In 1927 Luther L. Bernard wrote to several eminent sociologists concerning his plans for a cooperative work on the History of Sociology in the United States. He felt the need to bring together "the facts regarding the development of sociology in each of the universities in which there has been for some time an outstanding department or chair in the subject." Bernard went on to write, "Fortunately, almost all of the founders of these older departments are still actively teaching and it should be possible for them severally to tell the stories of the founding and development of their chairs or departments first hand."' Hundreds of letters were sent to sociologists throughout the United States asking them to provide information regarding their careers and the history of sociology in the institutions with which they had been affiliated. Each sociologist was asked to write his life history in narrative form; in addition a 16-point outline was provided to offer a framework for the autobiographical statement. The outline included such items as educational background, occupations before and after entering sociology, various influential teachers in sociology and other fields, other significant intellectual influences, various research projects conducted, and "any other influences, vocational, professional, individual, general, political, social, economic, etc., which have helped to mould your career as a sociologist, giving the details."2 W. I. Thomas and Robert Park, along with 256 other sociologists,3 responded to Bernard's query; however, the autobiographies and departmental histories were never published. Luther Bernard's wife, Jessie, explains her husband's unfinished work: "Once gathered, he seemed satisfied. There would always be time to assemble and edit them for publication. Further, other concerns engaged a good deal of his time and the sheer physical labor involved in processing the mass of material for presentation to the profession seemed overwhelming."4