Clemson University Libraries Special Collections
Robert Richardson Coker Papers
Mss.0297
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Repository
- Clemson University Libraries Special Collections
- Creator
- Coker, Robert Richardson, 1905-1987
- Title
- Robert Richardson Coker Papers
- ID
- Mss.0297
- Date [bulk]
- Bulk, 1972-1987
- Date [inclusive]
- 1888-1988 1972-1987
- Extent
- 8.2 cubic feet (17 document boxes, 2 folders of photographs and one oversize folder)
- Language
- English
- Abstract
- Robert Richardson Coker had a distinguished career as a leader in agriculture and business and served as a life trustee of Clemson University. The correspondence, memos, minutes, newspaper clippings and other materials relate to his participation as a member of the Board of Trustees and various matters that came to its attention.
Preferred Citation
[description of item such as "Letter from John Smith, Clemson, SC to Michael Jones, Columbia, SC"], box number, folder number, Mss 297, Robert Richardson Coker Papers, Special Collections, Clemson University Libraries, Clemson, SC.
Biographical Note
Robert Richardson Coker was born September 6, 1905 in Hartsville, South Carolina, the son of David Robert Coker and Jessie Ruth Richardson Coker. Educated in Hartsville public schools, he first graduated in 1924 from Webb School in Bell Buckel Tennessee and in 1928 received a Bachelor's of Arts from the University of South Carolina. After graduation, he began working for Coker's Pedigreed Seed Company, the firm his father founded in 1902. During the following decade, he assumed responsibilities for sales and became a member of the board of directors of the Company. In 1951 he was named President of the firm, a position that he held until its sale in 1978 to the German agricultural seed firm KWS. Under his direction, Coker Pedigreed Seed became a leader in the breeding of seed varieties for the South's major crops.
In 1944, Coker helped to found the South Carolina Farm Bureau and served as its first president. He was active in a wide variety of local, state and national farm organizations, paying particular attention to the promotion of cotton and the eradication of the boll weevil. He served as member of the National Agricultural Advisory Commission, 1953; president of National Council of Plant Breeders, 1959-1960; director Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, 1962-1968; and president National Cotton Council, 1963. Coker had an active interest in education serving as an ex officio member of the State Commission on Higher Education, 1967 and as a Life Trustee of Clemson University, 1960-1987. He received numerous awards, including honorary degree from Clemson in 1955 and the Clemson Medallion in 1985.
Scope and Content Note
The papers include correspondence, a blueprint, memos, minutes, newspaper clippings and reports all related to Clemson University.
The papers document Coker's service as a member of the Clemson Board of Trustees, 1960-1987. During this period, Clemson became a University, integrated, and doubled its enrollment. His expertise as a businessman and agriculturalist can be found in papers related to the building of the new agricultural building, Poole Agricultural Building; the Foundation Seed Association; and Clemson University's Extension Services and Experiment Stations. Coker served during the period when Clemson experienced a number of controversies connected with the Athletic Department and this is reflected in the papers. Also documented in the papers is Coker's actively engagement in the Board's work with Institutional Advancement and established the Robert and Lois Coker Chair of Molecular Genetics. As a member of the Board of Trustees, he was in communication with other Board members including Louis Batson, Edgar Brown, Paul McAlister and James Self as well as senior administrators such as Bill Atchley, Hugh Clausen, Robert C. Edwards, and Joseph McDevitt.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Clemson University Libraries Special Collections 2010 August 9
Restrictions on Use
One file of personnel records is restricted.
Provenance
Mrs. Lois Coker accession 88-89; Jane Lee accession 02-64.
Processing Information
Michael Kohl prepared the finding aid in 2007-2008 with processing help from student assistant, Deanna Panetta.
The conversion of this finding aid to Encoded Archival Description format was made possible with a grant from the South Carolina State Historical Records Advisory Board in 2009-2010. The finding aid was prepared for encoding by Kristi Roberts.
Controlled Access Headings
Corporate Name(s)
- Clemson Agricultural College of South Carolina. Extension Service.
- Clemson University. Board of Trustees.
- Clemson University. College of Agricultural Sciences.
- Clemson University. Extension Service.
- Clemson University. -- Administration
- Clemson University. -- History
- Clemson University. -- Sports
- South Carolina Foundation Seed Association.
- Southeastern Forest Experiment Station. (Clemson, S.C.)
Personal Name(s)
- Atchley, B.L. (Bill L.)
- Batson, Louis Pinckney
- Brown, Edgar A. (Edgar Allan), 1888-1975
- Clausen, H. J.
