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This collection is composed of material related to the Centennial Celebration of South Dakota State University in 1981, Allen Barnes’ tenure as Dean of Arts and Sciences, and his leadership in establishing the Performing Arts Center on campus. The Centennial Celebration files (1980–1981) document numerous activities coordinated through the College of Arts and Sciences, including lectures, theatrical and musical performances, alumni engagement events, scholarship ceremonies, and historical retrospectives of academic departments from Aerospace Studies to ROTC. Correspondence, committee records, and planning documents provide insight into the university’s efforts to commemorate its 100th anniversary.

Records from Barnes’ service as Dean of Arts and Sciences (1965–1986) include speeches, planning for creative and international programming, academic initiatives, and a departmental band trip. These materials reflect his broad involvement in academic affairs, curriculum enhancement, and cross-cultural engagement.

A significant portion of the collection is devoted to the development of the SDSU Performing Arts Center (1970–1985), highlighting early conceptual work, documented needs in art, music, and theatre, and fundraising efforts. The files also include documentation of programming strategies and clippings related to the advocacy and planning for the Centennial Center.

The collection provides valuable context on institutional celebrations, academic leadership, and campus facility development at SDSU in the late 20th century.

The Allen Barnes Papers offer insight into South Dakota State University’s centennial planning and celebration, showcasing how academic leadership, alumni relations, and campus history were mobilized to shape institutional identity. Barnes’ extensive contributions as Dean demonstrate his role in advancing international education and interdisciplinary arts programming. His leadership in laying the groundwork for a dedicated Performing Arts Center underscores the importance of advocacy, vision, and collaboration in campus planning and cultural enrichment.

The J. Howard Kramer Papers are composed of an unedited manuscript draft for Kramer's book A History of South Dakota State University, 1884 to 1975. The manuscript is divided into two segments: the first includes the introduction through Chapter 10, and the second includes Chapters 11 through 13. This version of the manuscript contains material that was later reduced or omitted during the editing process prior to publication. In addition to the manuscript, the collection includes biographical summaries compiled by Kramer of South Dakota State University presidents from George Lilley through Hilton M. Briggs, covering the years 1884 to 1975.

This collection provides insight into the institutional development of South Dakota State University and preserves contextual material not present in the published version of Kramer's history. The president biographies offer additional perspectives on administrative leadership and university governance during key periods of transformation and growth.

The A.S. Harding Papers consist of materials compiled by A.S. Harding during his research on the history of South Dakota State University. The collection spans the years 1893 to 1949, with undated material also present, and is composed of correspondence, letters, obituaries, newspaper notes, bibliographic references, and a wide array of thematic research notes and writings.

Content includes Harding’s Master’s thesis on “Contested Elections in Great Britain,” along with multiple drafts and writings on SDSC history, political science, party allegiance, and student life. Harding drew heavily on the research of Robert F. Kerr and William H. Powers, integrating their notes into his own documentation. His collection also reflects extensive use of newspaper clippings, especially in his historical chronologies and fact-gathering on the institutional development of SDSU.

Also included is correspondence from 1893 to 1949, materials related to the Forum (1906), various handwritten and compiled notes on SDSC facts, finances, student activities, and faculty lists. Box 2 includes general notes on history and newspapers, offering insights into the university's foundational era.

Together, these papers serve as a rich resource for understanding SDSU’s institutional memory, particularly through Harding’s synthesis of primary and secondary sources, preparatory research, and historical narrative development.

This collection provides documentation of the early institutional history of South Dakota State University, including rare internal notes, correspondence, and biographical data. It is particularly useful for researchers tracing the origins of campus governance, academic evolution, and student culture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The inclusion of unpublished research and working drafts enhances its importance as a record of historiographical methodology and university heritage documentation.