The collection includes materials, mostly originals, by and about him (biographical material), usually in connection with CMU, and CMU materials, publications, photographs, and related materials of a historical nature that he collected (CMU Subjects). Bovee generated a number of reports, speeches, remarks, and was also photographed serving on CMU committees or at building dedications. He and his family were also invited to a number of CMU presidential inaugurations.
Of particular note are Bovee’s Letter about university unrest, 1965, his Statement for Michigan State Senate Committee Investigating Faculty-Administration Relationships at CMU, 1966, and the original raw data and report of the CMU Teaching Faculty Survey, 1966. It is unknown whether or not Bovee was responsible for creating the survey. The investigation led to CMU faculty creating the first faculty union in the state of Michigan.
Also of interest is a rare photograph of the laying of the Finch Fieldhouse’s cornerstone, 1956.
Two copies of his A Master Plan for the City of Mount Pleasant, Isabella County, Michigan November 1965… are also housed in the CMU libraries.
Biography:
Norvall C. Bovee was born in Salem, Michigan, on March 17, 1917. He earned his B.A. degree from Eastern Michigan University and his M.A. from Michigan State University. Bovee studied post graduate work at the University of Michigan and the University of Kentucky. In 1960, he was granted an honorary doctor of business administration degree by Ashland (Ohio) College.
Bovee came to Central Michigan University (CMU) from Eastern Michigan University in 1940 to serve as Assistant Director of Keeler Union building, CMU’s former student center. A year later he was made director of the Union, a position he served in for four years. Bovee was then appointed as business manager of the University, a position he held for two years. He was named controller in 1948. In 1958 Bovee was appointed Vice President for Business and Finance, a position in which he served almost twenty years.
On May 29, 1941, he married Evelyn Mary Gagnon (November 8, 1912-August 27, 2013). Together they had two children, Mrs. Pete (Sue) Woods and Kenneth C. They also had two grandchildren.
He left work on Friday, December 11, 1970 after complaining of feeling ill, and was found dead in his car a short time later. He was buried from the First United Methodist Church. Bovee was the Mount Pleasant recipient of the Lane Bryant Citation for Community Service in 1956 and. a year later was named the Outstanding Citizen of Mt. Pleasant. During his life he was active in state and community affairs serving on and chairing many committees. The family established the N. C. Bovee Loan Fund in his honor. In 1960 the University Center (UC) was dedicated in his memory. (This information is from the collection.)
