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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.

These materials are from the Landon Lecture series including booklets from the 2006 lectures by George W. Bush and Sam Brownback, a ticket to Richard Nixon's 1970 lecture, a parking permit for Ronald Reagan's 1982 lecture, a souvenir photo print of Richard Nixon and Alf Landon from 1970, and an inscribed copy of William Boyer's 1968 book, Issues 1968.

Women in Communications, inc., an honorary professional fraternity dedicated to empowering women in the communications professions, was founded in 1909 as Theta Sigma Phi at the University of Washington in Seattle. A local student chapter at Kansas State Agricultural College was petitioned by the Women's Press Club and accepted on June 8, 1916. It's original membership number 6 actives and 6 pledges. Theta Sigma Phi was created with dedication to the following objectives: To unite women engaging in or planning to engage in journalism; To confer honor upon women who distinguish themselves in journalism or letter; To achieve definite standards in journalism and letters; To improve working conditions for women in these fields; To inspire members to greater individual effort Some of the early Theta Sigs include: Velma Carson, Clementine Paddleford, Elizabeth Dickens Shafer, Josephine Hemphill, Velma Lockridge McKee, Alice C. Nichols, Sue Carmody Jones, and Eula Mae Currie Kelly. In 1972, the national organization officially changed it's name from Theta Sigma Phi to Women in Communications, inc. (WICI). At the same time, it reformulated the original objectives to be more in tune with modern times. WICI's mission is Leading Change, the membership coming together to make a difference in the world and the communications profession. The objectives of the organization are: To unite members for the purpose of promoting the advancement of women in all fields of communications; To work for the First Amendment rights and responsibilities of communicators; To recognize distinguished professional achievements; To promote high professional standards throughout the communications industry.