Collections : [Central Michigan University Clarke Historical Library]

The collection documents the history of the Central Michigan University. Department of Communication Disorders photographs, publications, clippings, awards, and miscellaneous.

This collection consists of a wide range of materials including photographs, publications, newspaper clippings, correspondence, promotional and program materials, and miscellaneous materials, all relating to the history of Central Michigan University’s (CMU) Department of Communication Disorders (CDO) and Audiology programs. The collection is divided into two series, CDO and Audiology materials. Within these series, materials are organized alphabetically and chronologically. The materials date from 1972 to 2012, although the majority of materials are undated. The collection predominately consists of photographs from personal and business events like holiday parties, graduations, and students’ clinical work with patients from both CDO and the Audiology program. The CDO’s 50th anniversary and the creation of CMU’s Clinical Doctorate in Audiology (Au.D.), the first and oldest Au.D. in the nation, are also documented through programs, pamphlets and newspaper clippings. Senate Resolution No. 768 pertaining to the recognition of CDO is filed separately in an oversized folder.

This incomplete collection is composed of historical materials donated by the CMU Department of Mathematics in 2024 and department materials previously housed in the CMU Vertical Files collection.

This incomplete collection is composed of historical materials donated by the CMU Department of Mathematics in 2024 and department materials previously housed in the CMU Vertical Files collection. The collection includes departmental and assessment committee meeting minutes, correspondence, including some with CMU President Charles L. Anspach, brochures, fliers, posters, publications, including New Letters with a note from CMU President Eugene C. Warriner, clippings, and photographic materials documenting staff, students, Richtmeyer Mathematics Award winners and runners up, mathematics conferences, and staff and students events held at CMU. The collection is organized alphabetically and chronologically and is in good physical condition.

Researchers may be interested in the papers of CMU Mathematics professors Cleon C. Richtmeyer, Richard J. Fleming, which are also housed in the Clarke Historical Library. Richtmeyer (died 1975) began as a CMU mathematics professor in 1924 and became Acting Head of the department in 1933. In 1960 he created a departmental History, a series of News Letters [sic], which includes a note from CMU President Eugene C. Warriner, which are housed in this collection. In 1947 he became Director of Instruction, a position he held until 1956 when he became Dean of Faculty. In 1959 Richtmeyer became the inaugural dean of the School of Arts and Sciences in 1959, serving until he retired during the 1968/1967 academic year. Fleming was hired as professor and department Chair in 1982, serving until he retired in August 1997. A mathematics lecture series was started and named in his honor. James K. Bidwell (1934-) was hired as a professor of mathematics at CMU in 1966. By 1973 he was full professor. Bidwell researched Mathematics in Michigan Colleges and wrote a history of the department, 1892-1992, which is separately cataloged. He retired from CMU in 1997.

Processing Note: 1.25 cubic feet of the collection was withdrawn during processing, mostly duplicates and inaccessible storage media, such as floppy and hard discs, cassettes, and zip drives. Acidic correspondence was photocopied and the copies were retained in the collection. A few CMU college-level fliers were added to the CMU Vertical Files and two issues of two serials were cataloged.

The collection documents the Neithercut Committee, Neithercut history, use, development, maps, plants, reference materials, images and other related material.

The collection, 1966, 2018, and undated (Approximately .5 cubic foot) consists of materials documenting meeting minutes of the Neithercut Committee, correspondences concerning Neither use and development, maps of Neithercut, newspaper clippings featuring Neithercut, pamphlets and resource materials for the nature center, 6 photographs of the vegetation and 8 slides of the signs and buildings, a soil and water conservation plan, strategic plans, survey responses, a list of who utilized Neithercut between 1981-1986 and 2002-2003, and a student paper by Dennis Blodgett concerning the former ownership and current use of the Neithercut Woodland.

The 2019 addition (.25 cubic foot) added 16 color slides of road or trail construction and nature aerial views of fall colors, and a 2005 academic journal article on vascular plant article by Williams, Starks and Wujek, and a few items that were interfiled into existing folders.

The collection documents the department's history with organizational histories, photographs, slides, website pages, annual reports, correspondence, publications, meeting minutes, scrapbooks, and other materials.

Through the years, department staff saved various historical materials, photographs, scrapbooks, meeting minutes, and other relevant materials, to document the history of the department and its related student organizations. About half of the collection documents the department, while the other half documents the related student organizations.

The collection is organized first by format, with letter and legal-size papers and photographs filed in alphabetical order by organizational name in boxes. The organizational history and related notes, compiled in 1996 by Donna Poynor begins the collection. Oversized volumes (Scrapbooks and Photograph Albums) are divided by organizational name and stacked with the largest volume in each section on the bottom of the pile. They are described at the end of the box and folder listing.

The history of the entire department from its establishment until 1996 is documented in Organizational Histories and Research Notes, 1996; Photographs, 1930s-1960s, and 1990s, and 2003; Published Materials (articles in CMU publications, departmental brochures, and a reprint of an article by a student in the department), 1944-1984 (Scattered); Slides, 1950s, 1961, and undated; CMU and You Day Photographs and Report, 1991; and the 2006 department website pages. The undated Sewing I Notebook and teacher contracts date from 1905 through 1913 are the earliest extant items in the collection. They document the period when courses were taught as Domestic Science and Arts. The Notebook is charming. It includes Ruby Wilfing’s neatly written class notes with definitions and ideas, and examples of swatches of materials demonstrating her ability to sew various types of complex stitches. A miniature apron she sewed is included.

The Department of Home Economics is documented by Annual Reports from the 1960s, Departmental Correspondence, both General Correspondence, mainly noting changes in department staff and leadership during the 1960s, as well as some Correspondence specific to the Renovation of Wightman Hall, 1966-1968 and 1970. Other correspondence is with the Office of Vocation Education, part of the Michigan Department of Public Instruction, regarding the review and development of the department. There is also a department Scrapbook, 1961-1963.

The Department of Home Economics, Family Life and Consumer Education is documented by a publication, Quest for Values, 1968-1969 by Evelyn I. Rouner.

Several student home economics clubs are documented in the collection. The Central Home Economics Club is documented by organizational records, including: Constitutions, 1941-1987 (Scattered); Meeting Minutes of both regular and Executive Council meetings, and Lists of Members, 1920-1940, 1946-1950, 1961-1977 and 1979-1989, and Scrapbooks, 1942, 1946-1948, and 1958-1963 (1 v.) and 1958-1964 (1 v.). This club evolved into the Central Michigan Home Economics Association, documented by Scrapbooks, 1977-1979 (2 v.), and the CMU Home Economics Association, documented by a Scrapbook, 1979-1980.

The Central Home Economics Club was a member of a state home economics organization, the Michigan Home Economics Association, which is documented by Scrapbooks, 1936-1938 and 1982-1984 (2 v.).

Another related club was Kappa Omicron Phi (the National Home Economics Honors Society), which is documented by a Photograph album, 1978-1983 and two Scrapbooks, 1961-1977 and 1973-1982.

Photographs in the collection include black and white as well as colored and colored slides. A number of the Photographs were published in the department’s brochures and articles about the department. The Scrapbooks vary in size and composition. A wide variety of materials, including photographs, art, correspondence, invitations, table favors, posters, programs, newspaper clippings, etc. are found in the scrapbooks. Because of the mix of their composition and contents, all of the Scrapbooks suffer from various levels of acidity and fragility and should be used with care by researchers.

Processing Notes: Some of the scrapbooks consisted of materials in rotting binders. The historical materials were removed from the binders and filed in folders. Two photographs in the collection were of women in the home economics courses at Michigan Agricultural College, now Michigan State University, so those photographs were transferred to the MSU Archives and Historical Collections.

The collection includes student term papers written for Economics 376, 1949-1950, and undated, on various Michigan economic topics.

These Economics 376 students’ term papers cover economic issues in Michigan towns and counties, often in Montcalm County. The class and professor’s name are included in square brackets.

This collection includes aerial photographs, building photographs, related documents, and a newspaper article documenting CMU’s buildings and campus. Materials relate to CMU’s planning, land acquisition, development, and building construction.

This collection includes aerial photographs, building photographs, related documents, and a newspaper article documenting CMU’s buildings and campus. Materials relate to CMU’s planning, land acquisition, development, and building construction. Photographs in this collection include the construction process of Anspach Hall, the 1966 addition to Grawn Hall, the groundbreaking for Wightman Hall, the exterior of the first and second heating plants, the Power House, the exterior and interior of the Physical Plant, students inside Finch Fieldhouse, a house on the site of what is currently the North Art Studio, and aerial views of various sizes of campus. Additionally, there is a letter from CMU to Roger Allen and Associates, Grand Rapids, CMU’s long-time architectural firm, summarizing a meeting, two campus zoning maps, and presentation drawings by the firm of campus buildings including the University Center and South Quadrangle. There is also a newspaper article (copy) about how CMU was preparing for the 1960s by planning and building new infrastructure.

The collection includes materials related to Dow/Veit’s Woods and Wendrow Estates. There are four site maps of the Dow/Veit’s Woods area and three Surveyor’s Certificates (copies) for Wendrow Estates.

A significant portion of the collection is a series of aerial survey photographs (in the boxes) from between 1970 and 2002. These were taken by Abrams Aerial Survey Corporation, Air-Land Surveys, Inc., and Advanced Mapping Technologies. Each folder corresponds to a single flight line. Notable landmarks or roads were noted on the back of the first photograph in each folder by the student processor to assist researchers. The series is incomplete. The following photographed sections are missing; DEL 2, DDT 4, 16, 17, 46, FYS 21, JMK 1, 4, 11, 12, 18, KMU 4, 12, 18.

Oversized aerial photographs by Abrams Aerial Survey Corporation are in the oversized folders. There is one from 1942 and a series of eight from 1984.

Access to the digitized architectural CMU buildings and grounds records will occur in the future.

Researchers may be interested in other Roger Allen, CMU buildings, and campus aerial collections in the Clarke Historical Library.

Processing Notes:

During processing a handful of newspapers and duplicates were withdrawn. Acidic materials were photocopied, and the originals were retained in the collection. One brochure was added to the CMU Vertical Files.

The collection includes: prints from digital files for the Central Michigan University’s (CMU) Language Arts Program, maintained by Dr. Susan Griffith.

Collection, 2002-2017, includes prints from digital files for the Central Michigan University’s (CMU) Language Arts Program, maintained by Dr. Susan Griffith. Files include meeting minutes, agendas, bylaws, correspondence, curriculum notes, projects, planning, evaluations, and data reports (including graphs, statistics, chi square charts). The material is organized in original order, which includes many folders with multiple sub-folder layers within the original folder. Because material was printed, the original digital files received from Dr. Griffiths were not retained.

Commonly used abbreviations include: MTTC, LA, LAP, SWOT, ELLW, and PECC. MTTC stands for the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification. LA is Language Arts and LAP is Language Arts Program. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats analysis and is frequently seen in the papers relating to the Language Arts Program four-year review. ELLW stands for the English Language, Literature, and Writing program. PECC stands for Professional Education Curriculum Committee.

The collection includes financial records, meeting minutes, reports, and curriculum and educational materials for the Division of Field Services, Extension Department, Extension Division, Public Services- Division of Field Services, Public Services Council, Public Services-Placement Bureau, and the Rural Education Department, all of Central Michigan University.

The collection was originally divided into various CMU vertical files and a separate collection. These materials were merged to create this collection, which includes mostly financial and other reports documenting CMU’s Extension, Field, and Public Services. The collection is organized alphabetically by the organizational subdivisions, example Div. of Field Services; Extension Department; Extension Division; etc., with materials generated by each subdivision filed in alphabetical order. Materials with the same title are also filed chronologically.

Processing Note: Some materials may be uncataloged CMU publications. These materials were left in the collection due to other processing and cataloging priorities.

Central Michigan University Facilities Management Organizational Records include: plans, assessments, reports, and maps 1940-2006, and undated.

The organizational records, 1940-2006, and undated, contain: plans, assessments, reports, and maps 1940-2006, and undated. The majority of the collections contains master plans and annual reports for CMU’s development. The flood folder contains the report of CMU campus damaged caused by the September 1986 flood and repair efforts. The Chippewa folder contains a document of all the proposed nicknames for CMU and also contains a list of the cornerstones on the building in CMU campus, but not the contents. The utilities master plan folder contains blue-line maps of CMU. Also included are color photographs of the interior and exterior fire damage to Rowe Hall in June 1998.

Researchers may also be interested in other CMU Facilities Management collections which are separately cataloged and older, Plant Management or Master Plan Committee minutes, which are in the CMU Vertical Files, at the Clarke Historical Library.

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.