President's Handwriting File

Staff Secretary's Office

PRESIDENTIAL HANDWRITING FILE

Documents Annotated by the President, 1974‑77

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

This file contains occasional documents in President Ford's handwriting along with numerous memoranda, briefing papers, and reports submitted to the President and bearing his annotations (rarely extensive), signature, or initials.

QUANTITY

41.4 linear feet (ca. 82,800 pages)

DONOR

Gerald R. Ford (accession number 77-120)

ACCESS

Open. Some items are temporarily restricted under terms of the donor's deed of gift, a copy of which is available on request, or under National Archives and Records Administration general restrictions (36 CFR 1256).

COPYRIGHT

Gerald R. Ford has donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain.

Prepared by William McNitt, June 1988

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INTRODUCTION

The Presidential Handwriting File contains memoranda, letters, briefing papers, and reports that President Ford initialed or otherwise annotated along with a small number of documents entirely in his hand.

Gertrude Fry of the Staff Secretary's Office maintained this file. She reviewed all documents from the Oval Office outbox for possible inclusion either in the Handwriting File or Special Files (for other supposedly sensitive or historically important documents). She then drafted memoranda that reported to a document's author any presidential decisions or comments. Even if a document case contained handwriting on only one page, Fry placed the entire case in the Handwriting File.

This collection covers most Ford administration topics, but researchers should note its limitations. Many documents from the President's outbox contained no annotations, so Fry just stamped them "The President has seen" and sent them to the White House Central Files. In addition, the Handwriting File seldom reflects White House staff work before or after an issue was referred to the President. It is probable, especially for the first half of the administration, that some handwriting items relating to national security matters were returned to the National Security Council or other agencies.

President Ford seldom added extensive comments or notes to documents. Usually he merely initialed them, placed a check mark next to the option he preferred, or added a brief note such as "Send to Jack Marsh for handling." Whether or not the handwriting itself is significant, the documents should prove important to most researchers because they were seen by the President and often reflect his decisions.

History of the Presidential Handwriting File

President Lyndon Johnson's staff started the practice of maintaining a separate handwriting file. Gertrude Fry copied the practices of the Johnson White House when she joined the Nixon staff and continued to be responsible for the file under President Ford.

Ms. Fry and her staff filed the documents chronologically by the date of the latest item in the document case. In the early months of the Ford administration, Ms. Fry indexed most handwriting items by creating subject and name cross references which she kept in her office. For most documents she also made a different type of cross reference sheet which she sent to Central Files.

In a June 1975 reorganization of the Staff Secretary's Office, Ms. Fry's duties changed, her staff was cut, Special Files was discontinued, and all indexing of handwriting items ended. She nonetheless continued to add materials to the Handwriting File during the remainder of the administration, including scattered items which bore no handwriting yet which she apparently considered too sensitive for Central Files (items which might have been filed in Special Files had it not been discontinued).

When received by the Ford Library, the Presidential Handwriting File consisted of the chronologically arranged originals and the subject and name index covering only the early months of the administration. During archival processing of the White House Central Files Subject File, many photocopies of handwriting documents were made and attached to their Central Files cross reference sheets. Since as many as two‑thirds of the documents were never cross referenced into Central Files, however, the Ford Library staff later photocopied the entire Handwriting File and arranged the photocopies by subject in 1987‑88.

Related Materials (June 1988):

This collection relates in some manner to most other collections in the Library, especially the White House Central Files. The Presidential Paperwork Logs, also maintained by Ms. Fry and her staff, record the date and time that documents were submitted to the President, the time returned to the outbox, and the subsequent disposition of the items. The records of the Special Files Unit contain a series on Special Files administration which describes another aspect of Ms. Fry's work. Scattered materials on her work may also appear in the files of her supervisor James Connor, the Staff Secretary and Secretary to the Cabinet.

Series Descriptions

1‑52 Subject File, 1974‑77. (20.8 linear feet)

Photocopies of the original handwriting documents (see next series). Ford Library staff made the copies and arranged them by subject. Memoranda, correspondence, briefing papers and reports on most Ford administration topics. Major topics include: aircraft noise control, economics, energy, environmental protection, Federal agencies and departments, federal budget, foreign aid, intelligence investigations, New York City financial crisis, political affairs, the 1976 presidential campaign, presidential speeches, taxation, trade, transportation, and uranium enrichment.

Arranged by subject using White House Central Files Subject File categories.

53‑99 Chronological File, 1974‑77. (18.8 linear feet)

Originals of the photocopied documents in the Subject File. (Open on a review by request basis.)

Arranged chronologically.

100‑102 Index File ‑ Subjects, 1974‑75. (1.0 linear feet)

Cross reference sheets prepared by Gertrude Fry and her staff describing most, but not all, handwriting items to June 1975. The creation of the Subject File by Ford Library staff largely replaces this incomplete index.

Arranged by White House Central Files alpha‑numeric codes.

102‑103 Index File ‑ Names, 1974‑75. (0.6 linear feet)

Cross reference sheets prepared by Gertrude Fry and her staff describing selected handwriting items to June 1975.

