Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
- Overview of the Collection
-
Historical Note
- Content Description
- Administrative Information
-
Detailed Description of the Collection
- Biographical Material
- Incoming Correspondence
- Outgoing Correspondence
- General Correspondence
- Interoffice Correspondence
- Miscellaneous Correspondence
- Delegate Proposals
- Financial Records
- Minutes
- News Releases
- Photographs
- Printed Material
- Proceedings
- Reports
- Resolutions
- Sound Recordings
- Subject Files
- Writings
- Miscellany
- Names and Subjects
Montana Constitutional Convention (1972) Records, 1971-1972
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Montana Constitutional Convention (1972)
- Title
- Montana Constitutional Convention (1972) Records
- Dates
- 1971-1972 (inclusive)19711972
- Quantity
- 5.2 linear feet
- Collection Number
- RS 22
- Summary
- These Montana Constitutional Convention records (1971-1972) consist of correspondence, minutes and proceedings, delegate proposals, reports, resolutions, subject files, writings, and news releases. Artifacts, photographs, and printed material have been transferred to the Museum, Photograph Archives, and Library respectively.
- Repository
-
Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov - Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
By the late 1960s there was growing sentiment in Montana for reform of the state's 1889 constitution. In 1970, voters passed Referendum 67, which called for a constitutional convention. The Montana Constitutional Convention Commission was created by the 42nd Legislative Assembly to assist the Convention delegates by undertaking a series of studies on constitutional issues for their use.
In a November 1971 special election Montanans chose one hundred delegates from 23 districts to the convention scheduled to convene January 17, 1972. A half-million dollars was appropriated by the legislature for the operations of the convention.
Dale A. Harris, who had served as executive director of the Constitutional Convention Commission, was chosen as executive director of the Constitutional Convention staff; Leo Graybill, Jr., of Great Falls served as president, and John H. Toole of Missoula served as vice president. Dorothy Eck of Bozeman was chosen honorary vice president from the Western District, and Bruce M. Brown of Miles City as honorary vice president from the Eastern District.
The delegates were divided into substantive and procedural committees. The substantive committees included Bill of Rights; Education and Public Lands; Executive; General Government and Constitutional Amendments; Judiciary; Legislative; Local Government; Natural Resources and Agriculture; Public Health, Welfare, and Labor; and Revenue and Finance. The procedural committees included Administrative; Public Information; Rules and Resolutions; and Style, Drafting and Transition. The Business Office oversaw the Convention's budgetary and personnel matters.
The Convention delegates held their meetings and hearings in the State Capitol Building and elsewhere in the Capitol Complex.
The Constitutional Convention adjourned after fifty-five days and the document they produced was narrowly passed by Montana voters: 116,415 to 113,883. The 1972 Constitution was contested in the state's Supreme Court by the Montana Farm Bureau, but was narrowly upheld.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The records of the Montana Constitutional Convention of 1972 consist of incoming, outgoing, general, and interoffice correspondence (1971-1972). Also included is a miscellaneous correspondence series which contains a letter (1971) from Jeannette Rankin to the Georgia legislature. The records also contain delegate proposals; financial records; minutes of the convention committees, including the Business Office; news releases; proceedings; reports; resolutions; subject files; writings; and miscellany. Much of the material in each series is arranged by committee or office of origin.
Artifacts, photographs, and printed materials have been transferred to the Museum, Photograph Archives, and Library respectively.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Biographical Material Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1 / 1 | Constitutional Convention delegates biographical
sketches [see index] |
1971 |
Incoming Correspondence Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1 / 2 | Administrative Committee: citizens' suggestions
(received after deadline) |
1972 |
1 / 3 | Administrative Committee: citizens' suggestions |
1972 |
1 / 4 | Administrative Committee: citizens' suggestions index
(includes citizen's name and committee referral) |
undated |
1 / 5-7 | Education and Public Lands Committee: citizens'
suggestions (against state funding of private schools) |
1972 |
1 / 8 | Education and Public Lands Committee: citizens'
suggestions (in favor of state funding of private schools) |
1972 |
1 / 9 | Education and Public Lands Committee: citizens'
suggestions (education, miscellaneous) |
1972 |
1 / 10 | Education and Public Lands Committee: citizens'
suggestions (public lands) |
1972 |
1 / 11 | Executive Committee: citizens' suggestions |
1972 |
1 / 12 | General Government - Constitutional Amendment
Committee: citizens' suggestions |
1972 |
1 / 13 | Judiciary Committee: citizens' suggestions (J.C.
