Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Lavoo, E. M., Collection, 1922-1923, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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The E. M. LaVoo Collection contains research material on education and public schools mostly in Missouri, Kansas, and Iowa, conducted by an “E. M. LaVoo” of Kansas City, Missouri in the early 1920s.

Mccullah Family Collection, 1986, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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Typescript of an unpublished manuscript for a novel titled “The Eye of the Storm.”

Kenneth John McCullah was born in Kansas around the year 1916. He was married to Maurine Ruth McCullah and together they were avid researchers of the American Civil War. In 1986, they crafted a fictionalized story of a family named Layne and their history through the late 1700s up to the Civil War. This manuscript, titled “The Eye of the Storm” was never published. Kenneth passed away in 1991 and in Maurine in 2011. In 2013, the novel Oaklayne: A Civil War Saga was published, with …

Harding, A. H., Correspondence, 1928-1945, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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Correspondence, primarily from World War II, of A. H. Harding, with some letters containing newspaper clippings, photographs, programs, medals, currency and other miscellaneous materials.

Algie Hampton Harding was born on January 9, 1909 in Keytesville, Missouri to Al and Jennie Harding. He graduated from Brunswick, Missouri High School. He received a bachelor’s degree from Central College of Fayette, Missouri, and then attended the University of Missouri. On January 21, 1942 Harding married Mary Frances Hobbs of Independence, Kansas. Harding attended Officers’ Candidate School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and was commissioned as a first lieutenant. Harding served in the 8th Infantry …

Dittman, Dean, Collection, 1954-1993, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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The Dean Dittman Collection contains playbills, newspaper clippings, photographs, scrapbooks relating to the performing career of Gus Dean Dittmann, donated by Mr. Dittmann’s niece, Diane Vaught.

Gus Dean Dittmann was born in Frontenac, Kansas and had a successful career as an actor on the stage, movies, radio, and television, performing as Dean Dittman (sometimes listed as Dean Dittmann). He was born in 1931 and attended the public schools in Frontenac and in the early 1950s, the Kansas Teachers College of Pittsburg, today’s Pittsburg State University. In 1953 he won the Lauritz Melchior Award which led to his studying at the …

Simpson, E. Leroy, Playbook, 1954-1956, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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A Pittsburg State University football players’ playbook from the mid-1950s, a football program from 1951, and a newspaper clipping.

Edward LeRoy Simpson was born in Miami, Oklahoma in 1934, to Eddie and Ada Simpson. From 1952-1956 LeRoy attended the Kansas State Teachers College (now Pittsburg State University). He played several positions on the football team, including quarterback, and lettered all four years. He went on to receive a master’s degree from the Kansas State Teachers College in 1961. After earning a doctorate, Dr. Simpson joined Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska in 1968 as an associate professor of human performance/leisure …

Cundiff, Roy, Collection, 1941-1945, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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The Roy Cundiff Collection contains two items from Nazi Germany, acquired by Mr. Cundiff while he was stationed in Germany during World War II. These are a German-language edition of Mein Kampf, by Adolph Hitler, and a Nazi flag. These items were donated by Mr. Cundiff’s widow after his death in 1978.

Roy Cundiff was born in Kansas City, Kansas in 1911. He grew up in Osawatomie, Kansas, and graduated from high school there in 1931. In the 1930s Mr. Cundiff worked as a salesman. In 1939 he married Inez Grace Miner, in Fort Scott, Kansas. They had one …

Brady Family Collection, Circa 1900-1975, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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Correspondence, clippings, recordings, programs, and photograph about Eva Jessye collected by Karen and Kenneth Brady.

Born in Coffeyville, Kansas, on January 20, 1895, Eva Alberta Jessye started her academic career in the public schools of Coffeyville and Iola, Kansas. At age 13 she attended Western University in Quindaro, Kansas. She graduated from Western University in 1914 and went on to Langston University in Oklahoma where she received a lifetime certificate in teaching.

Jessye taught in elementary schools in Taft, Haskell, and Muskogee, Oklahoma before she became a reporter and columnist for the Baltimore (Maryland) Afro-American in 1925. In 1926 she …

Black Jack, Kansas Scrapbook, 1930-1974, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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The Black Jack, Kansas Scrapbook includes newspaper clippings telling the account of the battle and town of Black Jack, as well as some history of Black Jack-area families including O’Neil, Von Tries, Black, and Pearson. Most clippings are from the Wellsville Globe and the Ottawa Herald. Photographs are included.

