Guide to the William Mitchell Cates Papers, 1927

Descriptive Summary

Repository: North Carolina State University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center
Creator: Cates, William Mitchell, 1908-
Title: William Mitchell Cates Papers, 1927 - 1936
Call Number: MC 139
Extent: 1.25 linear feet, 2 archival boxes, 1 half box
Location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Special Collections Research Center Reference Staff.
Language of Material: English

Information for Users

Restrictions to Access: This collection is open for research; access requires at least 24 hours advance notice.
Acquisitions Information: Transferred from North Carolina State University Foundations and Development Office, 1981 June 2. (Accn. no. 1981-0012)
Preferred Citation: [Identification of item], William Mitchell Cates Papers, MC 139, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
Copyright Notice: The nature of the NCSU Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NCSU Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
Proccessing Information: Processed by Jennifer McElroy, 2007 April

Encoded by Jennifer McElroy, 2007 April

Biographical Note

A native of Millboro, North Carolina, William Mitchell Cates attended the North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering (later North Carolina State University) from 1928 to 1932. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering in June 1932.

There is currently (2007) an endowed scholarship named for Cates. The William M. Cates Scholarship Program provides multiple scholarships for students who have documented financial need and high academic performance and who are studying electrical engineering.

Scope and Content Note

The papers in this collection pertain to William Mitchell Cates’s undergraduate career at North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering (later North Carolina State University). A variety of coursework is represented, including a report on the operation of the Panama Canal, graded business letters, handouts on the economics of electric companies and original problem sets, as well as Cates’s work on these problems in the form of computations, charts, graphs, notes, and exams. This collection also contains materials relating to Cates’s registration and housing, university publications, and other engineering-related publications. All the materials are handwritten, printed, mimeographs, or blue photostat copies, and are dated 1927 to 1936. The bulk of the collection dates from 1929 to 1932.

Organization of the Collection

The collection is arranged in two series: Education and Publications.

Online Catalog Terms

The following terms have been used to index the guide to the collection in the NCSU Library's online catalog.

Individuals

Cates, William Mitchell, 1908-

Corporate Entities

North Carolina State University. Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering--History.
North Carolina State University--History.
North Carolina State College--Periodicals.
North Carolina State University--Periodicals.
North Carolina State University--Students--History.

Topics

College students--North Carolina--History.
Economics--Study and teaching--North Carolina.
Electric engineering--Study and teaching (Higher)--North Carolina.
Engineering students--North Carolina--History.
Engineering--Study and teaching--North Carolina.

Related Material

College of Engineering Record Group

Detailed Description of the Collection

MC 139 Series 1 : Education, 1928 - 1936

1.0 linear feet, 2 archival boxes

This series contains Cates's coursework and other materials directly related to his education. It is arranged chronologically.
- Registration and Housing, 1928 - 1932 [MC 139 Box 1, Folder 1]
- "The Operation of the Panama Canal," report with bibliography and outline, 1929 April 24 [MC 139 Box 1, Folder 2]
- Exercises and coursework, 1929 October [MC 139 Box 1, Folder 3]
- Exercises and coursework, 1929 November [MC 139 Box 1, Folder 4]
- Exercises and coursework, 1929 December [MC 139 Box 1, Folder 5]
- Exercises and coursework, 1930 January [MC 139 Box 1, Folder 6]
- Exercises and coursework, 1930 February [MC 139 Box 1, Folder 7]
- Exercises and coursework, 1930 March [MC 139 Box 1, Folder 8]
- Exercises and coursework, 1930 May [MC 139 Box 1, Folder 9]
- Exercises and coursework, 1930 Fall [MC 139 Box 1, Folder 10]
- Exercises and coursework, 1930 September [MC 139 Box 1, Folder 11]
- Exercises and coursework, 1930 October [MC 139 Box 1, Folder 12]
- Exercises and coursework, 1930 November [MC 139 Box 1, Folder 13]
- Exercises and coursework, 1930 December [MC 139 Box 1, Folder 14]
- Exercises and coursework, 1931 January [MC 139 Box 1, Folder 15]
- Exercises and coursework, 1931 February [MC 139 Box 1, Folder 16]
- Exercises and coursework, 1931 March [MC 139 Box 1, Folder 17]
- Exercises and coursework, 1931 April [MC 139 Box 1, Folder 18]
- Exercises and coursework, 1931 May [MC 139 Box 1, Folder 19]
- Exercises and coursework, 1931 September [MC 139 Box 1, Folder 20]
- Exercises and coursework, 1931 October [MC 139 Box 1, Folder 21]
- Exercises and coursework, 1931 November [MC 139 Box 2, Folder 1]
- Exercises and coursework, 1931 December [MC 139 Box 2, Folder 2]
- Exercises and coursework, 1932 January [MC 139 Box 2, Folder 3]
- Exercises and coursework, 1932 February [MC 139 Box 2, Folder 4]
- Exercises and coursework, 1932 March [MC 139 Box 2, Folder 5]
- Exercises and coursework, 1932 April [MC 139 Box 2, Folder 6]
- Exercises and coursework, 1932 May [MC 139 Box 2, Folder 7]
- Exercises and coursework, circa 1929 - 1932 [MC 139 Box 2, Folder 8]
- Economics 238, circa 1929 - 1932 [MC 139 Box 2, Folder 9]
- Electronic Engineering 105, 202, 303, 304, circa 1929 - 1932 [MC 139 Box 2, Folder 10]
- Junior Problems, circa 1929 - 1932 [MC 139 Box 2, Folder 11]
- Engineering Economics, circa 1929 - 1932 [MC 139 Box 2, Folder 12]
- Mechanical Engineering Laboratory Experiments, 1932 - 1933 [MC 139 Box 2, Folder 13]
- Exercises and coursework, 1936 March [MC 139 Box 2, Folder 14]
- The Norwood Hydro-electric Development and the River Bend Steam Station photostats, undated [MC 139 Box 2, Folder 15]
[Return to Descriptive Summary]
MC 139 Series 2 : Publications, 1927 - 1932

0.25 linear feet, 1 half box

This series contains publications collected by Cates, both those published by North Carolina State College and non-university publications related to engineering. These materials are arranged chronologically.
- Rates and Load Building, Sangamo Electric Company, 1927 [MC 139 Box 2, Folder 16]
- Elementary Instructions for Operating the Slide Rule, 1928 [MC 139 Box 2, Folder 17]
- State College Record, 1929 August [MC 139 Box 2, Folder 18]
- L.E. Wooten “Field Manual on Surveying” , 1929 [MC 139 Box 2, Folder 19]
- North Carolina State College Schedule of Courses, 1930 - 1931 [MC 139 Half Box 3, Folder 1]
- General Electric Power-Factor Plotter, 1931 [MC 139 Half Box 3, Folder 2]
- Pennsylvania Water and Power Co., Twenty Second Annual Report and Year Book, 1931 [MC 139 Half Box 3, Folder 3]
- Directory of Faculty and Students, 1931 - 1932 [MC 139 Half Box 3, Folder 4]
- NC State Alumni News, 1932 March [MC 139 Half Box 3, Folder 5]
- Wataugan, 1932 May 1 [MC 139 Half Box 3, Folder 6]
- General Electric Opportunities for Engineering Graduates, undated [MC 139 Half Box 3, Folder 7]
[Return to Descriptive Summary]

Guide to the William Mitchell Cates Papers, 1927 - 1936

Collection Number MC 139

Collection Information