This collection contains 52 oral histories, nearly all done between the mid 1970s and 1990, featuring St. Cloud State alums, long-time faculty, and top administrators, such as Presidents Budd, Wick, Graham, and McDonald. Done mostly by retired History faculty member Cal Gower, topics discussed in the oral histories include individual experiences and changes at St. Cloud State from the early 20th century, until the 1980s, as well as family background and life before and after time at St. Cloud State. Five additional interviews were done by Tom Steman in 2016, 2017, and 2019.

Some oral histories contain release forms from the interviewee and are noted.

Cal Gower conducted the interviews unless where noted.

The collection is in two series.

Series 1: Transcripts and other material

This series contains the final oral history transcripts for each interview, signed release forms, if they existed, as well as other material given by the interviewee (photos, newspaper clippings, ephemera).

Series 2: Tapes

This series contains the audio tapes from each oral history, ranging from one cassette tape to two.

The field studies, theses, creative works, and starred papers are completed to fulfill the requirements to receive a master's degree.

After the state of Minnesota passed law in April 1953 to allow for "fifth year" courses or graduate classes at state colleges, St. Cloud State first offered graduate work in the summer of 1953. The first master's degrees were awarded in May 1954.

The records are organized in three series.

Series 1: Publications

This series contains manuals for the preparation of St. Cloud State field studies, theses, creative works and starred papers,  as well as abstracts of field studies, theses, creative works, and starred papers.  The abstracts are especially helpful as they give a short summary of work itself.

Series 2: Microfilm

This series contains microfilm of St. Cloud State field studies, theses, creative works and starred papers. Though not sure of the date range, it is believed that it goes back to the late 1950s.  This series also contains a nearly complete index to the microfilm. Microfilm copies are no longer created.

Series 3: Microfiche

This series contains microfiche of St. Cloud State field studies, theses, creative works and starred papers. Though not sure of the date range, it is believed that it goes back at least 1957.

There are bound copies of all St. Cloud State field studies, theses, creative works and starred papers, in the theses section of Miller Center.  In addition, these works are cataloged individually in the online catalog.

The copies of the St. Cloud State field studies, theses, creative works and starred papers are meant as a back up to the bound copies in the theses section of Miller Center.  The copies in this collection are only consulted when the paper copy is lost or stolen.

As of November 2015, the master theses were not printed and put on the library shelves with a microfiche copy given to University Archives. All master theses are now published on St. Cloud State's institutional repository at http://repository.stcloudstate.edu/.

The abstracts are also available alongside the theses in the theses section of Miller Center.

This collection contains undergraduate, graduate, summer, extension and evening class schedules from 1943 to 2010.  The schedules document which classes were offered at what time, who taught the course, and where the class was held.  Depending on the year, information about adding and dropping, advising, building abbreviations, final examination schedule, and registration times are included.

The summer publications are a combination of classes as well as information found in the course catalogs. Those dated before 1960 are in a separate collection. That collection also contains the summer publications after 1960 that are in this collection.

The 262 letters and 1 poem included in this collection were written by Sinclair Lewis to Marcella Powers between 1939 and 1947. Lewis met Powers in August 1939 when they were both acting in Eugene O’Neill’s play Ah Wilderness! at the Provincetown Theater in Cape Cod. Lewis and Powers began a relationship despite the 36 year age difference between them.

In these letters, Lewis discusses a wide variety of topics - his career, his writing, and his feelings for Powers. During the time of their relationship, Lewis traveled quite a bit throughout the United States giving lectures. He also spent time working in Los Angeles in the motion picture industry and lived in Excelsior and Duluth in Minnesota where he spent much time writing. Lewis also wrote about his social life, including the people that he met, the games of chess that he played, and the books that he read. Many of the letters are very long while others are quite short, with some including cartoons drawn by Lewis.

The letters end in September 1947, shortly after Powers marriage to Michael Amrine. Lewis tells Powers that she will no longer receive an allowance from him, but that if she were ever in need of help that he would be there for her. When Lewis passed away in 1951, Powers was listed in his will.