STATEHOOD CENTENNIAL COMMISSION:
An Inventory of Its Pageantry and Drama Consulting Service Files
Government Records
OVERVIEW
| Creator: | Minnesota Statehood Centennial Commission. | |
| Title: | Pageantry and Drama Consulting Service files. | |
| Dates: | 1956-1958. | |
| Abstract: | Correspondence, interoffice memos, scripts, contracts and agreements, information sheets, and related materials documenting the work of Robert L. Snook, who consulted with county centennial committees on producing and staging historical dramas. | |
| Quantity: | 0.3 cubic feet (1 partial box). | |
| Location: | 107.I.8.9B |
HISTORICAL NOTE
Robert L. Snook was employed by the Commission from October 1957 to October 1958 as head of the Pageantry and Drama Consulting Service, which assisted county Centennial committees, schools, churches and organizations in planning and producing historical stage presentations incorporating the Centennial theme. He made 60 trips to communities throughout the state, serving as a consultant in 33 major pageants and two major musicals. He also produced the Statehood Day Commemorative Ceremony, Capitol rotunda ceremonies inaugurating the Centennial year, and several television programs; cooperated with the University of Minnesota Drama Advisory Service in publishing the pamphlet History Through Drama; developed and published a listing of music selections for use in Centennial productions; reproduced and distributed select scripts for use throughout the state; and coordinated the appearances of Miss Centennial Minnesota Diane Albers.
SCOPE AND CONTENTS
The files include correspondence, interoffice memos, scripts, contracts and agreements, information sheets, and related materials covering such topics as costumes, community and school productions, requests for assistance, sample scripts and pageants, appearance requests for Miss Centennial Minnesota and her photograph and clothing contracts, Statehood Day recordings, and distribution of publications, including Music Suggestions for Statehood Centennial Productions and Music Festivals, Voice of the River, and Minnesota-Land of Our Fathers.
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Availability:
The collection is open for research use.
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item and folder title here]. Minnesota Statehood Centennial Commission. Pageantry and Drama Consulting Service Files. Minnesota Historical Society. State Archives.
See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.
Accession Information:
Accession number(s): None
Processing Information:
Processed by: Charles Rodgers and Cheri Thies, October 2003
Catalog ID No.: 0900323728
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
| 107.I.8.9B | Costumes, 1957-1958. | ||||||||||
| Correspondence, 1956-1958. | |||||||||||
| Includes a description of the service, materials supplied to the county committees in relation to music and budgets, interoffice memos documenting service activities and also reporting on statewide pageants and productions, and miscellaneous correspondence with organizations covering all aspects of Centennial pageants. | |||||||||||
| County correspondence and productions, 1957-1958. | |||||||||||
| Samples kept by Snook of correspondence he received asking for assistance in local pageant production; also sample scripts and programs. | |||||||||||
| Music companies, 1957-1958. | |||||||||||
| Musicals--Centennial theme, 1957-1958. | |||||||||||
| Mainly dealing with Minnesota, written by Cliff Sakry for the Territorial Centennial and updated for the state celebration. | |||||||||||
| Productions--Community and assorted, 1956-1958. | |||||||||||
| Productions--Schools, 1957-1958. | |||||||||||
| Publications, 1958. | |||||||||||
| Materials distributed by the pageant service, including Music Suggestions for Statehood Centennial Productions and Music Festivals, by the Commission and Schmitt Music Company; Voice of the River, a pageant written by the fifth grade students of the Minneapolis University Elementary School; Minnesota--Land of Our Fathers, a pageant for grade schools by Viola C. McConnell; and information sheets on a wide variety of Centennial related topics. | |||||||||||
| Queen policy files, 1957-1958. | |||||||||||
| Correspondence and related documents covering personal appearances of Miss Centennial Minnesota Diane Albers, including contracts/releases with Merle Morris Photography and Stevensons, a Minneapolis clothing store, and information on her voice lessons. | |||||||||||
| Queen--Lynbrook Fashions, David H. Smith, Inc., 1958. | |||||||||||
| Agreement to have Miss Centennial Minnesota feature Lynbrook Fashions dresses during some of her appearances and correspondence regarding coordinating this contract with the Stevensons' agreement. | |||||||||||
| 107.I.8.9B | Queen--Requests for appearance, 1958. | ||||||||||
| Listing of event, date, hours, sponsoring organization, function (parade, luncheon/banquet, etc.), details of the duties or special instructions for the queen, type of dress, and hostess name and address for all appearances from March through September. | |||||||||||
| Recording--Statehood Day, 1958. | |||||||||||
| Mainly correspondence and legal documents relating to the recording of Herbert Krauses' "Minnesota--Giant From the Wooded Earth," as performed by Walter Abel and the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra at the Statehood Day celebration. | |||||||||||
| NOTE: Phonographic and reel-to-reel audio copies of this reading are cataloged separately under Minnesota Statehood Centennial Commission Audio materials. | |||||||||||
| State equipment and supplies, 1956-1958. | |||||||||||
| Talent available, 1956-1958. | |||||||||||
CATALOG HEADINGS
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:
- Amateur plays.
- Beauty contestants -- Minnesota.
- Citizens' advisory committees -- Minnesota.
- College and school drama.
- Documentary television programs -- Production and direction -- Minnesota.
- Historical drama.
- Pioneers -- Clothing -- Minnesota.
- Theater -- Production and direction.
- Volunteers -- Minnesota.
- Places:
- Minnesota -- Centennial celebrations, etc. -- 1958.
- Minnesota -- History -- Drama.
- Persons:
- Albers, Diane.
- Snook, Robert L.
- Organizations:
- Minnesota Statehood Centennial Commission -- Public relations.
- Miss Centennial Minnesota Pageant.
- University of Minnesota. Drama Advisory Service.
- Types of Documents:
- Photographs.
- Radio scripts.
- Television scripts.
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