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 Acidic clippings were photocopied and the originals were withdrawn from the collection.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 includes biographical information, correspondence, notably of the Boys' Republic, photographs and photograph albums, subject files, plaques, etc.

The collection includes: Biographical Information, consisting of diplomas, family history materials, photographs, newspaper clippings (copies), and related materials, 1930s-2002, undated; Correspondence, General (from students), to parents related to World War II, from two girl friends, Rebecca Reynolds and Verna May, and Dale Williams, a boy in the Boys’ Vocational School in Lansing, 1939-1955, undated, and the Boys’ Republic and student there, Bob Downes, 1948-1951; Photographs, 1922, 2000; Subject Files, including materials related to CMU, Flushing High School, Greeting Cards, Historical Michigan Calendars, Flint Junior College, the University of Michigan, the Boys’ Republic, juvenile delinquency, and other materials, 1935, 2000, undated; Photograph Albums related to his family and CMU, military service, and HOSTS/Mentor Program, 1941, 2000; Photographs of the Flushing High School Senior Class, 1939; and Plaques, for his outstanding work as a school and senior volunteer at West Elementary School, Florida, 1997-1998. The Oversized folders include Historical Landmarks of Brighton, a collection of illustrations of and text about Brighton, Michigan’s landmark buildings and history, undated, and a CMU war years class reunion photograph, 2000.

Because some of the materials in the Boys’ Republic correspondence and notebook contain sensitive, personal information about the students, researchers are asked to not name the individual students who created or are discussed in these materials.

The following materials were removed from the collection and cataloged: Memory Lane Gazette, 1982-2002, the Montrose Historical Association Newsletter, and Fieldbook of Natural History, c. 1949, by E. Laurence Palmer, which includes autographs and souvenir materials from Rufus’ favorite teacher, CMU Biology Dept. Professor Irene Jarae.

The collection includes his scrapbooks, typed notes, notecards, reel-to-reel tapes, a 16 mm film, and slides.

The collection consists of his scrapbooks, typed notes, typed 3x4 and 5x8 inch notecards, reel-to-reel tapes, a 16 mm film, and slides. The vast majority of the collection, particularly the note cards and slides document Michigan historic markers, historic sites, events, counties, townships, Chippewa Indians, and school trips to the Upper Peninsula, the Straits area, and Grayling, Michigan. Also included are the 1884 and 1885 tax assessor’s assessment books for Jerome Township (Midland County). The assessor’s volumes are not records of permanent historic value, but have been maintained as examples in this collection. [Midland County’s Clerk and Treasurer’s historic financial and clerical records are also housed (on deposit) at the Clarke.] Midland County (Mich.) history is well represented in this collection.

The collection is organized by format and size: letter-sized (or smaller) materials in boxes, note cards according to their size, and legal- and oversized materials at the end. Letter-size (or smaller) materials are organized alphabetically by title or topic, and then by size, and /or chronologically as needed.

Overall, the collection is in good shape. The plumber’s account book and copy of the Declaration of Allegiance are quite acidic and brittle and should be used with care. There is a slightly musty smell to the collection, so researchers with allergies or asthma may wish to take precautions while using the collection.

Processing Notes: The collection originally included about 21 cubic feet of material. Of this, maps, books, children’s literature, and textbooks were separately cataloged. Mass-produced out-of-state slides, unidentified reel-to-reel tapes, all duplicates, and out-of-state postcards were withdrawn from the collection during processing. A substantial number of Michigan postcards were merged into the Clarke’s Michigan Postcard collection. Family vacation slides were returned to Mr. Berriman's daughter, Beth DeWitt, as per her request. The collection was donated by Beth DeWitt, on behalf of all of Mr. Berriman's children in their father's memory and honor.