Collections : [Central Michigan University Clarke Historical Library]

This collection consists of the family papers of Leonard E. and Louise A. Plachta, providing a personal view into their childhoods, university experiences, married life and relationship with each other, friends, and relatives through their correspondence, and careers, mainly in Detroit and Mount Pleasant, Michigan.

This collection consists of the family papers of Leonard E. and Louise A. Plachta, providing a personal view into their childhoods, university experiences, married life and relationship with each other, friends, and relatives through their correspondence, and careers, mainly in Detroit and Mount Pleasant, Michigan. While most of the collection is in English, some correspondence, stories, family history and vital records, and school grades are in Polish. The collection is organized by creator and then alphabetically by topic and, finally, chronologically. Physically, the collection is in very good condition. Boxes 1-4 are letter-size .5 cubic foot and Box 5 is a letter-size .25 cubic foot box.

The Papers of Leonard E. Plachta:

The Papers of Leonard E. Plachta (in Boxes 1-3) includes his family history with family tree information, and his elementary grades (some in Polish) and high school grades and activities, such as childhood photographs and his Safety Patrol Pledge, Grade 7-8. His university materials included applications, in which he wrote about his hopes, dreams, interests, and lack of parental support to pursue a college degree. His university degrees and related commencement materials are included. There is one folder each of material documenting his wedding to Louise, and another his army training. We see some of his personal relationships with each other and family in Correspondence, from Leonard to Louise,; and in Correspondence, Personal to Leonard, Leonard and Louise.

The majority of his papers focuses his career at Central Michigan University (CMU His Annual Personal Data Report (Academic Accomplishments), are annual reports of his professorial academic accomplishments in the Business School. When he became Dean of the CMU Business School he wrote Some Thoughts on Becoming Dean of the School of Business Administration at CMU]. Photographs of Dean Plachta with students, other CMU faculty and administrators, and when he attended the Small Business Institute Award Dinners also document his time as dean.

Most of the CMU material is from his tenure as CMU president. When he became Interim President he received numerous congratulatory notes. Those retained in the collection are from CMU and Mount Pleasant people, among them former CMU Presidents Harold Abel and William B. Boyd, presidents of other universities, and Michigan politicians and businessmen. Other materials documenting his tenure as CMU president include: CMU Agreement with Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara (student exchange program established), 1993; a Caricature by Paco; CMU Correspondence, Thank yous for Hospitality to Leonard and Louise from Alumni Class 1947 for their 50th Reunion; an invitation to the CMU Robert and Marjorie Griffin Endowed Chair in American Government Celebration Dinner; Morning Sun Interview Materials; Photographs in the collection document Awards and Recognition Events, one with Governor Jennifer Granholm, Commencements, 1992-1995, 1997; Groundbreaking, Official Building Openings and other events, Homecoming, 1995 and 1997; Students, Alums; and international visits to Villa Bosch, a conference center, in Heidelberg, Germany, and the Tatsuzawa Educational Establishments (Morioka Chou Senior High School),a preeminent private high school, in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan. Demands for his resignation in 1998 are documented in the folder labeled CMU Students Demand Plachta’s Resignation.

His retirement and honors received afterwards are documented by Awards and Certificates, Leonard and Louise together; CMU Correspondence, Congratulations Upon His Retirement; CMU Plachta Day, Dinner Invitation; CMU President Mike Rao, Goals, Strategic Plans, Correspondence. Certificates and awards, newspaper clippings, plaques, and CMU Correspondence- General span his entire career or entire life. There is one folder of materials from the semester he taught at Michigan State University. An overall view about him is provided by his obituary and self-generated biographical materials.

The Papers of Louise Plachta:

The Papers of Louise Plachta (in Boxes 4-5) document her family history in copies of her parents’ vital records, stories, and correspondence (some in Polish from her mother and other relatives), and secondary education with childhood elementary grades (some in Polish) and high school grades and class anniversary materials. Her University of Detroit materials include her degree. The one folder of their wedding material is filed under Leonard’s name. Her writing is documented in her English papers, Correspondence, and Stories, h Interview materials, Articles, and Speeches. Materials specifically related to her time at CMU include: Caricature by Paco, Brent Wisher; Certificates; her CMU Master of Arts Degree in Case; CMU Plachta Scholarships and Awards Materials; Identity Cards; her unofficial Correspondence, re: Leonard Resigning; all but one of her English papers; most of her Photographs and CMU Photo Identity Card; ‘Robert Frost and the rural’ CMU Bohannon Schoolhouse, Program, and Photographs; and two plaques. An overview of her life is found in her photographs, resume, and obituary.

