Collections

Musical collection, 1901-1927, documents the music a Saginaw, Michigan, dance band played, and Michigan publishers, distributors of music, and/or composers, and some Michigan tunes.

This Musical Collection, 1901-1927, undated, 3.5 cubic ft. (in 7 boxes, 1 Ov. folder), consists mostly of published, copyrighted dance band music. This collection documents Michigan music publishing companies and distribution companies used by dance bands prior to 1930, and, to a lesser extent, some individual Michigan publishers and/or composers, including Susie Adams, Joseph H. Hughes, and R. Harry Richardson. The smaller publishers may have been Michigan town newspaper publishers. There are also some examples of tunes with Michigan or a Michigan town in the title. Overall the music is in good condition, but some of it is becoming acidic. There are some songs which are incomplete, missing, for example, a trumpet or viola part. All of the music is letter-size except for the one folder of oversized music.

Most of the music was published by the Detroit branch of New York publisher Jerome H. Remick. Other publishers include: Jos. H. Hughes, Saginaw, and Michigan Music P.C. [Publishing Company], Saginaw. [Joseph H. Hughes is listed in OCLC as a composer who worked with arranger R. Harry Richardson. They composed a patriotic song, “I love my home land,” which was published in Saginaw in 1917.]

The collection is organized as follows: Basic dance band music from these three publishers, organized alphabetically by title (Boxes 1-5); 2-sided, dance band music with one song printed on the front side, and a second song printed on the back side of the same piece of music, organized alphabetically by title (Boxes 6-7). The last two folders in Box 7 include Advertising Materials from the Jerome H. Remick Company, Detroit, 1913-1917, undated; and manuscript music for the tune “She Rests…,” composed by Susie Adams, stamped R. Harry Richardson Co., W. Bay City, 1901. Oversized materials (in 1 Oversized folder) include five songs, three published in Saginaw, two by Jos. H. Hughes and one by Williams Song P.C. The last two songs include one published by the Grinnell Bros., Detroit, 1908, and the song “Ypsilanti,” published by a Chicago firm, undated. For each piece of music the folder label includes: title, composer, publisher name and location, and date. All boxes are letter-size .5 cubic foot, except Box 5 which is letter-size .25 cubic foot.

Processing Notes: During processing approximately 5 cubic feet of materials were withdrawn from the collection and returned to the donor, as per the donor agreement. This material included duplicates, concertina music, published music journals and catalogs, and miscellaneous, peripheral items. A few Michigan business fliers or brochures were added to the Michigan vertical files.

This artificial collection includes reprints, newspaper clippings (copies), published materials, a typed letter, and brochures.

This artificial miscellaneous collection is a compilation of published items, copied materials, and a typed letter from 1932. Most of Dr. Kellogg’s papers are housed at the Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections.

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.

Papers include biographical materials, photographs, diary, business correspondence, including a 1927 letter from Helen Keller, financial records, real estate materials, political materials, blueprints of his home, a photograph albums, and two scrapbooks.

Oakman’s financial records document land sales throughout metro-Detroit. His correspondence is mostly real estate related or regarding the Union Trust Company, although there are a few personal letters, mostly in the 1887-1921 and 1928-1944 folders. The correspondence is extremely acidic and fragile and should be handled with care. Of special note is a letter from Helen Keller (1880-1968) on behalf of the American Foundation for the Blind, Inc. (1927) and with the Dodge Bros., Inc. (1926). The correspondence was apparently kept in both alphabetical and chronological folders, resulting in this mixed arrangement.

The political materials document his Republican activities and interests. Of note here are the two letter press books which date from when he served as Pingree’s secretary when Pingree was campaigning to become Governor of Michigan. Most of this typed correspondence discusses how, where, and with whom to start Pingree Clubs in numerous Michigan towns.

The biographical information provides an interesting picture of Oakman’s career.

Two photograph albums show the Oakmans on vacation, at home, with friends, and their yacht. Among their friends were Francis, Dan, Horace, and John Dodge and Gar Wood. Two oversized scrapbooks, 1892-1944 and 1924-1946, include correspondence, greeting and holiday cards, programs, and newspaper clippings about the Oakmans.