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Gordon D. Goldstein Collection, 1948-1957

Extent and Forms of Material: 2 cubic feet (6 boxes)
Creator: Gordon D. Goldstein
Abstract: Papers relate to Gordon D. Goldstein, a computer engineer and frequent seminar speaker and participant, especially in the fields of linguistics and machine translation.
Repository: Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.; archivescenter@si.edu; 202-633-3270; www.americanhistory.si.edu/archives
Collection Number: AC0554
Processing Note: Processed by John M. Murphy, intern, August 1998; supervised by Alison Oswald, archivist.
© 2007 by the Smithsonian Institution. All rights reserved.

Information for users of the collection

Conditions Governing Access: The collection is open for research use.
Physical Access: Researchers must handle unprotected photographs with gloves.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use: Copyright held by the Smithsonian Institution. Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Reproduction permission from Archives Center: fees for commercial use.
Preferred Citation: [Title and date of item], Gordon D. Goldstein Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, box number X, folder number XX, digital file number XXXXXXXX

In-depth information about the collection

Administrative/biographical history
Scope and content
System of arrangement
Acquisition information
Custodial history
Related archival materials
Access points
Container listing

Administrative/biographical history

Born in 1917, Gordon D. Goldstein graduated from Clarkson College of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. In 1941, Goldstein took a job with the Army Signal Corp as a civilian inspector of radio and navigation equipment. After leaving the Army Signal Corp, Goldstein took a job as development engineer at the Washington Institute of Technology where he was employed until 1950. From 1950 to 1951 he worked as chief engineer with computers for the Census Bureau in Philadelphia.

In 1951, Goldstein left the Census Bureau and took a job with the Navy Department. During his tenure there, Goldstein worked in three offices or divisions: the Naval Ordnance Laboratory (electronics scientist), the David Taylor Model Basin’s Applied Mathematics Laboratory, and the Office of Naval Research (ONR), Information Systems Program where he was involved with applications of UNIVAC I¬. Goldstein worked in the Office of Naval Research from 1956 until his retirement in 1980.

Sources

Berkeley, Edmund C., ed. Who’s Who in Computers and Data Processing 1971: A Biographical Dictionary of Leading Computer Professionals. New York: The New York Times Book and Educational Division, 1971.

Gordon D. Goldstein Papers, 1950-1979. Charles Babbage Institute: Center for the History of Information Processing.

Williams, Michael R. A History of Computing Technology. Los Alamitos, California: IEEE Computer Society Press, 1997.

Scope and content

The Goldstein Collection documents an interesting and important period in the development of the early computer industry. Many of the items in the collection are technical in nature; others, however, provide an interesting perspective on the development of post-war American culture. Items in the collection include design and training materials, operational manuals, professional literature, advertisements and promotional items, photographs, business and office documentation, and conference and seminar materials.

The collection is divided into five series. The first three series correspond to Goldstein’s employment history; the fourth series includes notes and minutes from UNIVAC and computer conferences attended by Goldstein; and the fifth series contains general computer publications and computer advertisements. Of particular interest in the last series is a copy of the 1954 Report to the Association for Computing Machinery: First Glossary of Programming Terminology. This item was edited by Grace Murray Hopper.

System of arrangement

Series 1, National Bureau of Standards, Electronic Computers Section/Standards Eastern Automatic Computer, 1948-1953

Series 2, U.S. Navy/Applied Mathematics Laboratory, 1950-1957

Subseries 1, Operational Manuals and Training Materials, 1952–1956

Subseries 2, Testing and Maintenance Documentation, 1953–1956

Subseries 3, Professional Literature, 1956-1957

Subseries 4, Memoranda, 1952–1956

Subseries 5, Testing and Maintenance Documentation, 1950–1956

Subseries 6, Advertisements and Promotional Materials, 1950-1956

Series 3, UNIVAC-Remington Rand Corporation/Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation, 1948–1956

Subseries 1, Design Materials, 1948-1952

Subseries 2, Operational Manuals and Training Materials, 1949-1956

Subseries 3, Testing and Maintenance Documentation, 1950-1956

Subseries 4, Advertisements and Promotional Materials, 1950-1956

Subseries 5, Publications, 1954-1956

Series 4, UNIVAC Conferences, 1950-1956

Series 5, Publications and Competitor Materials, 1950-1955

 

Acquisition information

The Gordon D. Goldstein Collection was donated to the National Museum of American History by Gordon D. Goldstein on December 13, 1978.