Arranged alphabetically by name of the individual or organization. White House staff are not indexed.

Container List

Box 1 Subject File

Agriculture (1)‑(3)

Arts

Atomic Energy (1)‑(8)

Box 2 Subject File

Atomic Energy ‑ Uranium Enrichment (1)‑(2)

Business and Economics ‑ Antitrust (1)‑(2)

Business and Economics ‑ Consumer Affairs (1)‑(7)

Business and Economics ‑ Domestic Trade (1)‑(2)

Box 3 Subject File

Business and Economics ‑ Industry

Business and Economics ‑ Industry: Automobiles

Business and Economics ‑ Industry: Food

Business and Economics ‑ Industry: Forestry

Business and Economics ‑ Industry: Mining (1)‑(3)

Business and Economics ‑ Industry: Petroleum (1)‑(5)

Business and Economics ‑ Industry: Steel

Box 4 Subject File

Business and Economics ‑ National Economy (1)‑(12)

Box 5 Subject File

Business and Economics ‑ National Economy (13)‑(14)

Civil Aviation

Civil Aviation ‑ CAB Decisions (1)‑(2)

Civil Aviation ‑ Jet Engine Cooperative Arrangement (1)‑(2)

Civil Aviation ‑ Noise Control (1)‑(5)

Box 6 Subject File

Civil Aviation ‑ Noise Control (6)‑(7)

Civil Aviation ‑ Pan Am

Civil Aviation ‑ Regulatory Reform

Commodities ‑ Coffee

Commodities ‑ Tin

Countries

Countries ‑ Angola

Countries ‑ Belgium

Countries ‑ Burma

Countries ‑ China (PRC)

Countries ‑ China (Taiwan)

Countries ‑ Cuba

Countries ‑ Egypt

Countries ‑ Ethiopia

Countries ‑ France

Countries ‑ Germany (Federal Republic)

Countries ‑ Hungary

Countries ‑ India

Countries ‑ Iraq

Countries ‑ Israel

Countries ‑ Italy

Countries ‑ Japan

Box 7 Subject File

Countries ‑ Korea (South)

Countries ‑ Lebanon

Countries ‑ Liberia

Countries ‑ Mexico

Countries ‑ Panama

Countries ‑ Philippines

Countries ‑ Poland

Countries ‑ Portugal

Countries ‑ Rhodesia

Countries ‑ Saudi Arabia

Countries ‑ South Africa

Countries ‑ Spain

Countries ‑ Turkey

Countries ‑ United Kingdom

Countries ‑ USSR

Countries ‑ Vatican City

Countries ‑ Vietnam (South)

Countries ‑ Zambia

Disasters

Education (1)‑(2)

Federal Aid

Federal Aid ‑ Education

Federal Aid ‑ Housing (1)‑(3)

Box 8 Subject File

Federal Aid ‑ Revenue Sharing

Federal Aid ‑ Transportation (1)‑(3)

Federal Government

Federal Government ‑ Freedom of Information

Federal Government ‑ Presidential Libraries (1)‑(2)

Federal Government ‑ Presidential Powers (1)-(2)

Federal Government ‑ Records and Archives

Federal Government Organizations Subseries:

Federal Government Organizations ‑ General

Agriculture Department

American Revolution Bicentennial Administration

Amtrak

Board of Foreign Scholarships

Business Council

Cabinet

Box 9 Subject File

Federal Government Organizations Subseries:

Cabinet Meetings, 1974/08 ‑ 1975/01

Cabinet Meetings, 1975/02 ‑ 1975/03

Cabinet Meetings, 1975/04 ‑ 1975/07

Cabinet Meetings, 1975/08 ‑ 1975/09

Cabinet Meetings, 1975/10 ‑ 1977/01

Central Intelligence Agency (1)-(2)

Civil Aeronautics Board

Commerce Department

Commission on Central Intelligence Agency Activities Within the United States (1)-(3)

Commission on Civil Rights

Commission on Postal Service

Commodity Futures Trading Commission

Community Service Administration

Box 10 Subject File

Federal Government Organizations Subseries:

Congress (1)-(2)

Congress ‑ House (1)-(3)

Congress ‑ Mail Logs (1)-(10)

Box 11 Subject File

Federal Government Organizations Subseries:

Congress ‑ Mail Logs (11)-(14)

Congress ‑ Senate (1)-(2)

Consumer Products Safety Commission

Corporation for Public Broadcasting

Council of Economic Advisers

Council on Environmental Quality

Council on International Economic Policy

Defense Department (1)-(4)

Box 12 Subject File

Federal Government Organizations Subseries:

Domestic Council

Domestic Council Committee on the Right of Privacy

District of Columbia Government

Drug Enforcement Administration

Economic Policy Board

Energy Independence Authority

Energy Research and Development Administration

Environmental Protection Agency

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Export‑Import Bank of the United States

Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Federal Council on Aging

Federal Election Commission (1)-(3)

Federal Energy Administration

Federal Home Loan Bank Board

Federal Maritime Commission

Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service

Federal National Mortgage Association

Federal Power Commission

Box 13 Subject File

Federal Government Organizations Subseries:

Federal Property Council

Federal Reserve System

Federal Trade Commission

Foreign Claims Settlement Commission

General Services Administration

Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation

Health, Education and Welfare Department (1)-(2)

Housing and Urban Development Department

Immigration and Naturalization Service

Intelligence Oversight Board

Interagency Classification Review Committee

Interior Department

Interstate Commerce Commission

Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin

Judicial Branch (1)-(3)

Judicial Branch ‑ District of Columbia Superior Court

Judicial Branch ‑ Supreme Court

Box 14 Subject File

Federal Government Organizations Subseries:

Justice Department

Labor Department

Law Enforcement Assistance Administration

Legal Service Corporation

Mining Enforcement and Safety Administration

National Advisory Council on Education Professions Development

National Alliance of Businessmen

National Center for Productivity and the Quality of Working Life

National Commission on Productivity and the Quality of Working Life

National Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year

National Endowment for the Humanities

National Historical Publications and Records Commission

National Labor Relations Board

National Mediation Board

National Security Council

National Study Commission on the Records and Documents of Public Officials

National Transportation Policy Study Commission

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Office of Economic Opportunity

Office of Management and Budget

Office of Science and Technology Policy

Office of Telecommunications Policy

Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation

President (1)-(2)

Box 15 Subject File

Federal Government Organizations Subseries:

President ‑ Former

President ‑ Former: Eisenhower

President ‑ Former: Johnson

President ‑ Former: Nixon

President ‑ Former: Truman

President ‑ Personal Representative

President ‑ Transition (1)‑(2)

President's Advisory Committee on Refugees

President's Biomedical Research Panel

President's Commission on Olympic Sports

President's Committee on Urban Development and Neighborhood Revitalization (1)‑(2)

President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board

President's Labor‑Management Committee

Securities and Exchange Commission

Special Action Office for Drug Abuse Prevention (1)‑(2)

Special Representative for Trade Negotiations

State Department

Box 16 Subject File

Federal Government Organizations Subseries:

Task Force on Questionable Corporate Payments Abroad (1)‑(3)

Tennessee Valley Authority

Transportation Department

Treasury Department

U.S. Attorneys and Marshals

U.S. Information Agency

U.S. Parole Commission

U.S. Postal Service (1)‑(2)

Veterans Administration

Vice President (1)‑(2)

White House Office (1)‑(3)

Box 17 Subject File

Finance

Finance ‑ Budget (1)‑(8)

Finance ‑ Budget: Agriculture Department

Finance ‑ Budget: Defense Department (1)‑(2)

Box 18 Subject File

Finance ‑ Budget: Defense Department (3)‑(5)

Finance ‑ Budget: District of Columbia

Finance ‑ Budget: EPA

Finance ‑ Budget: ERDA

Finance ‑ Budget: Export‑Import Bank

Finance ‑ Budget: FEA

Finance ‑ Budget: HEW (1)‑(4)

Finance ‑ Budget: HUD

Box 19 Subject File

Finance ‑ Budget: Interior Department

Finance ‑ Budget: Law Enforcement Assistance Administration

Finance ‑ Budget: Labor Department

Finance ‑ Budget: Legislative Branch

Finance ‑ Budget: NASA

Finance ‑ Budget: National Endowment for the Arts

Finance ‑ Budget: Transportation Department

Finance ‑ Budget: Veterans Administration

Finance ‑ Currency and Coinage (1)‑(2)

Finance ‑ Gold

Finance ‑ International Financial Conditions Reports (1)‑(3)

Finance ‑ Loans: Housing

Finance ‑ Loans: Students

Box 20 Subject File

Finance ‑ Monetary and Financial Conditions Report (1)‑(3)

Finance ‑ Public Debt

Finance ‑ Taxation (1)‑(10)

Box 21 Subject File

Finance ‑ Taxation (11)‑(12)

Foreign Affairs

Foreign Affairs ‑ Ambassadors (1)‑(5)

Foreign Affairs ‑ Financial Relations

Foreign Affairs ‑ Foreign Aid (1)‑(3)

Box 22 Subject File

Foreign Affairs ‑ Foreign Aid (4)‑(10)

Foreign Affairs ‑ Foreign Aid: Portugal

Foreign Affairs ‑ Foreign Aid: South Vietnam

Foreign Affairs ‑ Foreign Aid: Turkey

Box 23 Subject File

Foreign Affairs ‑ Fisheries

Foreign Affairs ‑ Foreign Travel

Foreign Affairs ‑ Moscow Embassy

Foreign Affairs ‑ Panama Canal (1)‑(2)

Gifts (1)‑(3)

Health

Health ‑ Cancer

Health ‑ Drug Abuse

Health ‑ Food and Nutrition

Health ‑ Government Physicians Pay

Health ‑ Pollution: Air (1)

Box 24 Subject File

Health ‑ Pollution: Air (2)‑(5)

Health ‑ Pollution: Toxic Substances Legislation

Health ‑ Pollution: Water

Highways

Gerald R. Ford Library

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