This collection is comprised of manuscripts, published works, and personal archives of Beryl Stewart, reflecting her contributions to literature and education. It includes newspaper clippings referencing Stewart, a book mentioning her, and multiple issues of Word Craft, a publication from Aberdeen Central High School where she served as an adviser. Her correspondence (1923-1942) contains reference letters and exchanges with publishers, offering insight into her professional relationships.

Stewart's manuscripts consist of essays, poems, and short stories, including entries for the South Dakota State Fair literature contests, some with critiques and awarded ribbons. Her published works appeared in various literary and rural publications, demonstrating her influence in both creative writing and regional literature. The scrapbooks, spanning multiple decades, preserve correspondence, publication clippings, and personal reflections, highlighting the breadth of her literary career and the reception of her work. This collection serves as a resource for understanding Stewart's impact on South Dakota's literary and educational landscape.

The Dona Brown Papers contain research and project records compiled by Dr. April Brooks and Dr. Ruth Ann Alexander, professors at South Dakota State University, and donated to the Archives in 2004. The material primarily relates to a humanities grant and a literary documentation initiative. Contents include general correspondence, an address index for group members, articles, obituaries, and records from Huron College. Also included are project notes, biographies, and questionnaires related to the “Poets and Writers of South Dakota” project, a literary documentation effort initiated by Dona Brown.

This collection documents scholarly and creative efforts to support and recognize South Dakota’s literary community. It provides insight into grant-funded humanities research as well as the collection and preservation of regional literary histories. The materials reflect both institutional involvement in the humanities and a grassroots approach to documenting the voices of local poets and writers.

The Edwin C. Graber Poetry Collection consists of chapbooks containing original poetry written between 1937 and 1949, with several undated works. The poems explore themes of nature, solitude, time, and spirituality through lyrical and reflective language. Titles such as Stars Are My Parade, Nature the Peerless Colorist, and Zeniths as Yet But Dimly Seen illustrate Graber’s focus on the natural world and metaphysical contemplation.

The collection documents the creative work of South Dakota poet Edwin C. Graber and preserves his limited-edition chapbooks, many of which are not widely available. It provides material for the study of mid-twentieth-century regional poetry and poetic expression rooted in the Great Plains.

Scrapbook 1

Scrapbook 10

Scrapbook 11

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Scrapbook 13

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Scrapbook 17

Scrapbook 18

Scrapbook 19

Scrapbook 2