Linus J. and Cecile M. Carleton Papers, 1916-1991

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Carleton, Linus J., 1903-1987 and Cecile M.
Title
Linus J. and Cecile M. Carleton Papers
Dates
1916-1991 (inclusive)
Quantity
1.75 linear feet, (4 boxes)
Collection Number
Mss 491
Summary
Linus J. Carleton was a professor and dean in the School of Education at the University of Montana; Cecile was his wife. The collection contains his personal and professional papers, documenting his career as a public school and college teacher and administrator, public speaker, Methodist, and retired volunteer in Missoula, Montana.
Repository
University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu
Access Restrictions

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana--Missoula.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for creating this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historic Publications and Records Commission. Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Linus J. Carleton was born in St. Charles, Minnesota in 1903 to Ralph and Gertrude (Ferguson) Carleton. His father was a Methodist minister. He attended schools in North Dakota and Montana, graduating from Harlowton High School in 1921. He entered Wesleyan College, later Intermountain Union College, in Helena, Montana, where he graduated in 1925. During his senior year, he served three churches along the Montana Hi-Line. He obtained a position as pastor and principal of a school in Galata, Montana, then later taught at Stanford and Moccasin, Montana.

In 1940, he earned a M.Ed. from Montana State University (the University of Montana). He was a teacher and administrator for several other schools in Montana before he came to Montana State University (University of Montana) in Missoula in 1946 as a professor in the School of Education. He completed his doctorate at the University of Oregon in 1956 and became the Dean of the School of Education. He retired in 1971.

While at Intermountain Union College, he met Cecile Mallahan, whom he married in 1925. They had three children: Katherine, Trudi, and Linus Mark.

Carleton was active in many professional organizations and gave many talks in Montana high schools. Although he was not an ordained minister, he continued to speak from the pulpit as well. In retirement, he and his wife volunteered for the Povarello Center in Missoula, Meals on Wheels, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, and the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula. He and his wife were recognized for their significant volunteer service in Missoula. A scholarship fund was established in his name to provide assistance for undergraduate education majors at the University of Montana.

He died in 1987.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection contains his personal and professional papers, documenting his career as a public school and college teacher and administrator, public speaker, Methodist, and retired volunteer in Missoula, Montana. Personal materials include a biography that Cecile compiled and materials from his teaching and administrative career. Correspondence includes both family and professional exchanges. The speeches and writings are the most substantive portion of the collection and include school papers from religion courses at Intermountain Union College; commencement and conference speeches given as a teacher, professor, and dean; and religious talks and sermons given in the Methodist Church and other venues. A clippings series compiled by Cecile documents his professional and personal life, and one folder of photographs contains images of both Linus and Cecile.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to The University of Montana.

Preferred Citation

[Name of document or photograph number], Linus J. Carleton Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana--Missoula.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in five series:

Series I: Personal, 0.25 linear feet, 1916-1991

Series II: Correspondence, 0.25 linear feet, 1920-1990

Series III: Speeches and Writings, 0.5 linear feet, 1921-1989

Series IV: Clippings and Publications, 2 folders, 1945-1987

Series V: Photographs, 1 folder, 18 items, 1954-1987

Custodial History

The papers remained in Carleton's possession until time of donation to the Archives.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Cecile M. Carleton, 1991.

Processing Note

The collection was originally processed by Cecile Carleton; the Archives staff numbered the collection UM 8 and prepared a finding aid. In 2004, that finding aid was minimally revised and encoded, and the collection was renumbered Mss 491.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I:  Personal, 1916-1991Return to Top

0.25 linear feet

This series contains personal information about Carleton. It begins with a 1991 biography of Carleton compiled by his wife. It contains mostly information about his teaching career, including contracts, college transcripts, a scrapbook from his campaign for Superintendent of Public Schools in Judith Basin County, and membership in professional organizations. It also contains purely personal materials, including play programs from his high school and college years and World War II classification and ration books.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
Biography
1991
1/2
Campaign for Superintendent of Public Schools, Judith Basin County
1934
1/3
Contracts
1927-1971
1/4
College transcripts and professional experience
1925-1971
1/5
Doctoral program, University of Oregon
1951-1952
1/6
Linus Carleton Scholarship Fund
1988-1991
1/7
Membership in professional organizations
undated
1/8
Play programs
1916-1930
1/9
World War II classification cards and ration books
1942-1945
1/10
Miscellany
1946-1984

Series II:  Correspondence, 1920-1990Return to Top

0.25 linear feet

This series contains a mix of personal and professional correspondence. The earliest letters are mostly to his mother. Later exchanges concern his appointments at Galata, Stanford, and Moccasin, Montana. Many letters after the 1940s concern his activities as professor and dean of the School of Education at Montana State University (University of Montana). The later correspondence concerns Linus and Cecile's volunteer services and donations to the scholarship fund after his death.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/11
Correspondence
1920s
1/12
Correspondence
1940-1943
1/13
Correspondence
1944
1/14
Correspondence
1945-1949
1/15
Correspondence
1950-1954
1/16
Correspondence
1955-1959
1/17
Correspondence
1960-1969
2/1
Correspondence
1970-1979
2/2
Correspondence
1980-1990