- Coker, Robert Richardson, 1905-1987
- Edwards, Robert C. (Robert Cook), 1914-
- McAlister, Paul W.
- McDevitt, Joseph B., 1918-
- Self, James Cuthbert, 1876-1955
Subject(s)
- College sports--South Carolina.
Collection Inventory
| Box | Folder | ||
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Agricultural Building Program 1952, no date |
1 | 1 | |
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Anderson, Luther P. Retirement Letter 1986 |
1 | 2 | |
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Atchley, Bill |
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| Box | Folder | ||
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1983-1985, no date |
1 | 3-4 | |
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Atchley/McLellan Controversy 1985 |
1 | 5 | |
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Atchley/McLellan Controversy Newspaper Clippings 1985-1986, no date |
1 | 6 | |
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Reorganizational Change 1985 |
1 | 7 | |
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SCN Directorship 1979-1980 |
1 | 8 | |
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Athletics |
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| Box | Folder | ||
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1979-January 1983 |
1 | 9 | |
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February 1983-1987, no date |
2 | 1 | |
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Controversies 1982-1986, no date |
2 | 2-3 | |
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Correspondence 1985, no date |
2 | 4 | |
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Drug Problem 1985 |
2 | 5 | |
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Football 1984 |
2 | 6 | |
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NCAA Probation 1982-1983, no date |
2 | 7 | |
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Publicity 1982-1983 |
2 | 8 | |
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| Box | Folder | ||
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Barker, James F 1986 |
3 | 1 | |
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Barnette, Melvin E 1986 |
3 | 2 | |
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Board of Trustees 1972-August 1979 |
3 | 3-10 | |
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Board of Trustees September 1979-1987, no date |
4 | 1-4 | |
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Board of Trustees Chairmen 1979-1980, no date |
4 | 5 | |
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Board of Trustees Chairman Nominations 1981-1982 |
4 | 6 | |
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Board of Trustees Desegregation Plan 1981-1985 |
4 | 7 | |
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Board of Trustees Development Committee 1984, no date |
4 | 8 | |
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Board of Trustees Executive Committee 1983 |
4 | 9 | |
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Board of Trustees Life Trustees |
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| Box | Folder | ||
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1888-1976 |
4 | 10 | |
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Batson, Louis P. Jr 1979-1988 |
4 | 11 | |
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Britton, Dr. J.J 1982-1986 |
5 | 1 | |
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Byrnes, James F 1967-1980 |
5 | 2 | |
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Coker, Robert R. 1960 1985-1987, no date |
5 | 3 | |
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Coker, Robert R., Clemson Degree 1955 |
5 | 4 | |
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Coker, Robert R., Gamma Sigma Delta 1956-1987 |
5 | 5 | |
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Coker, Robert R., Retirement 1987 |
5 | 6 | |
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Derrick, Fletcher C. Jr 1981-1987 |
5 | 7 | |
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Deschamps, W. G. Jr 1977-1985 |
5 | 8 | |
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Geiger, William N. Jr 1979-1986 |
5 | 9 | |
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McAlister, Paul W 1974-1987 |
5 | 10 | |
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McTeer, Thomas B. Jr 1981-1985 |
5 | 11 | |
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Mickel, Buck 1982-1987 |
5 | 12 | |
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Self, Jim 1969-1984 |
5 | 13 | |
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Self, Jim 1985-1987, no date |
6 | 1 | |
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Waddell, James M. Jr 1980-1985 |
6 | 2 | |
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Board of Trustees Meetings |
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| Box | Folder | ||
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July 20, 1979 - April 8, 1983 |
6 | 3-7 | |
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July 22, 1983 - January 25, 1985 |
7 | 1-8 | |
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March 24, 1985 - July 19, 1986 |
8 | 1-11 | |
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September 12, 1986 - September 18, 1987 |
9 | 1-6 | |
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| Box | Folder | ||
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Board of Trustees Personnel, Names and Addresses 1974-1986, no date |
9 | 7 | |
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Board of Trustees Trustee Candidates and Nominees 1975-1986, no date |
9 | 8 | |
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Board of Visitors 1979-1987, no date |
9 | 9 | |
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Brown, Edgar A. 1962-1975 |
10 | 1 | |
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Edgar Brown Day 1970 |
10 | 2 | |
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Budget and Finance Committee 1986 |
10 | 3 | |
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Budget and Finance Committee Meetings 1986-1987 |
10 | 4-5 | |
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Building Science Master's Program 1985 |
10 | 6 | |
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Campbell, Robert S 1986 |
