s a publication for alumni and friends - University of Central Missouri
s a publication for alumni and friends - University of Central Missouri
s a publication for alumni and friends - University of Central Missouri
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campus today<br />
Archives Named <strong>for</strong> McClure, Collector Par Excellence<br />
Art McClure saved stuff. The<br />
basement <strong>of</strong> his home was a<br />
well-catalogued archive <strong>of</strong><br />
pop culture. The late CMSU<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essor emeritus <strong>of</strong> history<br />
had a similar passion <strong>for</strong><br />
preserving the institution’s<br />
history, a commitment that<br />
helped to develop the university’s<br />
archives <strong>and</strong> museum.<br />
McClure’s family, <strong>friends</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> colleagues remembered<br />
his wit <strong>and</strong> wisdom when they<br />
gathered recently to dedicate<br />
the Arthur F. McClure II<br />
Archives <strong>and</strong> Museum in the<br />
James C. Kirkpatrick Library.<br />
McClure joined the CMSU<br />
faculty in 1965. He became chair<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Department <strong>of</strong> History<br />
in 1971, a post he held until<br />
his death in 1998. His belief<br />
that historical materials should<br />
be accessible led him to revive<br />
CMSU’s archival holdings.<br />
Named CMSU’s first archivist<br />
in 1985, McClure began the<br />
process to save that legacy one<br />
letter, document, picture <strong>and</strong><br />
object at a time. He was assisted<br />
by then graduate student <strong>and</strong> now<br />
archivist, Vivian Richardson.<br />
McClure was a renowned<br />
author. His dissertation became<br />
his first book, The Truman<br />
Administration <strong>and</strong> the Problems<br />
<strong>of</strong> Postwar Labor, 1945-1948,<br />
published in 1969. His research<br />
<strong>and</strong> writing about American<br />
film <strong>and</strong> popular culture became<br />
two books, The Movies: An<br />
American Idiom <strong>and</strong> Memories<br />
<strong>of</strong> Splendor: The Midwestern<br />
Works <strong>of</strong> William Inge.<br />
William Foley, pr<strong>of</strong>essor<br />
emeritus <strong>of</strong> history <strong>and</strong> longtime<br />
colleague, remembered that<br />
McClure’s personal collection<br />
rivaled that <strong>of</strong> any museum.<br />
“We kidded Art about all that<br />
stuff, but he understood the value<br />
<strong>of</strong> preserving personal history<br />
<strong>and</strong> popular culture,” Foley said.<br />
He added that many items from<br />
McClure’s personal collection<br />
now rest in many museums <strong>and</strong><br />
archives throughout the U.S.<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Emeritus Arthur McClure<br />
Eclectic Collection is Researchers’ Treasure Trove<br />
Stepping into the Arthur F.<br />
McClure II Archives <strong>and</strong> Museum,<br />
you become immediately<br />
surrounded, amazed <strong>and</strong><br />
intimated by feelings <strong>of</strong> history.<br />
From a photograph <strong>of</strong><br />
CMSU’s first graduating class<br />
to a recent photo <strong>of</strong> a Mules<br />
national championship baseball<br />
team, the archives documents<br />
the university’s history as well<br />
as the interests <strong>and</strong> passions <strong>of</strong><br />
various faculty, staff <strong>and</strong> <strong>alumni</strong>.<br />
This eclectic collection provides<br />
researchers original materials on<br />
such subjects as world famous<br />
CMSU <strong>alumni</strong>, turn <strong>of</strong> the century<br />
antiques, even frontier memoirs.<br />
From financial statements <strong>and</strong><br />
sports programs to calendars <strong>and</strong><br />
commencement programs, the<br />
Arthur F. McClure II Archives <strong>and</strong><br />
Museum seems to have a little<br />
piece <strong>of</strong> everything.<br />
“We have these archives so<br />
that we can preserve the history <strong>of</strong><br />
the university,” explained Vivian<br />
Richardson, assistant director<br />
<strong>of</strong> the archives <strong>and</strong> museum<br />
<strong>and</strong> university historian. “The<br />
archives are utilized <strong>for</strong> teaching,<br />
writing research papers, finding<br />
in<strong>for</strong>mation about activities, or<br />
to prepare <strong>for</strong> homecomings <strong>and</strong><br />
class reunions. They are important<br />
to <strong>alumni</strong>, faculty, students <strong>and</strong><br />
the community.”<br />
The archives keeps copies <strong>of</strong><br />
every academic catalog, Rhetor<br />
<strong>and</strong> Muleskinner. There are<br />
banners, pennants <strong>and</strong> records<br />
about faculty, students <strong>and</strong><br />
organizations.<br />
Then there are special<br />
collections — notable pieces<br />
about CMSU <strong>alumni</strong>, such as<br />
world-famous self-help author<br />
Dale Carnegie <strong>and</strong> major league<br />
pitcher <strong>and</strong> proclaimed “world’s<br />
greatest college athlete” Vernon<br />
Kennedy.<br />
The museum’s donated<br />
collections include McClure’s own<br />
20th century American history<br />
<strong>and</strong> African-American history<br />
collections.<br />
The Nance Middle Eastern<br />
Collection includes artifacts from<br />
Saudi Arabia <strong>and</strong> southeast <strong>and</strong><br />
southwest Asia. Other collections<br />
include the Haymaker Collection<br />
<strong>of</strong> Guatemalan ceramics, jewelry<br />
<strong>and</strong> textiles <strong>and</strong> the Rohmiller<br />
Seashell Collection <strong>of</strong> some<br />
10,000 classified specimens from<br />
around the world.<br />
There’s also a collection on<br />
Phog Allen, who left coaching at<br />
CMSU <strong>and</strong> built a legend at the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> Kansas.<br />
Most <strong>of</strong> the special collections<br />
have been donated by families.<br />
For example, the Haymaker<br />
Collection came from a family<br />
in Centerview, said Richardson.<br />
The two were missionaries in<br />
Guatemala <strong>and</strong> all their children<br />
attended what was then Normal<br />
#2, so the family decided to<br />
give back to the university by<br />
contributing the collection.<br />
“Every piece <strong>of</strong> memorabilia,<br />
every picture <strong>and</strong> every document<br />
we have in the archives have been<br />
donated. These donations come<br />
from university departments that<br />
are cleaning house or <strong>alumni</strong> who<br />
might be doing the same thing,”<br />
Richardson explained.<br />
There are prehistoric artifacts<br />
from archaeological research in<br />
the region; World War I <strong>and</strong> II<br />
weapons; uni<strong>for</strong>ms, gear <strong>and</strong><br />
posters; <strong>and</strong> Native American<br />
objects from the Arctic, Plains <strong>and</strong><br />
the Southwest.<br />
“Our collection is very<br />
eclectic,” Richardson added.<br />
“We have resources from<br />
geology, biology, anthropology,<br />
archaeology <strong>and</strong> history.”<br />
Alumni or <strong>for</strong>mer faculty<br />
<strong>and</strong> staff who have items they<br />
want to donate should contact<br />
Richardson. The museum can<br />
help preserve these items <strong>and</strong><br />
memories <strong>for</strong> future generations.<br />
For more in<strong>for</strong>mation, contact<br />
Richardson at 660-543-4649 or at<br />
vrichardson@cmsu.edu.<br />
— Kelli McMasters Dec. ’05<br />
winter 2005<br />
central today<br />
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