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This collection is composed of materials produced by the Visual Arts Department at South Dakota State University and reflects the department’s educational, creative, and promotional activities. It includes programs, posters, pamphlets, mailers, photographs, newsletters, institutional reviews, and documentation of faculty, student, and alumni exhibitions. Notable events represented include the Annual Juried Student Exhibition, the Alumni Exhibition, faculty exhibitions, and a variety of senior shows. Also present are records related to the Ritz Gallery, including retrospective exhibitions, thematic showcases, and promotional materials.

The collection contains examples of student academic work, including projects from Art History courses—such as the Wacipi and September 11th Projects—and features contributions from visiting artists and faculty, including international visitors and presenters. Additional items of interest include a scrapbook created by members of the Delta Phi Delta Art Fraternity, which contains clippings, memorabilia, and original artwork, as well as photographs of early art faculty such as Ada B. Caldwell and Maud Goddard.

This collection is significant for documenting the evolution of art education and visual culture at SDSU, highlighting the department’s emphasis on both academic study and public exhibition. It provides insight into student and faculty creativity, the development of art curricula, and the broader role of the arts on campus and beyond.

The Vivian Volstorff Papers span from 1904 to 2002 and document the personal life, professional career, scholarly output, and civic contributions of Dr. Vivian Virginia Volstorff, who served as Dean of Women, Director of Student Activities, and professor of history at South Dakota State University. The collection reflects her influential leadership on campus and her broader involvement in academic, civic, and professional organizations.

Materials include extensive documentation from her tenure as Dean of Women, such as reports, staff meeting notes, housing committee records, and correspondence related to student affairs and women’s organizations. Personal items include biographical records, letters, greeting cards, photographs, and memorabilia. Numerous folders contain speeches and public addresses, delivered across decades on themes ranging from international relations to higher education for women, student ethics, and civic values.

The collection also includes manuscripts and published writings, notably drafts and materials related to her historical monograph Winds of Change. Additional writings include her dissertations and theses on William Charles Cole Claiborne, James Wilkinson, and Pliny the Younger. A substantial portion of the material documents her affiliations with local and national organizations such as the American Association of University Women, Mortar Board, Delta Zeta, and others.

Collected material and subject files compiled by Volstorff provide insight into her research interests in education, morality, manners, youth culture, Soviet relations, and American identity. Her research on SDSU is especially comprehensive, including histories of campus buildings, student traditions, presidential administrations, and faculty organizations, as well as early publications such as Industrial Collegian and the Alumni Association Bulletin.

This collection offers documentation of mid-20th century women’s leadership in higher education, student life and governance, and South Dakota State University history. It will be particularly useful for researchers studying women in academic administration, 20th-century higher education reform, student housing and campus activism, and the cultural history of SDSU.

The W. Carter Johnson Papers document ecological research and related professional activities from the 1960s through 2017, with most material dating from the 1970s through the 2000s. The collection is organized into subject and project groupings that reflect Johnson’s research program, including blue jay seed dispersal and nut caching studies, forest and tree ecology, prairie wetland ecology, and riparian vegetation research on major river systems. Records include field notes, data sets, statistical analyses, research proposals and prospectuses, conference materials, correspondence, photographs, slides, maps, and related publications and reprints.

A substantial portion of the collection focuses on blue jay mediated dispersal of acorns and beech nuts, including field notes dating from 1976 to 1989, data sets from Wisconsin, Virginia, and Iowa, banding records, artificial cache and germination data, and analyses of dietary responses to tannins and weevil infestation. Forest and tree ecology files address forest dynamics, succession modeling, regeneration and recruitment, biomass and carbon storage, and restoration case studies, with coverage of pine oak systems, disturbances such as ice storms, and seed dispersal in fragmented landscapes. Prairie wetland materials document long term study of prairie pothole wetlands, including hydrology, vegetation sampling, seed bank composition, and simulation modeling related to climate variability and climate change, with extensive site level data and photographs from locations such as the Deuel semipermanent wetland and the Severson Waterfowl Production Area.

Riparian and river focused research is represented through extensive Platte River documentation that includes multiyear monitoring and demographic studies of cottonwood and willow, GIS products, graphs, maps, field notes, reports, and large sequences of labeled slides spanning the mid 1980s through the early 2000s. Complementary river research files address the Snake River in Idaho, including Swan Falls related vegetation studies, sampling methods, progress reports, maps, photographs, and slides. Additional series document work on the Missouri River and other rivers and lakes, as well as international scientific exchange and translated materials concerning Soviet and Russian ecology. The collection also includes documentation of the Mortensen Ranch restoration work in South Dakota, including correspondence, interviews, project notes, awards, photographs, and guides related to rangeland and wooded draw restoration.

