This is an artificial collection of student essays written between 1890 and 1901 at South Dakota State University. The collection includes handwritten, typed, stapled, sewn, or bound manuscripts—many with decorative ribbons or illustrated covers demonstrating a variety of student work and material culture from the period. Most essays are approximately twenty pages in length, indicating substantial academic effort. Although all essays include an author and title, they often list only the student’s graduating class rather than the date of composition.

The topics covered are wide-ranging and reflect the interdisciplinary nature of student inquiry during the late 19th century. Many essays focus on English language studies (particularly rhetorical analysis of writers such as Addison, DeQuincey, and Macauley), mechanical and agricultural sciences (such as woodcarving, bridge construction, irrigation, crop studies, and domestic sheep anatomy), and natural sciences (including entomology, embryology, comparative anatomy, and astronomy). Other essays explore themes in domestic science, floriculture, education, music, evolution, and law, showcasing the curriculum diversity and student interests of the era.

Also included is a student petition and a ledger containing meeting minutes, possibly related to early student governance or club activities.

This collection provides insight into student scholarship and academic expectations at SDSU during the university's formative years. It reflects the educational priorities of a land-grant institution and documents early student engagement with both liberal and practical arts. The diversity of subjects illustrates a curriculum balanced between classical education and applied sciences, and the physical attributes of the essays preserve elements of 19th-century student life, material culture, and academic presentation practices.

This artificial collection consists of student research papers produced by graduate degree candidates between 1938 and 2004. These papers were not submitted as formal theses or dissertations for the completion of a degree. They were gathered for their unique, unusual, or illustrative content, and inclusion in the collection is not systematic. The papers vary in format, including professionally bound volumes, spiral-bound copies, and those placed in report folders.

Topics include scientific innovation, child psychology, social problems, educational practices, language development, and public policy. Examples include a 2004 study on nanostructures for emission detection, a 1994 analysis of homelessness in Sioux Falls, a 1993 examination of the psychological effects of having a hearing-impaired sibling, and a 1968 curriculum design for male homemaking students in Lake Norden High School.

The collection provides insight into the diverse interests and applied research efforts of graduate students at South Dakota State University over nearly seven decades. It offers perspectives on local and regional issues, educational methods, and public service initiatives, making it a valuable resource for understanding historical and social developments in South Dakota and the broader Midwest.