Dudley Brainard Family Letters

0 linear feet

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.

The 142 letters are organized in two series. Within each series, the letter are organized chronologically by date.

There are no access restrictions.

Permission to publish, quote, and reproduce must be secured from the copyright holder.

• Engels

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.

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.

Processed by Lacey Fontaine and Kylee Glen, assisted by Michelle Skroch and Tom Steman.