The Robert Weinstock papers, which heavily focus on Weinstock's scholarly activity outside the classroom, largely consist of his correspondence with colleagues and with the editors of various physics journals.

Weinstock regularly reviewed books, instructional texts and manuscripts submitted for publication in the American Journal of Physics, and his own work was published recurrently in several prominent physics journals. His professional activity as an outside referee is corroborated by an extensive series of letters to the authors whose work he appraised and to the editor of AmJPhys dating from 1966 to 2000. More correspondence with the editor of AmJPhys exists regarding Weinstock's own submissions, 1961-1991. The Principia argument is discussed in communication with other physics professors, 1979-1982, preceding the publication of his article "Dismantling a centuries-old myth: Newton's Principia and inverse-square orbits", 1983. This set of material is among the most significant in the collection.

The collection contains reprints of articles written by Weinstock, which appeared in serials such as Physical Review, American Mathematical Monthly, and the American Journal of Physics, 1942-2000.

Although Weinstock's teaching and research files contain evidence of his early work as an instructor at Stanford in the form of a document entitled "A Brief Course in Elementary Optics", October 1943, little is revealed concerning the structure of the courses he taught at Oberlin College.

The papers are arranged in eight record series: I. Biographical, 1968-1995 II. Correspondence, 1952-2002 III. Grant Files, 1961-1964 IV. Oberlin College Department of Physics, 1961-1965, 1980-1981, n.d. V. Teaching and Research Files, 1943, 1964-1986 VI. Topical Files, 1961-1972 VII. Writings, 1942-2000 VIII. Photographs, 1968.

Series I. Biographical Files, 1968-1995 (0.05 l.f.)

Biographical materials include curricula vitae, faculty information blanks, publications lists, and a copy of Robert Weinstock's letter to the editor of the OAM [Winter 1995] titled "Oberlin education as fine as ever". More biographical information can be found in copies of other articles which appeared in the OAM [1984] and The Observer [1984]. Of special note is "An account of the professional career of Robert Weinstock...as reported in February 1997 to Professor Paul A. Heiney, Department of Physics, University of Pennsylvania".

Series II. Correspondence Files, 1944-2002 (1.95 l.f.)

The bulk of the correspondence is between Weinstock and the editors of various physics journals re his submissions and his work as an independent reviewer. Materials detailing Weinstock's activities as an outside reviewer of manuscripts submitted for publication in the American Journal of Physics include correspondence with editors of the AmJPhys and responses from authors. Also classified here is similar correspondence pertaining to several book reviews.

Letters to and from W.E. Haisley, 1980-1981, Steven J. Heims, 1980-1982, Ernan McMullin, 1980-1981, and Joseph W. Dauben, editor of Historia Mathematica, 1980-1982, substantiating the debate fomented by Weinstock's objections to Newton's logical reasoning in the Principia, can be found in his professional correspondence files. Other professional correspondents include Margaret Rayner of St. Hilda's College, Oxford, England, 1977-1979, who repeatedly sought Weinstock's assistance in constructing IB Further Mathematics examinations, and Edward M. Kiess, 1988-1989, with whom Weinstock exchanged ideas concerning Kiess' article, "Evolution of chemical potential and energy for an ideal Fermi-Dirac gas". Placed here is a succession of long letters from Weinstock to his hospitalized colleague, David L. Anderson, 1986, which was returned to Weinstock by Anderson's widow, Madeleine.

Weinstock's communication with former students, 1958-1992, primarily consists of requests for recommendations.

One file containing correspondence with Oberlin College President S. Frederick Starr is available by permission of the archivist.

The correspondence is arranged in four sub-series: 1. Correspondence with Former Students, 1960-1992 2. Correspondence over Principia Controversy, 1979-1991 3. Correspondence with Colleagues and others, 1958-1990 4. Correspondence relating to Writings and Reviews, 1944-2000.

Series III. Files relating to the Oberlin College Department of Physics, 1961-1965, 1980-1981, n.d. (0.2 l.f.)

Items pertaining to the Physics library include lists of books purchased through the John W. Heckert Fund and the Forest G. Tucker Fund, 1960-1961, and a complete copy of Applied Physics Letters v. 1 no. 2 [October 1962]. The series contains some correspondence with department chair Joseph N. Palmieri, 1980-1981, re general administrative matters. Also grouped here are departmental memoranda and physics staff meeting agendas. An entry for Physics Lecture Series contains correspondence with speakers, schedules and news releases.

Series IV. Grant Files, 1961-1964 (0.2 l.f.)

Papers produced during and after application for three National Science Foundation grants include requests to the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences to make proposals, itemized lists of experiments and apparatus needed, proposals, news releases, summary reports and expenditure lists.

Series V. Teaching and Research Files, 1943, 1964-1986 (0.4 l.f.)

An outline of Robert Weinstock's course in Elementary Optics at Stanford University, October 1943, manifests his earliest work as a physics instructor. Weinstock's winter term files contain bulletins, project proposals and evaluations. Most of these materials relate to his sponsorship of winter term projects in Reading Dickens, 1976-1982. Also present here are files devoted to his National Science Foundation Faculty Fellowship at Oxford University, England, 1965-1966, as well as to other sabbaticals at Oxford, 1972-1973, 1976-1977.

Series VI. Topical Files, 1961-1972 (0.4 l.f.)

Entries exist documenting Robert Weinstocks attendance at various professional conferences between 1961 and 1978, his work on the American Association of Physics Teachers Committee on Resource Letters, 1969-1972, and his involvement in the American Institute of Physics Visiting Scientists Program, 1967-1971, and the Ohio Academy of Science Visiting Scientists Program, 1961-1971.

Series VII. Writings Files, 1942-2000 (0.19 l.f.)

Reprints of articles and book reviews by Robert Weinstock published in various physics journals make up the bulk of this series.

Series VIII. Photographs, 1968 (0.01 l.f.)

The photographic series contains six 4x5, black and white prints. All are candid shots of Robert Weinstock interacting with colleagues and students at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan. One subject is identified as Vern Eaton.

The papers of Robert Weinstock were received in ten accessions [2000/079, 2001/048, 2001/082, 2001/097, 2001/105, 2001/112, 2001/117, 2001/120, 2002/085, 2002/142] from Robert Weinstock between September 2000 and November 2002.

David L. Anderson Papers [OCA 30/65]

Former Faculty, Staff & Trustees [OCA 28/3]

Records of the Department of Physics [OCA 9/5/1]