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Bessie Olmstead Storms collection, 1912-2008

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Storms (Olmstead), Bessie Pauline, 1912-2006
Title
Bessie Olmstead Storms collection
Dates
1912-2008 (inclusive)
Quantity
7 cubic feet
Collection Number
MG 515
Summary
4-H materials, correspondence, family genealogy information, photographs, and other items.
Repository
University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives
Special Collections and Archives
University of Idaho Library
875 Perimeter Drive
MS 2350
Moscow, ID
83844-2350
Telephone: 2088850845
libspec@uidaho.edu
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Languages
English
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Content Description

This collections contains personal papers and keepsakes gathered throughout the life of Bessie Olmstead Storms. Storms graduated from high school in Plummer, Idaho, attended the University of Idaho and returned to Plummer to teach. Items in this collection include photos of Bessie Storms, a collection of genealogical information and historical family photos for the Olmstead family, Plummer High School Yearbooks, report cards, fair ribbons, professional papers relating to her career as a teacher, some materials pertaining to her involvement with 4-H and the local Grange, correspondence from her son Jim and diaries kept by Bessie from 1985 to 2002. There are letters and cards from family or former students in the collections as well as personal items including her will, death certificate and the guest book from her husband's funeral service.There are also cards sent to her son Jim or his family and papers from the planning of reunion for his 1957 graduating class from Plummer High School.

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Historical Note

Bessie Pauline Olmstead was born October 22, 1912 in Meade County, South Dakota to Lora Lee and Edith Olmstead. She moved with her family to Idaho, eventually settling in Plummer, Idaho in 1918. As a youth she participated in 4-H conferences and programs. After graduating from Plummer High School, she attended the University of Idaho from 1931 to 1932. Here she was a member of the Cosmopolitan Club, and when she finished school she had received her teaching certificate.

She taught in Plummer and in 1936 married William E. Storms. Bessie had taught in the Plummer School District for more than twenty years. In 1960, Bessie earned her BA in Education from University of Idaho. She was an active member in many civic and education organizations, serving as a member of the Grange for seventy-six years and a 4-H leader for twenty years. Bessie died on December 1, 2006 in Saint Maries, Idaho.

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Use of the Collection

Preferred Citation

Author, Description or "Title" of item, date. Collection name, collection number, box, folder. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives, Moscow, ID.

Photographer, "Title," date. Collection name, object ID. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives, Moscow, ID.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

This collection had no known order. Items were arranged into subjects and then placed in alphabetical order.

Acquisition Information

In 2007, James Storms, son of Bessie Olstead Storms, donated materials (accession MA 2007-15). More materials were donated by him in 2018 (accession MA 2018-22).

Processing Note

During the processing stage, it was decided that the accessions MA 2007-15 and MA 2018-22 should be combined to create one comprehsenive collection for Bessie Olmstead Storms.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • 4-H clubs
  • Awards
  • Correspondence
  • Fairs
  • Genealogy
  • Travel
  • University of Idaho

Finding aid prepared by Sara Szobody.
2023

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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