Researchers may also be interested in the official CMU Office of the President Papers of Leonard E. Plachta, which are administrative in nature. For more detail please see that finding aid. Additional materials about both Plachtas may be found in multiple manuscript collections in the Clarke, especially those related to public relations, as well as digitized CMU publications. A copy of his 1964 dissertation, A search for a proper accounting for the issuance of stock dividends, is also available in the Clarke.

Processing Note: Approximately 1 cubic foot of materials were removed from the collection during processing including: miscellaneous financial information, pay raise requests, benefits information, letters of recommendation, generic travel mementos, generic correspondence, information with social security numbers, unidentified photographs, CMU publications (duplicates) and acidic materials, mainly newspaper clippings (copies were retained). Material of a more personal nature were returned to the donor as per the donor agreement.

Collection of research materials on Michigan topics, mostly photocopies, notes, drafts of articles, and correspondence.

The collection consists mostly of photocopies of newspaper articles, magazine articles, information from websites, the Congressional Record, and chapters from reference and other books, on topics of interest to Barnett. Also included are his correspondence and email to various institutions and people asking for information and material, his notes, and typed articles he wrote on various topics. Topics documented in depth include: Ash, Center Line, John Farmer, Upper Peninsula railroads, Magnet Truck, Michigan railroads, the Mackinac Bridge, music and singers who sang songs about Michigan and or cars, the longstanding oleo versus margarine debates and laws, Michigan Central Railroad Co. Head Lights (a publication), Michigan jazz, traffic lights, with biographical materials on W.L. Potts, and Detroit, Mackinac and Marquette Railroad Co. maps (oversized transparencies). The materials (photocopies)on Headlights or Headlight Flashes includes: an advertising publication of the Company, which describes the comfort of traveling via the Company's trains and provides city histories with biographies of important families and individuals, as well as photographs of those people, expensive homes, businesses, public buildings, and pastoral scenes. Towns described include: Michigan City (Ind.), 1894; and the Mich. cities of: Albion, 1895; Pontiac, 1897; Benton Harbor and Flint, 1896; and Saint Joseph, 1898. Also included are microfilmed newspaper articles (photocopies), in which the Headlights of various cities were advertised, 1895-1896 and 1941, and 1997-2000 typed transcripts of other similar newspaper advertisements, 1895-1898. Additional subjects include: Agricultural Demonstration Trains of Michigan State University, 1906-1937; buying Michigan, 1795-1796; counties, name changes/considered creation of new counties; the history of county names; dandelions [as an emergency source of post-World War II rubber]; highway lighthouses [precursors to traffic lights]; lynchings; prisoners building Michigan roads during the 1920s; reflectors (roadside); roadside parks [Michigan had the first]; stagecoaches; broadcasting; homestead lands; Hollywood; the Port Huron and Milwaukee Railroad; Sabbath blue laws; Ludington (Mich.); swamp lands; centroids; Iron Range and Huron Bay Rialroad; ferries; population centers; Oldsmar, Florida; David Ward, Deward (Mich.); the Detroit and Charlevoix Railroad Company; Cigar Industry in Detroit, including strikes, unions, and women employees; Cigar Store Indians; crops of Flax and Gingseng and flax industries in Michigan prisons; Michigan Indians mentioned in county histories; Michigan Road Construction Train; Michigan World War I fruit and olive pit gathering campaign to create gas masks; Ragweed and hay fever and the Northern Hay Fever Resort Association, Topinabee, and the Western Hay Fever Association of the U.S., headquartered in Petoskey; General Philip H. Sheridan 's warhorse Rienzi; St. Mary's Falls Ship Canal Company and its subsidiary units, the Canal Mineral Land Company and the Michigan Pine Land Association; and Windmills in Detroit. Also included is a draft of a book by Graydon M. Meints on lumber baron David Ward that Barnett reviewed. The major topics found in 2021 Addition, Boxes 63-75, include: American Tract Society, Bloomers, Colporteur, Graphite Mining in Michigan, Medical Quacks, Michigan Iron and Land Company, Samuel Geil Maps of Michigan, and Whipping (Military corporal punishment). The 2022 Addition, Boxes 76-79, includes the major topics of Vigilance Committees against German Americans during World War I and Ski Trains. Other topics include: Buffalo Bill Train Accident, Carbon Works in Detroit, Detroit’s Streetlight Towers, Grand Duke Alexis A Romanov Visits Detroit, ‘Hello Girls’ [U.S. Army Signal Corps, World War I], Lindbergh in Michigan, Michigan World War II Veterans Bonus, Wetzel (Antrim County, MI, village), Bomb Mackinaw (which were 1925 practice maneuver plans to prevent enemies from crossing into the straits by dropping bombs from airplanes), and Crawfish. The collection is ongoing.

