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Vernon J. Ehlers Collection

Overview

Abstract

Biographical Note

Detailed Description

Personal

Student Years

Post Graduate Correspondence

Research

Class Lectures

Student Evaluations

Calvin College Faculty

Kent County Board of Commissioners

Michigan House of Representatives and Senate

United States Congress

United States Congress

Election campaigns

Legislation

Reference material

Invitations

Awards and Honors

Subject files

Photographs

Media Relations

Ehlers' Campaigns

Constituent Gifts

Aeronautics and Aerospace

Plaques and Awards

Certificates

Photographs

Republican Party

Buttons, Decals, Patches, Memorabilia

Legislation

Miscellaneous



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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 5th District (later 3rd), 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 3: Post Graduate Correspondence --- 1960-1967
Box 4
Folder 1: B. J. Raz --- 1960
Folder 2: Victor W. Cohen --- 1960-1969
Folder 3: K. F. Smith --- 1960-1969
Folder 4: Makay Chemical Company --- 1960-1961
Folder 5: Allen Lurio --- 1960
Folder 6: Miscellaneous: UC Berkeley --- 1960
Folder 7: Correspondence Re: National Science Foundation Fellowship --- 1961
Folder 8: William Child --- 1961-1970
Folder 9: A. E. Glassgold --- 1961
Folder 10: Norman Braslaw --- 1961
Folder 11: Mary Gronert --- 1961-1962
Folder 12: Jhan M. Khan --- 1961
Folder 13: Ingvar Lindgren --- 1961-1966
Folder 14: Herman I. Chinn --- 1961-1963
Folder 15: W. Bruce Ewbank --- 1961-1968
Folder 16: H. M. Goldenberg --- 1962-1964
Folder 17: Banner review of The Genesis Flood and VJE response --- September 1963
Folder 18: Harvey-Wells Corporation --- 1963-1964
Folder 19: Fred Reif --- 1963
Folder 20: R. C. Mockler --- 1964
Folder 21: G. K. Woodgate --- 1964
Folder 22: J. Bonanomi --- 1964
Folder 23: Carl J. G. Abom --- 1964
Folder 24: Planning for Construction of Walnut Creek CRC --- 1964
Folder 25: Walnut Creek CRC --- 1964
Folder 26: R. G. Summers-Gill --- 1964-1965
Folder 27: Yau Wa Chan --- 1963-1967
Folder 28: Erol Aygun --- 1965
Folder 29: Burton Budick --- 1965
Folder 30: Burton J. Moyer --- 1966-1967
Folder 31: University of California Flying Club material (VJE was a member) --- 1960

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]


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