A Finding Aid for the Ferris Institute Newsletter Records 1951-1955

Collection Summary

Collection Title: Ferris Institute Newsletter Records

Creator: Ferris Institute. Office of the President.

Dates: 1951-1955

Abstract: Ferris Institute Newsletter is a publication produced through the Office of Public Affairs for the President of Ferris Institute. This brief weekly publication provides summaries of such activities as publications, recruitment, staff information and enrollment. This collection contains a complete run of the publication between 1951-1955.

Language: English

Quantity: 0.8 cubic feet; 2 Hollinger boxes

Identification: UA 18.3.610

Repository: Ferris State University Archives and Records Management Program

Historical Note

On 11 June 1951, President Bryon Brophy wrote the first edition of the Ferris Institute Newsletter. A one-page summary of ongoing projects, the newsletter helped to inform staff about vital information such as recruitment, faculty activities, calender information and building projects.

In January 1952, Roy Newton (the Alumni Secretary) became editor of the publication, although it was still listed under Institute letterhead, with Brophy's name. Newton remained the editor until the final volume began in November 1954. Issues became longer, although articles remained limited to two to three paragraphs. R. V. Shoberg edited the final year.

The Ferris Institute Newsletter ceased publication in June 1955. Portions of the information contained in the publication were found in the Ferris Expositor which began publication in October 1956.

Scope and Content Note

In November 1952, Ferris Institute held a debate tournament for 240 high school students; faculty members wrote book reviews; staff participated in the meeting of the Michigan Association of Registrars; staff attended Muskegon High School Career Day. To find out this information and other vital facts, staff members received a weekly publication from the office of the President entitled the Ferris Institute Newsletter.

This publication provides a strictly textual and abbreviated view of activities on campus. Some of the topics in the newsletter such as calenders, faculty activities and new staff are later expanded the subsequent publications of the Ferris Expositor and FYI. Detailed schedules of campus events such as homecoming are provided, including location information. No issue is longer than three pages, and most are a single page.

The publication is listed as being authored by the president, but also includes an editor's name. It is unclear who actually wrote all the articles. This collection only contains the final issues, not drafts or correspondence about the running of the publication.

Some issues have been digitized and placed into the institutional repository. They have been marked at the folder level.

Arrangement

The papers are divided into two series.

• Series 1. Issues. 1951-1955.
• Series 2. Bound volumes. 1951-1954.

Access Information

Conditions of Access

The Ferris Institute Newsletter Records are open for research to all users in accordance with University Archives and Records Management access policies. It is available in the reading room of the Ferris State University Archives.

Conditions of Use

Requests for permission to publish material should be directed to the University Archivist. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights.

Copyright interests for this collection have been transferred to Ferris State University. For more information, contact the University Archivist.

Subject Headings

Below are a list of names, organizations and subjects relating to the collection. Names have been taken from Library of Congress Authority headings whenever possible.

• Brophy, Bryon J.- 1895-1962
• Ferris Institute (Big Rapids, Mich.)- History- 1951-1955
• Ferris Institute (Big Rapids, Mich.)- Periodicals
• Ferris Institute Newsletter (Big Rapids, Mich.)
• Spathelf, Victor J.- 1910-1988
• Universities and colleges-Michigan-Curricula-Periodicals

Related Materials

Bryon Brophy Papers. (UA 1.8)

Administrative Information

Citations

Footnotes and bibliographic references should use the following format:
[Item], Folder, Box. Ferris Institute Newsletter Records. Ferris State University Archives. Big Rapids, Michigan.

Provenance (Acquisition Information)

This publication was a joint production of the Office of the President and the Office of Public Affairs. No record exists of a transfer to the archives, but the names of Goldie Nott and Victor Spathelf are written on several issues, indicating the copies were obtained both from the library and from the Office of the President. The exact date of transfer is unknown, but occurred prior to 1980.

Processing Information

The Ferris Institute Newsletter was processed to the folder level by Melinda McMartin Isler in October 2005. A finding aid was prepared in a word processing format and converted to EAD 1.0. A revised finding aid was created in January 2008. A collection level MARC-21 record was prepared and placed in the library online public access catalog. Description based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2004).

Technical Requirements

This collection consists of printed publications. No specialized software or hardware is required for viewing.

Content Listing

Series 1. Issues. 1951-1955.

This series consists of approximately 0.5 cubic feet of a serial paper publication. The publication provided a snapshot of campus activities.

The issues are arranged in chronological order by month. Links to the digital versions are included when available.

Box	Folder	Contents
1	1	Ferris Institute Newsletter. June 1951. FIR.
1	2	Ferris Institute Newsletter. July 1951. FIR.
1	3	Ferris Institute Newsletter. August 1951. FIR.
1	4	Ferris Institute Newsletter. September 1951. FIR.
1	5	Ferris Institute Newsletter. October 1951. FIR.
1	6	Ferris Institute Newsletter. November 1951. FIR.
1	7	Ferris Institute Newsletter. December 1951. FIR.
1	8	Ferris Institute Newsletter. January 1952.
1	9	Ferris Institute Newsletter. February 1952.
1	10	Ferris Institute Newsletter. March 1952.
1	11	Ferris Institute Newsletter. April 1952.
1	12	Ferris Institute Newsletter. May 1952.
1	13	Ferris Institute Newsletter. June 1952.
1	14	Ferris Institute Newsletter. July 1952.
1	15	Ferris Institute Newsletter. September 1952.
1	16	Ferris Institute Newsletter. October 1952.
1	17	Ferris Institute Newsletter. November 1952.
1	18	Ferris Institute Newsletter. December 1952.
1	19	Ferris Institute Newsletter. January 1953.
1	20	Ferris Institute Newsletter. February 1953.
1	21	Ferris Institute Newsletter. March 1953.
1	22	Ferris Institute Newsletter. April 1953.
1	23	Ferris Institute Newsletter. May 1953.
1	24	Ferris Institute Newsletter. June 1953.
1	25	Ferris Institute Newsletter. July 1953.
1	26	Ferris Institute Newsletter. September 1953.
1	27	Ferris Institute Newsletter. October 1953.
1	28	Ferris Institute Newsletter. November 1953.
1	29	Ferris Institute Newsletter. December 1953.
1	30	Ferris Institute Newsletter. January 1954.
1	31	Ferris Institute Newsletter. February 1954.
1	32	Ferris Institute Newsletter. March 1954.
1	33	Ferris Institute Newsletter. April 1954.
1	34	Ferris Institute Newsletter. May 1954.
1	35	Ferris Institute Newsletter. June 1954.
1	36	Ferris Institute Newsletter. November 1954.
1	37	Ferris Institute Newsletter. December 1954.
1	38	Ferris Institute Newsletter. January 1955.
1	39	Ferris Institute Newsletter. February 1955.
1	40	Ferris Institute Newsletter. March 1955.
1	41	Ferris Institute Newsletter. April 1955.
1	42	Ferris Institute Newsletter. May 1955.
1	43	Ferris Institute Newsletter. June 1955.

Series 2. Bound Volumes. 1951-1954.

This series consists of approximately 0.4 cubic feet of publications. It is separated by academic year and marked with the name of a Ferris administrator.

The issues are arranged in chronological order.

Box	Folder	Contents
2	1	Ferris Institute Newsletter. 1951-1954.