Bethany College professor Dr. Leon Lungstrom's report on the clearing out of Dr. Deere's Old Main office in 1966
Mrs. Jaderborg's report on clearing out Dr. Deere's Old Main office in 1966
July 7th, 2004,
To whom it may concern:
The Smoky Valley Historical Association was asked by the Bethany College administration to clean out Dr. Deere's office in the Old Main building and see that the materials there were taken to the McPherson County Museum for storage. As secretary of that organization, I was given this task. Abner Lundquist, another member of the association, offered the use of his pickup to move it, but the materials were disordered and had to be moved in boxes. I went to the building and packed up boxes every day, but every day the place was a mess again. I was told that there were students who were frantically going through things looking for old letters to Dr. Deere from his wife, Lydia. Personally, I never saw any in all the packing I did, but it certainly was discouraging to go there every day and have to clean up after the scavengers before I could proceed. But every day, Abner took a load or two down to the museum. When I was reassigned from the association, a group of women from the college continued to clear out the office. Before abandoning the project, they held a sale of things from Old Maine. I was in the State of Maine at the time. As far as I know, everything from that office went to the Old Mill Archives at the Old Mill Museum.
Signed Elizabeth Jaderborg
Copy to
Fran Cochran
Smoky Valley Historical Association
Bethany College.
To whom it may concern:
The Smoky Valley Historical Association was asked by the Bethany College administration to clean out Dr. Deere's office in the Old Main building and see that the materials there were taken to the McPherson County Museum for storage. As secretary of that organization, I was given this task. Abner Lundquist, another member of the association, offered the use of his pickup to move it, but the materials were disordered and had to be moved in boxes. I went to the building and packed up boxes every day, but every day the place was a mess again. I was told that there were students who were frantically going through things looking for old letters to Dr. Deere from his wife, Lydia. Personally, I never saw any in all the packing I did, but it certainly was discouraging to go there every day and have to clean up after the scavengers before I could proceed. But every day, Abner took a load or two down to the museum. When I was reassigned from the association, a group of women from the college continued to clear out the office. Before abandoning the project, they held a sale of things from Old Maine. I was in the State of Maine at the time. As far as I know, everything from that office went to the Old Mill Archives at the Old Mill Museum.
Signed Elizabeth Jaderborg
Copy to
Fran Cochran
Smoky Valley Historical Association
Bethany College.