Processing Note: Abbreviations used by Barnett on folder labels were used and copied by Clarke processors exactly. Acidic materials were copied in 2014.

This collection documents the impact of PBB upon the Snider family of Cadillac, Michigan, and how they sought to understand what was happening to them and raise public awareness to gain federal relief for people negatively impacted by PBB.

This collection documents the impact of PBB upon the Snider family of Cadillac, Michigan, and how they sought to understand what was happening to them and raise public awareness to gain federal relief for people negatively impacted by PBB. There are two series, the papers John “Jack” M. Snider, Sr. and those of Loretta “Rae Rae” D. Snider, which compose the majority of the collection. The collection, which is organized by size, alphabetically, and chronologically, includes correspondence, medical records, court cases, federal government testimonies, photographs, copies of news and journal articles, and Church of Scientology brochures. Their obituaries are in Box 1 folder 1. Boxes 1-2 are .5 cubic foot letter-size and Box 3 is .25 cubic foot legal-size.

John ‘Jack’ M. Snider, Sr.’s papers consist mostly of correspondence with lawyers and copies of legal documents related to court cases to attain financial settlement for PBB damaging the family’s health and payment for their accrued health bills. This includes his correspondence with then Michigan politicians Speaker of the House Bobby Crim and Senator Jack Toepp, who represented Cadillac, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Court cases documented in his papers in which the Snider family sued for damages include Michigan. Circuit Court for the County of Kent, Complaint of many, including John Jr., vs. Velsicol, Farm Bureau Services, Inc., Michigan Chemical Co., et al. 1977, and Supreme Court of Michigan Case No. 60519, related to U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Eastern District of Michigan. Southern Division, Case No. 84-01478-G formerly No. 82-00651-W (Northern Division), Farm Bureau Services, Inc., Debtor, 1983-1986. Original federal testimony of Rae Rae and physicians Stephen M. Soble and I.J. Selikoff, the official record of their testimony, and related correspondence from Al Gore to Rae Rae, as well as related materials of Representative Don Albosta are also in this series. Lastly in Jack’s papers are correspondence with Dun, Schouten and Snoap, Attorneys, re: PBB Creditors Committee Memorandums, Agenda, 1983, including Michigan Chemical Co. Stipulations for PBB Cow Quarantine and Burial, 1975, all related to the Bankruptcy Case, 1975, 1983.

Loretta ‘Rae Rae’ D. Snider’s papers include her correspondence with Michigan politicians U.S. Representatives Don Albosta and James Blanchard, Michigan departments of Commerce, Natural Resources, and Public Health, the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; physicians, hospitals, laboratories, Pat Kidder of the PBB Action Committee; Michigan Citizens Lobby; and representatives off the Detroit News, as well as multiple teams of lawyers informing them of her family’s health, gathering information, and trying to get their PBB-related bills paid, and advocating for increased government awareness and support of families affected by PBB. In those pre-digital days, she communicated with Joyce Egginton, author of the Poisoning of Michigan (1980), about hotels and their prices near Mount Sinai before she and her family traveled there for medical tests and care. Her search for information to help her family led Rae Rae to gather information from the Church of Scientology on Chemical Purification; PBB information from news clippings (copies) mostly from the Cadillac Evening News, Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, and Grand Rapids Press, and one each from the Bay City Times and Oscoda County News, and journal articles; a cardiologist’s opinion (see the airmail letter and related note from [No Surname] Lynne and Jerry to Mr. and Mrs. Owen Brainerd); and a letter noting how many school days John, Jr. had missed. There is a personal letter from Roxane, then living in Utah, on Halloween 1978, describing her outrage over an enclosed news article from Salt Lake Tribune, October 29, 1978, about how Wexford County Circuit Court Judge William Peterson exonerated the Michigan Chemical Company and Farm Bureau Services, Inc. in the $250,000 suit brought by dairy farmers Roy and Marilyn Tacoma of Falmouth. The role of the Marina Ristorante and Lounge as a meeting place for Schenk’s PBB legal team is evidenced by undated photographs and a 1977 Thank You note to Rae Rae. Also included are May 1978 photographs documenting Rae Rae with lawyers and witnesses, including Marlene (Mrs. Alpha “Doc”) Clark, in Wexford Country Court House, probably for the Tacoma trial. Unique amongst the Clarke’s PBB collections in her papers is a DNR news release on deer hunters and venison PBB analysis, 1977 (in Box 2).

