RGXXI: Committee on Translation Activities

Historical Note

The Committee on Translation Activities(var Problems in Translation; Planning Committee for the National Center for Translation; and Survey of Translation Needs) was in operation from 1975-1979. The purpose of the Committee was to address the lack of available translations of foreign manuscripts important to the study of the humanities. Originally the impetus of Reuben Bower, other significant persons involved include Martin Bloomfield, Howard Hibbet, and Harriet Ritvo. The former two acted as chairs alternately, with Bloomfield largely bearing the later responsibility. 

With funds from the Academy’s Committee on Research and Planning, the committee held a conference on May 12, 1975, the result of which was to organize an effort to pursue funding for a National Center for Translation. Other efforts of the committee included a Survey of Translation Needs, using the field of History of Architecture as a test case. Questionnaires were sent to American and Foreign scholars in the field asking what texts they considered overlooked in translation, with a December 11, 1978 meeting organized to review the responses and discuss the theoretical aspects of the issue. Report of the Survey of Translation Needs in the History of Architecture was issued by the Academy in December 1979. Thereafter further efforts of the Academy ceased. Responsibility of efforts for translations in the subject of the History of Architecture transferred to the Society of Architectural Historians. 

Funding was provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

Scope and Content

The series is contained within the Academy Archives’ Record Group XXI: Academy Projects and Programs. This series contains the records related to the Committee on Trans, from 1974-1984, n.d., with the largest portion created in 1978. Records of the Workshops were kept and created within the executive office of John Voss, including Pat Flaherty. Included among the records are administrative records relating to almost every effort of the Committee including general correspondence, specific correspondence among the committee and to granting agencies, planning for both conferences, and individual Questionnaire responses. Included among the citation records are simply index card files of citations of books suggested by questionnaire responses. 

Significant material includes early correspondence among the executive office, Martin Bloomfield, and Howard Hibbet; as well there are minutes of the 1975 and 1978 conferences, individual Questionnaire responses, index card citations, and the final report of the Committee.

See records of related effort, RG XXI: Committee on the History of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and RG XXI: Survey of Sources in the History of Modern Science and Technology, which both produced a Survey of Sources as a final product. The latter Committee was not officially part of the larger Academy Program and related records, RG XXI: Committee on Recent Science and Technology.

Arrangement

Processing for the series utilized MPLP principles, thus minimum preservation steps were taken, and folder titles listed in the finding aid are as they appear on the actual folders. Original order was mostly maintained, however, some related loose papers without folders existed outside of the filing system. These were refoldered, given ascribed folder titles, and incorporated chronologically. 

This series is organized into two subseries: Subseries 1: Administration (1974-1984); and Subseries 2: Citations (1978, n.d.). Subseries 1 is arranged chronologically. Subseries 2 is maintained in its original order with undated citations located in another location added at the end.

Volume

3 records center cartons (2.5 linear feet)

Preferred Citation

[Item title, date]. Record Group XXI: Academy Projects – Committee on Translation Activities, 1974-1984, n.d. Archives, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Subjects

Bloomfield, Martin
Flaherty, Patricia, 1938-
Hibbett, Howard
Voss, John, 1917-
National Endowment for the Humanities
Architecture--History--Translations
Architecture--Scholars--Questionnaires
Humanities--Manuscripts--Translations
Knowledge