The W. Carter Johnson Papers documents ecological research methods and findings across multiple ecosystems, with notable depth in long term field data, modeling, and applied studies of seed dispersal, forest succession, wetland dynamics, and riparian vegetation response to regulated river flows. The collection supports research into late twentieth and early twenty first century ecological science, including the development and use of data sets, statistical procedures, GIS products, monitoring protocols, and longitudinal photographic documentation. These records also provide evidence of professional collaboration and scientific communication through proposals, conference participation, correspondence, and exchange activities, offering context for how ecological research informed management and restoration efforts in prairie, wetland, and riverine environments.

This collection consists of a leather-bound scrapbook belonging to 2nd Lt. Ward B. Bates and includes 139 documents, 72 maps, 263 photographs, and 81 picture postcards. The materials document Bates’ military service during World War I, including his training, duty stations, and experiences overseas. Photographs capture Bates and fellow officers during liberty, in training, and in combat zones, with some images taken by Major Joseph Mills Hansen, Chief Historian of the A.E.F. Several photographs depict battlefield casualties.

Documents include U.S. Service Club and Officer Club membership cards, Bates’ honorable discharge from the Army National Guard, and numerous War Department orders detailing the movements of newly commissioned field artillery officers. Duty stations represented include Ft. Dodge (Iowa), Ft. Snelling (Minnesota), Camp Logan (Texas), and Camp Jackson (South Carolina). General Order No. 23 outlines instructions for camp setup and operations in Paris, France. The collection also features newspaper clippings documenting World War I events.

The scrapbook is a firsthand documentation of an American officer’s service and the administrative, logistical, and human dimensions of World War I. It provides insight into military operations, personal experiences, and the broader context of U.S. involvement in the war.

This collection documents the activities of the Water and Environmental Engineering Research Center and affiliated academic and research programs, including the Atmospheric, Environmental, and Water Resources (AEWR) Ph.D. program, collaborative research projects, and the Huron Recharge Project. The AEWR program was a joint doctoral program between South Dakota State University and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, established in the early 1990s and phased out in 2004. Materials include program proposals, correspondence, assessment documents, course and promotional materials, and reports related to program development, accreditation, and inter-university collaboration.

The research project files span a variety of topics related to water resources engineering, such as groundwater recharge, wastewater management, water quality monitoring, and bridge infrastructure. The Huron Recharge Project records include agreements, water testing data, progress reports, technical memoranda, and regulatory documents reflecting groundwater recharge efforts and interagency cooperation in Huron, South Dakota.

The records reflect SDSU’s contributions to water resource engineering education and applied research in the Northern Great Plains and beyond. The collection highlights regional, national, and collaborative initiatives in water management, infrastructure design, and environmental engineering. The AEWR Ph.D. program exemplifies inter-institutional efforts to address critical water and environmental challenges through advanced education and research. The Huron Recharge Project provides valuable insight into groundwater recharge methodologies and local water quality monitoring in South Dakota.

The collection is composed primarily of color slides and black and white photographs documenting Wayne Scott Gardner’s research and teaching in plant pathology, dating from 1952 to 1987, with the strongest coverage from the 1960s through the mid 1980s. The materials focus on virus diseases of plants, particularly wheat streak mosaic virus, along with tobacco mosaic virus, barley stripe mosaic virus, maize dwarf mosaic virus, and other viral infections affecting wheat, corn, barley, tobacco, and related crops. Visual documentation includes field symptoms, laboratory preparations, ultrastructural studies, and comparative analyses of disease development across crop varieties and environmental conditions.

In addition to plant viruses, the collection contains extensive visual records of fungal and physiological plant diseases, including rusts, powdery mildews, charcoal rot, septoria, and other pathogens. Environmental and abiotic crop injuries are well represented through slides illustrating the effects of air pollution, sulfur dioxide, ozone, smog, frost, heat, drought, wind, hail, sleet, and winter stress on agricultural crops. Teaching slide sets, seminar materials, and student research components are included, as well as scientific reprints, correspondence, and literature that document Gardner’s research activities, instructional use of electron microscopy, and contributions to plant disease education and agricultural research at South Dakota State University.

This collection documents evidence of mid twentieth century research and instruction in plant virology and plant pathology at South Dakota State University. The extensive documentation of wheat streak mosaic virus and related cereal crop diseases supports historical research into disease management, crop response to environmental stress, and the development of microscopy based plant pathology. The materials also contribute to the study of agricultural conditions in the northern Great Plains and the impact of air pollution and climate related factors on crop health.

