Scope and Contents From the Collection: The Papers of John V. McMillin II primarily chronicle developments at the Measurement Research Center (MRC), which was founded in 1952 by Prof. Everett F. Lindquist of the University of Iowa College of Education. Prof. Lindquist pioneered the design and use of standardized tests in American public schools, beginning in the late 1920's. By 1953, he and his staff developed an optical mark reader (OMR) for scoring students' test answer sheets. The electronic brain, as the OMR was called at the time, was a breakthrough in providing, for the first time, large-scale high-speed test scoring. However, its vacuum-tube technology was becoming obsolete, and by 1959 MRC began work on the design and development of solid-state, or transistorized, circuitry to replace the less stable vacuum tubes. The bulk of the papers document activities at the MRC from 1959 to about 1980 from the perspective of a project engineer, and later engineering manager, who was closely involved with...

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This Accession Item consists of my 7-pages of handwritten notes (scribbles!) that I prepared to assist Mr. Robert J. Roelf, WLC Hardware Marketing Manager, on some unknown, long-forgotten sales/marketing call to a prospective customer who was interested in leasing an OMR Scanner from WLC. It was definitely an 'off site' call, as I refer in my notes to "Bob asked me to come out and talk about the Engineering of the W-2300. I'm Chief Engineer - he thinks I know something about the W2300. Realize what a powerful fellow Mr. Roelf is; I'll bet IBM wouldn't send out their chief engineer to talk about their scanners!" And, so on, with light-hearted opening comments, before getting down to the nitty-gritty

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Eight pages, and additionally, including several attachments: An Original Copy is provided. The Archival Media DVD disc Folder: 1976_05_PLAN OF ACTION for Ballot Scanning, contains an MS W2002XP Word Text File: 1976_05_late_PLAN OF ACTION_JVM Ballot Scan Report_V2.doc, and six JPEG files covering the Analysis section

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Although undated, this 24-page typewritten document, titled as above, presents a detailed set of specifications for the design of the OMR paper ballots designed by WLC for the equipment sold to Data Mark Systems. The companion Folder on the Archival DVD media disc 1976_circa_W600B BALLOT-DOCUMENT SPECIFICATIONS MANUAL, (same name as the hard-copy item identification above), contains 68 JPEG-Image files of the complete Original Manual (not provided), including many color-images of the various diagnostic, header, and control 'ballot documents' developed for the W600B scanning system

Scope and Contents Another undated WLC Technical publication, authored by JVM, 28-pages in length, that discusses accuracy levels, the types of errors that may occur in any such system. If JVM memory is correct, this document is based in large part on MRC experience in processing student tests with OMR technology, and furthermore, a series of simulated ballot-scanning tests conducted at the MRC Iowa City facility, prior to actual usage of the equipment in 'live' elections. Written as a 'primer' for users of the WLC Ballot-Scanning system. The 'conjectures' contained therein regarding accuracy were highly appropriate, and in the final analysis, attention to these details resulted in highly accurate processing and tallying of actual election-day ballots in the mid-1970's. The Archival DVD Media disc Folder: 1976_circa_BALLOT-SCANNING ACCURACY REPORT, contains 28 JPEG-Image files of the Original Report [not provided] and a 14-page JVM MS Word File transcribed copy: 1976_ca_BALLOT SCANNING ACCURACY...

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A spiral-bound JVM Engineering Department Budget Report covering labor costs, productive hours, personnel time analysis, salary growth increments, zero-base budgeting concepts, and other relevant information. Original Copy included. The Archival DVD Folder: 1976_11_12_WLC ENG 1977 BUDGET, contains JPEG-Image scans of the first 12 pages of the Report, and two Graphs

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This 9-page 'Trip Report' document, distributed to the appropriate WLC Iowa City Managers, covers the possibility of manufacturing some of the electronics components (printed circuits, as a prime example) for the WLC/MRC W301/201 OMR Scanners. WLC Headquarters (NYC), at the time, had visions (totally unrealistic, in my opinion) of mass-manufacturing our MRC line of OMR scanners, and instructed me to make an onsite visit to an 'off shore' Westinghouse Electric Corporation (WEC) printed-circuit manufacturing facility in Puerto Rico. My report presents a detailed finding of my investigation

