Illinois Place-Name Committee: Guides, Handbooks, 1941-1971

SCOPE AND CONTENT The records in this collection document the professional activities and associations of former Northern Illinois University Archivist (1964-1979) J. Joseph Bauxar from 1957 to 1980.  Types of materials include correspondence, minutes, state and federal legislation, survey forms, special committee reports, programs, and publications from the following organizations: Illinois Place-Name Committee; Illinois Archaeological Survey; the Midwest Archives Conference.  Also included are records from the Society of American Archivists; the Parks, Playgrounds, and Open Space Sub-Committee of the Citizens Community Impact Committee; the Illinois Junior Academy of Science; the Historic Buildings and Areas Committee.  A cassette tape and outline of an oral history interview with Mr. Bauxar complete the collection. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH J. Joseph Bauxar was born September 9, 1910 and earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Oklahoma in 1932.  He continued his education at the University of Chicago and the University of Wisconsin where he completed an M.A. in anthropology/history (Chicago, 1950) and Master of Library Science (Wisconsin, 1958).  Prior to his appointment as the first archivist for Northern Illinois University, Bauxar worked as an archaeologist in Nebraska, as an ethnohistorian at the University of Tennessee, and as a librarian at Rockford College, Rockford, Illinois.  By 1964, Joseph Bauxar came to Northern's campus well qualified to head the newly created post of University Archivist.  With his arrival, NIU began its first full-fledged program to preserve information on the history, organization, and administration of the University.  Retiring in August of 1979, Bauxar continued to assist the new University Archivist, Glen Gildemeister, on a part-time basis until June 1980. Mr. Bauxar was an active participant and member of the following organizations: Society of American Archivists; Illinois Archaeological Survey; DeKalb County Corn Club; Illinois Place-Name Committee; Midwest Archives Conference; Illinois Junior Academy of Science; Illinois Association for the Advancement of Archaeology; DeKalb County Historical Society; DeKalb Landmarks Commission; DeKalb Genealogical Society.