The collection is divided into five series: Papers, Topical File, Correspondence, Photographs and Sound Recordings. The papers series (1 linear foot) consists of minutes, reports, incoming and outgoing correspondence of the secretary/treasurer, copies of the club president's correspondence, and correspondence from the secretary of the Alumni Association. Although the items date from 1924 to 1985, most of the material covers the 1950s, when Mr. Collier was most active. The papers were received in considerable disarray, and were rearranged chronologically. The topical files were retained in their original form. Some overlap may exist between the two types of files. The Correspondence series is largely of copies of correspondence from Alumni Association General Director T. Hawley Tapping to alumni and others in the Washington D.C. area and correspondence with representatives of other U-M alumni clubs. The Photographs series consists of prints from the Congressional Dinner hosted by the club. The audiotapes include talks by U-M President Robben Fleming and Gerald Ford at the club's annual dinner.
Theodore Maxwell Collier was born on June 28, 1909, and spent his youth in Frankfort, Michigan, graduating from Frankfort High School in 1927. He received his B.A. from the University of Michigan in 1931 and his M.A. in 1932. He was employed as an archivist by the Memorial Division of the U.S. Army for over thirty years, beginning in 1936. Mr. Collier had a longtime association with the University of Michigan Alumni Club of Washington, D.C., which he served as secretary/treasurer from 1942 to 1962. He also served for some time as secretary/treasurer of the Second District of the Alumni Association (of which the Washington Club was one member). In addition, Mr. Collier was involved with the Michigan State Society, an organization of people in the Washington, D.C. area who have an affiliation with the state of Michigan. He served this group as historian, and wrote an organizational history on the occasion of its centennial in 1962.