The collection documents research conducted by William Ray Gibbons on the development of renewable fuels and related products derived from agricultural biomass. Materials date primarily from the late 1970s through the 2010s and focus on ethanol production using feedstocks such as fodder beets, corn, sweet sorghum, and agricultural byproducts. The collection includes scholarly articles, technical reports, economic feasibility studies, energy analyses, draft manuscripts, correspondence, and supporting data related to small scale, farm scale, and commercial scale fuel alcohol production.

Also included are draft and final versions of Gibbons’ master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation addressing the technology and economics of ethanol production from fodder beets, along with supplementary research data, tables, and figures. Visual materials such as photographs, slides, transparencies, posters, and charts document experimental procedures, fermentation systems, distillation equipment, and pilot plant operations. Conference papers, seminar materials, and presentations illustrate the dissemination of research findings within academic, agricultural, and industry settings.

The collection further contains newspaper and magazine clippings reflecting public and policy discourse on ethanol and renewable energy over several decades, as well as draft legislative testimony, notes, and briefing materials related to ethanol tax incentives and renewable fuel policy. Additional subject areas include mushroom cultivation using agricultural waste products, energy balance studies, and economic impact analyses of ethanol production in regional and national contexts.

This collection is significant for documenting South Dakota State University’s long term research contributions to renewable energy, applied microbiology, and agricultural biotechnology. It provides detailed evidence of early and sustained investigations into ethanol production technologies, economic feasibility, and energy efficiency at small and community scales. The materials support research into the historical development of the ethanol industry, agricultural innovation in the Upper Midwest, and the role of land grant universities in advancing alternative energy research and informing public policy.

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.

This collection documents the military service and enduring legacy of Captain Willibald C. Bianchi, a 1940 graduate of South Dakota State College and one of the earliest Medal of Honor recipients of World War II. Bianchi demonstrated extraordinary heroism during the Battle of Bataan, continuing to lead and assist fellow soldiers despite multiple injuries, before being captured and later dying as a prisoner of war in 1945.

Materials include photocopies of Bianchi’s personal letters from the Philippines and as a POW, offering rare firsthand insight into the experiences of an American officer during the early Pacific campaign. Additional records include correspondence with his family, military officials, and others, as well as memorial writings, newspaper clippings, and biographical information. The collection also features a photocopy of Bianchi’s Medal of Honor certificate and a certificate signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in recognition of his sacrifice.

The collection holds further significance through its documentation of the efforts by Tom Beattie and the Willibald Bianchi Memorial and Scholarship Committee to honor Bianchi’s legacy at South Dakota State University. These materials trace the creation of a memorial plaque, scholarship fund, and commemorative events, highlighting Bianchi’s continued impact on the university and broader public memory.

The Women Artists in Collaboration Records document the activities and creative work of the group, primarily through materials collected by co-founder Marilyn Richardson. The collection consists of correspondence (1986-1990), financial records (1987-1990), and project materials (1985-1989), which provide insight into the group's operations and artistic collaborations. The project records are particularly significant as they detail performance concepts and the collaborative process.

Additionally, the collection includes clippings, guest books (1987), meeting records (1986-1987), member biographies, and programs, offering context on the group's membership and events. Two scrapbooks (1985-1987, 1988) contain photographs and memorabilia, documenting performances, and the group's artistic impact. This collection highlights the group's creative contributions and organizational history.

This collection includes organizational records and event materials documenting the activities of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) at South Dakota State University. It features administrative ledgers and various programs that reflect the group's role in campus religious life, student leadership, and extracurricular activities. Also included are secretary’s and treasurer’s books, a handbook for members, and programs for lecture courses, plays, the YMCA Entertainment Series, student conferences, and installation banquets.

The secretary’s books include minutes of meetings, membership records, and loose materials such as correspondence and notes. The treasurer’s books document financial transactions and also contain information related to membership, gym cards, subscriptions, and lecture courses.

The materials provide valuable insight into the mission, governance, and student engagement of the Young Men’s Christian Association at South Dakota State University. They reflect the organization’s broader goals of spiritual development, social fellowship, and the promotion of Christian values in campus life.

This collection consists of records from the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor at South Dakota State University. Materials include the constitution and bylaws (with amendments), secretary’s books, and a booklet of prayer meeting topics. The secretary’s books serve as the primary recordkeeping source and include minutes of meetings and membership information. These records offer insight into the religious and social activities of young Christians on campus, their organizational structure, and the devotional themes they explored.

The collection documents the efforts of Christian youth to foster fellowship and spiritual development through organized prayer meetings, governance, and communal responsibilities. It reflects early 20th-century student religious life and offers context for broader Christian youth movements in American higher education.