Walter Loomer Papers, 1900-1988

Walter Loomer Papers

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Collection Overview

Title: Walter Loomer Papers, 1900-1988

Predominant Dates:1920-1960

ID: OGLMC1172

Primary Creator: Loomer, Walter (1900-1988)

Extent: 5.0 Linear Feet

Date Acquired: 09/07/1988

Subjects: Education, Grand Forks - Education, University of North Dakota - Alumni

Languages: English

Abstract

1900-1988; Elementary School Principal in Grand Forks, North Dakota, 1928-1950s. Active in several state educational associations

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The Walter Loomer Papers have been divided into six series:

Series 1: Professional Activities

Series 2: Community Activities

Series 3: Second World War

Series 4: Family Records

Series 5: Financial Records

Series 6: Miscellaneous

Collection Historical Note

Walter Melvin Loomer was born November 12, 1900, in Ortho, Webster County, Iowa. He was the first born of Charles Francis Loomer and Mary Ella Schram Loomer. He attended several elementary schools in Iowa and Minnesota before graduating from high school at Fergus Falls, Minnesota. He graduated from the State Teacher's College (then, the State Normal School) at Mayville, North Dakota in 1926 and from the University of North Dakota with a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1931. He returned to UND to receive a Master of Science in Education in 1936.

Before and during his attendance at the State Teachers College, Loomer taught at rural schools in Minnesota and North Dakota from 1920-1925. From 1926- 1928 he was principal at Lincoln Elementary School in Beach, North Dakota. For the 1928-1929 school year he was principal at Washington Elementary School in Grand Forks. He became principal at Roosevelt Elementary School in Grand Forks in 1929 where he remained until 1949. At that point, he became principal at Lincoln Elementary School, also in Grand Forks. Beginning in 1948, he became Coordinator of Elementary Education for the Grand Forks Public Schools, a position he held for several years.

Throughout his career, Loomer was active with many professional affiliations. These included: the National Education Association (NEA) in which, at one point, he was a member of the Tax and Finance Committee; the North Dakota Education Association (NDEA) in which he became Field Director (1936-1937) and eventually a life member; the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) in which he was active in both the National and North Dakota Congresses, serving on the State Board of Managers as Legislative Chairman for several years and as president at the state level for one year; and Phi Delta Kappa (PDK), a professional educational fraternity, in which he served as secretary, treasurer, vice-president, and president in the University of North Dakota Chapter.

Loomer was also very active in the community. In the Lions International Organization he held many positions including zone chairman, president, and delegate to ten district conventions. During WWII, Loomer was a member of the American Red Cross and the County Ration Board and was a first aid instructor for cadet nurses. Some of his other activities included participation in the Youth Council, the Adult Education Council, and the Citizen's Forum.

Walter Loomer married Caroline Folstad June 27, 1923, in Colfax, North Dakota. The couple had four children: Mary Ella, Walter Jr., Cheryl, and Renee. Caroline Loomer passed away May 30, 1971. Walter Loomer died August 23, 1988.

Subject/Index Terms

Education
Grand Forks - Education
University of North Dakota - Alumni

Administrative Information

Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections

Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.

Acquisition Source: Walter Loomer Jr., Bremerton, Washington

Acquisition Method: Donation; 88-1619

Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). Walter Loomer Papers. OGLMC 1172, Box #, Folder #. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.

Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid added to Archon in April 2015.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Professional Activities],
[Series 2: Community Activities],
[Series 3: Second World War],
[Series 4: Family Records],
[Series 5: Financial Records],
[Series 6: Miscellaneous],
[Photographs :],
[All]

Series 1: Professional Activities

The first series contains personal resumes (1932-1953); material regarding Loomer's education at UND (1936); salary contracts (1920-1963); teaching certificates; material from the NEA (1938-1957), the NDEA (1923-1954), the National Congress of Parents and Teachers (1946-1954), the North Dakota Congress of Parents and Teachers (1944-1957), the Grand Forks PTA, and the Roosevelt Elementary School PTA; material from the North Dakota Department of Classroom Teachers and the Department of Public Instruction; general educational correspondence and legislation (1932-1962); educational speeches given by Loomer; various material on North Dakota schools; information about several school programs including the school lunch program (1938-1953), special education, the Defense of the Common Schools - Retaining the 75% Tax Base (1945-1946), and the State Equalization Fund (1930's-1950's); teaching material; material regarding the American Federation of Teachers; and newspaper clippings.

