Vernon J. Ehlers Collection, 1955-2010 | Heritage Hall, Hekman Library

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Collection Overview

Title: Vernon J. Ehlers Collection, 1955-2010

ID: COLL/525

Primary Creator: Vernon James Ehlers (1934-2017)

Extent: 93.0 Boxes

Arrangement: Folder level description

Abstract

Professor of physics at Calvin College; and a politician (Kent County Board Commissioner, State Representative, State Senator, and Federal Congressman). The collection details Ehlers’ political career including committee service and bills sponsored/co-sponsored, plus his earlier academic career. The collection includes biographical data, resolutions, reports, news releases, memorandums, correspondence, notes, speeches, bills, proclamations, acts, concept papers, house statements, articles, remarks, political campaign material, testimonies, debates, awards, papers, interviews, handouts, studies, appointment books/cards/lists/schedules/sheets, news clippings, videos, cassettes, DVDs, posters, photographs, and artifacts.

Biographical Note

Vernon James Ehlers is the youngest of the four children of Rev. John William Christian and Alice Cornelia (née Doorn) Ehlers, born on 6 Feb 1934 in Pipestone, MN. He suffered from severe asthma as a child and as a consequence was unable to attend school. He was home- and self-schooled and received a diploma from Edgerton (MN) Christian School and did his high school work via correspondence. He attended Calvin College, 1952-1955; and the University of California, Berkeley, from which he received an AB in 1956 and a PhD in 1960; his doctoral dissertation was “The Nuclear Spins and Moments of Several Radioactive Gallium Isotopes.”

He taught and conducted scientific research at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, 1956-1966, and joined the Physics Department of Calvin College in 1966, ultimately serving as department chair. He was a member of the Faculty Organization Study Committee (FOSCO), 1968-1977, that developed a new faculty governance system for the college, whose enrollment had grown from 500 in 1945 to 3,200 when Ehlers joined the faculty. He left the college faculty in 1983 to serve in the Michigan Legislature.

Ehlers was elected to the Kent County Board of Commissioners, 1975-1983; the Michigan House of Representatives, 1983-1985; and the Michigan Senate, 1985-1993. In 1993 he won a special election in Michigan’s 5^th District (later 3^rd), after the death of former fellow faculty member Congress Member Paul B. Henry (Coll. 357) and won a full term in 1994, and subsequent elections, serving until 2011.

Ehlers married Johanna Meulink on 14 Jun 1958; they have four children: Heidi, Brian, Marla, and Todd. The Ehlers were founding members of Faith Fellowship Christian Reformed Church, Walnut Creek, CA, in 1961.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Personal, 1955-2010],
[Series 2: Student Years, 1955-1960],
[Series 3: Post Graduate Correspondence, 1960-1967],
[Series 4: Research, 1962-1968],
[Series 5: Class Lectures, 1967-1979],
[Series 6: Student Evaluations, 1979-1982, n.d.],
[Series 7: Calvin College Faculty, 1963-1983],
[Series 8: Kent County Board of Commissioners, 1878-1982],
[Series 9: Michigan House of Representatives and Senate, 1982-1993],
[Series 10: United States Congress, 1993-2012],
[Series 11: United States Congress, 1993-2012],
[Series 12: Election campaigns],
[Series 13: Legislation],
[Series 14: Reference material],
[Series 15: Invitations],
[Series 16: Awards and Honors],
[Series 17: Subject files],
[Series 18: Photographs],
[Series 19: Media Relations],
[Series 20: Ehlers' Campaigns],
[Series 21: Constituent Gifts],
[Series 22: Aeronautics and Aerospace],
[Series 23: Plaques and Awards],
[Series 24: Certificates],
[Series 25: Photographs],
[Series 26: Republican Party],
[Series 27: Buttons, Decals, Patches, Memorabilia],
[Series 28: Legislation],
[Series 29: Miscellaneous],
[All]

Series 13: Legislation

Box 52

Folder 1: Rules Committee Testimony of VJE RE: House Bill 1606 -Online Freedom of Speech --- n.d.
Folder 2: VJE Proposed Amendment to HR3800 (Superfund Reform Act) --- 1994
Folder 3: Congressional Voting Record --- 1994-2002
Folder 4: Material RE: Clean Water Restoration Act --- 1995
Folder 5: Environmental Scorecards --- 1995-1998
Folder 6: "Cyber Congress" Project --- 1996
Folder 7: National Science and Technology Policy --- 1996
Folder 8: Science Policy Study (1/2) --- 1997
Folder 9: Science Policy Study (2/2) --- 1997
Folder 10: Introduction of Bill for "Human Cloning Research Prohibition Act" --- 1997
Folder 11: Sierra Leone Resolution --- 1998
Folder 12: "Unlocking Our Future: Toward a New National Science Policy" -US House Committee --- 1998
Folder 13: National Science Policy Study --- 1998
Folder 14: Notes on National Science Policy Report --- 1998
Folder 15: Report -Unlocking Our Future: Toward a New National Science Policy --- Sep-98
Folder 16: National Science Policy Report Prepared by VJE --- 1998
Folder 17: Congressional Record -Basic Scientific Research --- 1999
Folder 18: National Science Education Acts --- 2000
Folder 19: National Science Education Acts --- 2000
Folder 20: National Science Education Acts --- 2000

Box 53

Folder 1: House of Representatives Bills RE: Invasive Species in Great Lakes (Sponsored by VJE) --- 2002-2003
Folder 2: GR Press Article on VJE Vote on Federal Job Training Program --- March 8, 2005
Folder 3: House Floor Debate on Energy Bill --- May 11, 2005
Folder 4: Summary by VJE of HR1592 -Invasive Species Research Act --- Apr-05
Folder 5: Program Honoring 110th Congress (VJE Chairman) --- November 15, 2006
Folder 6: Congressional Record-Energy --- May 23, 2001
Folder 7: Flyer on VJE Vote on Hinchey-Rohrabacher Amendment --- June 4, 2001
Folder 8: House of Republicans Bill HR1070 -Amend Federal Water Pollution Control Act --- 2001
Folder 9: Iraq Resolution --- 2002
Folder 10: Various Resolutions and Bills Introduced by VJE During 111th Congress --- 2010
Folder 11: Office Guest Book --- Jan 1994-Aug 1999
Folder 12: Office Guest Book --- 2004
Folder 13: Office Guest Book --- Apr 2005-Feb 2007

Box 54

Folder 1-9: News Clippings --- 1994-1995

Box 55

Folder 1-11: News Clippings --- 1996-1997

Box 56

Folder 1-11: News Clippings --- 1998-July 1999

Box 57

Folder 1-8: News Clippings --- Aug 1999-May 2001

Box 58

Folder 1-9: News Clippings --- Jun 2001-April 2003

Box 59

Folder 1-6: News Clippings --- May 2003-April 2004

Box 60

Folder 1-6: News Clippings --- May 2004-April 2005

Box 61

Folder 1-9: News Clippings --- May 2005-Sept 2006

Box 62

Folder 1-17: News Clippings --- Oct 2006-Nov 2010
Folder 18: News Clippings RE: VJE Retirement and Campaign to Replace Him --- 2010

Box 63

Folder 1-8: Daily Schedules --- 2002-2008

Box 64

Folder 1-11: Speaking/Appearance Schedules --- 1994-1999

Box 65

Folder 1: Speaking/Appearance Schedules --- 2000-2011

Box 66

Folder 1

Item 1: Appointment Books --- 1968-1975, 1981
Item 2: Pocket Diaries --- 1968-1970, 1973-1982