Search

The collection includes meeting minutes, agendas, and related materials, curricula materials, bylaws, assessments, budgets, statistics, newsletters, photographic materials, clippings (copies), correspondence, guest books, and other materials documenting the history of the program.

The collection documents the history and functions of the CMU Women’s Studies Program. Included in the collection are various meeting minutes, agendas, and related materials, course request change forms, syllabi, reports, bylaws, assessments, program reviews, budgets, statistics, newsletters, newspaper clippings (copies), photographs, negatives, slides, prints of e-photographs, fliers, emails, correspondence, advertisements, guest books, and other materials. Also included are meeting minutes, agendas, and related materials documenting related topical advisory boards that the director of women’s studies participated in. Materials are in alphabetical and chronological order.

Processing Note: Duplicate, out-of-scope materials, and temporary financial records (older than 7 years) totaling about 6 cubic feet were withdrawn from the collection during processing. Materials with social security numbers and other private information, about 1.5 cubic feet were shredded. Some materials were added from the CMU Vertical Files.

The organizational records include: an organizational history, account books, Christmas bird count reports, constitution and bylaws, meeting minutes with attachments (earlier years are in volumes), membership lists, miscellaneous, newsletters, newspaper and magazine clippings (copies), pamphlets, photographs, programs and property materials.

The organizational records include: an organizational history, account books, Christmas bird count reports, constitution and bylaws, meeting minutes with attachments (earlier years are in volumes), membership lists, miscellaneous, newsletters, newspaper, and magazine clippings (copies), pamphlets, photographs, programs, and property materials. The collection is organized by alphabetically and chronologically. The collection is ongoing.

A copy of William Theunissen’s Chippewa Valley Audubon Club, 1951-1992 history of the Club is separately cataloged in the Clarke.

Processing Note: Duplicate materials and acidic materials, which were copied, were returned to the donor as per the donor agreement.

The collection includes mostly black and white photographs and negatives in various sizes documenting multiple generations of hundreds of families from the Mount Pleasant, Michigan, area and nearby locales..

The collection includes mostly black and white photographs and negatives, circa 1910-1990, in various sizes hosued in envelopes, no folders. Several generations of local families are documented in the collection through family portraits, first communion, wedding, high school graduation, identification, and armed service photographs. Other topics include sports teams, marriage licenses, service discharge certificates, hunting and fishing, buildings, art, vehicles, and a burn victim, among others. There may be more than one view of an image, Ex. - 2, and more than one sleeve or envelope of images on a topic or a person, Ex. (2 envelopes). There are eight folders of Francisco family photographs and negatives in the back of Box 9. A folder of biographical information on the Franciscos and mostly World War II postcards is in the front of Box 1. Oversized photographs (4) are also of the Francisco family. Some of the photographs are copies of images from the turn of the 19th/20th century.

The collection is organized as it was created, with negatives and photographs separated by media, then by size, and then either alphabetically by customers’ surname or by date as follows: Box 1- 5 x 7 inch Negatives, A-G; Box 2- 5 x 7 inch Negatives, H-R; Box 3- 5 x 7 inch Negatives, S-Z; Box 4- 3.5x 4.5 inch Negatives, A-Gr; Box 5- 3.5x 4.5 inch Negatives, Gr-R; Box 6- 3.5x4.5 inch Negatives, S-Z; Miscellaneous Smaller Photos: 5.5 x 7.25 inches Photographs and Negatives; Box 7- 8 x 10 inch Negatives; Box 8- 8 x 10 inch Photographs, 1961-1970; 5.5 x 6 inch Photographs, 1958-1965; Box 9- 5.5 x 6 inch Photographs, 1965-1969; 3.5 x 4 inch and Smaller Sized Photographs and Negatives, 1917-1958; Francisco Family Photographs, 1927-1964 and undated; Negatives, undated; Oversized folder Francisco Family (4 Oversized prints). Any additional notes or abbreviations are taken from the original wrappers and were made by the photographers.

The collection documents the activities and history of the Isabella County Girl Scouts.

The collection of Organization Records, 1930-1980, undated, documents fifty years of the Council. Materials include: financial records, 1937-1945, 1953-1962; scrapbooks, 1951-1980; bulletins, 1951-1959; record book, 1947-1962 (with correspondence, bulletins, and meeting minutes); photographs, 1945, 1959, 1980; constitution and by-laws, 1938, 1955; journals of activities, 1930-1956 (meeting minutes of the Leadership Council); annual reports, 1952-1958; directories, 1940-1962; some loose correspondence and meeting minutes, which document the leadership, not the actual Girl Scout meetings, 1960-1962, 1954-1964. Special events such as Senior Round-Ups and conferences are also included in the collection. Boxes 1-2 contain letter-size materials while Box 3 contains legal-size materials and Box 4 has oversized materials.

