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Guide to the J.P. (John Paul) Smith papers M1894
M1894  
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Collection Details
 
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  • Biographical
  • Access to Collection
  • Publication Rights
  • Acquisition Information
  • Preferred Citation
  • Scope and Contents

  • Title: J.P. (John Paul) Smith papers
    Identifier/Call Number: M1894
    Contributing Institution: Department of Special Collections and University Archives
    Language of Material: English
    Physical Description: 1.75 Linear feet (4 manuscript boxes)
    Date (inclusive): ca. 1927-1970
    Abstract: J.P. Smith worked on the development of the television at Radio Corporation of America (RCA). This collection contains mostly his early papers and schematics.

    Biographical

    John Paul Smith (frequently referred to as J.P.) was born in 1905 and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 1927 from Texas A & M College. Upon graduation he joined General Electric in Schenectady where Ernest Alexanderson led the six person television research group, which broadcast a 24 line television signal in 1928 from its station WGY. WGY produced and transmitted the first television drama, “The Queen’s Messenger.” Smith worked on carrier current and early television circuits at GE. With the merger of the television interests of GE, Westinghouse, and RCA in 1930, Mr. Smith moved to Camden, New Jersey to work as a television development engineer at RCA Victor, “where he worked on studio and terminal equipment, specializing in sync generators” (quoted from his resume). Smith worked at Camden on a number of television projects. During World War II Smith seems to have worked in radar and communications primarily. In 1947 Smith resumed his work on television and was focused a great deal on broadcast transmission equipment, especially mobile broadcasting. From 1949 until about 1962 Smith worked on color television on a wide variety of important technical issues. He also trained RCA television dealers on the television sets they were selling. For the rest of his career until he retired in 1971 he worked on a number of diverse government contracts and on satellite communications in such fields as ground stations and image perceptibility and clarity.

    Access to Collection

    Open for research; material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use.

    Publication Rights

    All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, California 94305-6064. Consent is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner, heir(s) or assigns. See: http://library.stanford.edu/depts/spc/pubserv/permissions.html.
    Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.

    Acquisition Information

    This collection was purchased by Stanford University, Special Collections in January, 2012.

    Preferred Citation

    [identification of item], J.P. Smith collection of RCA Television History ephemera (M1894). Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

    Scope and Contents

    This collection contains articles, notes, schematics, photographs, blueprints, and slides related to the development of the television.

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Radio Corporation of America (RCA).
    Smith, John Paul, 1905-