The collection is open to research.
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Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Earl T. Swink Papers, Ms1989-036, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.
The Earl T. Swink Papers were donated to Special Collections and University Archives in 1989.
The processing and description of the Earl T. Swink Papers commenced and was completed in January 2022.
Earl Thomas Swink, Sr., son of Wallace M. and Lucy May Burton Swink, was born in Churchville (Augusta County), Virginia on September 7, 1907. He obtained a B.A. (1930) and M.S. (1939) in agricultural engineering at Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute (now Virginia Tech). He also held a cerficate in commercial engineering from the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company (1931). After working as district agricultural engineer for Virginia Electric and Power Company (Suffolk, Virginia) from 1932 to 1935, Swink returned to Virginia Tech as assistant professor of agricultural engineering; he was later named associate professor and, in 1954 became professor and head of the Agricultural Engineering Department. From 1967 until his retirement in 1970, Swink worked as the leader of special programs for Virginia Tech's Extension Division. Swink also held memberships and offices in a number of organizations. Among these were the Agricultural Board, National Academy of Sciences; American Society of Agricultural Engineers; American Society for Engineering Education; Virginia Academy of Science; and Virginia Farm and Home Electrification Council (co-founder). Swink married Louise Presson, and the couple had two children. Earl T. Swink died in Montgomery County, Virginia, on September 10, 1996, and was buried in Union Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Churchville.
This collection contains papers of Earl T. Swink, professor of agricultural engineering at Virginia Tech from 1935 to 1970. The collection contains texts of several presentations by Swink relating to rural electrification, the agricultural engineering profession, and environmental control. Also included are a 1963 editorial by Swink on environmental control, two newsclippings, a program for a Delaware-Maryland-Virginia Congressional dinner at which Swink was honored; a biographical sketch of Swink; and a typescript history, "Agricultural Engineering at V. P. I." by Chas. E. Seitz.
The guide to the Earl T. Swink Papers by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/).
This collection had originally been assigned the title "Earl T. Swink Speeches," but it was determined during procesing that "Earl T. Swink Papers" would be a more accurate title.