CHARLES H. McCALL FILES, 1974-77

The McCall files document the work of editorial staff researchers throughout the Ford administration. The bulk of the file is material drawn together or created during Agnes Waldron's tenure as director of research from August 1974 to June 1976, subsequently inherited and augmented by Charles McCall.

McCall joined the White House staff as a consultant to assist Waldron with the research office operation in May 1976 and succeeded her as director in July. Waldron and later McCall reported to Gwen Anderson, Editor of Presidential Messages and Research, who in turn was responsible to Robert Hartmann, Counsellor to the President. Day-to-day activities were the responsibility of Waldron and McCall, and their research staff numbered five or six at various points during the administration.

The research office staff was responsible for supplying the speechwriting staff with background information on places where the President was to speak, issues of local concern there, and people with whom the President was likely to meet. Another function of the office was to check the accuracy of dates and other facts in speeches, statements and messages.

The main research file is arranged by subject according to a numerical classification system apparently devised by the editorial staff. Approximately half the file consists of newspaper clippings and press releases. Other print and near-print material included are reports, magazines, speech and interview transcripts, and wire service stories. Occasionally manuscript items such as background memoranda and draft speeches or statements sent to research for checking were included. Scattered items predate the Ford administration and appear to have been retained for their continuing informational value.

The McCall files arrived at the Ford Library in several installments, the final accretion arriving after the collection had been made available for research. Asterisks have been used in the container list to indicate where these items were originally filed.

Related Materials (October 1983)
Related material includes the files of Robert Orben/Paul Theis (director of speechwriting/editorial staff executive editor) and Gwen Anderson (editor of presidential message and research) on the editorial staff and the files of Wanda Phelan who maintained a research file similar to McCall's for the press operation. Three other series in the McCall files are currently unprocessed and unavailable for research.