Descriptive Summary
Administrative Information
Scope and Contents
Organization and Arrangement
Indexing Terms
Descriptive Summary
Title: John Bell Rae papers
Dates: 1936-1988 and undated
Collection number: H.Mss.0703
Creator:
Rae, John Bell
Extent:
5 Linear Feet
(5 records boxes)
Repository:
Claremont Colleges. Library. Special Collections, Honnold/Mudd Library. Claremont, CA 91711
Abstract: This collection contains the papers of John Bell Rae, a historian of industry and tecchnology and one of the first members
of the Harvey Mudd faculty. Besides teaching at both the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvey Mudd College, Rae
authored seminal texts on the history of industry and performed research for engineering projects and committees such as the
NASA Historical Advisory Committee and Harvard University’s Research Center for Entrepreneurial History. This collection
contains Rae's biographical information, personal correspondence, and notes. It also contains Rae's various academic papers,
including articles, theses, research notes, and lectures on engineering history and policy.
Physical Location: Please consult repository.
Language of Material: Languages represented in the collection: English.
Administrative Information
Access
Collection open for research.
Publication Rights
All requests for permission to reproduce or to publish must be submitted in writing to Special Collections.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], John Bell Rae Papers (H.Mss.0703). Special Collections, The Claremont Colleges Library, Claremont,
California.
Provenance / Source of Acquisition
Gift of Mrs. Florence Rae, 1989.
Accruals
No additions to the collection are anticipated.
Processing Infomation
Collection was minimally processed. Files were rehoused into archival folders and boxes. Metal clasps and fasteners were removed
and replaced with plastic. Original order was maintained.
Biographical / Historical
John Bell Rae (1911 – 1988) was a historian and professor whose lifelong fascination with industry and technology, and its
impact on human development, shaped his career. Besides teaching at both the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvey
Mudd College, Rae authored seminal texts on the history of industry and performed research for engineering projects and committees
such as the NASA Historical Advisory Committee, Harvard University’s Research Center for Entrepreneurial History, and had
his research into the American automotive industry sponsored by the Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association. He was also a
founder and past president of the Society for the History of Technology. In 1980, he was the recipient of its highest award,
the Leonardo da Vinci Medal.
Rae was born in Glasgow, Scotland and emigrated with his family to the United States when he was twelve years old. He earned
his B.A. in history from Brown University and briefly studied at Yale before returning to Brown for graduate study on the
history of economics. He received his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees under the supervision of James B. Hedges, and wrote a highly
regarded dissertation on railroad land grants. Beginning his teaching career at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Rae would leave the institution in 1959 in order to become a full time faculty member at the newly founded Harvey Mudd College.
There, he taught classes on the history of technology and industry. He strongly believed that engineers should also have a
liberal arts education, and served as chairman of the Liberal Studies Division of the American Society for Engineering Education
in both 1962-63 and 1968-69.
Retiring in 1976, John Bell Rae continued to teach at Claremont Graduate School, research, and write. He remained active until
his unexpected passing in 1988. Rae is remembered for his prolific career, dedication, and passion for his work.
Sources
Flink, James J. "John Bell Rae (1911-1988)." Technology and Culture 30, no. 3 (1989): 718-22. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3106002.
Scope and Contents
This collection contains the personal papers of John Bell Rae. Materials in this collection include biographical information,
personal correspondence, and notes. It also contains Rae's various academic papers, including articles, theses, research notes,
and lectures on engineering history and policy.
Organization and Arrangement
Collection is arranged at the folder level. Original order of the materials was maintained.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library’s online public access catalog.
Subject Terms
Engineers
Engineering--History
Harvey Mudd College
History
History of Technology
Technology--History
Universities and colleges -- Faculty
Genre and Form of Materials
Articles
Correspondence
Lectures
Research notes and studies