Medical records of John M., Loretta D., and Mark B. Snider are found in four folders in the collection and so noted on the folder labels. In her public federal testimony, Rae Rae also describes her family’s health challenges after they unknowingly consumed PBB-poisoned food. In 2024 Archivist Marian Matyn obtained permission from Mark B. Snider to retain and make available for public research his and his parents’ medical test results. A copy of the permission form is found in each of the relevant folders.

Researchers may be interested in multiple primary source collections and secondary sources in the Clarke Historical Library documenting the Michigan PBB Disaster.

Processing Notes:

A total of .25 cubic foot of duplicates and acidic materials, mostly newspaper clippings and articles, were withdrawn during processing. Photocopies of the acidic materials were retained in the collection. Personal medical records of Jack were withdrawn and those of Rock and Roxanne Snider were returned to them as per their request.

The Organizational Records, 1932-2020, and undated, provide an unprecedented record of marine construction in the Great Lakes, including work on the Mackinac Bridge, the Soo Locks, and the Chicago Sanitary Canal, harbor work, dredging, and, more recent, habitat restoration projects.

The records include the following four series: Professional Organizations and Local History, 1980-2009; Daily Reports, 1960-1993; Jobs, 1932-2002, and No Low Bids (NLBs), 1970-2002. In addition, one folder of organizational history materials, published and written notes, collected by the archivist, is found in the first folder in Box 1. The collection is organized following its original order, by series, and within series by number, date, and format.

Series1: Professional Organizations and Local History, 1980-2009 (3 boxes, 1.5 cubic ft.), includes records of the following organizations: AASD and MCC; BLU; DCA; NADC; and Benzie County Economic Development Corporation. The series documents the involvement of the Luedtke family in professional organizations and associations and in their local community. This series is organized alphabetical by organization name, type of format, and then chronologically.

AASD and MCC (the American Association of Small Dredging and Marine Construction Companies), which is the predecessor of the National Association of Dredging Contractors (NACD), Testimonial, Senate Committee on Small Business, September 21, 1987 (one folder in Box 1). This folder includes background information such as newspaper clippings, congressional testimony, witness lists.

Benzie County Economic Development Corporation, Annual Meeting Minutes, 1980-2009 (Box 2, .5 cubic foot) includes: agendas, meeting minutes, reports, board comments, bylaws, and attachments including guidelines to establish a port authority, consulting proposal, articles of incorporation, and as resignation letter.

BLUA (Betsie Lake Utilities Authority) organizational records, 2004-2008 (Box 3, .5 cubic foot), include: Articles of Incorporation, 1988; Correspondence, 2005; Engineering Proposal, 1998; photograph of board members, 2004; property purchases, 2004; meeting minutes, 2007-2008; and wastewater treatment facility improvements, 2003.

DCA (Dredging Contractors of America) Annual Meeting materials, 2001-2008 (part 6 folders in Box 1) includes: greetings, activities, maps, driving directions, lists of attendees, schedules of events, reception and banquet information, agendas, meeting Minutes, biographies of speakers, financial records, reports, and bylaws.

NADC (National Association of Dredging Contractors) Annual Meeting materials, 1988-1989 (3 folders in Box 1), includes: agendas, meeting minutes, reports, financial records, congressional reception materials, by-laws, and enclosures.

