Showing 30 results

Composed of miscellanies from both the era of the Forum and the time of the Ethical Culture Club. Materials from the latter era consist of the record of meetings from the years 1908-1910. Material for the latter years includes the minutes of meetings, a copy of the constitution, some miscellaneous materials and a history of the club written by William Powers.

The collection consists of audiovisual materials, manuscripts, photographs, and printed publications documenting the professional work and public activities of the creator from approximately 1916 to 1991. Materials include audiocassettes, biographical sketches, newspaper clippings, photographs, tributes, and miscellaneous items, as well as a 1922 master’s thesis and collected scripts from the late 1920s. A substantial portion of the collection is composed of writings produced between 1920 and 1987, reflecting the creator’s long career as a writer and commentator. Additional materials include copies of Prairie Farmer, records related to speaking tours in the 1950s, and tributes recognizing the creator’s work in later years.

A significant portion of the collection documents a World War II–era trip during 1943–1944. These materials include correspondence, a diary, interviews, speeches, research notes, statistics, maps, and collected documents related to agricultural conditions and wartime issues. Supplementary materials include newspaper clippings, published articles, and conference proceedings, notably a 1957 publication titled Agriculture in the British Economy. Together, these records provide detailed documentation of the creator’s research, travel, and reporting activities during the wartime period.

The collection is significant for its documentation of agricultural issues, wartime agricultural conditions, and the role of journalism and public commentary in interpreting these topics for broader audiences. The World War II travel materials, including the diary and interviews, provide particularly valuable firsthand perspectives on agricultural production and policy during the war years.

The William H. Powers Papers consist primarily of handwritten and draft materials authored by Powers concerning the institutional history of South Dakota State College. The collection also includes general correspondence, correspondence with entomologist J.M. Aldrich, and documents specifically focused on the founding and development of the Brookings Public Library. Additional writings by Powers reflect his historical interests and biographical sketches, including materials related to figures such as Robert F. Kerr and Pamelia Phillips Banks-Warriner, and topics like the McLouth administration and the Upheaval of 1893. A small number of items pertain to unrelated activities, including World War I-era materials from the World Disarmament Committee and a 1917 anti-conscription petition signed by faculty. The collection also contains a certificate of membership in the South Dakota Academy of Science.

These papers document William H. Powers' historical research on South Dakota State College and his civic involvement in Brookings, South Dakota. His notes and correspondence offer insight into early 20th-century library development, academic perspectives on military conscription during World War I, and efforts to preserve institutional memory. The collection is particularly valuable for understanding early initiatives related to the Brookings Public Library and faculty engagement in national and local issues.