Collections

This is the official collection of Central Michigan University’s Orchesis Dance Troupe, and also documents the CMU career of its found, Yvette Birs Crandall, and her impact on Orchesis and its students, performances, practices, workshops, and social events, mainly 1967-2010, with a few materials postdating that through 2023.

This is the official collection of Central Michigan University’s Orchesis Dance Troupe, and also documents the CMU career of its found, Yvette Birs Crandall, and her impact on Orchesis and its students, performances, practices, workshops, and social events, mainly 1967-2010, with a few materials postdating that through 2023. The collection also includes a small amount of material documenting earlier CMU dance instructors, including Grace Ryan, country dancing classes, and performances, formal dances, possibly Sadie Hawkins dances, as well as social dances at CMU, 1928-1967, in photographs and a scrapbook, which Crandall likely inherited from prior CMU instructors. Yvette’s Wisconsin and CMU University papers and research materials, related to movement and dance, and photographs of and clippings about her (see Box 1) and her published reviews on music, dance, and theatre in the Midland Daily News, 1991-1992 (see Box 5) complete the collection. A list of performances was compiled by Archivist Marian Matyn from documentation in the collection and is found in Orchesis, Programs, 1969-1979 (in Box 2).

Nearly complete, the collection provides excellent documentation of Orchesis and how crucial Crandall was to its success and vitality. All aspects or Orchesis are documented in this collection including advertising, auditions, welcoming or “initiations” of new members, graduating senior events, performances, choreographer’s workshops, social events, travels, competitions, training, backstage preparations, classes, costume and makeup design, choreography, , and participation in CMU events such as country dancing and doing dance movements after a float in Homecoming parades and dancing in Madrigals. Orchesis also performed at various local institutions, such as Mid-Michigan Community College. In 1969 Orchesis performed Peter and the Wolf, for which they received hand printed thank you notes and hand drawn art from elementary school children at Longview Elementary School in Midland, Michigan. Because the children’s materials was very acidic, they were photocopied. In the early 2000s Orchesis performed with Dance Umbrella dancers. Dance Umbrella is an international modern dance festival.

The collection also provides important evidence of how one woman successfully built and expanded a nationally recognized modern dance company from scratch composed mainly of female students. When compared to the CMU Athletics collection, it is clear that she did not have the resources nor the support accorded the more traditional recognized athletic programs which merited CMU published programs and posters, so Crandall and her daughter, Rebecca Crandall Folt, designed and made Orchesis posters and programs themselves by hand. The lack of official CMU photographs in the collection is also interesting and unusual among CMU collections. Crandall paid private photographers for the professional, non-CMU photographs.

The collection is organized by size, format. and then alphabetically and chronologically within each series. Photographs are further organized by those with and without negative numbers. The paper-based and photographic series (Boxes 1-5 which are all .5 cubic foot boxes) are: Biographical Materials, Orchesis materials, Photographs that are not specific to Orchesis, and Crandall’s published reviews. There are two oversized scrapbooks document dance at CMU, 1928-1967, and CMU Orchesis, 1968-1971. The three oversized folders include CMU Orchesis posters (Folder 1-2) and oversized Orchesis professional photographs, both black and white and color, undated. Additionally, photographs are further organized within folders by those with a negative number or date/time stamp and then those without. Overall the collection is in very good condition except for the acidic contents of the scrapbooks and a few posters with tape stains or have hole punctures. Most of collection, as donated, was original material, but some were photocopies. Formats in the collection include paper, original art, photographic materials, including two DVDs, and scrapbooks

Recordings:

In March 2024, Orchesis recordings were donated (see Boxes 6-12, which are all cubic foot boxes). The recordings are organized chronologically and document Orchesis concert performances, workshop performances, Madrigal dinner concerts, “Puttin’ On The Ritz” events, Swing Club, and dancing in Homecoming parades, and liturgical dances. The recording formats include Ampex, Karex, Memorex, and Sony five- and seven- inch helical video tapes, VHS videotapes, CDs, DVDs. And Sony Mini Discs. Warren Crandall recorded most of the recordings, but there are some recordings created and presumably copyrighted by Kabobel’s Kamera and Heitman Video Services, that Yvette paid for, and one that is a gift copy from a Channel 9 and 10 News segment. None of the recordings were created or copyrighted by CMU.

