Secretarial Help, 1968-1969

A. E. Dick Howard's collection of papers related to the Virginia Commission on Constitution Revision (CCR) consists of memoranda, correspondence, meeting minutes, calendars, research materials, drafts, and complete texts of all public views submitted to the commission.

The collection is generally in chronological order and is divided into seven series, reflecting divisions in the work of the commission and in the later roles Howard played as counsel to the General Assembly and director of Virginians for the Constitution.

Series I, Howard's files as executive director of the CCR, contains organizational memoranda, correspondence, minutes of meetings, and calendars relating to the administration of the Commission. Series II documents the workings of each of the five subcommittees and contains research memoranda and drafts of the proposed substantive revisions. Research material, Series III, includes portions of other state constitutions and complete texts of all public views submitted to the Commission. Series IV documents the drafting, revision, and rewriting of the CCR's final report. Series V consists of Howard's files as special counsel to the 1969 Special Session of the General Assembly, and minutes of committee meetings; Howard's calendar; drafts of resolutions, bills, and proposed amendments; and correspondence relating to the Special Session. Series VI is composed of Howard's personal files as director of Virginians for the Constitution and contains promotional brochures, press releases, speaking engagement records, and correspondence pertaining to the campaign. Series VII contains newspaper clippings gathered by the Virginia Press Association, which span the entire period of revision, 1968-1971; published writings of Howard relating to the revision process, as well as the final report and a tape recording of a radio broadcast of Virginians for the Constitution. Finally, there are numerous photographs of the CCR.