The Battle of Black Jack was the first armed conflict between proslavery and antislavery forces in the United States. The battle near Baldwin City on June 2, 1856, had implications far beyond Kansas Territory. Some call it the first battle of the Civil War. The Kansas-Nebraska Act had opened Kansas …

Black, Bob, Photographs, 1978, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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The Bob Black Photographs are polaroid photographs showing the immediate aftermath of the July 1978 fire in Girard, Kansas which destroyed the former Haldeman-Julius Publishing Company building.

Bob Black was born in 1943 in Nashville, Tennessee, to John and Mary (Collins) Black. Bob graduated from Ottawa High School (Kansas) in 1961 and went on to earn a Computer Science degree from Kansas State University in 1972. In 1972 he began his career at Missouri Pacific as a programmer analyst. Shortly after this, he moved to Pittsburg, Kansas to start the first ServiceMaster franchise in Pittsburg. He later formed Alternate Systems, …

Martin, Bill, Collection, 1920-2019, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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A ring binder with reproductions of newspaper clippings about Eva Jessye and her career, and correspondence, printed programs, and photographs compiled by Bill Martin.

Born in Coffeyville, Kansas, on January 20, 1895, Eva Alberta Jessye started her academic career in the public schools of Coffeyville and Iola, Kansas. At age 13 she attended Western University in Quindaro, Kansas. She graduated from Western University in 1914 and went on to Langston University in Oklahoma where she received a lifetime certificate in teaching.

Jessye taught in elementary schools in Taft, Haskell, and Muskogee, Oklahoma before she became a reporter and columnist for …

Davidson, Lallah S., Manuscript, 1939, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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Typed manuscript of “Children of Lead,” published in 1939 as South of Joplin: Story of a Tri-State Diggin’s (W.W. Norton). This manuscript was donated by Lallah Davidson Blanpied to Pittsburg State University in 1975. This copy belonged to famous literary agent, Marion Saunders, who was also Margaret Mitchell’s agent for Gone With the Wind. This copy does show some changes from the published version, notably in the Introduction, and the original title.

Lallah Sherman Davidson Blanpied was born in 1897and grew up in Southeast Kansas and Southwest Missouri. She attended the Kansas State Teachers’ College in Pittsburg, Kansas (today’s Pittsburg …

Bender Crimes Photographs, 1873, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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Three photographs taken in rural Labette County, Kansas in 1873 at the Bender family house and property shortly after the discovery of the murders of approximately 12 individuals.

Roger O’Connor (1941-2006) ran a bookstore, Mostly Books, in Pittsburg, Kansas, selling books, papers, and photographs. He previously had bookstores in Lawrence, Kansas and Omaha, Nebraska before coming to Pittsburg. He previously had attended Pittsburg State University, where he received a master’s degree. The Bender Family crimes occurred in 1872-1873 where a mysterious family going by the name of Bender (aka “Bloody Benders”) murdered, apparently for their money, approximately a dozen travelers …

Barnard, Gerald, Photographs, 1936-1938, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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Five photographs of the football team of the Kansas Teachers College of Pittsburg (now Pittsburg State University) from the 1930s, taken by student photographer Gerald Barnard.

Gerald W. (Jerry) Barnard was born in Oswego, Kansas in 1918. Barnard attended the Kansas Teachers College of Pittsburg (now Pittsburg State University) from 1936-1940 and after graduation, worked as an accountant. He worked with the Deming Investment Company and then the First National Bank of Oswego. He also served as the president of Oswego Industries, chairman of Mid-America, Inc., vice-president of the Kansas Bankers Association, chairman of the Kansas Development Credit Corporation, and …

Stimmel Family Collection, 1857-1865, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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This collection consists of correspondence of Joseph Stimmel and Samuel E. Weimer during the American Civil War. The letters describe military matters, occupations and daily soldierly duties. Prior to their deposit at Pittsburg State University, the letters were laminated. There is also a journal of John Moorhead, a Methodist minister who was likely related to Stimmel and Weimer.

Joseph Stimmel (1842-1917) lived in Juniata County, Pennsylvania. He and his cousin, Samuel Weimer (1844-1900), served in the same regiment (126th Pennsylvania Infantry). Both mustered in on August 3^rd, 1862 and mustered out on May 20th, 1863. They fought in …

Snare, Wilma Cook, Collection, 1856-1997, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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This collection consist of records, histories, and photographs related to families, places, groups and businesses in Cherokee and Crawford Counties, Kansas. Includes histories of the Tharp and Bumgarner families of the area.