Besides the Recordings, other major Orchesis series include Photographs, Programs, and Posters, which merit further description to assist researchers.

Photographs:

Photographs, 1940s-2010, 2023, in the collection are from multiple photographers, both professional who hold copyright, and amateurs. CMU copyright of photographs taken by CMU Photographer Robert Barclay are few and found interfiled with other photographs dated 1981, 1993-1998 and 2000-2006. Bryan P. Wallace, a professional photographer, took all the photographs which are stamped with his name and copyright information, 1986-1987, including all the galley proofs and related negatives. Other photographer’s names are occasionally found on photographs, while others are unidentified. Most of the professional photographs are black and white until the 2000s. Amateur photographs taken by those in the company and probably also by Yvette document individuals, groups, travel, social events, performances. There is one photograph of the liturgical dance troupe in 1973 in Muskegon with a priest. There are also photographs of a country dance troupe in costume dancing during a CMU Homecoming parade, 1989. Part or all of the company traveled to various trips to cities including Washington, D.C. and Milwaukee, Mid-Michigan College, and Western Michigan University, to perform and participate in regional or national dance events. The company also had summer picnics, a welcoming event, referred to as the initiation, for new members, and a graduation recognition event after the show of the academic year with a cake where each graduating senior receive an award, hug, and the applause of peers. Within folders photographs are sorted by those with a negative number or date/time stamp and those without. Those with additional identification, especially amateur photographs, with a specific event and/or a year date, are in separate folders. Some people, dates, and events are identified in photographs by labels or writing on the back of photographs. If the labels were loose or detached, the Archivist wrote the information in pencil on a piece of acid-free paper and included that in the photograph sleeve, and withdrew the original label or note.

Programs:

CMU Orchesis programs, 1969-2010, are nearly a complete and include mostly Orchesis events: Choreographers Workshop Performance, all concerts, “Puttin’ on the Ritz” events, CMU Madrigal dinners, and Choreographers Workshop Performances, dance competitions, events outside of CMU that she choreographed or advised, and a Church program, featuring CMU liturgical dancers, December 3, 1978. The programs vary in size, format, and materials, and some were photocopies when donated. Those listed as ‘Program’ are only the list of dances and performers. During the 1970s many of the early programs and posters were hand drawn or written in penmanship. Both programs and posters featured photographs from the past. Sometimes there are matching illustrations for programs and posters.

Most of the programs were dated, some with dates written on them by Crandall, when donated. Depending on the information in the program, Archivist Marian Matyn looked up names and information online in digitized CMLife, and reviewed perpetual calendars to try to determine the year for undated programs, and matched materials to posters or other information in the collection. To assist with the process the Archivist generated a list of performance dates from the programs which she added to the collection. Many Orchesis performances were not listed in CMLife. Overall the programs are in excellent to very good condition.

Posters:

Posters, 1970-2010 in the collection are mainly Orchesis posters for Auditions, Choreographer’s Workshop, Dance Concerts, and “Puttin on the Ritz” events and are almost a complete run. There is also one Orchesis Fall 2008, Dancers Photographic collage poster, 2008, which Yvette crafted. The posters vary widely in size from 8.5x11 inches to 30x20 inches, in shape, colors, and format including paper, cardboard, and plastic. During the 1970s many of the early programs and posters were hand drawn or written in penmanship. Some posters listed are actually the original drawings and composite information with parts taped and glued to paper or cardboard from which posters or printed copies were made. Crandall appears to have created many of these posters by hand. Both programs and posters featured photographs from the past. Sometimes there are matching illustrations for programs and posters. Posters are housed in two Oversized folders. Oversized Folder 1 contains all concert performance posters in chronological order and the collage photographs poster. Oversized Folder 2 includes Oversized art, and all remaining poster series grouped alphabetically by series, then chronologically within each series.

Many posters lacked a year date as published. Depending on the information on the poster, Archivist Marian Matyn compared the information to the programs, and then followed the process she used to determine program year dates. (See that process above.) She wrote years on the posters in pencil. If there is more than one year during Yvette’s CMU career that the poster could date from, the year is in square brackets with a question mark.

