BARBARA STUHLER:

Barbara Jeanne Stuhler was born April 18, 1927, in Monticello, Iowa, the daughter of George Russell and Mae (Galbraith) Stuhler. She was raised in Evanston, Illinois, and attended MacMurray College (Jacksonville, Illinois) where she earned a bachelor's degree in sociology in 1945. After college, Stuhler enrolled in the University of Minnesota Graduate School of Public Administration (now the Hubert Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs). On completion of her course work, she was awarded an internship in the National Institute of Public Affairs, working in 1946-1947 with the Social Security Administration and the Bureau of the Budget (now the Office of Management and Budget). Following her internship, she joined the Bureau of Public Administration staff at the University of Virginia as a research assistant and bibliographer.

Stuhler moved to Minneapolis in 1948 when she was offered a position as executive secretary of the Minnesota branch of the League of Women Voters. Stuhler worked for two years before accepting a position as assistant director of the World Affairs Center in the University of Minnesota's General Extension Division. In 1952, after completing a thesis on the League of Women Voters of Minnesota, she received a master's degree in public administration. She continued as associate director of the World Affairs Center until 1975 when she was promoted to associate dean for Community Relations and Extension Services of Continuing Education and Extension. In 1988 she was again promoted to the rank of executive associate dean. During her university tenure, Stuhler taught numerous adult education courses, managed the World Affairs Center, authored many articles and pamphlet publications, and was a frequent speaker at conferences, professional associations, and local club meetings.

In addition to her university career Stuhler maintained an active membership in the League of Women Voters and served in leadership positions at both national and state levels. Her many League activities included heading an exchange tour of the Soviet Union in 1967, participating in numerous conferences, writing newsletter articles, drafting text for informational pamphlets, consulting on the design of historical exhibits, and planning celebratory events for the 75th anniversary of women's suffrage. Although she may have given the League her largest attention, Stuhler was also active in many other professional, civic, and women's organizations, including the National Council of Community World Affairs Organization, the United Nations Rally of Minnesota, the Arms Control Association, the Minnesota Humane Society, the Women's Candidate Development Coalition, and the Minnesota Women's Campaign Fund.

In addition to these professional and organizational activities Stuhler also researched and authored several historical books and articles that focused on Minnesota politicians and women.

Stuhler retired from the University of Minnesota in 1990. On January 28, 2007, she died at age 82.

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The collection consists of personal papers that document Stuhler's professional career, research interests, publications, and organizational activities. Included are notes from classes she taught; scripts from a contemporary world affairs radio commentary that were broadcast on KUOM (Twin Cities) for 15 years; texts from speeches and presentations before local clubs, conferences, and professional associations; research files and background materials related to the publication of historical articles and books; trip files documenting a 1960s exchange program with Soviet Union women and a 1975 tour of NATO European security sites; and organizational files reflecting Stuhler's involvement with women's, world affairs, civic, and business organizations.

The papers include information about Minnesota diplomats and politicians such as Walter H. Judd, Joseph H. Ball, Harold E. Stassen, Hubert H. Humphrey, and Eugene J. McCarthy; Minnesota women suffragists and suffrage history; and the planning and design of the Women's Suffrage Memorial Garden on the state capitol grounds. Her speeches, class notes, and radio scripts focus on U.S. foreign relations, international economics, development aid, national security, disarmament, and the United Nations.

Materials documenting her research interests and organizational activities also include records documenting the Bipartisan Caucus to End the War in Vietnam; the League of Women Voters; Minnesota Groweing (a women's network that raised grassroots and financial support for Joan Growe's 1984 senatorial campaign); the University's Commission on Women; the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO; the National Cattle Industry Advisory Committee; Norwest Bank of Minneapolis; and Northland College.

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These documents are organized into the following sections:

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Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Barbara Stuhler Papers. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession numbers: 11,570; 15,383; 15,607; 15,818; 16,130; 16,383

Processing Information:

Processed by: Lydia Lucas, 1973; Monica Manny Ralston, March 2001; Sarah Ethier, January 2008; Christopher Welter, September 2009

Catalog ID number: 990017309240104294

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This portion documents Stuhler's professional career from 1946 when she served as an intern in the Social Security Administration until 1990 when she retired as executive associate dean of the University of Minnesota's Continuing Education and Extension Services. Included are résumés, lists of her publications, and awards; printed bulletins, handwritten notes, and typed progress reports that document her internship with the National Institute of Public Affairs; activities reports related to her first post-college position as a bibliographer for the University of Virginia's Bureau of Public Administration; correspondence regarding her accepting the position for the League of Women Voters of Minnesota's organization secretary; and correspondence, performance evaluations, and committee materials related to her work at the university. Some of the miscellaneous personal materials reflect Stuhler's role as a mid-level university administrator, salary discrepancies between male and female administrators, the goals and objectives of the Continuing Education and Extension program, and the inner dynamics of program staff. Also included are outlines, talking points, and notes from classes, seminars and lectures she taught as a professor in the university's World Affairs Center and Community Relations and Extension Services.