Wilma Cook Snare, born in 1930 to Walter and Myrtle Cook, was a local historian of Cherokee County, Kansas, and a licensed practitioner nurse at the Mt. Carmel Regional Medical Center. Snare collected and researched material related to places, mining, events, and families of Cherokee County. She wrote a book on its history called Down Memory Lane, and wrote articles for local newspapers, as well as assisting …

Mcnally, Martin V., Collection, 1910-1918, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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A collection of photographs and a scrapbook relating to the college life of Vincent McNally at the State Manual Training Normal School, circa 1910.

Born on July 10^th, 1892 in Hindsboro, Illinois, Martin Virgil McNally grew up in Olathe, Kansas. In 1910, McNally enrolled at the State Manual Training Normal School in Pittsburg (today’s Pittsburg State University), and was involved several school activities, including basketball, track, baseball, football, and theater. In 1917 he enrolled in Company A, 353^rd Regiment, 89^th Division as a 2^nd Lieutenant. He married M. Alma McNally and in 1942 he began …

World War Ii And Historical Newspaper Collection, 1918-2005, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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A collection of World War II correspondence, newspaper clippings, and other items. It also includes news articles regarding world events, Pittsburg, Kansas, presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy, Kansas City floods of 1951 and 1993, and the Hyatt Regency Collapse. Donated by an anonymous donor.

Penny, John S., Collection, 1915-1930, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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A collection of photocopies of John S. Penny’s poems, rhymes, and lyrics. Also included is unpublished poetry, family history, photographs, and correspondence.

John Scott Penny was born in Des Moines, Iowa in 1848. In 1881, he and Irene Hixson married, and had two sons. Around 1900, they moved to Fort Scott, Kansas. There, Penny worked first as a real estate agent. Penny went on to open his own real estate, insurance, and loan office in 1914. Between 1915 and 1930, John Penny wrote approximately 500 poems, mostly about Kansas, Iowa, and the aspects of life around him. About 50 of …

Hobaugh Family Collection, 1872-1940, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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This collection contains photocopies of personal correspondence, receipts, money orders, loans and farm leases of two siblings, William G. Hobaugh and Daniel F. Hobaugh, who lived in Kansas and Oklahoma in the late 1800s and early 1900s, as well as other family members and descendants.

William G. Hobaugh was born in Pennsylvania in 1852. He lived in a variety of places in Kansas, finally settling in Frontenac, where he passed away in 1921. His younger brother, Daniel F. Hobaugh, was born in Iowa in 1860, and worked as a blacksmith. He passed away in Braman, Oklahoma in 1921.

Cuthbertson And Bruce Families Collection, Circa 1885, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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This collection consists of photographs, tintypes and a bible relating to the Cuthbertson and Bruce families.

Alexander Cuthbertson was born on April 29^th, 1849 in Sparta, Illinois to Alexander Cuthbertson (1813 - 1860) and Janet Kirkwood (1814 - 1908). Cuthbertson married Margaret Young Gemmell, together they had 7 children. Those seven children, were Arthur, Robert, Fred, Raleigh, Nellie, David & George. Cuthbertson passed away on December 6^th, 1927 in Girard, Kansas.

Emily H. Bruce was born on February 12^th, 1865 in Ohio to James W. and Sarah A. Bruce. She had a brother named …

Bailey, Jessie Marie, Collection, 1950-1985, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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Contains replica American Revolution and American flags, Confederate flags, English, French and Spanish flags; era of Columbus and other American Colonial flags along with information cards for most of the flags; books about the history of flags; American State flag description cards; Native American flag description; and other flag histories.

Jessie Marie Bailey was born in El Dorado Springs, Missouri in 1897 and died in Pittsburg, Kansas in 1983. She taught in the Pittsburg, Kansas public school system for forty years. After her retirement she restored, researched, and gave presentations about flags.

Radley, Kansas Collection, 1913-1960, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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This collection consists of photographs and postcards from immigrant families in Radley, Kansas.

Radley, Kansas is a small unincorporated community located in Crawford County five miles north and three miles west of Pittsburg. Radley was founded as a mining camp of the Girard Coal Company.

Gudgen, Jr., Prentice, Collection, 1849-1997, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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A collection of correspondence, Kansas history, programs and flyers, publications, city directories, photographs, postcards, maps, stationery, newspaper clippings, miscellaneous, and oversized.