A few posters have tape attached, while others have tape or hole damage from being pinned, and one, CMU Faculty Dance Recital, (taped, tape stains and term schedule in pen and marker on revere), September 21-22, 1972, has the term schedule written in pen and marker on the back. Overall the posters are in excellent condition. Most of the photographs donated were originals with some being photocopies.

Also included are posters of events in which CMU dancers participated. These posters include dance festivals, for the now American College Dance Association, 1979-1980, and the Great Lakes Regional Dance Festival, 1991 and 1999, and CMU Madrigal Dinner Concert posters, 1986, 1988-1994. The Madrigals occurred annually at CMU, 1977-1992.

Included with the posters is one oversized original art piece. There is also a folder in Box 2 of a few original hand drawn Orchesis art. The oversized image does not appear in posters nor programs. It is similar to a hand drawn image on the front page of the 1968-1971 scrapbook.

Researchers Note:

Researchers may also be interested in other collections documenting Grace Ryan and Rev. John Goodrow in the Clarke. The CMU Posters collection contains one early Orchesis poster and some Madrigal posters found in Crandall’s Orchesis collection.

Processing Notes:

Approximately 5 cubic feet of paper and audio-visual materials were withdrawn during processing. This includes duplicates, undated and/or unidentified, or very dark or damaged photographs, acidic materials, empty envelopes. If there were larger and smaller versions of the same poster, the smaller version was retained in the collection and the larger version was withdrawn. Acidic materials, except for the pages and contents of the scrapbooks, were photocopied, and the copies were added to the collection while the originals were withdrawn. .75 cubic feet of nationally recorded and distributed LP dance records were withdrawn. Family photographs were returned to the donor. Three cubic feet of recordings were withdrawn during processing, including duplicates, rehearsals, personal recordings of television dance programs and music CDs, non-CMU produced dance instructor videotapes, and unidentifiable, inaccessible, and very dark recordings.

Photographs of students in Chaffee's Central Michigan University physics classes.

The collection consists of 8x10 and 12x15 inch black and white photographs of the students in Chaffee’s various physics classes, 1977-1989. Most of the photographs have paper attached to them with an outline of each student in the photograph, as well as their name. Apparently, Prof. Chaffee used the photographs to help him identify the students during class time. An occasional syllabus, test, or experiment project outlines are included with the photographs. Chaffee’s obituary, January, 22, 1991, (a copy) is also included. The photographs are organized chronologically by school terms and then by class number.

Processing Note: Duplicate photographs, negatives, and class lists or test answers with students’ names and social security numbers were removed from the collection.

Collection contains biographical materials, photographs and postcards, cash book, diaries, photographs, and writings.

The collection includes: Biographical Information about Ryder, mainly in newspaper clippings (copies); his Cashbooks, 1931-1944; Diaries, 1909-1956; some Photographs and Postcards made from photographs of him while attending Acadia University; Sermons, 1910-1919; Writings, 1933, undated; and church-related miscellaneous.

The diaries document Ryder’s years at Acadia University, 1910-1915, in great detail. The other diaries vary in amount of detail and document his stay in various places, including: as minister of Havelock Baptist Church, 1915-1916; and living in Parma, New York, 1916-1921; Vancouver, 1919; Chicago and Savanna, Illinois, 1919-1924; Oshkosh, Wisconsin, 1925-1927, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1928-1934, Flint, Michigan, 1935-1942, and Mount Pleasant, Michigan, 1942-1956.

Ryer’s correspondence file is very thin consists mostly of brief notes from CMU President Charles L. Anspach or Business Manager Norval C. Bovee.

The index of Ryder’s sermons includes a list of baptisms, marriages, and funerals he performed, 1919-1921.

The Clarke Historical Library also has copies of a number of Ryder’s publications including: Men and religion, a functional approach (1932); Society in the making; an introduction to sociology volumes 1-2 (1934); Sociological surveys of Iosco County, Michigan (1948); and Studies of economic and social aspects of Montcalm County, Michigan (1950).