Series 2: Daily Reports, 1960-1993, Boxes 4-77 (73 boxes, 36.5 cubic feet). This series is on printed Daily Report forms. Each form includes the following information added in handwriting: job number, date, day, shift, location, names of men who worked that day, their classification and rate of pay, equipment used, hours worked, total figures. Daily Reports are organized by job number and begin with Job number 298, 1960. There are obvious skips in the sequential job numbers within the series which were present when the collection came to the Clarke.

Series 3: Jobs, 1932-2002, Boxes 77-314 (237 boxes, 118.5 cubic feet). This series includes the jobs that Luedtke bid on, won, and completed in Michigan and other states including Illinois, Wisconsin, New York, Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and California. Some of these jobs were for the U.S. Corps of Engineers, which was noted on the labels. Most of the jobs include building something in a marine environment, but Luedtke also hauled rocks, lifted sunken boats, and moved a crane. Each job may include some or all of the following material: communications (various types), bid opening form, bid proposal, contract, addendums to bid, bid proposal, and/or contract; drawings (various, often blue-lines), lists of cost, equipment, labor, hours; changes to contract, certificates or bills of insurance, quality assurance programs, claims, quality control, financials/cost sheets, permits, newspaper clippings (copies), contracts, orders for equipment, photographs, negatives, change orders, and survey reports. Some of the earliest photographs include 1920s photographs of Luedtke divers in hard hat suits for commercial diving (deep diving). There are also incident reports and notes about a fire in Chicago. The series is in order by job number, which is also in chronological order. The first Job documented is number 5, Waukegan, Illinois, 1932, and the last is Job 309, Kenosha, Wisconsin, 2002. The sequential job number is almost complete. Two jobs have no number and are filed in the order in which they were found: Job H, Mackinaw city, 1943 – 1944, and Job Unknown, Port Washington, WI, 1950.

Jobs of note include the following: Job 354 includes correspondence with Albert Kahn Associated Architects and Engineers, 1966. Job 692 includes vandalism and oil spill. Job 644 includes photographs of Luedtke on strike. Job 608 includes information that Luedtke was fined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), see the correspondence on yellow paper. There are also several major lawsuits within this series, notably one with Chicago over a collapsed tunnel (Job 763), a long, vicious lawsuit in which Luedtke finally emerged vindicated.

Series 4: No Low Bids (NLBs), 1970-2002, Boxes 315-375 (60 boxes, 30 cubic feet) document jobs Luedtke either just collected data on and decided not to bid on, or jobs they collected data on, bid on, and lost to competitors. There are very few completed bids in this series. Some of these jobs were for the U.S. Coast Guard or the U.S. Corps of Engineers, which was noted on the labels. For each Michigan job the folder may include some of all of the following material: abstract, proposal and/or addendum, maps, photographs, negatives, bid form and instructions, description of work to be done, equipment to be used, survey reports, invitation to bid and addendums, drawings (various), communications (various), project manuals, Luedtke notes of informational meetings, and project planning notes (on green paper), and insurance bid bonds. Sometimes Luedtke sent letters protesting that the competitor who won the bid over Luedtke could not possibly do the job at the rate they promised. These letters have been retained in the series. Besides Michigan, there are NLBs for Wisconsin, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Indiana, and Missouri. This series is in chronological by month, day and year. For labeling purposes, the name of the job and year was included on the folder label, not the month, but the strict chronological order in which they were originally filed was followed by the processors. This series was heavily weeded. Please refer to the processing notes for clarification on the weeding.

All the boxes in the collection are .5 cubic foot boxes, except for two, Box #4 and #351, which are both .25 cubic foot boxes, a point which is noted on the box and folder listing.

Allergy Note: Those with allergies should be aware that while the collection overall is in excellent condition, parts of it have a slight mildew odor. Researchers should exercise caution while using the collection.

The 2023 addition mostly includes a sample of subsequent Job files. Still unprocessed. Also included here are Boxes 376-377 which contain materials collected by members of the Luedtke family for reference and because of their services on multiple Great Lakes and for multiple organizations such as American Waterways Operators, Great Lakes Commission, Great Lakes Maritime Task Force, Lake Carriers’ Association, UnLock Our Jobs, US Army Corps of Engineers, and the Waterways Council. The folders contain: meeting minutes, agendas, PowerPoint printouts, newsletters, military documents, a CD, mission statements, news articles, informational packets, and some advertising material.

