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The collection documents the family, travels, education, and art practice of Kansas State Agricultural College graduate and teacher Vida Agnes Harris (March 29, 1893-May 25, 1985) from 1915-1970. Correspondence includes a letter Harris wrote while working as a domestic science instructor at the American Missionary Society's Tillotson College in Austin, Texas (1915) and letters received from Margaret Justin, Dean of Home Economics (1923-1954). Three diaries record Harris' international trips: Europe (1930); Mexico (1940) and India (1951). Sketches, block prints, paintings, and handmade greeting cards represent her art and design techniques. One folder contains photocopied, handwritten, and typed recipes, a number of them credited to known associates.
Scant photographs and a notebook (1916-1918) pertain to her father, Samuel Murrell Harris (1858-1944), who operated the Hillside Dairy in Manhattan, Kansas. The photographs were taken during the early 1940s, and used by Ruth Linquist in her 1946 publication, Using and Sharing Our Hours (Chapel Hill, N.C.). Samuel M. Harris is shown at the site of his old barn, located at 700 Harris Avenue. Kansas State's Memorial Stadium, Anderson and Seaton Halls, and power plant may be seen in the distance.

The William B. Hanger Papers document the military career of Hanger from 1929-1955. They also include information about his business career and family during that time as well as after his death in 1955 when information was added to the collection by the family spanning the years 1955-2001. Hanger actively served in the U.S. Marines for almost 20 years, 1929-1948. After his enlistment ended in 1948, he served as a sergeant in charge of the Marine Corps recruiting station. In 1951, Hanger began working as a sales representative for Spe-De-Way Company, a floor wax company that sold supplies to a Pittsburgh company, in Springfield, Missouri where he worked until his death in 1955.

The first series, U.S. Marines (1929-1955), is divided into eight subseries: 1) Diaries, consisting of seven diaries written by Hanger from 1931-1934; 1942 while stationed at Pearl Harbor, Oahu (1933), and Guadalcanal (1942). These diaries contain detailed descriptions of Hanger’s military life during that time; 2) Military Service contains records relating to Hanger’s service in the Marines. Organized chronologically, these papers include correspondence, leave requests, financial documents, enlistment and service records, health reports, and orders and itineraries; 3) Military Service Photocopies include a number of photocopied military records obtained by the family regarding Hanger’s time in the military; 4) Literary Works contains a paper entitled “Six Months After Pearl Harbor” that Hanger wrote in 1942; 5) Certificates consists of various certificates that were presented to Hanger during his military career; 6) Identification Cards includes Hanger’s military ID cards; 7) Ration Book consists of a military ration book issued to Willa Jean Hanger; and 8) Printed Material contains newspaper clippings concerning Hanger, a memory book from 1945, and two military periodicals.

Personal (1934-2001) contains ten subseries: 1) Correspondence contains letters, invitations, and greeting cards from family members and others; 2) Financial Documents consists of cancelled checks, tax statements, and bank receipts; 3) Records includes a number of important family documents and records including death certificates, marriage licenses, social security information, insurance papers, and health records; 4) Wedding Programs/Napkins contains programs and a napkin from a wedding in 1976; 5) Organization and Business Membership and Identification Cards consists of Hanger’s membership and organization cards; 6) Organizations-National Sojourners includes a constitution written by the National Sojourners; 7) Speech contains a speech written by Hanger regarding his service in the Marines; 8) Family History Notes includes several handwritten notes regarding the history of the Hanger family; 9) Funeral Related Items contains a program, guest book, and sympathy cards from Hanger’s funeral in 1955; and 10) Printed Material consists of basketball programs, college brochures, and newspaper clippings concerning the Hanger family.

The Business Series consists of six sub-series. The first is Correspondence, which contains letters pertaining to Hanger’s business career in Springfield, Missouri. Financial Documents, the second subseries, contains information regarding yearly expenses and taxes. The third series, Merit System, includes ratings and facts about the state of Missouri’s system. The fourth is the Civil Service Commission which includes notices of ratings for Hanger’s business from the Service Commission. Business Cards is the fifth subseries. The final series, Printed Material, contains company information and sales pamphlets, poultry informational pamphlets, and ‘do it yourself guides.