Papers document Minor's academic career, tests, syllabi for his many classes, and some Central Michigan University committee meeting minutes, lists of members, constitutions, and related correspondence, as well as some biographical and family materials.

The majority of the collection documents Professor Minor’s academic career at University High School, Chicago, 1907, 1912-1917, and 1921-1922; Kalamazoo Central High School, Kalamazoo, 1921-1924; and CMU, at least 1924 through 1946. The Kalamazoo and Chicago materials are mainly tests and some syllabi for the many classes he taught, and a few pieces of correspondence. Among the CMU academic materials in this collection are tests for many courses, meeting minutes and related materials of the Curriculum Committee, departmental correspondence and correspondence to Professor Larzelere, as well as other related materials. Also included are lists of members, constitutions, and related correspondence, 1927-1942, of the CMU. Cliophiles Club, a student history organization. Some History 201/English 416 student papers from an extension course Professor Minor taught in Bad Axe, Michigan, in 1945 are also included. One of the paper researched Ora Labora, a German communal settlement that existed in Huron County, Michigan, from 1862 to 1871.

One of the more interesting topics documented in Professor Minor’s CMU academic papers is the League of Nations Association assemblies. Related correspondence, notes, and other materials on the assemblies exist for 1929 through 1935 and 1939. Participating Michigan students and professors attended an annual meeting at the University of Michigan, where they represented various countries they had studied and about which the participants had accumulated data. For international peace advocates, like CMU President Anspach, this was an important event for both students and professors to attend.

Also of interest are Naturalization Educational Record Cards, 1916-1924. These mainly blank form cards document twelve immigrant men who took night courses from Professor Minor while he taught in Kalamazoo. Basically names and addresses are given, as well as some notation of their attendance in classes. One card notes that the man documented is a German mechanic. Additional biographical notes on six of the men as found on AncestryPlus are included.

Professor Minor is personally documented in the Biographical Materials, 1924, 1927, 1934 [2005] (copies); a few of his Publications; and some generic Correspondence with the Boys Brotherhood Republic in Chicago, an organization which helped juvenile delinquents find satisfying and honest employment, 1914, 1916. The only material of a somewhat personal nature is that Professor Minor’s family Budgets for 1921 and 1923.

Various papers documenting Central Michigan University's Faculty Association.

The collection documents the serious attempt to decertify the FA by the Free Faculty organization and how the FA fought back, 1976-1977, in meeting minutes, newspaper clippings (copies), correspondence, and other materials.

The collection (mostly copies) consists mostly of Professor Robin Hough’s Subject Files, notes, study guides and tests (blanks) on Africans and related topics, African Americans and related topics, and Native Americans and related topics.

The collection (mostly copies) consists mostly of Professor Robin Hough’s Subject Files, notes, study guides and tests (blanks) on Africans and related topics, African Americans and related topics, and Native Americans and related topics. There is a small amount of material on the Caribbean and “colored people” of Canada. The main focus of these topics is music from Africa, how it evolved through slave culture into the modern period and its social, political, and religious impact. A small amount of material at the front of the box includes Hough Materials: papers, correspondence, conference materials, tests, quizzes, study guides and examples Robin used in his various classes, mostly Religion 342/501. There are also a few issues of some publications which are not duplicated in the CMU libraries’ collections, including newsletters, catalogs, and journals. Most of the copies were made between 1983 and 2006, with a few preservation copies made by the archivist in 2014. The collection is organized by series and size.

Of particular note are manuscripts (copies) documenting the American Freedmen’s Inquiry Commission which investigated the condition of slaves and freedmen, and ideas about what to do with them (send them north, to Alabama, or to Honduras) during the American Civil War. There is a small amount of material documenting similar investigations and reports from the Provincial Association for the Elevation and Education for Colored Persons and the Anti-Slavery Society of Canada. These provide a lot of detailed information by white men who interacted with the freed men and women. The reports are strongly affected by what they witnessed and cultural perceptions. There is also a mostly statistical report on the Colored Convicts in Canada, 1863.

