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The collection includes blueprints and drawings of Central Michigan University buildings, 1946, 1995.

This collection includes blueprints and drawings of Barnard Dining Commons, Barnard Hall, Preston Apartment Building, and Tate Hall at Central Michigan University (CMU). They are all in very good shape and vary greatly in size and composition. This is the only extant blueprints and drawings for these buildings.

Barnard Hall was named for Anna M. Barnard, who was the head of the Department of Foreign Language, 1899-1944. Barnard was the fourth dormitory built at CMU and the first one on campus designed by architect Roger Allen of Roger Allen and Associates. Barnard opened before it was completed on September 23, 1948 due to the high demand for housing. It cost $1.4 million and housed 400 students, although it was usually filled beyond capacity. Until 1973-1974 it housed women, after which it became co-ed. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt stayed in Barnard’s guest room when she visited CMU in 1955. Barnard’s adjoining food commons seated 600 students from Barnard, Sloan and Ronan halls, and was the first of its kind.

Tate Hall was named for Rachel Tate, an instructor in the Department of English and a part-time women’s dean, 1897-1916. Also designed by Roger Allen, Tate Hall opened in September of 1956, although it was not dedicated until January 19, 1958. Tate cost $1.14 million to build and housed 300 women from 1956 to 1972, after which it became co-ed. Like Barnard, Tate was demolished in 1997.

Preston Apartment building, also called Preston Court Apartments, housed married students. It was built by Roger Allen in 1955 and demolished in 1999 to allow for the expansion and reconstruction of the Park Library Building.

For additional information on Tate and Barnard see the Clarke’s website on CMU buildings that no longer exist.

The collection includes materials, mostly originals, by and about Bovee (Biographical Materials), usually in connection with Central Michigan University (CMU), and (CMU Subjects) of a historic nature that he collected, including CMU materials, publications, photographs, and related materials.

The collection includes materials, mostly originals, by and about him (biographical material), usually in connection with CMU, and CMU materials, publications, photographs, and related materials of a historical nature that he collected (CMU Subjects). Bovee generated a number of reports, speeches, remarks, and was also photographed serving on CMU committees or at building dedications. He and his family were also invited to a number of CMU presidential inaugurations.

Of particular note are Bovee’s Letter about university unrest, 1965, his Statement for Michigan State Senate Committee Investigating Faculty-Administration Relationships at CMU, 1966, and the original raw data and report of the CMU Teaching Faculty Survey, 1966. It is unknown whether or not Bovee was responsible for creating the survey. The investigation led to CMU faculty creating the first faculty union in the state of Michigan.

Also of interest is a rare photograph of the laying of the Finch Fieldhouse’s cornerstone, 1956.

Two copies of his A Master Plan for the City of Mount Pleasant, Isabella County, Michigan November 1965… are also housed in the CMU libraries.