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.

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.

The family papers, 18801-1969 (Scattered) and undated, documents the lives of Anna, Julia and Mary M., all of whom were Michigan teachers, with a focus on Mary's nursing experience, during which she served as a Red Cross and U.S. Nursing Corps member with the American Expeditionary Forces in France.

The family papers, 18801-1969 (Scattered) and undated, documents the lives of Anna, Julia and Mary M., all of whom were Michigan teachers, with a focus on Mary's nursing experience, during which she served as a Red Cross and U.S. Nursing Corps member with the American Expeditionary Forces in France. The collection is organized by format: Papers including obituary of Mary’s mother, also named Mary who died in 1944, various correspondence, pins, poem, and Mary’s AEF card from Siberia, vaccination record and wallet in the front of Box 1. Amongst the pins is a 1908 President Taft brass campagna swastika, to attach to a watch fob. Photographs of men, women, school children at schools where Mary or her sisters taught, nurses, nursing, nursing school, an operation, family, friends, colleagues, families, animals, some buildings, and vacations fill the rest of Box 1 through Box 3. In the 1940s-1960s Mary vacationed in Florida where she and friends and family visited various tourist cities including Tarpon Springs and Orlando. There are photographs of diverse animals and birds including elephants of an unidentified circus. Mike the cat predominates in the animal photographs. There are photographs of a man and woman in wheelchairs. There is an oversized folder of teaching and nursing certificates and high school diplomas and two oversized volumes of Mary’s nursing experience in France in World War I, one of which is very artistically organized with AEF on the front cover made from photographs of AEF nurses and soldiers. Most of the materials are undated.

Court records include annulments, chancery cases, chattle mortgages, debt cases, divorces, estate settlements, foreclosures, gas and oil cases, guardianship cases, indentures, injunctions, calendars and proceedings, mortgages, prartnerships, pensions, petitions, poll lists, tally sheets, election returns, school reports, censuses, etc., support cases, tax assessments, other records, a tintype, miscellaneous.

The collection is one of the government records collections that came to the Clarke as part of a regional archives depository agreement with the State Archives. The collection was not processed at the State Archives.

Processing Note: Duplicate printed materials, miscellaneous and illegible items, and those non-permanent records that had far surpassed their records retention schedule were withdrawn from the collection during processing.

The following collection contains Michigan Circuit Court Case No. 4305, Michigan Consolidated Gas Company materials, Michigan Public Service Commission, D3430, Michigan Public Service Commission, Michigan Supreme Court Case No. 46228, and other related materials.

The collection consists of five series:

Michigan Circuit Court (Isabella County), Case No. 4305-transcripts, proceedings, and exhibits, 1948-1952;

MCGC-hearing papers, service rates, correspondence, map of service, and exhibits on Gas Franchise, 1930s-1953;

Michigan Public Service Commission, D3430-evidence, transcripts, petitions, hearing papers, reports, proceedings, applications and authorities to modify gas rates, briefs, testimonies, etc., 1930s-1955;

Michigan Supreme Court, Case No. 46,228-exhibits, papers, brief, notices, records and resolution, 1930s-1954; and

Related materials, mostly correspondence, 1948-1953.

Collection contains dedication program, invitations, faculty minutes, pageant materials, Student Council materials, and term papers from Mount Pleasant High School.

The collection was the property of Miss Constance M. Stenenga, a high school English teacher at Mount Pleasant High School, who compiled a history of the high school with three high school seniors Sue Brown Morrow, Delores Conkright, and Faye Lou Brasington in 1955/1956. A copy of the printed history is in the collection.

The collection consists of miscellaneous materials relating to the high school, the student council, homecoming, and school pageant, term papers on the history of the school, student newspapers, commencement programs, 1956-1969, and some newspaper clippings (copies). A 1957 program for the dedication of the new high school is included.

The Mount Pleasant Mission Organizational Records, 1892-1969, undated, document the history of the Countryside United Methodist Church (CUMC) and mid-Michigan Evangelicals.

The Mount Pleasant Mission Organizational Records, 1892-1969, undated, documents the history of the Countryside United Methodist Church (CUMC) and mid-Michigan Evangelicals. The collection is organized by size and chronologically and alphabetically. Boxes 1 and 2 include annual reports of the Evangelical Sunday School Secretary’s Records, detailing how many people attended, the name of teachers, and weekly donation amounts during each meeting 1937-1950. There are two records of Ladies Aid congregations within the church, Bethel Ladies Aid 1938-1945, and Union Evangelical Church Ladies Aid, 1921-1924. Also included are records of the Mount Pleasant Mission Michigan Conference of the Evangelical Association and Evangelical Association Chippewa Trustees, 1893-1950. Lastly, there is a memorial booklet for the foundation of the organization Memorial Booklet, October 8, 1933.

Evangelical Association Chippewa Trustees, 1893-1950, contains records during the first meeting in the new church building, led by Reverend Warren Brown. The entries that continue the year 1903 in Mount Pleasant Mission Michigan Conference of the Evangelical Association, 1903-1921, are placed in the back of the book.

Material in Union Evangelical Secretary Report, 1926-1929 is very acidic. Otherwise, the collection is in good physical condition.

The oversized material contains the organization’s record book which details the church’s organizational history and changes made during each pastorate, previous members, and records of life events such as marriages, deaths, and baptisms. Also included in oversized material is a printed poster on paper of the 50th Anniversary Jubilee Session of the Michigan Conference Evangelical Association. Lastly, there is a photograph of the First Women’s Society Chippewa Evangelical Church, with members’ names listed on the back.

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 the 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.

The collection is ongoing.

The collection includes newsletters, minutes, certificates, programs, reports, etc.

The collection consists of newsletters, meeting minutes, certificates, programs, reports, a brief chapter history, photographs, and bylaws, 1959-2002. Also included are six PDK pins and a PDK seal press.

The collection includes a constitution, correspondence, meeting minutes, financial, and other organizational records.

The collection of various organizational records, includes: bank books, statements, receipts and bills; a constitution; correspondence; an evaluation of Mount Pleasant High School, 1950; membership cards; a questionnaire; lists of meeting attendances; meeting minutes and related materials, 1946-1951; and miscellaneous. The scrapbook includes newspaper clippings and other materials.