Les O. Carlin Collection, 1940, 2014 (scattered), and undated

Summary

Creator:

Carlin, Les O.

Abstract:

This collection includes materials by and about Les O. Carlin, materials by and about his wife, Marguerite "Margo" R. Carlin, and CMU materials they collected from others.

Extent:

2 cubic foot (in 2 boxes, 2 Oversized Volumes, 1 framed object)

Language:

English

Authors:

Collection processed and finding aid created by M. Matyn, 2014

Background

Scope and Content:

This collection is organized into three series: materials by and about Les, materials by and about Margo, and CMU materials they collected from others.

Box 1 (.5 cubic foot) includes: Les’ materials include six folders of his biographical materials, honors, retirement, papers, and family trees, 1940-1999 (scattered); and Margo’s materials include biographical information, her B.S. degree and case, an alumni photograph, and a resolution of appreciation, 1958-1991 (scattered).

Box 2 (.5 cubic foot) includes mostly photographs and photograph albums. The Carlins are in a few folders including family photographs and some homecoming court photographs, 1992-1993. They are also in the group photographs of CMU students on European tours, 1964 and undated. Photographs include CMU homecoming court, parades, alumni events, the dedication of the Peace Grove in 1995. Photograph albums include two nice leather bound volumes, one inscribed to Norvall C. Bovee, [after 1964], the other without an inscription [before 1968]. The albums are dated based on the construction or replacement of certain buildings in each album. The only non-photographic item in Box 2 is a list (copy) of girls (meaning female CMU students) rooming at C.E. Russell’s, 1910-1916 (copy, 2014).

Oversized materials (approximately 1 cubic foot) include the very interesting CMU SATC (Student Army Training Corps) Photograph Album, 1984. This includes mostly copies of portraits and group photographs of CMU students enrolled in the SATC at CMU practicing with guns, attacking targets, one with a bugle. Three of the group photographs are laminated and identified as the entire company (four platoons of 250 men) and one image is of the 4th platoon. These photographs are identified by Private Carl W. Dalrymple of the 4th Platoon. The album also includes two 1984 color photographs of senior men who were once SATC members. Also oversized are Les Carlin’s coat of arms in oval frame with glass, by V.R. Nickerson, 1984, and his Retirement Scrapbook, 1991.

Related Collections: Related Clarke collections documenting the Carlins include Marguerite R. Carlin’s Papers, 1954, 1979, and Al G. Tennant’s Collection, 1951, [2013]. A catalog subject search for Central Michigan University. Student Army Training Corps will retrieve catalog records for all relevant collections with SATC materials in them.

Processing Note: Duplicates (many photographs) and a few peripheral items were withdrawn from the collection during processing. Acidic items were copied and the originals were withdrawn from the collection. A total of less than .25 cubic foot was removed from the collection. The Carlin materials were originally housed in storage with alumni events and meeting minutes, now in the separate CMU Alumni collection.

Biographical / Historical:

Biography:

Marguerite “Margo” Ratliff was born on April 26, 1917. Between 1946 and 1948 she married Les Carlin. They moved to Michigan in 1948. She worked as a housemother at Central Michigan University (CMU) from 1948 until 1967. Housemothers assigned rooms and were responsible for the welfare of the students and staff. Margo helped open Robinson Hall, the first hall with private bathrooms at CMU in 1954. In 1958 she earned a bachelor of science degree from CMU. Margo and Les advised CMU students for more than 50 years. They were the 1990 homecoming parade grand marshals. She and Les later retired to Lake Worth, Florida, where Margo died on February 28, 1991 at age 73. She and Les did not have children.

Leslie “Les” O. Carlin was born in Gildford, Montana, on June 1, 1916, the son of Reese H. and Bessie R. Carlin. He had four siblings: William, Evelyn, and twins Albert and Alice. He taught as a rural teacher and principal in North Dakota, Fort Pierce, Florida, and, finally Mount Pleasant, Michigan. His college years were interrupted by his service from 1942 to 1946 in the U.S. Navy as a Lieutenant. He earned a bachelor’s degree from North Dakota State Teachers College, a master’s degree from Colorado State College of Education, and doctorate in education from Colorado State College of Education, Greeley.

After marrying Margo and moving to Mount Pleasant, Les worked as a counselor in the CMU Counseling Center from 1948 to 1981. He was considered a leader in the professional field of counseling. In 1981, Les retired as professor emeritus.

After Margo died in 1991, Les married Louise MacLean-Carlin. The Carlin Alumni House was later renamed in his honor in 1993, the same year he suffered his first stroke. Afterwards, able to speak only a few words at a time, Les taped a brief speech for the Alumni House renaming ceremony over a period of seven hours. Les died on Aug. 30, 2002 in Allen Park, Michigan, after suffering a series of strokes. He was survived by his second wife, his brother, Albert, four nieces, and two nephews. Les was buried by Margo in Fort Pierce, Florida.

Both Carlins were loved and respected by the many CMU students they helped over many decades. They were friendly, caring, thoughtful people. Both Carlins were also part owners of Valley Travel Agency in Mount Pleasant. They loved to travel and had visited throughout the U.S. and 153 foreign countries and thus assisted with international education programs, traveling on summer tours with students. (This biographical information is from the collection.)

Organizational History:

The CMU SATC (Student Army Training Corps) was active at CMU from September 1918 to about November 20, 1918. The entire company consisted of four platoons of 250 men. Private Carl W. Dalrymple (CMU class of 1919) noted on one photograph that 200 of the 250 had “flu” at the same time, using the gym as a hospital. Whether they actually had flu or pretended to as a medical exercise is unclear.

Acquisition Information:

Acc# 74573

Arrangement:

The collection is organized by series, alphabetically and chronologically..

Subjects

Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site.

Subjects:

Scrapbooks--Michigan--Mount Pleasant.

Names:

Central Michigan University. Student Army Training Corps.
Central Michigan University--Students.
Central Michigan University--Alumni and alumnae.
Central Michigan University--History.
Harrison family.
Tindall family.
Carlin, Les O.
Carlin, Marguerite R.
Plachta, Leonard.
Clendening, Byron.
Dalrymple, Carl W.

Places:

Mount Pleasant (Mich.)--History.