Jean B. Mayhew Collection includes biographical materials (copies), two of her undated papers, published papers (reprints) about her work and teaching, a three-quarter-inch umatic (videocassette) excerpt of a TV Speech 101 Demo Lecture she gave at the National Speech Association Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, 1964, and a 2-inch quad tape of CMU TV footage of her speaking, 1962-1964, probably in her Speech 101 classes. .

The collection includes biographical materials (copies), two of her undated papers, published papers (reprints) about her work and teaching, a ¾-inch umatic (videocassette) excerpt of a TV Speech 101 Demo Lecture she gave at the National Speech Association Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, 1964, and a 2-inch quad tape of CMU TV footage of her speaking, 1962-1964, probably in her Speech 101 classes. Please note: The Clarke does not currently possess equipment to play the recordings.

The collection contains the sermons, newspaper articles, and research of The Reverend Father John H. Goodrow.

These sermons provide an interesting perspective on the ideals of the turbulent years of the 1960s and 1970s, such as discrimination, discussed in a sermon written for July 9, 1972. Such topics were also covered within articles Father Goodrow wrote for the Daily Times of Mount Pleasant, Michigan, which are in this collection. Most of the articles that could be dated within this collection were written during the 1970s and range in topics, including articles discussing South Africa and the United States (1971), community restoration (1973), President Nixon (1974), Indian discrimination (undated), and even an article on cats (undated). Father Goodrow also wrote for other publications, such as The Christian Challenge and The Living Church and local newspapers including the Morning Sun and CMLife. Materials collected to add St. John’s Episcopal Church to the National Register of Historic Places, 1981, complete the collection. For more information about the church, see the finding aid and catalog record for its collection which is also housed in the Clarke.

Processing Note: Acidic materials (1 cubic foot) were copied and the originals were returned to the donor as requested.

The collection consists mainly of cassette recordings and slides of an African and multiple African American poets and authors reading their poems and parts of their books and discussing what poetry is and why it matters to them and to the community, 1972-2015 (Scattered), undated, mostly at Central Michigan University.

The collection consists mainly of cassette recordings and slides of an African and multiple African American poets and authors reading their poems and parts of their books and discussing what poetry is and why it matters to them and to the community, 1972-2015 (Scattered), undated, mostly at Central Michigan University. The collection is organized by format, alphabetically and chronologically. Physically the collection is in good condition.

The cassette recordings were mostly created when the poets presented to classes, were panelists at Paul Laurence Dunbar celebrations on campus, or presented in other public CMU forums. Most of the cassettes were recorded by CMU CSIC, while the remainder are amateur recordings. The recording quality varies.

There are also three small slide boxes of color kodak slides inside Box 1. Slide Boxes #1-2 are slides of multiple poets presenting to CMU classes, as panelists at Paul Laurence Dunbar celebrations on campus, or attending CMU receptions, October 1972. Slide Box 3 includes 4 slides of Etheridge Knight and 4 slides of Chinua Achebe on campus, all dated April 1973. There are also 8 sides of an Etheridge Knight talking with Dr. Eric Torgerson’s class with Dr. Martha Brown, including some images of him with Carroll Arnett (Gogisgi) and two other women at an airport, and at home with Dr. Eric Torgerson, August 1973. Poets and a few CMU people were identified in these slides by Dr. Tracy Collins and Dr. Ron Primeau in 2022.

Lastly, there are two folders of correspondence inside Box 1. One folder is a congratulatory letter from Pfeiffer to Alice Walker, 1983, on the occasion of her becoming the first woman of color to win the Pulitzer Prize for The Color Purple. The other folder includes correspondence Pfeiffer had with Octavia E. Butler, her biographical information, published interviews, lists of her publications, and an undated color photograph of Butler with Pfeiffer, 1982-2015 (Scattered).

Processing Note:

During processing about half of the original donation of cassettes were withdrawn because they were blank, copyrighted materials which are now available in more accessible formats, or personal recorded messages from family and friends to Pfeiffers. A few slides, which were images of book covers and a few pages of generic correspondence were also withdrawn. An oversized Ray Bradbury print was returned to the donor as per the donor form.

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 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.