The collection, 1966, 2018, and undated (Approximately .5 cubic foot) consists of materials documenting meeting minutes of the Neithercut Committee, correspondences concerning Neither use and development, maps of Neithercut, newspaper clippings featuring Neithercut, pamphlets and resource materials for the nature center, 6 photographs of the vegetation and 8 slides of the signs and buildings, a soil and water conservation plan, strategic plans, survey responses, a list of who utilized Neithercut between 1981-1986 and 2002-2003, and a student paper by Dennis Blodgett concerning the former ownership and current use of the Neithercut Woodland.
The 2019 addition (.25 cubic foot) added 16 color slides of road or trail construction and nature aerial views of fall colors, and a 2005 academic journal article on vascular plant article by Williams, Starks and Wujek, and a few items that were interfiled into existing folders.
Biography:
Gilbert D. Starks (1933-) was hired at CMU in 1975 and retired as an associate professor from CMU with emeritus status in 2005. He earned a B.S. and M.S. from Oregon State University and a Ph.D. from Michigan State University. He and his wife, Dr. Kay Starks, established an endowed scholarship in their names in 2005 for any student majoring in biology, who has an outstanding academic background and is enrolled in a class at the CMU Biological Station. The Starks had three children: Gregory, Jeffrey and Melanie. Dr. Kay Starks died in 2011. In 2011 Gil began writing on a book about CMU biology Professor Faith Johnston's news columns in the Morning Sun newspaper and its predecessor, the Daily News-Times.
Organizational History:
Neithercut Woods or Woodland: Following the death of her father, lumberman and conservationists, Josiah L. Littlefield, in 1935, his daughter, Hazel G. Littlefield (1889-1988), sold the first 80 acres of his property, the Farwell School Forest, located west of the Beachwood Camp, to Mr. Neithercut for the use of Central Michigan University. The property was later renamed Neithercut Woods. The property was used beginning in 1922 by Farwell High School which had a forestry class taught by Josiah. He reserved the Farwell School Forest so school students could use the forest as a laboratory to learn about forestry and conservation and actively practice reforestation. Josiah was the first person in the state to practice reforestation after cutting virgin timber.
Organizational History:
CMU. Dept. of Biology: The Dept. of Biology at Central Michigan Normal School, later CMU, was established in 1912 with Mae K. Woldt as department head and only staff member. By the late 1950s, the department had greatly expanded and a new biology building was planned. The new building was dedicated in honor of Professor Kendall P. Brooks in 1965. Brooks Hall was renovated four years later. A new building, the Dow Science Complex, was built between 1989 and 1992. For additional information on Brooks or Johnston, please see other collections of the Clarke Historical Library. The new Biosciences Building opened to students in January 2017.
Researchers may also be interested in other collections in the Clarke on the Starks, Littlefields, Neithercut Woods, and the CMU. Dept. of Biology. (This information is from those collections.)