American Waterways Operators: A Tugboat, Barge, Towboat advocacy group operating in the United States and its waterways.

Great Lakes Commission: A public agency established in 1955 with the goal of being a forum to support the industry, trade, quality of life, and environment of the Great Lakes for both the United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

Great Lakes Maritime Task Force: The Task Force was founded in 1992 to promote waterborne commerce and other related industries on the Great Lakes. Involving and representing a wide array of different groups including but not limited to, cargo shippers, Vessel owners, maritime laborers, marine and shipyard construction companies, and port authorities.

Lake Carriers’ Association: The Association promotes the interest of U.S.-flag vessel operators on the Great Lakes through change by legislation and regulatory advocacy by educating legislators, regulators, and the public in the role of the Great Lakes. This includes the effects it has on the American economy and to increase the efficiency of waterborne commerce.

UnLock Our Jobs: This organization has the goal of protecting the waterways of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River from the spread of Asian Carp while leaving the Chicago Locks open for use. The organization is composed of a coalition of agriculture businesses, river communities, laborers, and concerned citizens.

US Army Corps of Engineers: A branch of the United States Army, The Corps of Engineers in both war and peacetime is dedicated to maintaining the security of the United States, improving environmental sustainability, maintain the United States infrastructure, and supporting research and development for the stability and safety of the United States. In terms of the Great Lakes, they are responsible for dredging America’s waterways allowing for continued transportation of commodities.

Waterways Council: Founded in 2003 the Council's goal is for the protection, preservation, restoration, and improvements of the many Great Lakes locks and waterway systems.

Processing Note:

As per the donor agreement, all materials not retained by the Clarke were set aside to be reviewed by the donor. Materials weeded from the collection include duplicates, blank forms, taxes, miscellaneous financials and correspondence, and reading material. A total of 81 cubic feet (76 boxes) of material was withdrawn during processing.

The Jobs folder included lawsuit depositions which included social security numbers. Pages with social security numbers were removed or copied and the copies were retained. Much supporting documentation was withdrawn from the law suits. Lawsuit materials retained explain sufficiently what the lawsuit was, who was involved, and how it was finally settled. Also, all materials were retained for jobs at Detroit, Mackinaw and the Soo Locks.

The No Low Bid (NLB) series was heavily weeded. For out-of-state jobs that Luedtke actually bid on the Clarke retained the proposal, contract, addendums to both, and Luedtke notes (usually on green paper). Luedtke collected a lot of information in this series but did not always bid on the jobs. If there was no evidence that they actually bid on the job and it was out-of-state, the entire folder was weeded. If it was unclear if Luedtke bid on a job in Michigan, all the materials in the folder were retained and a note was put in from the archivist explaining the situation.

During processing of Boxes 376-377, individual meeting bios, non-relevant advertising, duplicates, Congressional Research Services documentation, personal contact information, personal notes were withdrawn.

The collection consists of materials created and collected by two Central Michigan University (CMU) students, Lynn M. Riker and Mary Beth Erdman, who gave her materials to Riker.

The collection consists of materials created and collected by two Central Michigan University (CMU) students, Lynn M. Riker and Mary Beth Erdman, who gave her materials to Riker. Riker’s material documents her extensive activities in committees connected to her membership and leadership of CMU Residence Halls Assembly, which led to her involvement leading or co-leading the planning of the state, regional and national RHA conferences at CMU, including: the Michigan Residence Halls Assembly Conference in 1989, the Great Lakes Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls in 1984, and the National Association of Colleges and University Residence Halls, Inc. For the national she was involved with two bids, the unsuccessful 1985 and the successful 1986. Her papers include a wide variety of conference planning materials and bid packet materials include minutes, notes, correspondence, forms, schedules, budgets, lists of committee responsibilities, members and contacts, reports, conference invitations, banquet programs, certificates, fliers, stationery, and evaluations. Mary Beth Erdman’s materials include: 1950s and 1960s photographs and historical information about CMLife and CMU history articles that she wrote about or edited, including student demonstrations over censorship, 1960-1962, correspondence about her censorship editorial from CMU officials, including Wilbur E. Moore, Vice President of Academic Affairs, and a history of the Mount Pleasant High School student newspaper, the Stude, she wrote in 1954. Erdman also donated a photograph of a New Moon camper show with movie posters of The Long, Long Trailer, a 1953 MGM romantic comedy movie starring Lucy Ball and Desi Arnaz filmed in a New Moon trailer. The collection is organized by size and then alphabetically and chronologically.