Prentice E. Gudgen Jr. was born on April 15, 1939 to Prentice Everett and Gretta H. Stuessi Gudgen. His father was a coach at Pittsburg State University. He graduated from Pittsburg High School in 1958 and worked for McNally’s Manufacturing for twenty-seven years. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Boy Scouts of America, and the Crawford County Historical Society. Gudgen was also a local historian. He passed away on June 16, 2006.

Thuenemann, Margaret, Collection, 1988-1999, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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This collection consists of music and teaching resources relating to the career of PSU music professor Margaret Thuenemann.

Margaret Thuenemann (1919-2002) was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. She attended the Cincinnati public schools, graduating from West Night High School. She went on to study music at the Cincinnati College of Music. There, she received her Bachelor of Degree in 1946, and later the Post-Graduate Diploma and the prestigious Springer Gold Medal of Honor for outstanding achievement in voice. Opportunities for further study were made possible by a Fulbright Grant which took her to Munich in 1953. After a successful performance career …

Reed, Clyde M., Collection, 1921-1931, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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This collection consists of personal and professional correspondence primarily addressed to Clyde M. Reed from various political figures.

Clyde Martin Reed was born on October 19, 1871 in Illinois. His family moved to Kansas when he was four years old. He married Minnie E. Hart in 1891 and they had ten children. In 1919, Reed became the personal secretary of Kansas Governor Henry J. Allen. In 1929, Reed was elected the 24^th Governor of Kansas and served until 1931. Reed also served as a Kansas Senator from 1939-1949. He died on November 8^th, 1949.

Vanlandingham, Nada Pauline, Collection, Circa 1937-1988, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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The collection consists of photographs, music books, and personal documents relating to the life and career of PSU alum Nada Pauline Vanlandingham.

Nada Pauline Vanlandingham (1916-2002) was born in Olathe, Kansas. She graduated from Ottawa High School in Ottawa, Kansas. After Attending Ottawa University for two years, Vanlandingham transferred to Kansas State Teachers College of Pittsburg (today’s Pittsburg State University), where she graduated with her Bachelor of Music degree in 1938. Her principal instrument was the double bass. She went on to earn her Master of Music degree from University of Kansas. Vanlandingham began her public school teaching career in …

Allegro Music Club Collection, 1937-1967, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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This is collection consists of newspaper clippings, yearbooks, photographs, and organization documents related to the Allegro Music Club of Parsons, Kansas

The Allegro Music Club was a women’s musical organization formed in 1937 in Parsons, Kansas. Their intent was to “bring together lovers of music and to maintain an interest in all music forms.” Often meeting in the home of one of the members, the club presented multiple music programs throughout the year, both privately and for the public. The club mainly focused on classical music, however they did present other genres of music on certain occasions. The Allegro Music …

Vollen, Gene, Papers, 1968-1990, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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This collection consists of letters, photographs, lectures, programs, audio recordings, and newspapers primarily relating to the life and career of Eric Vaughn.

A native of Michigan, Dr. Gene Vollen (1933-) attended Michigan State University, where he earned degrees in music education and theory/composition. His doctoral studies were completed in 1970 at North Texas State University, focusing on musicology with a minor in composition. Listed among his academic honors is a Fulbright Fellowship to the Sorbonne in 1965-66.

Prior to his appointment at Pittsburg State University (PSU) in 1970, Dr. Vollen taught in the music departments of Union University in Jackson, …

White, William Allen, Collection, 1893-1939, 1969, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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This collection includes personal correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs and other miscellaneous materials relating to William Allen White.

William Allen White was born February 10, 1868, in Emporia, Kansas, to Allen White and Mary Ann (Hatten) White. White attended the College of Emporia and the University of Kansas. In April 1893, White married Sallie Moss Lindsay. The couple moved to Emporia in 1895 and White bought the Emporia Gazette. Through this newspaper, White became a leading figure of the populist movement in Kansas. White passed away on January 29, 1944.

Reid, Joella, Collection, 1978-1980, 2011, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

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This collection includes personal correspondence, newspaper clippings, poems, programs, & sheet music related to Eva Jessye and Joella Reid.

Eva Alberta Jessye was born in Coffeyville, Kansas on January 20, 1895. At age 13, she attended Western University in Quindaro, Kansas and graduated in 1914. In 1926 she formed a choral group in New York called the Dixie Jubilee Singers. This group would later become the world-renowned Eva Jessye Choir. They performed spirituals, work songs, ballads, ragtime, jazz, and light opera. Jessye was also the choral director for George Gershwin’s opera, Porgy and Bess. Eva was involved in many …