Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives ( specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Robert A. Belz Papers, Ms2011-105, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

The Robert A. Belz Papers were donated to Special Collections and University Archives prior to 2000. An addition was donated to the Virginia Tech Foundation in 1998 then transferred to Special Collections and University Archives in 2005.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Robert A. Belz Papers was completed in November 2011. Additional processing, arrangement, and description was completed in July 2019.

Biographical Note

Robert Armstrong Belz (1916-1997) of Staunton, Va., was the son of William Frank Belz and Florence Mae Tinsley and had an elder brother, William Tinsley Belz. Belz attended Virginia Tech, joined the Corps of Cadets, and earned a B.S. in Industrial Engineering in 1939.

Scope and Content

The collection contains the personal and academic papers of Robert A. Belz, a 1939 Virginia Tech alumni who graduated with a bachelors degree in industrial engineering. Materials range from 1869-1962, however, a majority of the works are from the 1930s-1940s or undated. Several oversized folders accompany the collection and hold technical drawings, newspapers, or posters. In addition to school work for math, business, humanities, and science courses, the collection also includes correspondence, clippings and ephemera, and a small group of photographs and cards.

Series I: Academic Papers consists of the undergraduate and graduate work of Robert A. Belz. This includes tests, notes, notebooks, and more. Most notably, there is an extensive, oversize collection of sketches from Belz's geometry and engineering classes. The series also contains Belz's Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering diploma. Organization is based on subject: Business, Corps of Cadets, Engineering, General, Humanities, Math, Science, and Belz's diploma.

Series II: Correspondence is divided into academic and personal subjects. Academic correspondence comprises Belz's academic letters and memos such as transcripts and orientation documents. Personal correspondence consists of Belz's personal letters, which range from dental appointment postcards to church meeting invitations.

Series III: Ephemera accommodates various items from Belz's collegiate life at Virginia Tech, including his academic life and student life, and Chinese Government Gold Loan coupon bonds. A 1934 Virginia Tech Directory and a marketing poster for a "V.P.I. Skippers" dance are two examples of the material within this series.

Series IV: Newspaper Clippings consists of both dated and undated clippings. Both groups contain a diverse array of newspaper articles and, in some cases, full periodicals. Topics range from the construction of the Pentagon to the "types of girls in a powder room."

Series V: Photographs and Illustrations contain three folders based on material type: Christmas Cards, Illustrations, and Photographs.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged by format in five series:

Series I: Academic Papers Series II: Correspondence Series III: Ephemera Series IV: Newspapers Clippings Series V: Photographs and Illustrations.

Each series is organized by subject and/or material type, and each file is arranged chronologically wherever possible with undated materials last.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Students and alumni
• University History
• Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute (1896-1944)
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute (1944-1970)
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Alumni Association
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute. School of Engineering and Architecture

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Robert A. Belz Papers by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your- work/public-domain/cc0/ ).