Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Collection
Title
Dudley Brainard Family Letters
Date(s)
- 1939-1949 (Creation)
Extent
0 linear feet
Name of creator
Biographical history
Virginia was born on October 5, 1921 to Dudley and Merl Brainard. She was the oldest of five children that included Constance (1924-2000), Eleanor (1926-2001), Charles (1929- ), and Edward (Ned) (1931- ). Dudley was a faculty member and, later, St. Cloud State president from 1943 to 1947.
After one year at St. Cloud State Teachers College, Virginia attended Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. She graduated in 1943.
After graduation in 1943, Virginia worked at the Clinton Daily Herald. She eventually made her way to the Minneapolis Tribune. From 1962 to 1989 she served as executive director of the Ramsey County Historical Society in St. Paul. Here she founded the Society’s quarterly magazine, Ramsey County History, in 1964. She was author of many magazine articles and fifteen books in the field of state and local history.
On April 22, 1950, Virginia married Richard Kunz in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They had two children: Susan and David. Richard passed away in 1978. Virginia died on January 7, 2005 at the age of 84.
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
These 142 letters were written between Virginia Brainard and her parents Dudley and Merl Brainard between 1939 and 1949. There are a small number of letters not between daughter and parents, but letters written about the Brainard family and a few other significant letters, such as the letter sent by author Sinclair Lewis to Dudley.
At Iowa State
Dating between 1940 and 1943 while attending Iowa State College in Ames, Iowa, these letters are mostly written and mailed by Virginia Brainard to her parents, Dudley and Merl Brainard. She candidly wrote her family about possibly anything and everything, especially adjustments to social life, dating, school, political discussions, her friends and roommates, food, clothing, hygiene, mental health, and various information about her siblings (Connie, Eleanor, Charles, and Edward), her parents, and other family members.
Virginia had immense concern over grades and classes. Money was especially a common worry, needed class expenses, housing, fees, books, personals, clothing, etc. Virginia often wrote about her desire and passion for her journalism classes and writing stories for the student newspaper Iowa State Daily Student. She was also extremely proud when her father Dudley was appointed St. Cloud State president in early 1943.
Going to school during World War II, Virginia also offered insights to the anxieties of young adults and how rationing, army training and the drafting of young men affected Iowa State.
In 1943, Virginia graduated with a degree in Journalism and Home Economics.
After Iowa State
Letters written between the years of 1944 to 1949 were mostly from Dudley and Merl to Virginia. There is a small portion of letters from non-family members and military officials, including Sinclair Lewis, US Navy, and Major Julian Gist.
For the entire year of 1949, the letters are exclusively from Dudley and Merl to Virginia. They generally report of their daily lives, issues, and people they see. The letters are extremely candid about the other Brainard children, especially about how they are each doing in school and their personal lives. Dudley and Merl were extremely proud of Virginia in her accomplishments in journalism and for her future.
System of arrangement
The 142 letters are organized in two series. Within each series, the letter are organized chronologically by date.
Conditions of access and use elements
Conditions governing access
There are no access restrictions.
Physical access
Technical access
Conditions governing reproduction
Permission to publish, quote, and reproduce must be secured from the copyright holder.
Languages of the material
- English
Scripts of the material
Language and script notes
Finding aids
Acquisition and appraisal elements
Custodial history
Immediate source of acquisition
The letters were gifted by Susan Kunz Clabo, a 1974 St. Cloud State graduate, and daughter of Virginia Brainard. In fall 2020, she gave permission for University Archives to scan and post the letters online. She retained possession of the physical copies.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information
Accruals
Related materials elements
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related archival materials
Related descriptions
Notes element
General note
The letters were scanned as high resolution TIFF master images. PDFs were created from the master TIFF images and posted online. In addition, transcripts were created for each letter to improve access.
Specialized notes
Alternative identifier(s)
Description control element
Rules or conventions
Sources used
Archivist's note
Processed by Lacey Fontaine and Kylee Glen, assisted by Michelle Skroch and Tom Steman.