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Governor Kim Sigler Materials
The bulk of the materials in this series deal with the years after Sigler was Governor of Michigan (post 1948). Much of the correspondence reflects how many business and personal activities Sigler engaged in. Piloting his own plane, he was very mobile. He was a featured speaker for many clubs and organizations. These letters reflect how much business was mixed with pleasure for gentlemen of his social and economic status. There is documentation describing flying trips to North and Central America. On a more personal note, his wife had multiple sclerosis and there is material showing his research into this topic. The newspaper clippings document Sigler’s gubernatorial campaign and his time in office (1946-1948). Photographs in this series are both personal and political.
Family Memorabilia, 1845-1982
Mary Pennington and her family were very interested in their family history. This series includes various materials that document multiple generations, such as diaries, ledger books, and legal records. The diaries in this collection span the mid-nineteenth century through the early 1980s. The early diaries describe daily chores on the family farm, weather conditions, and events such as lectures and town outings. Later ones also describe daily life, but in addition, include logs of college life, vacations and “I Am” activities. Personal items of the family such as poems, drawings, clippings, and publications are in this series as well. Also included are genealogical notes and charts compiled by Mary Pennington
Mary Pennington Collection, 1845-2001 (majority within 1864-1964)
40 cubic feet. Boxed material: 29 mss; 6 slim mss; 8 oversize; 3 shoe; 1 HOL box. Non-boxed material: one framed portrait
Subject Files, 1885, 1922-2001, 2010
Some of the earliest items document Allen’s high school years at Western State High School. This charter school was operated by Western State Normal School. Western State Normal School later became Western Michigan University, and the high school was renamed University High School. Western State High School materials include several folders of course notes and essays, grouped by pertinent course name, a 1930 student handbook and directory, a 1931 yearbook, a 1932 commencement program and a list of students from Allen’s graduating class of 1932. Some correspondence documents Allen’s search for an institution of higher learning. For at least one summer of his high school years, Allen attended the National High School Orchestra and Band Camp in Interlochen, Michigan. The Interlochen documentation includes correspondence with parents, camp report card, and publications.
In the 1930s, Allen attended Amherst College, Kalamazoo College and then Columbia Law School. Many of his activities for these years are documented in correspondence files. A separate Kalamazoo College file includes course transcripts, report cards, a brochure on the college, a brochure on the Sigma Rho Sigma fraternity (of which Allen was a member), a Sigma Rho Sigma dance card, a Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity membership card, a 1934 commencement program, a 1936 commencement invitation and lyrics of homecoming songs.
Allen’s World War II experiences are documented mainly through correspondence. Allen family members constitute most of the correspondents. In the letters, Allen provides detailed accounts of his wartime service. He describes his experiences in domestic army camps and in the European Theatre of Operations. He is often unable to provide specific information (such as his exact whereabouts or troop movements) due to wartime censorship. However, he does often comment at length on his general surroundings and his encounters with European civilians and other military personnel. He sometimes muses at length on the war’s progress and/or speculates on future events. During the war, Allen served as an assistant Judge Advocate to the Third Army’s 94th Division. He sometimes comments on his job duties, but usually not at length. Allen ran for a Kalamazoo city commissioner seat in 1945, when he was still stationed in Europe. Some contemporary materials allude to this situation.
Allen served as Kalamazoo mayor in the years 1951-1959. This series includes letters of congratulations on his 1951 election victory. A folder labeled “Mayor of Kalamazoo” includes a copy of Allen’s 1951 inaugural address, an undated “Statement Concerning City Plan for Township Sewage,” a 1955 paper entitled “The Problem of the Medically Indigent in Kalamazoo,” some statistics on the 1951 Kalamazoo city election, a schedule for the 1959 Kalamazoo Mall dedication and a letter (written in French) from the mayor of Ville de Chateaubriant, France.
From 1961 to 1973, Allen served as a Michigan constitutional convention (or “Con Con”) delegate, then as State Controller, State Budget Director and a legal advisor in Governor William G. Milliken’s administration (1969-1981). This series contains few documents from this period. Con Con materials include an immediate (1962) retrospective article by Allen, a convention handbook copy that contains Allen’s handwritten notes and some reunion and retrospective materials from later years. Files on “State Controller” and “State Budget Director” consist mainly of speeches and essays, with some financial information and a position description also included. The general correspondence files for these years document some of Allen’s personal activities
In 1973, Governor William Milliken appointed Allen to the Court of Appeals. His term began in 1974, and he remained in the Court of Appeals until his retirement in 1987. A Court of Appeals correspondence file contains letters on several topics. These include personnel matters, financial matters, professional conferences and speeches. In some letters, Allen discusses court cases and legal issues with fellow legal professionals and scholars. Other files in this series document Allen’s 1980 reelection campaign and 1983-1984 discussions on court redistricting legislation. The file labeled “Reports and Meeting Minutes” contains statistics on filings and dispositions.
J. William Gorski Collection, 1909, 1920, 1954-55, 1964, 1972-2002 (majority within 1972-2001)
24 manuscript boxes and 1 oversize folder (12 cubic feet)
Subject Files. Michigan – Outstate
The photographs and slides typically depict individuals, businesses and scenes from cemeteries and churches. Individuals include members of specific families and prominent people in Polish American communities. Cemetery scenes include depictions of tombstones. Photographs and slides relating to churches depict both the exterior and interior of the buildings and often include images of stained glass windows. In some cases, prints of photographs and pages from church anniversary books are present. Every attempt was made to preserve the original order of photographs and slides (Thus, slides may not necessarily be filed in alphabetical order.). Publications include area phonebooks and newsletters and journals relating to local history, genealogy and Polish Americans. One notable publication is The Eaglet. J. William Gorski served as Editor-in-Chief of this journal, published by the Polish Genealogical Society of Michigan. The journal featured articles on Polish genealogy, biography and local history. Specific Polish families, churches and communities were often examined. Issues of The Eaglet are filed with the church or town being documented.