The materials in the collection consist mainly of scrapbooks Whitley kept during his years as an educator in Johnston County. Of particular interest is a copy of the 1913 Soil Survey of Johnston County. A school lesson plan book from 1916-1917 and numerous clippings relating to World War I (including letters from Johnston County soldiers published in local newspapers), agriculture, taxation, and local government in Johnston County would also prove valuable to the local history researcher.