Box 1

Folder 1: Personal Resumes (1932-1953).
Folder 2: Portions of Loomer's master's thesis "A Reorganization of State Educational Support in North Dakota" (1936). (A complete copy is housed in the Department of Special Collections at UND)
Folder 3: College transcript (1936).
Folder 4: Diploma from UND (1936).
Folder 5: Teaching certificates.
Folder 6: Salary contracts (1920-1965).
Folder 7: Correspondence regarding applications for educational and recertification (1921-1945).
Folder 8: NEA: Program of Action and Achievements.
Folder 9: NEA: correspondence (1938-1957).
Folder 10: NEA: Legislative News Flash (1945-1948).
Folder 11: NEA: news publications (1950).
Folder 12: NEA: convention summary (1950).
Folder 13: NEA: miscellaneous.
Folder 14: NDEA: constitution.
Folder 15: NDEA: platform and objectives.
Folder 16: NDEA: meeting minutes (1946, 1954).
Folder 17: NDEA: legislation (1935-1948).
Folder 18: NDEA: correspondence (1933-1948).
Folder 19: NDEA: educational directories (1933-1935).
Folder 20: NDEA: programs for annual meetings (1935-1953).
Folder 21: NDEA: treasurer's book for the NE Division (1923-1933).
Folder 22: NDEA: programs for NE Division Annual Meetings (1931-1947).
Folder 23: NDEA: Grand Forks Local Chapter (1939-1944).
Folder 24: NDEA: miscellaneous.
Folder 25: National Congress of Parents and Teachers: National Congress Bulletin (1946-1954).
Folder 26: National Congress of Parents and Teachers: Founders Day events.
Folder 27: National Congress of Parents and Teachers: manuals and guidebooks.
Folder 28: National Congress of Parents and Teachers: pamphlets.
Folder 29: National Congress of Parents and Teachers: miscellaneous.
Folder 30: North Dakota Congress of Parents and Teachers: bylaws.
Folder 31: North Dakota Congress of Parents and Teachers: function of the PTA.
Folder 32: North Dakota Congress of Parents and Teachers: newsletters (1944- 1957).
Folder 33: North Dakota Congress of Parents and Teachers: State Legislative Chairman (1945-1950).
Folder 34: North Dakota Congress of Parents and Teachers: correspondence (1946-1957).
Folder 35: North Dakota Congress of Parents and Teachers: membership (1947- 1949).
Folder 36: North Dakota Congress of Parents and Teachers: Life Membership Certificate of Walter Loomer.
Folder 37: North Dakota Congress of Parents and Teachers: annual state conventions (1946-1949).
Folder 38: North Dakota Congress of Parents and Teachers: Board of Managers and Executive Board Meetings (1946-1948).
Folder 39: North Dakota Congress of Parents and Teachers: Annual Parent- Teacher Workshops (1951-1952).
Folder 40: North Dakota Congress of Parents and Teachers: resolutions (1944- 1954.
Folder 41: North Dakota Congress of Parents and Teachers: Finances (1947- 1950).
Folder 42: North Dakota Congress of Parents and Teachers: nominations (1947- 1950).
Folder 43: North Dakota Congress of Parents and Teachers; programs and pamphlets
Folder 44: North Dakota Congress of Parents and Teachers: miscellaneous.
Folder 45: PTA: Grand Forks.
Folder 46: PTA: Roosevelt Elementary School.
Folder 47: North Dakota Department of Classroom Teachers.
Folder 48: Department of Public Instruction.
Folder 49: Correspondence (1932-1962).
Folder 50: General legislation and related correspondence
Folder 51: Speeches given by Walter Loomer.
Folder 52: Teachers' Insurance and Retirement Fund (1941-1949).
Folder 53: Conference Workshops for School Administrators
Folder 54: Border Conferences (1951-1952).
Folder 55: North Dakota Schools.
Folder 56: Grand Forks Schools.
Folder 57: UND.
Folder 58: Roosevelt Elementary School.

Box 2

Folder 1: Defense of the Common Schools - Retaining the 75% Tax Base (1945-1946).
Folder 2: Driver Education (1946-1950).
Folder 3: Handwriting Program (1941-1942).
Folder 4: Health Programs.
Folder 5: School Lunch Program (1938-1953).
Folder 6: Safety Program.
Folder 7: School Building Program.
Folder 8: Special Education.
Folder 9: Recreation Enabling Act (1946).
Folder 10: State Equalization Fund (1930's-1950's).
Folder 11: Teaching Material.
Folder 12: Young Citizen's Day (5-24-42).
Folder 13: Grand Forks Central High School Senior Scroll (1941).
Folder 14: Notebook from summer spent at the University of Southern California (1940).
Folder 15: American Federation of Teachers.
Folder 16: A Critical Evaluation of the American Federation of Teachers - a thesis by Aileen W. Robinson (1934).
Folder 17: Newspaper clippings.
Folder 18: Miscellaneous.

Department of Special Collections
Digital Finding Aids