The North Dakota School of Religion records consist primarily of the records from the School's different directors, Airheart, Hunter, Studer, and Roach. The papers have been divided into five series, the articles of incorporation and bylaws, the meeting minutes, the correspondence, the reports, and the subject files. The articles of incorporation bylaws, amendments, and proposed amendments are in the first series.  The Board of Trustees meeting minutes begin in 1931. While the trustees were less active after the mid 1960's nontheless minutes are nearly complete. The correspondence series is the largest series with Airheart's years the most complete. The correspondence is both incoming and outgoing, and is mainly the correspondence of the directors and some trustees, especially Walter Stockwell. The report series includes the director's reports to the board of trustees and the financial reports of the school. The director's reports tell of the school's enrollments, courses,and activities. They are fairly complete from 1947 to 1977. The monthly financial reports are complete from 1932 to 1936. From 1937 to 1967 the reports not nearly as complete.

The subject file series contains a variety of material arranged alphabetically, including alumni lists, audit reports for 1959-1962, assorted board of trustees membership lists, and a graduate paper by Don Lee Mickey titled "An Analysis of the Policy Making Function of the Board of Trustees of the Fargo School of Religious Education from 1931-1946." The Broadway Trust Fund controversy file material concerns possible mishandling of funds when the School arranged for proceeds of the Broadway  Methodist Church sale to be used for construction of the new building. The file is incomplete, but it communicates the general story. The building specifications, contracts, dedication, and alterations file includes the only record of the words said for the new building's dedication.

In the course records, offerings, and enrollments file is the grade sheet from Airheart's first classes in 1921. The file is very incomplete. The next files are fund raising lists, land and building appraisals, and land documents. The land documents file contains the 1932 lease from Wesley College, a statement concerning the donation of the land to the school in 1971, and the document giving the land and building to the Development Foundation on 1973. The next two files contain miscellaneous financial records and newsletters printed from 1948 to 1950. The newspaper clippings file and the pamphlet file contains printed information about the school, its history, and its programs. The 31-2 page radio speech by Airheart was part of the 1936 fund raising effort. There is one document each from the Religious Education Council for the Agricultural College and the NDAC Council of Religious Staff. The religious education--general file contains five different articles on topics like "The Discovery and Development of Moral and Spiritual Values in Education." The resolutions, sermons file contains board of trustee resolutions in memory of deceased members or friends and also a copy of the funeral sermon delivered for Airheart by Dr. John C. Irwin.

The School of Religion general information file contains a variety of materials written to give information about the School. It is not a complete file, but it is helpful. The Wesley College file is a miscellaneous collection of information including a copy of the Frank Lynch offer to give $100,000 to Wesley College.  There is also a letter signed by Airheart, A. Roe, and R. A. Lanthrop calling for the elimination of President Emeritus E. P. Robertson from Wesley College affairs.

Separations Record
    The following non-manuscript material has been removed from the North Dakota
    School of Religion and sent to the sections indicated:

    Books (Institute book collection)

    Students experiences significant for religious education, by Walter Lee
    Airheart, 1934
    An analysis of the policy making function of the Board of Trustees of
    the Fargo School of Religious Education from 1931 to 1946, by Don
    Lee Mickey, 1954

    Photographs (Institute photographic collection)
    Two framed pictures of Walter Stockwell and Walter Lee Airheart.

    Broadsides (Institute broadside collection)
    Three-page blue prints for schools building, by William F. Kurks, 1936.

    Artifacts (Institute artifacts collection)
    Embossing seal for the North Dakota School of Religion.
 
 

North Dakota School of Religion Records  |  Education  Religion