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Mary E. Wood papers and photographs

 Collection
Identifier: MSS-282

Scope and Contents

This collection includes correspondence, papers, records, newsletters, bulletins and newspaper clippings related to Mary Elizabeth Wood’s personal life and teaching career in Muncie Indiana, Washington Court House Ohio, France and Mexico from 1840 to 2002.

Dates

  • circa 1840-2002

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Archives and Special Collections, Ball State University Libraries, Muncie, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Archives and Special Collections.

Biographical Note / Historical Note / Administrative History

Mary Wood was born in 1916 in Washington Courthouse, Ohio to Mr. Harry and Mrs. Janette Wood. She graduated Washington High School in 1934. She received her bachelors’ degree from Denison University in 1938 and her master's degree from Texas Woman’s University in 1945. She taught Spanish, English, and Science at Washington High School from 1938-1945. She was a graduate assistant of Spanish at Texas Woman’s University in 1945. In 1945 she came to Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana to be an Associate Professor French and Spanish at Burris Laboratory School. She was very involved with Burris student activities and led the Future Teachers of America and the French and Spanish Clubs. She established two new Humanities classes and a class called “Future Dimensions”. She retired from Burris in 1979 after 34 years there.

She was a member of many clubs including: Delta Kappa Gamma, where she was president of the Beta Mu Chapter from 1966-1968, National League of American Pen Women, Friends of The Alexander M. Bracken Library, American Baptist Women of First Baptist Church, Central States Modern Language Association, and The American Association of Teachers. She published her book, French Imprint on the Heart of America: Historical vignettes of 110 French-related localities in Indiana and the Ohio Valley. The book had two printings, one in 1976 and one in 1977. She also traveled extensively and she was a very involved member of the First Baptist Church of Muncie. She played organ, piano, and violin. She died on October 15, 2006 at the age of 90.

Mary became a caregiver for Dudley Culver in his later years. He was born on January 22, 1911 to Dr. Dudley and Gladys Culver. He was raised in his early years in Fort Wayne and Evansville, Indiana. He eventually moved to Muncie, Indiana. As a boy he attended Devereux and Howe Military Schools. He owned a real estate company in Muncie and ran for Justice of the Peace. He died on March 20, 1999 at the age of 88.

Extent

6.4 Cubic Feet (7 boxes, 1 overzise box, 5 boxes photographs)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in the following series and subseries:



Series 1: Burris Laboratory School documents, 1934-2000



Subseries 1.1: Burris administrative documents, 1934-1994

Subseries 1.2: Foreign language documents, 1954-1980 and undated

Subseries 1.3: Organizational documents, 1952-2002



Series 2: Dudley Culver family papers, 1898-1998



Series 3: Education and teaching documents, 1939-1984



Subseries 3.1: Conferences, 1952-1965

Subseries 3.2: Organizations, 1953-1976

Subseries 3.3: Education and teaching documents, 1939-1984



Series 4: "French Imprint on the Heart of America" drafts and research documents, 1968-1996



Series 5: Mary E. Wood personal papers, 1900-1999



Subseries 5.1: Community and local involvement documents, 1948-1999

Subseries 5.2: Correspondence, 1900-1993

Subseries 5.3: Professional documents, 1960-1993

Subseries 5.4: Travel, 1958-1975



Series 6: Legal size documents, 1840-1913 and undated



Series 7: Mary E. Wood oversize materials, 1909-1950



Series 8: Mary Wood photographs, undated



Custodial History

This collection was received by Archives and Special Collections as a donation from Helen Boyatt on 2007/05/21.

Accruals

No further additions are expected.

Processing Information

Collection processing completed 2009/05/22 by Jenny Edenfield. Finding aid created 2009/05/28 by Jenny Edenfield. EAD finding aid completed 2009/08/10 by Maren L. Read. EAD finding aid revised 2012 by Bethany Fiechter. EAD finding aid revised 2013/09/30 by Leslie Nellis.

Title
Mary E. Wood papers and photographs
Status
Completed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Stoeckel Archives of Local History Repository

Contact:
Alexander M. Bracken Library
2000 W. University Avenue
Muncie Indiana 47306 USA