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The Press-Citizen gave us some publicity about helping to 'cut the trade deficit with Japan' in this February 2, 1977 news item. WLC/MRC had concluded an important business deal to sell several of our W301 OMR Scanners to Mitsubishi Office Machinery, Tokyo, Japan, who in turn, would be selling them to the Japanese Ministry of Education for dramatically upgrading their annual Entrance Exams for their high school seniors to compete for enrollment in the top universities there. I am pictured in this article, and later headed the installation team's trip to Tokyo for acceptance testing and during the first 'live run' of the scanners. The folder on the JVM Archival Media disc is: 1977_02_10_Press Citizen_Trade Deficit_JAPAN. JPEG-image scans and an MS Word file (with transcribed text) of the Press-Citizen article are also included

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This is the earliest-dated surviving WLC documentation that shows the results of our early R&D activity to develop a new approach to the sensing of OMR data-marks on a student answer sheet, as opposed to individual discrete-photocells to sense the marks in each column. This notarized sketch and an accompanying JVM Technical Disclosure was the basis for filing a U. S. Patent Application on January 2, 1979, and granted on November 10, 1981, No. 4,300, 123, inventors McMillin, et al. The archival DVD Folder 1977_02_11_Notarized Copy_JVM Patent Sketch contains a JPEG-image file of the original sketch, and an MS Word file 1977_02_11_Notarized Copy of JVM,Schroeder Pat. Appl.Sketch_ORG.doc with JVM commentary. Hard-copy printout included

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These 19 JPEG-Image files, and an MS Word Cover Page file cover the essence of technology flow from OMR (Optical Mark Read) Scanners to advanced scanners that can capture bit-mapped images. This Accession Item represents, in its original form, a set of overhead transparencies that I used for various presentation purposes circa 1977-1984. A hard-copy set of the overheads is included, and the associated JVM Archival DVD Folder is as above

Scope and Contents A JVM prepared STATUS REPORT on the Function, Hardware Manufacture, Customer Support, WLC Internal Support, R/D in Scanner Technology, and Staffing, Facilities, Budget, and Capital Investments, and including an analysis of the 1977 STRATEGIC PROGRAM for the Iowa City Engineering Department. Includes a cost-comparison summary between the W-301 and W-201 OMR Scanners, an OVERVIEW of WLC's OMR products versus IBM and NCS. The Archival DVD Folder 1977_03_29_MRC ENGINEERING contains 22 JPEG-Image files, and an MS Word file: 1977_03_29_MRC Engineering Report_ORG.doc. Finally, a summary of the 5-year 1978-82 Strategic Goals in Hardware Technology, and a Reprint from the 1974 AUERBACH Input/Output Reports, describing the WLC W2300 Optical Mark Reading System. Original Spiral-Bound Copy. The Archival DVD Folder named 1977_03_29_MRC ENGINEERING contains a virtually complete JPEG-Image scan (19 Files) of the contents of this Report. All text pages, and several charts, and sample OMR/Ballot...

Scope and Contents Several dozen loose documents (Memos, Trip Reports, etc.) related to the WLC-DMS Ballot Scanning project. An important document in this set is a mathematical model developed by George Gordon Woodworth, Department of Statistics, University of Iowa, March 31, 1977 (Revised April 8, 1977), entitled: ESTIMATING THE CHANCES OF MISCALLING AN ELECTION. This study was requested by JVM, following an extremely close race in the 1976 Douglas County, NE Primary Election, where the paper ballots were scanned and tabulated by the WLC-DMS W600 Ballot Processing System. The Archival DVD Folder 1977_04_08_Woodworth_Election Recount Results, contains a set of 33 JPEG-Image scans of the complete report: text-pages, graphs, appendices. Another DVD Folder: 1977_10_26_JVM to Hansen_VoteScanMarketAnalysis, from the 1977 Ballot-Scan related documents, is the WLC/DMS assessment of the DMS W600B ballot scanner market in the fall of 1977, based upon my findings during a westward U. S. trip report with DMS...

