Explorer Post 72 Records (MS-639)

The Explorer Post 72 Records include a variety of records documenting the activities of the organization, throughout nearly its entire existence, with the bulk of records dating from the early 1960s to the group’s ending in 2002. Materials include administrative and financial records of the post, as well files on trips and other activities, newspaper clippings, photographs and slides, and audiovisual materials. The collection is divided into six series.

Series I, Administrative, includes a variety of materials documenting most of the clerical aspects of the group’s activities. Records in this series include the official post charters (1960-2002); membership rosters (1958-2002); application files (1964-2002, all of which are restricted for 150 years from the date of the document, see Restrictions on Access section for details); recruitment materials (1980-2001); secretary’s record books, both the official record as well as freeform notes (1964-1987); reunion planning materials (1978-1998); correspondence (1964-1997); and newsletters (1968-2002). Correspondence includes both official post correspondence, as well as many letters written directly to Ray Wylam by post alumni (labeled “Ray Wylam’s Correspondence”). Newsletters include both the official Explorer Post 72 newsletter The Postscript (1974-1990, 1998), as well as post reports (1971-2002) from the Lifeline newsletter of Fairborn First Presbyterian Church, Post 72’s chartering organization. Overall, materials in this series date from 1958 to 2002, and are arranged by type then chronologically.

Series II, Financial, includes the treasurer’s records; records of various fundraisers, especially the July 4th Festival (1972-1985); and documentation pertaining to the annual sustaining membership drive (1973-2001). Materials in this series date from 1964 to 2002, and are arranged by type then chronologically.

Series III, Trips and Activities, includes planning information, travel brochures, itineraries, and attendance records for the many trips and activities that Post 72 engaged in over the years. Materials in this series date from 1962 to 2002 and are split into two subseries. Subseries III-A, Super Trips, dating from 1965 to 1997, includes paper documentation of annual “Super” activity, usually a long-distance trip of approximately two weeks in the summer, often including one or more national parks (e.g., Rocky Mountains, Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Glacier, or Acadia) or Boy Scout high adventure bases (e.g., Philmont Scout Ranch or Charles L. Sommers Wilderness Canoe Base). Subseries III-B, General Trips and Activities, dating from 1962 to 2002, includes records of other trips and activities that are not the summer “Super” trips—such as sports leagues, road rallies, canoe races, and an annual spring trip to the Smoky Mountains—as well the participant record sign-in books (1974-2002). Materials in both subseries have been arranged chronologically.

Series IV, Newspaper Clippings, consists entirely of newspaper clippings document post activities and post members, from 1964 to 2002. The series includes a few scrapbooks of clippings (1964-1989), as well as many loose clippings (1965-2002) arranged by date. A few folders towards the end of the series consist of clippings that pertain to Post 72 members and alumni engaging in non-post activities.

Series V, Photographs, is the largest series in the collection and includes photographs and 35mm slides (most of which were created by Mr. Wylam, a talented amateur photographer) documenting many of Post 72’s trips and activities, from 1965 to 2002. Items in this series have been arranged chronologically inasmuch as possible, while still respecting original order and format. This series includes many photograph albums, as well as “loose photographs.” Several boxes of “Posterboard Photographs” consist of photos originally mounted to poster boards but now filed in archival shoeboxes; note that while these are described only to the level of year in this finding aid, many have more specific description of the contents (files for individual activities) within the boxes themselves. Trips, especially the Super activities, are heavily represented, but many other activities are documented as well.

Series VI, Audiovisual, includes primarily the audio for slide shows (most on audiocassette and a few reel-to-reel audio), as well as a few videocassettes. Materials in this series date from 1975 to 1996, and are arranged by format then chronologically.