Custodial history

The collection was transferred from the Division of Information, Technology and Communication to the Archives Center on June 28, 1996.

Related archival materials

The Charles Babbage Institute, Center for the History of Information Processing houses the Gordon D. Goldstein Papers, 1950-1979, http://special.lib.umn.edu/findaid/xml/cbi00068.xml and the Archives Center, National Museum of American History houses the Computer Oral History Collection, 1969-1973, 1977 http://invention.smithsonian.org/resources/fa_comporalhist_index.aspx

Access points

Subjects/Topical:
Systems engineering
Computers

Subjects/Names:
Bureau of Ships Analog Computer (BUSAC)
Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation
ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Automatic Computer)
Remington Rand Corporation
SEAC (Standards Eastern Automatic Computer)
UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer)

Form/Genre:
Technical manuals—20th century
Design drawings

Container listing

Box	Folder
		SERIES 1, NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS, ELECTRONIC COMPUTERS SECTION/STANDARDS EASTERN AUTOMATIC COMPUTER, 1948-1953
1	1-2	High Speed Circuits Technical Planning Group - Meetings, 1948 December 15- 1950 April 27
	3	Bureau of Ships Analog Computer (BUSAC'S) Method for Addition and Subtraction, 1950 January 23
	4	Engineering and Operational Specifications for Bureau of Standards Automatic Computer, 1950 June
	5	Notes on Computer Seminar, 1950 October 18-1951 January 25
	6	Memoranda, 1950 July-1951 March
	7	Graduate School of the National Bureau of Standards, Electron Computers Course and Pulse Circuitry and Digital Computers, 1950 September-1951 May
	8	Reprint from the National Bureau of Standards publication, Technical News Bulletin, SEAC Demonstrates High Reliability, 1951 May
	9	FOSDIC, A Pre-Input Data Recorder for Computers, 1953 December
		SERIES 2, U.S. NAVY/APPLIED MATHEMATICS LABORATORY, 1950-1957
		Subseries 1, Operational Manuals and Training Materials, 1952 - 1956
	10	The Defense Calculator, notes on, 1952 March
	11	Specifications for Automatic Plotter to be used with UNIVAC Computing System, 1954 March
	12	High Speed Printer, 1954 December 15-1956 March 1
		Subseries 2, Testing and Maintenance Documentation, 1953-1956
	13	Percent Efficiency Chart and AMS Summary of UNIVAC Maintenance, 1953 January -1953 July
	14	Planning and Programming Division Policies, 1954 October
	15	Programming Procedures and Planning and Programming Division Policies, 1956 May
		Subseries 3, Professional Literature, 1956-1957
	16	U.S. Naval Proving Ground, Dahlgren, Virginia: Computation and Ballistics Department, 1955 January
	17	Report on the Progress of the Bureau of Ships Computer Laboratory. Talk Given by Dr. Harry Polachek at the Chief's Council, Bureau of Ships, 1956 February 7
	18	Proceedings of Progress Report, 1953-1956. Engineering and Development Division. Applied Mathematics Laboratory. Edited by Gordon D. Goldstein, 1957 May.
		Subseries 4: Memoranda, 1952-1956
	19-20	Memoranda, 1952-1956
		Subseries 5: Office Humor, 1952
	21	Light Touch Folder, 1952 May-1952 December
		SERIES 3: UNIVAC-REMINGTON RAND CORPORATION/ECKERT-MAUCHLY COMPUTER CORPORATION, 1948–1956
		Subseries 1, Design Materials, 1948-1952
	22	Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation Diagrams, 1948-1950
	23	Design Drawings, 1949-1951
2	1	Fuse Panel, UNIVAC Blowers and Uniservo Primary Power Diagram, 1950 April
	2	Terms and Symbols Used In UNIVAC Diagram, 1950 August
