engineering 331 – Fink roof truss report

1952

5

14

Civil Engineering 355 – notes and problem set

1952

5

15

Civil Engineering 355 – Ames Airport report

1952

5

16

Civil Engineering 355 – highway and airport pavement laboratory report

1952

5

17

Civil Engineering 356 – problem sets and class notes

1952

5

18

Civil Engineering 364 – problem sets and string lining railroad curves lab problem

1952

5

19

Civil Engineering 395

1952

6

1

Civil Engineering 432 – problem sets and exam

1952

6

2

Civil Engineering 505 – notes and problem sets

1952

6

3

Geology 374

1952

6

4

Military Science 302

1952

6

5

Military Science 401

1952

6

6

Physics 222

1952

6

7

Physics 222 Laboratory

1952

6

8

Theoretical and Applied Mechanics 344

1952

6

9