Series III:  Speeches and Writings, 1921-1989Return to Top

0.5 linear feet

This series contains a variety of Carleton's writings and a few writings about him that his wife collected after his death. They begin in the 1920s with his class notes and term papers from religion courses at Intermountain Union College and a few sermons that he wrote for the parishes he served at the time. Later writings and speeches consist of a few sermons, commencement addresses, teacher's conference talks, and talks that he gave at the Methodist Church men's group and Kiwanis. There is also an account of his years at Moccasin, Montana, that was published in a history of Judith Basin County.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2/3
"Apathy," PTA Convention
1960
2/4
"Buy Bonds"
1945
2/5
"Linus J. Carleton"
Marion Arnsby
1988
2/6
"Chataqua"
undated
2/7
Commencement address, Northern Montana College, Havre, Montana
1956
2/8
Commencement address, Western Montana College, Dillon, Montana
1970
2/9
Commencement addresses--programs
1951-1970
2/10
"Education in a Changing World"
undated
2/11
Father & Son Banquet, Hobson, Montana
1943
2/12
Harlowton, Montana, Methodist Church
1984
2/13
Helena High School talk
1944-1945
2/14
"Highlights of my Experiences in Education"
undated
2/15
"The Idea of Man in the Bible"
undated
2/16
Intermountain Union College Alumni Association
1930s
2/17
"Leadership"
undated
2/18
"Leadership," PTA convention
undated
2/19
"The Need for Realistic Evaluation of Our Educational Program"
1955
2/20
Notebooks, religion classes, Intermountain Union College
1921-1925
2/21
Notes, religion classes, Intermountain Union College
1921-1925
2/22
"The Principal: Now and Then"
1972
2/23
Sermon: "Behold, the Man!"
undated
2/24
Sermon: "A Home in Nazareth"
undated
3/1
Sermon: "Mother's Day"
undated
3/2
[Sermons written while a student]
1925-1927
3/3
Sermons
1940s
3/4
Sermons and commencement talks
undated
3/5
Sermons and commencement talks
undated
3/6
"Significance of the Psalms"
undated
3/7
"Montana's Problem in Secondary Education: The Small High School"
1930s
3/8
"The Small School," Great Falls
1969
3/9
"Some Comments on the Use of Violence"
undated
3/10
Talk to Helena teachers
1944
3/11
Talk to Helena teachers
1945
3/12
Talk to Methodist Men's Group
1980s
3/13
Talk to seniors, Senior Banquet, Moccasin, Montana
1936
3/14
Talks at churches--programs
1949-1963
3/15
Term papers, religion classes, Intermountain Union College
1921-1925
3/16
"These are Tomorrow"
undated
3/17
"Whither Christianity?"
undated
4/1
Years at Moccasin as school superintendent
1930-1941
4/2
"Youth in a Changing World"
undated

Series IV:  Clippings and Publications, 1945-1987Return to Top

2 folders

This series contains clippings and meeting programs from the Northwest Association of Secondary and Higher Schools. The clippings appear to have been collected by Mrs. Carleton and document Linus Carleton's life and career, ending with his obituary.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
4/3
Clippings
1945-1987
4/4
Meeting programs, Northwest Association of Secondary and Higher Schools
1955-1962

Series V:  Photographs, 1954-1987Return to Top

1 folder, (18 items)

This series contains eighteen color and black-and-white photographs of Linus and Cecile Carleton. Most are of Linus in professional situations; a number of images date from retirement. One photograph is attached to a 1967 letter from the Wesley Foundation at the University of Montana, thanking Carleton for participating in the "Sexiest Professor on Campus" context.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
4/5
Photographs
1954-1987

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Methodist Church--Montana--Missoula
  • Methodist Church--Montana--Missoula--Clergy
  • Religion--Study and teaching--Montana--Helena
  • Teachers colleges--Montana--Missoula
  • Voluntarism--Montana--Missoula

Personal Names

  • Carleton, Linus J., 1903-1987--Biography

Corporate Names

  • Intermountain Union College--Students
  • University of Montana--Missoula--Alumni and alumnae
  • University of Montana--Missoula--Faculty
  • University of Montana--Missoula. School of Education

Geographical Names

  • Missoula (Mont.)--Religious life and customs

Form or Genre Terms

  • Personal papers--Montana--Missoula
  • Photographs
  • Sermons, American--Montana--Missoula
  • Speeches, addresses, etc., American--Montana--Missoula

Occupations

  • Clergy--Montana--Missoula.
  • College teachers--Montana--Missoula.
  • Deans (Education)--Montana--Missoula.
  • Methodists--Montana--Missoula.
  • Older volunteers--Montana--Missoula.
  • Teachers--Montana.

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Carleton, Cecile M.