The Photographs series contains a number of U.S. Marine photographs of Hanger and personal photographs of the Hanger family including portraits of his wife and children. It also includes a number of negatives, a photo album/scrapbook from 1933 that includes Marine photographs, newspaper clippings, ticket stubs, and programs; a photo album of pictures from his time in San Diego, Guam, and Honolulu while in the Marines from 1930-1931; and two class photographs from 1924 and 1927.

The final series, Memorabilia, consist of a confederate note and coin and foreign coins. A number of military-related items including American Legion hats, ration book holders, a USMC Honorable Discharge Certificate Holder, USMC nameplate, and a World War II medal earned by Hanger while in the Marines are also included in the collection.

The William F. Danenbarger Papers (1931_1981) contain personal and business correspondence, speeches, and printed material. The papers, consisting of approximately 450 items, are housed in one document box.

The major portion of the collection consists of correspondence with parents, Kansas governors, members of the Kansas Board of Regents, university presidents, United Press employees, and members of State boards and commissions. Prominent correspondents include Governors Robert Bennett, Robert Docking and John Carlin, and Kansas Senators Ross Doyen and Norman Garr. A letter from U.S. Senator Bob Dole is also included. Many letters are congratulatory in nature, however, some of them reveal information about political events and leaders in Kansas. There are numerous letters concerning Danenbarger's association with the University of Kansas, especially corre­spondence with Chancellor Archie Dykes. Correspondence with officials of Kansas State University is also included, Presidents James McCain and Duane Acker in particular. The series is contained in 16 folders.

The speeches Danenbarger gave at conferences, retreats and public ceremonies in the years 1972_1974 make up the second series. Scripts from a 1972 tele_lecture conference, Board of Regents and Kansas University Liberal Arts retreats, and Kansas State University and Emporia State University commencements are within this series.

The 25 folders of printed material include the years 1931_1979. Newspaper clippings contain articles written by Danenbarger, articles concerning events at various universities, and Kansas Board of Regents announcements. Programs from campus building dedications and articles and minutes of the Kansas State Board of Regents during Danenbarger's terms are also included in this series.

Four photographs have been removed from the papers and filed in the University Archives photograph collection under the heading of Danenbarger. The photographs include President and Mrs. Richard Nixon at Kansas State University (1970), James McCain (1972). and a scene from a 1937 United Press production of The Front Page in which Danenbarger acted.

The William H. Avery Papers document a number of his activities in state and national politics during the years 1954-1964. The papers contain personal and business correspondence, speeches, printed material, photographs and scrapbooks. They are housed in six document boxes.
The papers are divided into four areas: 1) campaign materials (1960-1968), 20 congressional newsletters (1956-1964), 3) printed materials (1954-1955; 1965-1966), and 4) literary works. The most significant part of the collection is the campaign material contained in the three and a half document boxes. There are folders of election statistics, news releases announcement of candidacy, printed material concerning Avery's inauguration, and other general material concerning his years in the U. S. Congress and as Governor of Kansas. The correspondence is both personal and official in nature and includes many letters from local supporters and fellow congressmen. There is also a considerable correspondence between the Avery Election Office and national and local press.
The congressional newsletters in the collection are weekly installments describing the activities of the U.S. Congress. They contain no personal information about Avery but provide a good summary of the political issues from 1956 to 1964.
The third group contains printed materials, primarily newspaper clippings. Organized by topic are a variety of newspaper editorials related to subjects of concern to Kansans. Of interest are the newspaper clippings about Avery's governorship in 1966. The clippings are filed chronologically in one document box. Additional newspaper clippings regarding the Tuttle Creek Dam controversy, 1954-1955, are contained in a scrapbook.
A fourth part of the collection consists of two notebooks handwritten by an anonymous author. They appear to document a family history of Czech immigrants to the U.S. who settled in Nebraska in the late 1800's. Included are printed photographs of family members identified only by their first name.
Photographs (26) in the collection were transferred to the photograph cabinet and filed under Avery's name.