	3	Control Circuits and Timing Chart, 1950
	4-7	Book of Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation Diagrams, 1950-1952
	8	Function Signals, undated
		Subseries 2, Operational Manuals and Training Materials, 1949 - 1956
	9	Floating Decimal Point Subroutines for Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division, 1949
	10	UNIVAC Engineering Aids, 1950 May
	11	Basic Operation Cycle - UNIVAC and Breakdown of UNIVAC Instructions, 1950 June
	12	Preliminary Description of the UNIVAC for Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation, 1950 July
3	1-5	UNIVAC Operational Notes, 1950 August
	6	Instructional booklet containing miscellaneous items pertaining to the operation of the UNIVAC Computer, 1950
	7	Introduction to Computers: Prepared by the Training Section, Electronic Computer Department, Remington Rand, 1950
3	8	A.I. Appendix describes the operation of typical electronic circuits which make up the logical elements shown on the block diagrams, 1951 September-1951 October
	9	UNIVAC System Pulse Code Instructions, 1951
	10	Operation Codes, 1952 March
	11	UNIVAC II: A Preliminary Manual, 1955 June
	12	Servo Systems Alignment Procedure: UNIVAC Training School, Philadelphia, 1955 December
	13	Manual of Operation: The Central Computer of the UNIVAC System, 1956
	14	Magnetic Tape to Tape Converter, undated
		Subseries 3, Testing and Maintenance Documentation, 1950 - 1956
4	1	UNIVAC Maintenance Lectures, January 1950-October 1951
	2	Replacement Rates of Vacuum Tubes and Crystal Diodes in Mark III Calculator, 1951 May-1952 September
	3	UNIVAC Test Equipment and Special Tools, 1952 June
	4	Recirculation Amplifier Alignment in the DC Test Bench, 1952 September
	5	The Definitions of Service Record Headings for UNIVAC, 1952 October
	6	Test of Power Supply HUM Measurements, 1952 December
	7	AC Power Distribution, 1953 March
	8	Equipment and Tools: Eckert-Mauchly Design, 1953 May
	9	Long Tank Standby and Overheat Microswitch Adjustment, 1953 May 27
	10-12	Service Routines Index, 1952 January-1954 October
	13	UNIVAC Tape-to-Card Converter, 1954 October
	14	Color Coding of 1N48 Germanium Crystal Diodes, 1956 August
	15	General Instructions for Maintenance Checks, undated
6	1	Index to the Troubleshooting Block Diagram Book for UNIVAC Central Computer Group, undated
2		Index to Drawings and Figures: Vol. III, undated
4	16	Tool and Test Equipment for a UNIVAC Installation, undated
	17	UNIVAC Spare Parts: Local Procurement, Out of Town Procurement, Chokes, Coils, Pulse Transformers, Mechanical Parts and Assemblies, Short Mercury Tanks with Chassis, UNIVAC Pulse Transformers, Coils, Delay Lines, and Chokes, and UNIVAC No. 1" Invoices, undated
		Subseries 4, Advertisements and Promotional Materials, 1950-1956
4	18-19	Advertisements and Promotional Materials, 1950-1956
	20	Eight Photographs of UNIVAC System, undated
		Subseries 5, Publications, 1954-195
6	21	The Programmer, 1954-1956
	22	The UNIVAC System: A 1954 Progress Report, 1954
		SERIES 4, UNIVAC CONFERENCES, 1950-1956
5	1	Association for Computing Machinery, 1950 September
	2	Association for Computing Machinery, 1951 March
	3	UNIVAC Maintenance Conference, 1954 May
	4	UNIVAC Servicing Engineers Conference, 1954 October
	5	UNIVAC System Engineers Conference, 1955 June
	6-7	UNIVAC System Engineers Conference, 1956 June
		SERIES 5, PUBLICATIONS AND COMPETITOR MATERIALS, 1950-1955
5	8	Articles Related to UNIVAC, 1952-1955
	9-10	General Computer Literature, 1950-1954 11-12 Competitor Materials, 1952-1955