Collections

The collection consists of material collected and written by Virginia Kjolhede's mother, Marion Kraft Larson, about her school mate Ernest Hemingway and the Hemingway family, and the papers and photographs of Virginia's husband, Ted Kjolhede, respected athlete, alumni, coach, and athletic director of Central Michigan University.

The collection is divided into two series, each in its own box: first the materials of Ted Kjolhede, and second, the materials of Marion Kraft Larson. Materials in each box are in alphabetical and chronological order. Acidic clippings were photocopied and the originals were withdrawn from the collection.

Series (Box) 1 consists of materials documenting the life of Ted Kjolhede, including biographical materials, photographs of his athletic career and teams, articles and letters to the editors he wrote, many of which were published in his role as guest columnist of the local Mount Pleasant newspaper, the Morning Sun, and various materials related to CMU athletics, CMU World War II graduates, and his career at CMU.

Series (Box) 2 consists mostly of newspaper and magazine articles (copies) collected or created by Marion Kraft Larson about Ernest Hemingway. Also included are a few biographical materials about Marion. Of particular interest, is her Memory Book of Oak Park and River Forest Township High School, 1917, signed by Ernest and Marcelline Hemingway, among others, and her 1972 paper about her memories of Ernest and other Hemingways, entitled “Yes, I Knew Ernest Hemingway.” There is one undated, color photograph of Marion, and a photograph album, 1912-1913, probably of her primary school mates. Also included is one oversized photograph of the Oak Park and River Forest Township High School graduation class, 1917.

The collection consists of material collected about President Mike Rao, including clippings, reports, updates, publications, and university-wide emails. This collection is not composed of his official presidential papers.

This collection is not composed of President Mike’s official presidential papers. Rather, it was culled mostly from newspapers, reports, updates, publications, and university-wide emails. Some correspondence and reports in the collection are courtesy of now retired Professor Wayne Osborn, who served on high level university committees with President Mike. The collection documents President Mike’s accomplishments, strategic vision, and public statements on topics such as diversity, the defeat of Proposal 2, and school massacres, rather than his thought process or implementation plans.