#1-84) |
1972 |
1 / 14 | Judiciary Committee: citizens' suggestions (J.C.
#85-#165) |
1972 |
1 / 15 | Judiciary Committee: citizens' suggestions (J.C.
#166-#248) |
1972 |
1 / 16-17 | Judiciary Committee: poll of Montana Bar Association
members (returned with comments) |
1972 |
1 / 18-19 | Legislative Committee: citizens' suggestions |
1972 |
1 / 20-24 | Local Government Committee: citizens' suggestions |
1972 |
2 / 1 | Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee
(Representative George Darrow, includes "Preliminary Draft Proposed Environmental
Article") |
1971 December |
2 / 2 | Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee:
citizens' suggestions |
1972 |
Outgoing Correspondence Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
2 / 3 | Dorothy Eck to the Montana Farm Bureau Federation (re
proposed constitution and Farm Bureau policies) |
1972 April |
General Correspondence Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
2 / 4 | Administrative Committee (John H. Toole) |
1971-1972 December-April |
2 / 5 | Administrative Committee (John H. Toole; includes
petition) |
1972 |
2 / 6 | Administrative Committee (includes Montana
Constitution Revision Commission correspondence) |
1969-1972 |
2 / 7-10 | Judiciary Committee |
1971-1972, undated |
2 / 11 | Legislative Committee (Magnus Aasheim) |
1971-1972 |
2 / 12 | Natural Resources Committee |
1972 November |
2 / 13 | Public Information Committee (Daphne Bugbee, Citizens
Corp.) |
1972 |
2 / 14 | Public Information Committee (John H. Toole) |
1971-1972 |
2 / 15 | Public Information Committee (Margaret S. Warden;
includes office memoranda) |
1972 |
2 / 16 | Public Information Committee |
1971-1972 |
Interoffice Correspondence Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
2 / 17 | Administrative Committee |
1971-1972 |
2 / 18 | Administrative Committee (re convention employees and
Montana Minimum Wage Act |
undated |
2 / 19 | Education and Public Lands Committee (Elizabeth N.
Harrison, re audio and video taping of hearings) |
1972 January |
2 / 20 | Public Information Committee |
1971-1972 |
2 / 21 | Public Information Committee (John M. Schiltz, re
restrictions on public information dissemination) |
1972 January |
Miscellaneous Correspondence Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
2 / 22 | Jeannette Rankin to Georgia legislature (re
redistricting and reapportionment) |
1971 October |
Delegate Proposals Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
2 / 23 | Delegate proposals #1-#20 |
1972 January 25-27 |
2 / 24 | Delegate proposals #21-#40 |
1972 January 25-27 |
2 / 25 | Delegate proposals #41-#60 |
1972 January 27-29 |
2 / 26 | Delegate proposals #61-#80 |
1972 January 29-February 2 |
2 / 27 | Delegate proposals #81-#100 |
1972 February 2 |
2 / 28 | Delegate proposals #101-#120 |
1972 February 2-3 |
2 / 29 | Delegate proposals #121-#140 |
1972 February 3-4 |
2 / 30 | Delegate proposals #141-#160 |
1972 February 4 |
2 / 31 | Delegate proposals #161-#178 |
1972 February 4 |
2 / 32 | Delegate proposals committee assignment |
undated |
2 / 33 | Status sheets of delegate proposals |
1972 January 20-26 |
Financial Records Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
2 / 34 | Budgets presented to and approved by Constitutional
Convention |
1972 |
Minutes Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
2 / 35-36 | Administrative Committee |
1972 December-April |
2 / 37 | Bill of Rights Committee |
1972 January-March |
2 / 38 | Bill of Rights Committee (public hearings) |
1972 January-February |
3 / 1-2 | Bill of Rights Committee (public hearings) |
1972 February 3-12 |
3 / 3-5 | Education and Public Lands Committee |
1972 January-March |
3 / 6-8 | Executive Committee |
1971 December-1972 February |
3 / 9-10 | General Government and Constitutional Amendment
Committee |
1972 January-February |
3 / 11-13 | Judiciary Committee |
1971 December-1972 February |
3 / 14-15 | Legislative Committee |
1972 January-February |
3 / 16-19 | Local Government Committee |
1972 January-March |
3 / 20 | Local Government Committee (miscellaneous testimony) |
1972 |
4 / 1-3 | Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee |
1972 January-February |
4 / 4 | Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee
(testimony; includes miscellaneous materials) |
1972 |
4 / 5-8 | Public Health, Welfare, Labor and Industry Committee |
1972 January-February |
4 / 9 | Public Information Committee |
1971 December-1972 March |
4 / 10-12 | Revenue and Finance Committee |
1972 January-March |
4 / 13-15 | Rules and Resolutions Committee |
1971, 1972 January-February |