Processing Note: Approximately ten cubic feet of the original donation was returned to Professor Hough’s friends, as per their request. This material including various formats on peripheral and general topics, such as general religion or folklore topics, miscellaneous or unidentifiable materials and notes, personal copies of recorded televised shows, resumes, job descriptions, generic correspondence, and related materials of other people, students’ papers, quizzes and exams, duplicates, professionally made and purchased slides, and personal recordings of speakers without documentation of their permission to be recorded. Class lists of students with their social security numbers were immediately shredded by the archivist. Really bad copies of microfilmed newspapers, manuscripts, and acidic notes were photocopied in 2014 by the archivist, and the originals were then withdrawn from the collection. The collection was stored in the department’s storage area following Prof. Hough’s demise in 2006, until it was donated to the Clarke in 2014. Six academic publications were cataloged and added to the collections of the Clarke.

The papers include newspaper article, Central Michigan University Faculty Association letters, personal correspondence, and copies of Chaffer's publications.

The Papers consist of newspaper articles, Central Michigan University (CMU) Faculty Association (FA) letters, personal correspondence to fellow colleagues, copies of Chaffer's published articles, 1972-1985 and Mathematics Department photographs, prints from digital images, 2001-2005. The Shepherd [Mich.] Argus newspaper article (copy) describes a mathematical workshop for high school students run by Professor Chaffer. Letters are from the FA, highlighting the disputes over the changing of contracts and payments regarding union dues. The personal correspondence is between Chaffer and Mr. Martin Gardner, concerning "magic cubes."

The organizational records include meeting minutes, correspondence, policies, bylaws, photographs, programs, accounts, scrapbook, and other materials.

The organizational records include meeting minutes, 1967-1971. 1986-1990; correspondence, 1969-1976; Central Michigan University's Gerald L. Poor School Museum materials, 1976; policies, bylaws, and articles of incorporation, 1965-1973; photographs, 1960s-1970s; programs, 1969-1973; accounts,1971-1978; scrapbook, 1967-1972; and other materials.

The collection consists of personnel files of Central Michigan University, 1939, 2003.

These are the Personnel Files of Central Michigan University (CMU) faculty and staff who died, retired, or otherwise separated from the university at least thirty years ago. According to the CMU Records Schedule, the records are kept by CMU. Faculty Personnel Services for thirty years, and then they are transferred to the Clarke. All social security numbers, health, and personal information have been removed as per agreement with FPS in June 2007.

A Personnel File may include: appointment letters/contracts; approvals/denials relating to personnel matters, reappointment/promotion/tenure, sabbatical/leave records, salary notices, reduced assignments; commendations (CMU related); curriculum vitae (resume); disciplinary documentation; personnel transaction forms; transcripts; clippings (copies); obituary notices; or photographs. The collection is physically in very good condition. In some cases acidic copies of materials were photocopied and the originals were withdrawn from the collection.

The Personnel Files are filed alphabetically by surname, and then by first name. Most of the records date from the 1970s and 1980s.

Processing Note:

The collection consists of personnel files of Central Michigan University, 1926-1977.

These are the Personnel Files of Central Michigan University (CMU) faculty and staff who died, retired, or otherwise separated from the university at least thirty years ago. According to the CMU Records Schedule, the records are kept by CMU. Faculty Personnel Services for thirty years, and then they are transferred to the Clarke. All social security numbers, health, and personal information have been removed as per agreement with FPS in June 2007.

A Personnel File may include: appointment letters/contracts; approvals/denials relating to personnel matters, reappointment/promotion/tenure, sabbatical/leave records, salary notices, reduced assignments; commendations (CMU related); curriculum vitae (resume); disciplinary documentation; personnel transaction forms; transcripts; clippings (copies); obituary notices; or photographs. The collection is physically in very good condition. In some cases acidic copies of materials were photocopied and the originals were withdrawn from the collection.

The Personnel Files are filed alphabetically by surname, and then by first name. There are three groups of records here as of 2008. The first and largest group is in Boxes 1-60 and comprises the oldest set of records, those who retired by 1977. Some of the records are as current as 1998, if the person died or left, but the majority end in 1977 or early 1978. The next group of records, filed after the first, in Boxes 60-68 includes those who retired by 1978. Boxes 68-70 include a miscellaneous group of retirees' files. Again, the vast majority of the records end by 1978.