Archives West Finding Aid

The doors of the Washington State Normal School in Ellensburg opened in 1891. Mr. Benjamin Franklin Barge was the first principal of the school, which was founded to educate future elementary and junior high teachers. Classes were held at the Washington Public School until the normal school's first building, Barge Hall, opened in 1893. The normal school became Central Washington College of Education in 1937, Central Washington State College in 1961, and Central Washington University in 1977.

Founded in 1944, Central Washington University's Alumni Association provides opportunities for the continued connection between alumni and Central Washington University. The Alumni Association manages events and activities throughout the year, including reunions, homecoming, annual fundraising, Alumni Association scholarships and Distinguished Alumni Awards, Board meetings and workshops, the Central advisor program, tennis clinics, and miscellaneous gatherings.

The Alumni Association played an important role in the planning of Central Washington University's centennial celebrations, which occurred in 1991. Centennial events included drama performances, a ball and concert, academic symposia, and an alumni reunion. These events were organized by the Centennial Planning Committee, which was created by Dr. Donald Garrity in February 1987. Committee members were selected from across the campus community, including faculty, staff, alumni, students, administrators and emeriti faculty. Dr. Phil Dumas was selected to serve as committee chairman, but upon his resignation, Gail K. Jones assumed chairmanship.

Included in the records of the Office of Alumni Relations are scrapbooks and miscellaneous collections created by alumni of the university. Alumni profiles follow:

David R. Boyd graduated from Central Washington College of Education in 1958. He went on to complete an MD at the University of McGill, Faculty of Medicine, in 1963, and continued on to a career in trauma care and emergency medical services. Boyd developed the framework and guidelines necessary to implement EMS Systems throughout the United States. In 1974 he was appointed by President Ford the National Director of the Office of EMSS in the Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services. He established Trauma and EMS Systems in every state and territory and facilitated the development of an EMSS “Lead Agency” in state, city, and county public health departments. Boyd has received awards from the American Public Health Association, National Safety Council, and Advocate Injury Institute in recognition of his work in emergency medicine. Throughout his career, he has published over 140 scientific articles and technical documents on emergency medicine; some of these are included in this collection.

Robert E. Colwell was a student of Washington State Normal School (WSNS) at Ellensburg, presently Central Washington University, from 1932 to 1935. He was a resident of Ellensburg prior to being admitted to the school. As a student at WSNS, he was the editor of the school paper (Campus Crier), Vice President of the Press Club, and head sports writer for the yearbook (Hyakem). The city of Ellensburg directory of 1937 lists him as a student. He does not appear in the city directories after that date.

Orville C. Goss moved at fourteen years of age from southern Indiana to western Washington state. He graduated in June 1903 from Puyallup High School and taught in his first one-room schoolhouse near Roy, WA. From 1904-1907, he attended Washington State Normal School, where he earned his teaching certification. Featured in this collection are Goss' class notes, photographs, teaching materials, and yearbooks, all collected during his time at Washington State Normal School.

Alice Holgerson was a student at Washington State Normal School (WSNS, presently Central Washington University) from fall of 1910 to the summer of 1911. Prior to attending WSNS, she was a resident of Tacoma, Washington, where she graduated from Tacoma High School in the spring of 1910. While in Ellensburg she was a member of the campus YWCA Crescent Club and Treble Clefs Choir. She graduated from the normal school on June 14, 1911. She married and became Mrs. Alice H. Baker soon after graduation. She returned to Ellensburg during the summers of 1920 and 1921 to pursue her kindergarten training certificate. The 1923 city directory for Seattle lists her as a teacher at Roosevelt High School. She taught for most of her adult life at public schools in or around Seattle. Her last teaching position was in Auburn, Washington. Alice Holgerson Baker died in November of 1960.

James A. McGrath attended Central Washington College of Education (presently Central Washington University) from the summer of 1945 to the spring of 1948. During the 1950s, Mr. McGrath taught high school art in the State of Washington and at military bases in Europe. From 1962 to 1973 he served as Arts Director of the Santa Fe Institute of American Indian Arts. In 1973 he was hired as the Arts, Humanities and Intercultural Studies Coordinator for the Department of Defense Dependent Schools in Southeast Asia. Between 1988 and 1990, he served as the Dean of the Santa Fe Institute of American Indian Arts. Since 1986, Mr. McGrath sculpts and writes poetry at his adobe studio outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Frances Irene Kilkenny was born September 29, 1926, in Sheridan, Wyoming. She attended high school in Prosser, WA, and subsequently studied at Central Washington College of Education between 1945 and 1951. In January 1947, she married Basil Polf in Prosser but later remarried to Faber Peek. She began teaching in 1953 in the Sacramento City Unified School District, advancing to the positions of Head Counselor and Psychologist. In 1958 and 1984, respectively, she earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in psychology. In 1986, she retired from her teaching position and began a private practice in clinical psychology. Frances passed away on March 25, 2013. Please see the Ellensburg Daily Record, January 7, 1947, and the Sacramento Bee, August 29, 2013, for further information.

Born in Louisiana, Robert S. Purser attended Central Washington College of Education from 1958 to 1962. Purser earned a BA degree in art with a minor in drama. At the time, he was passionate about ceramics. In 1962 Purser joined the Peace Corps and went to Peru to work in ceramics and alpaca textiles. After Peru, he completed an MFA degree at the University of Washington. He pursued a program with an emphasis in design. He graduated from the University of Washington in 1966 and accepted a position at Bellevue Community College, where he taught design, drawing, textile design, and art appreciation. He served as department chair for many years at the college. During the 1970s, Purser earned a PhD in art education at the University of Oregon. He was particularly interested in teaching students about architecture and built environments. In 2000 Purser retired from full-time teaching at Bellevue Community College in order to pursue travel and studio work. In 2009, he retired entirely and moved to British Columbia.

Shirley Pearsall Richards attended Central Washington College of Education circa 1949-1954. She studied Home Economics and earned a B.A. in Education, Arts and Science. She was active in band, choir, F.T.A., Home Economics Club, Catering Club, W.R.A. and Sigma Mu Epsilon. She made her home in Chehalis, Washington.