Title: Mary Elizabeth Ewing Scrapbook, 1920-1922

ID: OGLMC1516

Primary Creator: Ewing, Mary Elizabeth (1900-1991)

Extent: 1.5 Linear Feet

Date Acquired: 07/00/2006

Subjects: University of North Dakota - Alumni, University of North Dakota - Student Life, Women's History

Languages: English

The Mary Elizabeth Ewing Scrapbook is dark brown, measuring 16.6" x 12" and bearing the title "The University of North Dakota Memory Book" on its cover-page. An ownership tag on the second page identifies it as the property of Mary Elizabeth Ewing, and states she was a member of the Class of 1923 and a resident of Larimore Hall.

The next eight pages contain information about Mary's friends, including their names, dates of their signatures, hometowns, birthdates, nicknames, class years, etc. (space was provided for photographs, but only two friends are actually pictured). Following are several pages for recording information about varsity sports, all of them left blank except for the sections for football and basketball. Additional entries were made under the headings "Societies", "Stunts, Spreads, Parties, etc.", "College, Class, and Social Functions", "My Favorites", and "The Faculty." On a page marked "Dormitories at U.N.D.", Mary mounted pictures of Corwin-Larimore and Sayre Halls, as well as Macnie and Budge Halls. The next two pages contain photographs of the Main Building (formerly located between Merrifield and Twamley; now the site of the Eternal Flame), Science Hall (demolished), University Commons (now Montgomery Hall), and the old Library Building (now used for administration).

The remainder of the book contains various photographs, notes, programs, and other items of memorabilia. It appears that many more items were part of the scrapbook at one point, but have since been lost.

Mary Elizabeth Ewing was a student at the University of North Dakota (UND) from roughly 1920 to 1923. Born September 27, 1900, in Tuscola, Illinois, she moved to North Dakota at age twelve when her father and uncle opened a hospital and nursing school in Kenmare, Ward County. After completing high school, she attended DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, for one year before persuading her father to let her return to North Dakota to pursue her teaching certificate at UND.

References to Mary in the official UND records are fragmentary. She was listed as a junior in the education program in the student directory for academic year 1921-22, but her name does not appear in the 1922-23 directory. She was, however, listed (again as a junior) in the 1923 Dacotah yearbook, which added that she was involved in the Women's Athletic Association on campus. She is not mentioned in the 1924 yearbook. Although she identified herself a member of the Class of 1923 at the beginning of her scrapbook, it is unknown what academic degree, if any, she actually received.

Following her time at UND, she spent one year teaching in rural North Dakota, followed by another two years in Burlington, Wyoming, where she met Lester Dustin. They married August 28, 1924 and their only child, Peggy Jean, was born the next year. The family remained in Wyoming until 1942, when they relocated to Glendale, California. Lester Dustin died in 1970, while Elizabeth died in 1991.

University of North Dakota - Alumni
University of North Dakota - Student Life
Women's History

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: Lee Bucich (relative of Mary Elizabeth Ewing), Pacific Grove, California

Acquisition Method: Donation; 2007-2881

Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). