Search

The Owens Papers (1890-1946) contain ten items consisting of a scrapbook, two diplomas, two certificates, and five photographs. They were donated to the University Archives by his daughter, Ana Elnora Owens. The scrapbook contains a handwritten autobiography (20 pages) and a "History of Agricultural Instruction in Virginia" (14 pages), both written in 1945-1946. Owens' autobiography describes his childhood in Kansas (near Alma in Wabaunsee County) and his experience at Kansas State Agricultural College as the first Black person to graduate from the institution in 1899. It provides a description of his employment at Tuskegee Institute after graduation where he worked under Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver. He left Tuskegee in 1908 to take a position at the Virginia Normal and Industrial School (Virginia State College) in Petersburg where he had a very successful career.
His writings describe the agricultural program at the school and his work in Virginia as the leader in vocational agriculture, including his organizational efforts for the New Farmers of Virginia that became the New Farmers of America. He provides an extensive list of others who were involved in vocational agriculture throughout the state. The two diplomas were awarded at the time of his graduation from high school in Wabaunsee County, Kansas in 1890, and Kansas State Agricultural College in 1899 where he obtained a bachelor of science degree in the "general course." The two certificates in the collection were awarded by Virginia State College. The first is a "Certificate of Merit" for ten years of service in 1945 and the second in appreciation for his teaching and service presented by the Alumni Association in 1946. Two of the five photographs show Owens as a student at KSAC in 1899 (one in his cadet uniform), two with his wife, Waddie Hill (a wedding photo in 1901 and another in 1903 with their newborn child), and one taken at the Virginia Normal and Industrial Institute in 1920.

The Alice L. Paddleford Wood Papers contain personal writing, newspapers items from her college days, and advertising. The papers are housed in ten boxes.

The advertisements and the printed materials are from Wood's work in advertising from 1925 to 1933. Most of these are from the Periodical Publishing Company and the Jaqua Company, although there are some ads from the Chapin's and Martin's department stores. The printed materials are mostly catalogs and journals that advertise furniture or give tips on how to make a house look nice.

The Literary Works contain articles and writings from college that Wood wrote as well as clippings that that was about her. Some of the articles written by Wood are from the Brown Bull. These have been transferred to the cataloged publications area of the University Archives.

The Edited Works contain edited documents by Wood and the Subject Series focuses on important people, times, or events. Wood edited the Kansas State Collegian in 1924 and 1925, and the Manhattan Daily Nationalist from September 8, 1924, to November 18, 1924, excluding the Sunday editions. These papers are in the Edited Works. The Subject Series is organized alphabetically by subject heading. Topics include important events and people such as the sinking of the Titanic, President Harding's death, Theodore Roosevelt, and World War I.

The remainder of the series is smaller. The Correspondence Series has some memos from her work at the Periodical Publishing Company and letters to Clementine Paddleford. The Invitations Series has invitations that could have possibly been designed by Wood as well as those she received. The Photographs Series contains photos of furniture and room layouts. The Sign Series includes patriotic signs from World War I.

This collection includes serial publications from African-American publishers throughout the nation between 1964 and 1978. Robert Bontrager used these materials to teach his "Black Press in America" course from 1970 to 1989. There is representation from national publications like Ebony Jr! and The Journal of Negro Education, as well as smaller publications like Sepia (Fort Worth, Texas) and The Facts (Seattle, Washington).

The Munger Family papers documents three generations of correspondence within the family, on topics regarding their businesses, health, weather, and current events.

Part one includes correspondence between George Munger Sr. and his daughters Martha and Belle while they attended St. Mary’s in Notre Dame, Indiana. George Sr. corresponded with his wife, Susan while she was in the hospital for rheumatism during 1903. Other letters to George are from his father, Lyman Munger and his brother, Pliny Munger.

Part two is comprised of Belle Munger Riggle’s correspondence, which makes up the bulk of the collection. Letters between Belle and her husband, Edward, discuss business at Catalpa Knob and other places he worked as well as the welfare of their children. After Edward died in 1910, Belle married Irvin Hays Rice.

These letters provide historical information about the locations they were written from, which include Kansas, Illinois, California, and Indiana. Topics covered include business and economic matters, social and cultural life, family relationships, and conditions of the United States during the span of this collection.

This collection belonging to Dr. Arthur D. Weber, vice president emeritus and former dean of the college of agriculture at Kansas State University, encompasses a diverse array of materials that provide insight into the life, achievements, and interests of Dr. Weber. The collection is organized into multiple boxes, each containing a variety of personal and professional items spanning his lifetime.

Personal Belongings: This portion of the collection includes personal items such as clothing, accessories, and other artifacts that offer a glimpse into Arthur D. Weber's daily life and personal style.

Personal Notes: These handwritten and typed notes encompass a range of topics, including diaries, journals, and personal reflections, shedding light on Arthur D. Weber's thoughts and experiences throughout his life.

News clippings: The collection includes a substantial number of news clippings, offering a record of significant events, interests, and issues that Arthur D. Weber followed or was involved in over the years.

Awards: This section showcases the various awards and honors received by Arthur D. Weber for his contributions to his field, community, or other notable achievements.

Photographs: A diverse assortment of photographs captures moments from Arthur D. Weber's life, including family, friends, professional activities, and travel experiences.

Books and Articles: This segment consists of published works related to Arthur D. Weber, as well as, content used for his research.

Travel Memorabilia: The collection features an array of souvenirs, travel documents, and mementos from Arthur D. Weber's travels, offering insights into his work abroad in cattle judging and agricultural developments, during his stays in India, Mexico, and Europe.

Letters and Cards: These materials encompass personal and professional correspondence, providing a window into Arthur D. Weber's relationships, both personal and business-related.

Addresses: Arthur D. Weber's address books and contact lists document his social and professional networks, offering valuable information about the people and organizations with whom he maintained connections.

Club Activities: The collection contains records related to various club and organizational memberships, shedding light on Arthur D. Weber's participation in and contributions to these groups.

The Louis H. Douglas papers document the career of Douglas and the lecture series that was named after him at Kansas State University. Included are photographs of Douglas and speakers at the lecture series, as well as additional documentation regarding his time as a political science professor at Kansas State University from 1949–1977 and the Lou Douglas Lecture Series that began in 1980.

The scrapbooks, and related material, document the campus and dormitory activities of the residents of Southeast/Putnam Hall from 1953 through 1998 and contain photographs, newspaper clippings, invitations, programs, newsletters, information booklets, etc. Events covered in the albums include social activities (homecoming, dances, parties, holiday celebrations, etc.) and campus involvement of residents (queens, honors, athletics, etc.), as well as major happenings at KSU, such as the burning of Nichols Gym in 1968. The volumes were created and maintained by students in the hall (usually a historian) and donated to the University Archives in 1998.

The collection consists of four Carte de visites (CdV) documenting Manhattan, Kansas and spanning the years 1863-1866. The photographs have been attributed to George Burgoyne (active Manhattan 1859-1890), and were presumably taken from his studio window. At the time of acquisition (2000), all four views bore penciled identifications on the versos, each image identified as Burgoyne's work, each subject identified and dated. Some of this information was presumably transferred from an album that once included the pictures.
The earliest CdV, dated 1863, includes Manhattan's main street, Poyntz Avenue, looking towards the East. The second, dated 1864, presents the town's residences, outhouses, and dirt streets in the direction of Bluemont Hill to the North. The third and fourth images return to the easterly vantage point of the 1863 image. One shows phalanxed U.S. troops crossing the mouth of the Big Blue River as part of the Indian Expedition on 28 June 1865. The final Carte de visite, dated 1866, reveals the addition of new commercial buildings along the city's main artery.
The collection is an important one for frontier Manhattan, as it includes the earliest known views of its commercial and residential districts.

The Manuscript Cookbook collection includes 125 cookbooks with culinary recipes and home remedies dating from the early 16th century to the late 20th century. The cookbooks originate from various countries, such as Austria (1), Denmark (1), England (25), France (1), Germany (7), Ireland (3), Mexico (5), Palestine (1), Slovakia (1), Switzerland (2), and the United States (42). The books vary in size and shape and are almost exclusively handwritten. Although most are written in English, other languages include German (10), French (2), Danish (1), and Hebrew (1).

The subject files cover numerous aspects of the university, mainly between 1960 and 2010. A few items exist from 1925 to 1960. The series of buildings include many helpful photographs, and many other files include photographs and negatives.