OVERVIEW OF THE RECORDS
Minnesota Historical Society
Minnesota Self-Survey.
Minnesota Self-Survey records,
1955-1960.
Reports and files of this comprehensive
survey of the functions and operations of Minnesota state agencies and
institutions.
13.0 cu. ft. (13 boxes)
See [Detailed Description](a9) section for box
locations.
ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY OF THE MINNESOTA
SELF-SURVEY
The self-survey of Minnesota government, 1955-1956, was deemed
necessary after the 1955 legislature established a new salary schedule, to be
effective July 1, 1955, but appropriated no new money to cover any additional
costs. The new salary schedule could be adopted only if enough savings could be
found through reorganization of state agencies to eliminate waste, duplication
of effort, and inefficiency of services. Instead of hiring outside consultants
to study the state government and make a report, Governor Orville Freeman
decided Minnesota would conduct a self-survey using its own administrators,
technicians, employees, and legislators. The Commissioner of Administration,
Arthur Naftalin, directed the self-survey.
Operational task forces, one for each of 33 state agencies, were
established. Most task forces had five members including a chairman (a budget
examiner from the Administration Department who was familiar with that agency),
an administrator from the agency, an employee of the agency, a technician from
another agency of state government, and a state legislator. A policy committee
wrote a standardized work manual that was used by all of the task forces. This
work manual, comprising more than 160 questions with room left under each
question for answers and notes, was arranged into three sections: personnel,
salaries, and management; operating procedures; and long-term needs and
prospects.
Operational task forces (see boxes 1-6) submitted their completed
manuals and reports in July, 1956. During the spring and summer of 1956, ten
functional task forces (see boxes 7-9) were established to survey general
functions, correlating the data from all agencies that had been collected by
the operational task forces. Their final reports were finished in October,
1956. Some additional task forces operated during 1958, 1959, and 1960.
While all the goals and the accomplishments of the self-survey are too
numerous to mention here (see published reports in box 13), the primary goal of
the survey was accomplished. The new pay scale was adopted for the 1957-1959
biennium. In addition, many felt that the survey made progress in six major
areas: improved personnel management; better administrative procedures
(computerization and central payroll, etc.); improved budgeting and central
control; better structural organization; improved physical working conditions;
and more systematic attention to planning.
SCOPE AND CONTENTS OF THE RECORDS
The records consist of the completed task force work manuals;
supplemental files of agency forms; files of survey director Arthur Naftalin,
Department of Administration employee Carl Vorlander, and budget examiner
Donald G. Zahn; published final reports of the functional and operational task
forces; and other formal reports and memoranda.
The operational task force work manuals consist of a copy, for each
surveyed agency, of the standard self-survey work manual, with answers to the
survey questions written or typed onto the manual pages. Answers vary from
cursory to very detailed, often with additional explanatory pages, sample
forms, and the like attached. Agencies surveyed included the major
administrative departments of state government, the constitutional offices, and
the state schools, hospitals, and correctional institutions. For the Highway
Department and the Public Welfare Department, including the state institutions,
Part II, section 8 of the work manual (Paperwork and Forms Control) comprises
very large supplements, which are filed separately following the main sequence
of work manuals.
The functional task force work manuals, instead of being organized by
agency, are organized by administrative function - accounting, employee
classification and salaries, intergovernmental relations, overall structure,
personnel, physical plant, research/reports/public information, seasonal help,
systems and procedures, and transportation and communications. Each manual is
then subdivided by agency. They include some correspondence of the task forces
or relating to their work.
Note to users: Where there were
duplicate copies of work manuals for a given agency, the best copy has been
retained. Nevertheless, many are riddled with self-adhesive tape, and some
segments are on poor-quality paper or otherwise in poor condition. In some
cases, a second copy of the manual, or selected carbon copies of manual
segments, was kept as well.
ARRANGEMENT OF THE RECORDS
These records are organized into the following sections:
- Operational Task Force Work Manuals. Boxes 1-4.
- Forms Control Supplements. Boxes 4-6.
- Functional Task Force Work Manuals. Boxes 7-9.
- Files of Commissioner Arthur Naftalin. Boxes 10-11.
- Files of Carl Vorlander. Box 12.
- Files of Donald G. Zahn. Boxes 12-13.
- Reports, Memoranda, and Background Information. Box 13.
CATALOG HEADINGS
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
Topics:
Administrative agencies--Minnesota--Management.
Executive departments--Minnesota--Management.
Public institutions--Minnesota--Management.
Surveying.
Places:
Minnesota--Politics and government--1945-1980.
Persons:
Naftalin, Arthur.
Organizations:
Minnesota. Dept. of Administration.