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Computers Granted, the folder of this name on the JVM Archival Media disc included in this U of I accession doesn't directly involve MRC or WLC, but yet, in a way it does, as it describes rather nicely the 'state of the art' in home computing in those 'early days', and by inference, focuses on the incredible difference of how MRC Engineers had to go about their design tasks of producing 'cutting edge' high-speed OMR Scanners in those days. What, no desktop computers to help with design analyses, calculations, drawings, drafting of manuals, preparation of parts lists, graphical views for users, cataloging of components, spares, and on and on? Yep, that's the way it was! I have transcribed the Original PARADE Sheet text from the February 2, 1977 issue of PARADE Magazine (typically, a supplement in the Des Moines Sunday Register) into an MS Word file, which also includes embedded JPEG image files that were shown in the original article: 1977_02_06_A Computer in Every Home_ORG.doc

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A light-hearted 'fantasy' Technical Spoof by JVM prophesying the availability of small hand-held data-entry devices for students to enter answers to test questions, as opposed to filling out an OMR Form. A limited capability prototype was actually constructed, due to interested by WLC management. Such capabilities, of course, became common place with the arrival of the personal computer, and electronic-chip accessories

Scope and Contents The United States Civil Service Job-Applicant Processing Center at Macon, Georgia had earlier acquired a W-301 OMR Scanning system to process application forms for all job applicants seeking a Civil Service job with the United States Government. (Any position from a clerk to an Air-Traffic Controller). Thus, this was an extremely important account for us, not only in terms of prestige for our own business, but to avoid any foul-up or scandal that would 'rock' the country. Accordingly, whenever the USCS Testing Center Director, Ken Mayhew, called for assistance, we were on the plane headed for Macon! This package of documents relates to one such call from Mr. Mayhew. The first section contains an internal 9-page WLC memo to staff members, dated June 17, 1977, drafted by Bob Roelf, with additional notes and assistance from John McMillin, following our two day site visit on June 14-15, 1977. The purpose of the visit is described, the Summary of observations and Problems, and...

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An internal WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORP Memo to John V. McMillin, WLC Iowa City. Another 'helpful' document, 4-pages, from WEC R&D and the Corporate Design Center, in another effort to show us farm kid klutzes at the MRC Iowa City Division of WLC what we needed to do to our OMR Scanner designs to improve them. My opinion was that WEC never did catch on to the basic premise that our OMR Scanner sales were a niche business, capital intensive to the customer, and WEC, instead, tried to tell us how to design and 'tool' the parts as though we were going to mass-produce them like throwaway 100W light bulbs. The enclosed memo lists over 50 recommended design/manufacturing changes - not a one of which we followed, to my present recollection. Yet, we sold several dozen W201's to customers in the U. S. and Asia, who were totally happy with their performance, usability, and - most importantly of all - their accuracy

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An Organization chart showing the key managers and their supervisors running the MRC Iowa Division of Westinghouse Learning Corp.

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In the turbulent period leading up to Burdett P. Hansen's resignation as General Manager of WLC, Paul H. Ockerman, 51, was appointed as his replacement. The Wednesday, January 11, 1978 Press-Citizen, Page 3C, had a feature article about Paul Ockerman (including his photo) taking over the reins. Unfortunately, due to some very unusual circumstances of which only a very few of us today know the details, he was replaced a few months later by Donald Gibson, also a transplant from WEC. This Item is the Original Page CLIP from the Press Citizen described above. Also included are an MS Word transcribed-text file and a JPEG scan of the article in the JVM Archival Media disc [1978_01_11_Press-Citizen_New Mgr for WLC.Ockerman]

Scope and Contents This 4-page document, including a hardware block diagram, authored by McMillin, was a feasibility/cost-analysis study of designing and building an auto-fed high-speed high-resolution digital scanning system to capture and store (in an archival data-base) the digital images of 8.5 x 11.0" sheet-size documents. Refer to the Block Diagram for a simplified view of the concept. The archival DVD Folder 1978_10_03_JVM DIGITIZER Estimate contains JPEG-image scans of the four pages, and an MS Word file 1978_03_10_JVM Graphics Digitizer_WLC_ORG.doc. Word Printout included. The purpose was to avoid or nearly eliminate new dark-room artwork, and manual labor, for each new MRC test-booklet. Thus, when a new test booklet was to be created - often containing 32 individual stapled pages or more - the individual graphics (dog, cat, house, car, whatever) required for the new booklet could be called up with software, and sent to automatic printing-plate equipment, then on to the printing presses. The...