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The Robert F. Kerr Papers represent a compilation of Kerr’s personal and professional materials, primarily dating from the 1880s to the 1930s. The collection is composed predominantly of correspondence, both personal and related to Kerr’s role at South Dakota State University (then Dakota Agricultural College). Notable within this correspondence are letters documenting Kerr’s dismissal from the university, offering insight into early administrative and academic tensions at the institution.

In addition to correspondence, the collection includes class records (1885–1892), diaries (1886–1888), and writings by Kerr on a variety of topics including Brookings County history, college history, and Jewish advocacy. A unique item is Kerr’s contribution to the History of SDSC: 1881–1931, which includes marginalia in Chapter 1 authored by Kerr. Additional materials include a certificate of public instruction, scrapbook, notes, ledger, traveling papers, and maps/manuals of South Dakota. A Christmas greeting composed by Kerr and multiple drafts of personal reflections, including an autobiographical sketch, further illustrate his personal beliefs and public engagement.

The collection documents Kerr’s broad intellectual interests, educational work, and his role in shaping the early academic life at South Dakota State University. The presence of early class materials and student-related documents adds to the understanding of instructional methods during the foundational years of the institution.

Robert F. Kerr was a foundational figure in the academic development of Dakota Agricultural College. His personal files provide critical documentation of institutional history, early university governance, and student instruction practices. The correspondence surrounding his departure adds to the narrative of university leadership and faculty relations in the institution’s formative years. His historical writings on South Dakota and Brookings County contribute to regional history.

This collection is composed of financial ledgers documenting the operations of boarding and housing facilities at South Dakota State University from 1885 to 1923, with one undated record. Materials include records for the Boarding Club, College Boarding Hall, Dormitory Club, and Cafeteria, reflecting administrative functions such as board payments, expenses, labor costs, and student refunds. The ledgers offer insight into student life, university housing, and institutional operations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Notable items include the Board Deposit Account Ledger (1888–1899), Cafeteria and Boarding Club ledger (1921–1923), and Dormitory Club Journal (1908–1915). The records are arranged in two boxes and span a transitional period in university residential services.

The ledgers provide early documentation of student housing and dining services at Dakota Agricultural College (now SDSU), illustrating economic and administrative aspects of campus life. These materials are significant for studies in higher education history, university infrastructure, and student welfare in a land-grant institution context.