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited volume and page or item
and folder title here]. Minnesota. Dept. of Administration. Minnesota
Self-Survey Records. Minnesota Historical Society. State Archives.
See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional
examples.
Accession Information:
Accession number(s): none
Processing Information:
Processed by: Heidi Zimmermann and Richard Arpi, 1997;
administrative history by Arpi.
Catalog ID No.: 0800005363 RLIN ID No.: MNHV616-A
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE RECORDS
Operational Task Force Work
Manuals:
115.I.9.13B
1
Administration.
Aeronautics.
Agriculture.
Agriculture: Livestock Sanitary Board and
Poultry.
Improvement Board.
Civil Defense.
Civil Service (2 copies). 2 folders.
Commerce.
Conservation: Administration.
Conservation: Water.
Conservation: Forestry.
Conservation: Land and Minerals.
Conservation: Game and Fish.
Conservation: Parks.
Constitutional Offices: Executive.
Constitutional Offices: Judiciary.
Education (2 copies). 3 folders.
115.I.9.14F
2
Employment Security. 2 folders.
Health.
Highways. 3 folders.
Historical Society (2 copies). 2 folders.
Labor Conciliation.
Labor and Industry.
Liquor Control, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and
Athletic Commission (2 copies). 2 folders.
Military Affairs (Adjutant General). 2
folders.
Natural Resources (various accounts).
Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Commission, Land
Exchange Commission, Soil Conservation Commission, Surveyor General.
Parole, Board of.
Public Examiner.
115.I.10.11B
13
Public Welfare Department: Central Office. 2
folders.
115.I.9.14F
2
Public Welfare Department: Children's
Institutions:
Braille and Sight Saving School.
Cambridge State School and Hospital. 2
folders.
115.I.10.1B
3
Faribault State School and Hospital. 2
folders.
Gillette State Hospital. 2 folders.
Minnesota School for the Deaf.
Owatonna State School.
Public Welfare Department: Mental
Institutions:
General data.
Anoka State Hospital.
Fergus Falls State Hospital. 2 folders.
Hastings State Hospital.
Moose Lake State Hospital.
Rochester State Hospital. 2 folders.
St. Peter State Hospital. 2 folders.
Sandstone State Hospital. 2 folders.
Willmar State Hospital. 2 folders.
Soldiers Home Board.
State Prisons:
Stillwater.
Home School for Girls.
Reformatory for Men, St. Cloud.
Reformatory for Women, Shakopee.
Willow River Work Camp.
Youth Conservation Commission: Central Office. 2
folders.
115.I.10.2F
4
Red Wing State Training School. 2 folders.
Railroad and Warehouse Commission:
Main Office.
Grain Inspection Division.
Weights and Measures Division and Livestock Weighing
Division.
Retirement Associations.
Secretary of State (2 copies). 3 folders.
State Teachers Colleges. 4 folders.
Taxation (2 copies). 4 folders.
Veterans Affairs.
Forms Control
Supplements:
115.I.10.2F
4
Highway Department forms, folders 1-3.
115.I.10.3B
5
Highway Department forms, folders 4-9.
Department of Public Welfare: State
Institutions.
Soldiers Home forms.
Moose Lake State Hospital forms.
Fergus Falls State Hospital forms.
Sandstone State Hospital forms.
Willmar State Hospital forms.
Hastings State Hospital forms.
Anoka State Hospital forms.
Rochester State Hospital forms.
St. Peter State Hospital, forms. 2
folders.
115.I.10.4F
6
Gillette State Hospital.
Faribault State School and Hospital.
Minnesota School for the Deaf.
Braille School.
Cambridge State School and Hospital.
Owatonna State School.
Youth Conservation Commission: Central
Office.
Red Wing Training School.
Sauk Center: Home School for Girls.
Willow River Camp.
Department of Public Welfare: Central Office
Office forms.
Statistical forms.
Visually Handicapped forms.
Fiscal forms.
Envelopes and Letterhead.
Department of Public Welfare forms.
Aid to the Blind forms.
Aid to Dependent Children forms.
Crippled Children forms.
Child Welfare forms.
Merit System forms.
Old Age Assistance forms.
Medical forms.
Functional Task Forces Work
Manuals:
115.I.10.5B
7
Functional Task Forces Reports and Press Releases (2
volumes). 4 folders.
Copies of or excerpts from task force final reports, or
governor's press releases relating to them.
Accounting. 2 folders.
Employee Classification and Salaries. 7
folders.
Functions and Federal-State (Intergovernmental
Relations). 8 folders.
115.I.10.6F
8
Overall Structure. 7 folders.
Overall Structure: Final Report. 1 folder.
Personnel Recruitment, In-Service Training and
Promotion. 7 folders.
Physical Plant. 4 folders.
Folder 1.
Research, Reports, and Public Information.
115.I.10.7B
9
Folders 2-3.
Research, Reports, and Public Information.
Seasonal Help and Peak Loads. 4 folders.
Systems and Procedures. 10 folders.
Transportation and Communications. 3
folders.
Transportation and Communications: Final report. 1
folder.
Files of Commissioner of
Administration Arthur Naftalin.
Includes correspondence, memoranda, minutes, and related
descriptions of departmental functions. The files primarily relate to
operational task forces, and date 1955-1956.
115.I.10.8F
10
Adjutant General.
Administration Department.
Aeronautics.
Agriculture.
Children's Institutions.
Civil Defense.
Civil Service Department.
Commerce Agencies.
Conservation Department. 2 folders.
Constitutional Group.
Correspondence [miscellaneous].
Education.
Employment Security and Labor Conciliator.
Executive Committee.
Functional Task Forces.
Governor [correspondence].
Health.
Highway Department.
Historical Society.
Labor and Industry.
Liquor and Crime.
Machine Accounting.
Mental Hospitals.
Miscellaneous Boards.
Natural Resources, IRRRB, etc.
Operational Task Forces.
Penals.
Policy Committee.
Press.
Public Examiner.
Railroad and Warehouse Commission:
Central Office.
Grain Inspection.
Weighing and Livestock.
Reports:
Progress Report, 1-12-56 letter to
legislators.
Final Report Work Papers.
Final Report.
Final Report Supplement.
Requests for the final report, Sept. 1956 - July
1957.
115.I.10.9B
11
Retirements.
Revenue Department.
Secretary of State.
Self-Survey Program.
Soldiers Home.
Suggested Members.
Summary of Proceedings and Findings of Operating Task
Forces.
Task Force Assignments.
Task Force Manual.
Teachers Colleges.
Veterans Affairs Department.
Vocational Education.
Work Manual [correspondence].
Youth Conservation Commission.
115.I.10.9B
11
Functional Task Forces:
Naftalin's correspondence, memoranda, copies of minutes, and
other papers relating to their work.
General File.
Accounting.
Employee Classification and Salaries.
Overall Structure of State Government.
Personnel Recruitment, In-service Training, and
Promotions.
Physical Plant.
Research, Reports, and Public Information.
Seasonal Help and Peak Loads.
Statutory and Non-Statutory.
Systems and Procedures.
Transportation and Communications.
Files of Carl Vorlander, Department of
Administration:
115.I.10.10F
12
Civil Service Task Force, 1959, 1 folder.
Conservation Task Force, 1959-1960, 2
folders.
Files of Donald G. Zahn, Budget
Examiner, 1958.
9 expansion folders.
Memoranda, work manual drafts, and other papers relating to Zahn's
membership in the task forces listed below.
115.I.10.10F
12
Administration.
Includes draft of 1958 self-survey supplement.
Education.
Includes draft of 1958 self-survey supplement.
Secretary of State.
Includes draft of 1958 self-survey supplement.
Teachers Colleges (general file).
Bemidji State Teachers College.
Mankato State Teachers College.
Moorhead State Teachers College.
115.I.10.11B
13
St. Cloud State Teachers College.
Winona State Teachers College.
Reports, Memoranda, and Background
Information Relating to the Minnesota Self-Survey,
1955-1960.
115.I.10.11B
13
Task Force Directory.
2 copies in folder.
Task Force Work Manual.
2 blank copies in folder.
Task Force Work Manual Supplements 1958, 1959.
4 copies of each in folder.
Procedural Guide.
5 copies in folder.
Statement of Aims, Purposes and Procedures.
5 copies in folder.
Schedule and Calendar of Operational Task Force
Meetings. 2 folders.
Inventory Manual, Division of Public Property, 1952.
1 pressboard binder volume.
Department of Administration, Report to Efficiency in
Government Commission, 1950-1951.
1 pressboard binder volume.
Memorandum to Governor Orville L. Freeman from
Commissioner Arthur Naftalin concerning Activities, Programs, and Projects of
the Department of Administration Covering the Period since November 29, 1954.
August 24, 1956. 1 folder.
Naftalin, Arthur. "Minnesota Self-Survey: A Progress
Report." Reprint from State Government, Autumn
1958.
4 copies in folder.
Naftalin, Arthur. "An Experiment in 'Do-It-Yourself'."
Reprint from State Government, January 1956.
4 copies in previous folder with other
reprint.
Final Report of Functional Task Forces and Summary
Review, 1956.
2 copies of bound published report in folder.
Final Report of Operational Task Forces and Summary
Review, 1958.
2 copies of bound published report in folder.
[Also in box: Task Force Report,
Dept. of Welfare Central Office. Listed under Operational Task Force Work
Manuals]