Organizational records of Michigan Business Education Association (MBEA).

The John M. Trytten Archives of the MBEA date from 1936 and include the Articles of Incorporation, Constitutions, By-Laws, Policies, Meeting Minutes of the Executive Board, General Meetings, and miscellaneous meetings, Correspondence, Financial Records, Treasurer’s Ledgers and Reports, Miscellaneous Materials, Miscellaneous Reports, folders of materials relating to the Annual Convention, Fall Conference, Workshops, and Membership, and various Photographs, among other materials. The Archives is ongoing.

Newsletters of MBEA, including: Business education today in Michigan, MBEA today, and News bulletin, are cataloged separately as periodicals.

Mount Pleasant Area Diversity Group (Mich.) Organizational records, 1951-2009, and undated, include mostly meeting minutes, related reports, and historical documentation of the group's activities and events to fight racism and discrimination and foster multiculturalism.

The collection consists of paper organizational records of the MPADG, 1976-2014, and undated. It collection is organized alphabetically and chronologically. Important records include Articles of Incorporation, Mission Statement, By-laws, and Tax-Exempt Status papers. There is a complete set of Meeting Minutes with agendas and related materials, 1993-2011, and a few 2012 meeting minutes, as well as meeting minutes from 1992 of the local ministerial association. Other information documenting the group includes correspondence, activities and events materials, conference materials, the group’s history, marketing plan, newspaper clippings (copies), treasurer’s reports, grant requests, and meeting minutes of MPADG Trustees, and reports, 2009-2010.

Of particular interest to researchers will be documentation of incidents in Mount Pleasant and Michigan, 1996-2005, specifically the incidents at Mount Pleasant High School and the communication and plans of actions to address them and collected materials on how Michigan police dealt with juveniles and youth, 1991-2000, undated. Related to this are two folders of materials, agendas, meetings minutes, and a Mount Pleasant High School student survey of the Mount Pleasant Parents of Color, 1993-1997. Also related is the Mount Pleasant School District Strategy 7 Committee Meeting Minutes, Related Materials [multi-cultural education] folder, 2000-2001.

There are also two reports of interest: Isabella County Human Rights Committee Report to the Isabella County Board of Commissioners, July 21, 2009, and Overview of a Project to Explore Racial/Ethnic Diversity at CMU … presented to MPADG, by Mary S. Senter, Sept. 20, 2007.

MPADG also collected Michigan non-discrimination ordinances and information on how to file complaints, 1976-2010 (Scattered).

In 2000 Central Michigan University President Mike Rao asked for the MPADG’s list of efforts for a study on diversity related activities in the Mount Pleasant community. His letter and CMU’s plan are included in the collection.

Lastly, there is a compilation of information entitled Dr. Merze Tate: A Brief Review of a Groundbreaking Career, by Daniel L. Shaw, 2004.

The collection consists mostly of Central Michigan University conference materials and programs related to middle level teachers, scrapbooks and photographs of Central Michigan students minoring in Middle Level Education, and Transitions Summer Camp materials of Mount Pleasant Public School students entering middle school.

Collection includes biographical materials on Bailey (1 folder), 2014; Learn today .... teach tomorrow conference (held at Central Michigan University (CMU) for pre-service teachers) programs, 2006-2014 (1 folder); and a plaque from the National Middle School Association presented to CMU, the host site for CMLA, November 1999 (1 folder). Also included are beautiful Collegiate Middle Level Association at CMU (CMLACMU) scrapbooks, 1996-2013, created by student members.

Later additions to the collection include: Photographs, matted, of CMU Graduates with a Middle Level Education Minor, 1996-2014, which were originally displayed in the hall of the unit. There are also photographs of graduates unmatted, 2015-2018. Also added were Transitions Summer Camp Materials, which include forms, agendas, plans, notes, some financial and grant information, and photographs, 2009-2013. This camp was for students entering middle school. They reviewed math, spelling, science skills, coping and confidence-building exercises, and learned how to cope with locker combination locks. CMU students led the camp for Mount Pleasant area students.