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Beginning in 1969 and continuing through 1985 Stuhler wrote and recorded a weekly five-minute radio commentary that aired on the University's radio station KUOM during the afternoon news segment. These commentaries gave her personal viewpoints on contemporary American policies and world affairs and particularly focused on arms control, international economics, trade, foreign aid, the Soviet Union, and the United Nations. Other topics over the years touched upon American involvement in Vietnam, turmoil in the Middle East, relations between India and Pakistan, China's representation in the United Nations, inflation and energy crises of the 1970s, the Panama Canal treaty, the Iranian hostage crisis, SALT negotiations, El Salvador, and American relations with Canada. Broadcasts that focused on women included commentaries on Indira Gandhi, Golda Meir, Helen Suzman, Margaret Thatcher, the International Women's Year, the 1977 Houston Women's Conference, Arvonne Fraser's post as director of the Office of Women in Development, women and work, women in the military, the formation of the Women's Campaign Fund, and women in politics. Files pertaining to the commentaries are arranged chronologically and include typescripts of her broadcasts, administrative correspondence between Stuhler and the University's Department of Radio and Television, and correspondence from listeners asking for copies of her commentaries or offering different viewpoints.

Stuhler's speeches date from the late 1940s when she was working for the League of Women Voters through the period shortly after she retired from the University. Included is an incomplete chronological list and correspondence regarding her engagements before a wide range of audiences and events. She was often called upon to speak at meetings of local women's clubs, local women voters leagues, branches of the American Association of University Women, local United Nations associations, as well as to many groups and seminars associated with the University and its Continuing Education and Extension programs. The speeches are arranged by topical subject area and include a set of general and program speeches given before leagues of women voters. Another set specifically regards the University's World Affairs Center. Most often the speeches consist of outlines or talking points handwritten on cards with key opening and concluding statements but there are also full typed texts as well.

The last file in this set contains materials pertaining to a 13-part television series on women produced by the University in 1970. Stuhler hosted the opening and closing broadcasts with Vera Schletzer as well as the segments on government, volunteerism, arts, and sports.

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This portion of the papers contains research and publicity files related to Stuhler's article and book publications. Also included are pamphlets, booklets, reprints, book reviews, and newsletters containing items Stuhler wrote that were published by the League of Women Voters, the University of Minnesota World Affairs Center, or in conference proceedings.

The research files consist of correspondence, proposals, outlines, drafts, interview notes, citations research, editor critiques, and background materials. Speeches pertaining to two of her books published by the Minnesota Historical Society are also included. Files pertaining to the Bipartisan Caucus to End the War in Vietnam contain preliminary research that Stuhler conducted for a proposed study of the Caucus. The Caucus was formed in early April 1971 with the aim of registering anti-war voters and garnering support for peace candidates. The files also include records that Stuhler collected from former members Betty Salisbury and Martha Platt that document the formation, activities, and dissolution of this short-lived group and its predecessor, the Committee for a Clear Conscience. Files pertaining to the history of the women's network behind Joan Growe's 1984 senatorial campaign contain Stuhler's own records as a member of that organization's steering committee.

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This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:

Diplomats -- Minnesota.

Political participation -- Minnesota.

Suffragists -- Minnesota.

Women -- Political activity -- Minnesota.

Women political candidates -- Minnesota.

Women -- Suffrage -- Minnesota.

World politics.

Persons:

Ball, Joseph H. (Joseph Hurst), 1905-1993.

Brin, Fanny Fligelman, 1884-1961.

Growe, Joan Anderson.

Humphrey, Hubert H. (Hubert Horatio), 1911-1978.

Judd, Walter H., 1898-1994.

McCarthy, Eugene J., 1916-2005.

Platt, Martha.

Salisbury, Betty.

Stassen, Harold E. (Harold Edward), 1907-2001.

Ueland, Clara, 1860-1927.

Organizations:

Bipartisan Caucus to End the War in Vietnam.

League of Women Voters (U.S.)

League of Women Voters of Minnesota.

Minnesota Women's Campaign Fund.

Minnesota World Affairs Center.

National Cattle Industry Advisory Committee.

National Institute of Public Affairs (U.S.)

Norwest Bank Minneapolis, N.A.

St. Paul YWCA (Minn.)

U.S. National Commission for UNESCO.

University of Minnesota. Continuing Education and Extension.

Places:

Minnesota Woman Suffrage Memorial.

United States -- Politics and government -- 20th century.

United States -- Foreign relations -- 20th century.

Soviet Union -- Description and travel.

Document Types:

Speeches.

Radio scripts.

Lecture notes.

Photographs.

Occupations:

Women international relations specialists -- Minnesota.

Teachers -- Minnesota.

Women authors, American -- Minnesota.

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