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A Finding Aid for the Lillian Masselink Wright Historical Newsclippings Collection 1889-1979

Summary Information

Repository: Ferris State University Archives and Records Management Program

Creator: Wright, Lillian, 1901-1984.

Title: Lillian Masselink Wright Historical Newsclippings Collection

Identification: UA 0.50.1

Date [inclusive]: 1889-1979

Extent: 0.4 Cubic feet

General Physical Description Note: 2 hollinger boxes.

Language of Materials: This collection is in English.

Abstract: This collection contains annotated newspaper clippings on topics that Lillian Wright determined to be of significance to Ferris State University history.

Preferred Citation: Footnotes and bibliographic references should use the following format:

[Item], Folder, Box. Lillian Masselink Wright Historical Newsclippings Collection. Ferris State University Archives. Big Rapids, Michigan.

Biographical/Historical Note

Lillian Masselink Wright was born to Gerrit and Lavinia Masselink on October 21, 1901, and was a lifelong resident of Big Rapids, Michigan. She graduated from Big Rapids High School in 1917 and the University of Chicago in 1921.

Lillian held a number of different positions during her working life. She taught in the public schools at Michigan, assisted in supervising the school lunch program and served as a social worker at the Michigan Department of Social Services. She also served part-time as a curator of the historical collections at Ferris State College, beginning in 1964.

While never officially trained as an archivist, Wright had extensive knowledge of the history of the institution and based her descriptive practices on the University of MIchigan. She created a series of indexes and a card catalog. She also created a series of chronological scrapbooks of newsclippings compiled by the press office.

She passed away in 1984.

In 1925, Lilllian married George Wright. They had three daughters: Nancy, Janet and Joan.

Scope and Contents Note

Lillian Masselink Wright was hired as the part time curator of the Ferris Historical Collection in 1964. This collection represents one of her efforts to document the ongoing history of Ferris State College. Articles with "historical" interest were clipped and either taped onto notebook paper or recopied. Explanatory notes accompany most of the clippings. The filing topics used in the arrangement were those gathered by her.

This collection is of interest for the individual facts/events that are presented and the commentary of Mrs. Wright who was present for many of the events. It should not be taken as a complete history of the institution, or even of the time period 1964-1979.

Arrangement Note

This collection is arranged into a single series.

Administrative Information

Publication Information:

Ferris State University Archives and Records Management Program. 1-6-2010.

Conditions Governing Access Note:

The Lillian Masselink Wright Historical Newsclippings Collection is open to all researchers in accordance with the University Archives and Records Management Program access policies. Copyright to the Lillian Masselink Wright Historical Newsclippings Collection is not held by Ferris State University. Copyright to materials found in the collection not authored by Ferris are held by the individual and his/her heirs. Any questions regarding copyright should be directed to the University Archivist.

Conditions Governing Use Note:

This collection is open for research. There are no restrictions on duplication.

Immediate Source of Acquisition Note:

This collection was gathered by the curator of the historical collection at some date prior to September 2002.

Processing Information Note:

The Lillian Masselink Wright Historical Newsclippings Collection was processed to the folder level by Kelly Jezerski and Melinda McMartin Isler in December 2009. A finding aid was prepared in a word processing format and converted to EAD 2.0, utilizing the Archivists Toolkit. A collection level MARC-format record was prepared and placed in the library online public access catalog. Description was based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2004).

Related Materials

Related Archival Materials Note

Century of Opportunity Records (UA 0.10.1)

Separated Materials Note

None specified.

Controlled Access Headings

Subject(s)

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements Note

This collection consists of paper based materials. No specialized software or hardware is required for viewing.

Collection Inventory

Series 1. Subject Files. 1889-1979.

Scope and Contents Note

This series consists of annotated newsclippings, sorted primarily by the predetermined topics given by the creator.

Arrangement Note

The first three files are general newsclippings files on the history of the school and its faculty. It is followed by a list of topics determined by Wright, and filed in alphabetical order.

Contents Box Folder

Historical newsclippings.

1 1

Historical newsclippings- part 2. Undated

1 2

Historical newsclippings. Faculty. Undated

1 3

Aerial views. 1966

1 4

Admissions. Undated

1 5

Administration. 1930-1977

1 6

Airplane crash. 1965

1 7

Alumni. 1909-1976

1 8

Alumni Association. 1957-1972

1 9

Arts and Entertainment. 1965-1972

1 10

Athletics. 1970-1974

1 11

Audit. 1974

1 12

Band. 1972-1976

1 13

Baseball. 1914-1972

1 14

Basketball. 1934-1973

1 15

Big Rapids, Michigan. 1877-1978

1 16

Board of Control (Board of Trustees). 1950-1977

1 17

Buildings and growth. 1893-1979

1 18

Bulldog. Undated

1 19

Brophy family. 1962-1975

1 20

Civil demonstrations. 1970

1 21

Clark, Emmanual M. Undated

1 22

Choir. 1970

1 23

Commencement. 1956-1976

1 24

Community programs. 1969-1978

1 25

Deupree, Joseph M. Undated

1 26

Enrollment. 1950-1975

1 27

Ewigleben, Robert. 1971-1976

1 28
Contents Box Folder

Ferris, Woodbridge N. 1909-1976

2 1

Ferris Industrial School. 1893-1980

2 2

Fires. 1950-1980

2 3

Football. 1907-1978

2 4

Funds. 1967-1977

2 5

Grants. 1970-1975

2 6

Hockey. 1974-1976

2 7

Homecoming. 1964-1978

2 8

Housing. 1965-1973

2 9

Ice Carnival. 1965-1972

2 10

Kindergarten. 1906-1915

2 11

Library. 1964-1976

2 12

Name change. 1950-1963

2 13

Observatory. 1971

2 14

Orchestra. 1903-1976

2 15

Palmer, Lillian. Countrywise column. Undated

2 16

Parking. 1972

2 17

Racial tensions. 1963-1971

2 18

Rankin, Donald F. 1968-1972

2 19

School of Allied Health. 1971

2 20

School of Business. 1889-1971

2 21

School of Education. 1924

2 22

School of Optometry. 1971-1976

2 23

School of Pharmacy. 1916-1974

2 24

School of Technology. 1966-1978

2 25

Science Building. 1966-1972

2 26

Security. 1963-1977

2 27

Spathelf, Victor F. 1959-1976

2 28

Staff. 1966-1978

2 29

Student body. 1893-1978

2 30

Student organizations. 1897-1973

2 31

Track. 1964-1971

2 32

Transportation. 1972

2 33

Tuition. 1971

2 34

Unions. 1967-1975

2 35

U.S. 131. 1976

2 36

Veterans. 1972-1973

2 37

Woodbridge N. Ferris Memorial Dinner. Undated

2 38