166
. This organization was charged with the task
of preserving the laboratory buildings and establishing some sort museum about
Edison. The
leading figure this department was Norman Speiden, who, unlike every other
member the department, was not former employee the laboratory.
F. 1939 had the job
of showing visitors around the laboratory site, indication that was now
functioning museum. He
also helped clean and identify records the library. left
the museum 1969.
Mary Barstow—Barstow cataloged the library and 1939 began unpacking,
sorting and filing documents dated 1869 through 1900.
5“ Ibid.
Historical Research Department.569
Alice Puffer—Puffer organized and re-filed Meadowcroft’s correspondence and in
1939 the plan was for her type and assist answering routine
correspondence.from purchases which were made the 1940s that this department did carry out
research dictating machines. rebuilt experimental
recording machines from the parts found strewn around the laboratory. Schimerka—Schimerka was experimenter who had worked with Edison in
the late 1920s. Its creation and support came from members Edison’s family. His
department consisted of:
Harold Anderson—Anderson acted assistant Speiden and curator of
the museum.660
Joe Ziemba—A machinist who had worked with Edison the rubber project,
Ziemba repaired and maintained machinery and cleaned the machine shops. 1939 began the job
of locating, identifying and indexing artifacts the museum collection.
589 Norman Speiden, Plan Action the Project Care for the Laboratory Group," June 28, 1939,
Historical Research Dept.S.
William Hayes—Hayes served many years recording expert the West
Orange laboratory (see for more Hayes).
He also worked the Research Department. was put work cleaning the chemistry laboratory and the
chemical storage room Building 3. was charge locating,
cleaning and sorting items related the phonograph. 1924. joined Thomas Edison, Inc