10 | 7 | |
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Certificates, Diploma 1955 1964 1987 |
10 | 7A | |
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Clausen, Major General Hugh J. 1985-April 1987 |
10 | 8-10 | |
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Clausen, Major General Hugh J. May-December 1987 |
11 | 1 | |
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Clemson University |
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| Box | Folder | ||
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1932-1973 |
11 | 2-6 | |
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1974-1987, no date |
12 | 1-4 | |
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Centennial 1984-1987, no date |
12 | 5 | |
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Civil Rights 1981 |
12 | 6 | |
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Commencement and Honorary Degrees 1984-1986, no date |
12 | 7 | |
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Medallion 1987 |
12 | 8 | |
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| Box | Folder | ||
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Cox, Walter T 1978 1985-1986 |
13 | 1 | |
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Development Committee 1983, no date |
13 | 2 | |
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Director of Extension Services Search Committee 1984, no date |
13 | 3 | |
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Educational Policy Committee 1979 1983-1987 |
13 | 4 | |
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Edwards, Robert C 1972-1980 |
13 | 5 | |
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Elam, J. Donald 1984-1986 |
13 | 6 | |
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Extension Services and Company Agents 1972-1977, no date |
13 | 7 | |
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Farmer's Market Proposal 1982-1983 |
13 | 8 | |
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Fleming, Dr. Horace W 1981-1987, no date |
13 | 9 | |
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Foundation Seed 1971-August 1979 |
13 | 10 | |
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Foundation Seed September 1979-1980, no date |
14 | 1-2 | |
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Foundation Seed Association 1975-1982 |
14 | 3-4 | |
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Founder's Society 1984-1988, no date |
14 | 5 | |
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Gamma Sigma Delta Awards Banquet 1986-1987 |
14 | 6 | |
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Graham, James A 1980-1982 |
14 | 7 | |
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Institutional Advancement Committee 1984-1988, no date |
14 | 8-9 | |
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Institutional Advancement Committee Joint Meeting with Student Affairs Committee December 1985 |
14 | 10 | |
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Jennett, J. Charles 1985-1986 |
14 | 11 | |
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Larson, Dr. David R 1986-1987, no date |
15 | 1 | |
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Lewis, Walter K. Jr 1982 1985-1987, no date |
15 | 2 | |
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Lomax, Manning N 1986-1987 |
15 | 3 | |
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Loyalty Fund 1986 |
15 | 4 | |
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Maxwell, W. David 1981-1987, no date |
15 | 5 | |
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McDevitt, Joseph B. 1980-1986 |
15 | 6-8 | |
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McDevitt, Joseph B. Replacement Search Committee 1985 |
15 | 9 | |
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McGee, James G. Jr 1981-1985 |
15 | 10 | |
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Multi-purpose Livestock Arena 1985-1986 |
15 | 11 | |
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PeeDee Station 1979, no date |
15 | 12 | |
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Pitner, Dr. John B. Retirement Dinner 1986 |
15 | 13 | |
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Planning Committee 1985-1987 |
15 | 14 | |
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President Election 1979 |
15 | 15 | |
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President Election 1985-1986, no date |
16 | 1 | |
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President's Statewide Advisory Group 1980-1981 |
16 | 2 | |
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Pridgen, Margaret 1983-1986 |
16 | 3 | |
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Provost 1980 |
16 | 4 | |
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Robert and Lois Coker Chair in Molecular Genetics 1987-1988 |
16 | 5 | |
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Seed Certification 1980 1985 |
16 | 6 | |
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Senn, Dr. Louis H 1985-1986 |
16 | 7 | |
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Smith, Broadus Marion 1973 1985-1987 |
16 | 8 | |
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SRC Research 1984, no date |
16 | 9 | |
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State Auditor's Report 1983 1987 |
16 | 10 | |
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Strom Thurmond Institute Fundraising Dinner 1985, no date |
16 | 11-12 | |
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Strom Thurmond Institute Groundbreaking Ceremony 1985 |
16 | 13 | |
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Student Affairs Committee 1981-1987, no date |
16 | 14 | |
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Wise, Milton B 1987 |
16 | 15 | |
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RESTRICTED-Clemson University Employee Grievance-Brown, Carolyn 1982-1983 |
17 | 1 | |
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| Folder | |||
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1 36"x54" drawing of Proposed Agricultural Building Program at Clemson Agricultural College for the State of South Carolina, by Hopkins, Baker & Gill and William G. Lyles, Bissett, Carlisle, & Wolff 1952 |
1 | ||
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