4 / 16 | Style, Drafting and Transition Committee |
1972 January-March |
News Releases Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
4 / 17 | Legislative Committee |
1972 January 4 |
Photographs Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
4 / 18 | List of photographs transferred to the Photo Archives |
undated |
Printed Material Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
4 / 19 | List of printed materials transferred to the Library |
undated |
Proceedings Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
4 / 20-22 | 1st - 54th Days |
1971 November-1972 March |
Reports Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
4 / 23 | Administrative Committee reports to the Convention |
1971 December-1972 February |
4 / 24 | Administrative Committee's final considerations of
constitutional articles (includes Education; Public Health, Welfare, Labor and
Industry; Bill of Rights; Revenue and Finance; Environment and Natural Resources;
Judiciary; Executive; Legislative; Constitutional Revision; and Suffrage and
Elections) |
1972 |
4 / 25 | Legislative Committee (includes "Proposals for the
Legislative Article of the Montana Constitution," "Legislative and Congressional
Apportionment in Montana, 1864-1969," by Ellis Waldron) |
1972 |
4 / 26 | Local Government Committee (includes "Office of
County Superintendent," "Separation of Powers," "Constitutional Changes") |
1972 |
4 / 27 | Reports by University of Montana professors to
Convention committees (includes "Citizen Participations," by Thomas Payne; "The
Legislature," by Ellis Waldron; "The Executive," by William F. Crowley; "The
Judiciary," by R. E. Sullivan; "Revenue and Finance," by Maxine Johnson; "The
Declaration of Rights," by Emilie Loring; and anonymous reports on unicameral
legislation) |
undated |
4 / 28 | "Education As A Constitutional Issue" Study by Bruce Sievers |
1972 |
4 / 29 | Rough drafts of constitution articles (includes
drafts from Executive; Revenue and Finance; Natural Resources and Agriculture;
Cultural Resources; Public Health, Welfare, Labor and Industry; Bill of Rights;
Education; Judicial; Legislative; and Local Government) |
1972 |
Resolutions Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
4 / 30 | No. 1-20 (includes resolution dedicating C. M.
Russell's "Lewis and Clark Meeting Indians" 1912) |
1972 January-March |
Sound Recordings Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
4 / 31 | List of audio tape recordings separated to Archives
sound recordings collection |
undated |
Subject Files Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
4 / 32 | Administrative Committee: ombudsmen (includes
material by Kayle Jackson) |
undated |
4 / 33 | Administrative Committee: status of Constitutional
Convention and the rights of its employees |
1972 |
4 / 34 | Business office: budgets (includes proposed budgets) |
1971-1972 |
4 / 35 | Business office: Convention interns (includes
memorandum re intern function and list of interns) |
1972 |
4 / 36 | Business office: pages |
1972 |
4 / 37 | Business office: staff positions (includes hired
staff applications, list of employees, etc.) |
undated |
4 / 38 | General Government and Constitutional Amendment
Committee: state boundaries |
1961, 1968, 1970 |
4 / 39 | Legislative Committee: reapportionment |
1972 |
4 / 40 | Legislative Committee: schools |
1971-1972 |
4 / 41 | Legislative Committee: unicameral legislature |
1972 |
4 / 42 | Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee:
agriculture |
1971-1972 |
4 / 43 | Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee:
environmental bill of rights |
1970-1971, undated |
5 / 1 | Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee: land and
water |
1972, undated |
5 / 2 | Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee: water
resources |
1972, undated |
5 / 3 | Public Information Committee: Citizen's Corps |
1972 |
5 / 4 | Public Information Committee: Department of Public
Instruction "kits" |
1972 |
5 / 5 | Public Information Committee: Distinguished Speaker
Series |
1972 |
5 / 6 | Public Information Committee: elections |
1972 |
5 / 7 | Public Information Committee: film |
1971-1972 |
5 / 8 | Public Information Committee: 4-H simulated
constitutional convention |
1972, undated |
5 / 9 | Public Information Committee: general information |
1972 |
5 / 10 | Public Information Committee: Leo Graybill, Jr. (re
Public Information Committee dissemination of President Graybill's material) |
1972 |
5 / 11 | Public Information Committee: information bulletins
and news releases |
1971-1972 |
5 / 12 | Public Information Committee: interns (re day-to-day