Organizational records include: annual president and chairperson reports, treasurer reports, meeting minutes, officer guidelines, photographs (black and white and color), scrapbooks and correspondence documenting the Division's activities, history, Annual International Tea and national and council meetings.

The collection, 1926-2014, and undated, approximately 12 cubic feet (in 21 boxes, 1 legal-size folder, 4 Oversized Volumes) documents the organizational records and history of the Michigan Division of the Woman’s National Farm and Garden Association (WNFGA). Organizational records include: annual president and chairperson reports, treasurer reports, meeting minutes, and officer guidelines. Photographs (black and white and color), scrapbooks and correspondence illuminate the Division's activities and provide additional insight into its history. Photographs provide images of Annual International Tea and national and council meetings.

Included in the collection are Cranbrook Branch of WNFGA scrapbooks, 1963-1968 and 1983-1988 (Box 6 and Oversized scrapbooks). The scrapbooks and related newsletters and miscellaneous were created by Barbara Van Buren. The Cranbrook Branch no longer exists.

The Annual International Tea records, 1996-2008, were originally composed annually in binders. Due to materials becoming loose, the contents were transferred into archival folders. However, their original order was maintained. These reports include correspondence, photographs and newspaper clippings.

The organizational records generated during the tenures of two presidents, Louise Shoksnyder (Boxes 18-19 and Oversized scrapbook, 2007-2008) and Ila Leonard Wermuth (Box 21), were separately identified as such, and this original order was maintained during processing.

Several fairly complete newsletters and historical publications were separately cataloged during processing.

The collection is in good physical condition and is organized by size and alphabetically by series. The Cranbrook Scrapbooks have weak or damaged binding. Scotch tape was also found in scrapbooks and the Annual International Tea folders. In both cases, materials in these series may become loose over time. Acidic materials have been replaced with copies. All of the boxes are .5 cubic foot boxes except Box 21, which is .25 cubic foot.

Researchers may also be interested in the collection of Mrs. (Francis) Louisa King, 1902-2000, and other Woman’s garden club collections which are also housed at the Clarke.

Processing Notes: During processing .75 cubic foot of material, consisting of duplicates, miscellaneous financial records, and generic correspondence, were removed from the collection.

The collection consists of the organizational records of Central Michigan University Clarke Historical Library.

The collection documents in text and images all aspects of the history and functions of the Clark Historical Library since its founding. Photographs are mostly in Boxes 7-8, but other images may be found in various publications and scrapbooks.

An addition to the collection in 2021, Board Meeting Minutes (Boxes 12-17), 1962-2006, undated, may include agendas, attachments, reports, and board packets, and 1 box of board member correspondence and photographs.

Another 2021 addition is the Charles H. Wright addition, 1959, 1978, 1 cubic foot (in 2 boxes) features official government documents from African countries. Most folders are official Parliamentary Debates of the Eastern House of Assembly of Nigeria. Each packet includes who attended, the information discussed, and relevant recorded dialogue. Other materials included in the collection are an Official Gazette from the Republic of Nigeria, as well as multiple Monthly Digest of Statistics from Zambia. Multiple titles were separately cataloged.

The 2021 addition, No Acc#, Boxes 20-36 (7.75 cubic feet in 17 boxes) focuses on the Clarke Historical Library, though other materials include Frank Boles' professional correspondence and materials about the Park Library, Mid-Michigan Library League, Michigan Historical Review, and Clarke Historical Library Board of Governors 1954-2019. The Mid-Michigan Library League is one of Michigan's eleven library cooperatives and as of 2021, includes 36 libraries in 15 counties located in Michigan's lower peninsula. The Michigan Historical Review is a scholarly publication about Michigan history and joint venture of the Clarke and CMU's History Department. Some materials are in Spanish. The 2021 addition was arranged to match the organization of previous accessions to the collection. Some of the addition was interfiled into Boxes 10-11.

In 2024 the Clarke’s official Accession Books and one Deaccession book, 1956-2022, were digitized for internal staff use only. The original paper and microfilm are in Boxes 37-38 of this collection. These boxes are closed to researchers. The collection is ongoing.