Northern School Supply

Northern School Supply was founded in 1911 by Fred V. Hutchinson and Walter L. Stockwell.  Their business grew and soon had branches in Great Falls, Montana and Portland Oregon.  When Greenwood Stationary Company of Fargo went out of business, Northern School Supply bought the company and reogranized it as Dacotah Paper.  In 1959, Dacotah Paper was sold to Fred Mohr and Vernon Ranger.  In 1975, Northern School Supply had retail and warehouse operations in Great Falls and Fargo and a new retail store in Minot, ND.  Northern School Supply closed in 1997 after eighty-six years in business when it was bought out by School Specialty, Inc. of Appleton Wisconsin.

The collection consists of newspaper clippings on the founders and some employees.  Of interest is the obituary of Walter Stockwell who was placed on Hitler's enemy list due to his membership in the Masons.  The majority of the collection is the various catalogs issued by Northern School Supply and they begin with the year 1918.  The collection of catalogs is by no means complete as there are several gaps, but the collection nicely documents the evolution of school supply products and even athletic equipment.

Photograph collection

Business