activities |
1972 |
5 / 13 | Public Information Committee: television |
1972 |
5 / 14 | Public Information Committee: television (also
includes radio; advertising rates, schedules and miscellaneous) |
1972 |
5 / 15 | Public Information Committee: services to public |
1972 |
5 / 16 | Public Information Committee: "Suggested Basis for
Weekly Newspaper Stody" |
1972 |
5 / 17 | Public Information Committee: tours |
1972 |
6 / 1 | Public Information Committee: miscellaneous |
1971-1972 |
6 / 2 | Public Information Committee: miscellaneous (includes
"Proposed Policy Statement," press releases, memoranda, etc.) |
1971-1972 |
6 / 3 | Public Information Committee: miscellaneous |
1972 |
6 / 4 | Rules Committee: election of ratification of proposed
constitution |
1971-1972 |
Writings Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
6 / 5 | Delegate statements on Constitutional Convention
(includes Mangus Aasheim, Oscar L. Anderson, Jean M. Bowman, Bruce M. Brown, Richard
J. Champouf, Louise Cross, Wade J. Dahood, Dorothy Eck, Mark Etchart, G. B. Heliker,
David Holland, Thomas F. Joyce, M. Sterling Rygg and John H. Toole) |
1971 |
Miscellany Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
6 / 6 | Administrative Committee: Forrest H. Anderson
statement (re passage of new constitution) |
1972 June 20 |
6 / 7 | Administrative Committee: "Appraisal of
Constitutional Convention" |
undated |
6 / 8 | Administrative Committee: committee hearings
schedules |
1972 |
6 / 9 | Administrative Committee: list of 42nd Legislative
Assembly actions relating to Constitutional Convention (includes list of House and
Senate bills, resolutions, etc pertaining to the Convention) |
1971, undated |
6 / 10 | Administrative Committee: list of Constitutional
Convention related litigation |
undated |
6 / 11 | Administrative Committee: materials duplicated for
Convention delegates |
1972 |
6 / 12 | Administrative Committee: James H. Morrow statements
re legal opinion of Montana Farm Bureau on the new constitution |
1972 November 13 |
6 / 13 | Administrative Committee: "Weekly report of lobbyists
registered under Lobbyists Registration and Licensing Act" |
1971- 1972 |
6 / 14 | General Government and Constitutional Amendment
Committee: Thomas L. Judge statement re office of lieutenent governor |
undated |
6 / 15 | List of artifacts transferred to the Museum |
undated |
6 / 16 | "Memo on Revenue and Finance Article of the Proposed
Constitution," Russell C. McDonough |
undated |
6 / 17 | Montana organizations which endorsed Referendum 67 |
1972, undated |
6 / 18 | Natural Resources Committee: reference materials
(includes bibliography and "Memorandum on Natural Resources Provisions of Recent
Constitutional Conventions") |
undated |
6 / 19 | Natural Resources Committee: state lands (research by
Jeffrey K. Rupp, Education and Public Lands committee) |
undated |
6 / 20 | Public Information Committee: calendars and notices
of committee hearings |
1972 |
6 / 21 | Public Information Committee: Citizens' Committee for
Constitutional Improvement informational flyer (re referndum on constitution) |
undated |
6 / 22 | Public Information Office: daily committee summaries |
1972 January- February |
6 / 23 | Public Information Office: Montana State University
Convention booklet |
1972 |
6 / 24 | Public Information Office: "Official Roster Montana
Constitutional Convention" |
undated |
6 / 25 | Public Information Office: "Our Montana Constitution"
information flyer |
undated |
6 / 26 | Public Information Office: "Referendum 67"
informational flyer |
1972 |
6 / 27 | Public Information Office: Secretary of State (re
publication and dissemination of "voter pamphlet"; includes financial materials |
1972 |
6 / 28 | Public Information Office: "Seven Reasons to Vote on
Referendum 67" informational flyer |
1972 |
6 / 29 | Public Information Office: "Why Vote on Referendum
67" informational flyer |
undated |
6 / 30 | Public Information Office: "Would a New State
Constitution Mean Better Government?" informational flyer |
undated |
6 / 31 | Television script: "Decision-1972" |
1972 March 22 |
6 / 32 | Ellis Waldron articles: "The Legislative Assembly in
a Modern Montana" (photocopy of draft); "The Montana Legislative Assembly"; and "Some
Realities and Some Myths about 'County Integrity' in Montana Legislative
Reapportionment" |
undated |
7 / 1 | Research bibliography cards |
undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Constitutional conventions--Montana
- Environmental policy--Montana
- Gambling--Montana
- Industrial laws and legislation--Montana
- Local government--Montana
- Private schools--Montana