The Public Affairs Training Project was established at the University of Minnesota in 1936 to provide graduate instruction in the field of administrative management for present and prospective government employees. The project was under the supervision of an All-University committee of several schools and colleges, appointed by University president Lotus Delta Coffman. Lloyd Short served as its director. A reference library established in 1936 and directed by Myrtle Eklund, specialized in government documents, research reports and periodicals relating to public administration.
In 1945, the Public Affairs Training Project was transferred to the department of political science and the Public Administration Training Center was established. In 1961, the center was renamed the School of Public Affairs with George A. Warp named as director, replacing Lloyd M. Short. In 1977 a national campaign was undertaken to expand the School of Public Affairs into the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. The Humphrey Institute was dedicated on July 1, 1978 with a new building, the Hubert H. Humphrey Center, being built on the University's West Bank campus in 1985.
From the guide to the School of Public Affairs papers, 1936-1969, (University of Minnesota Libraries. University Archives [uarc])
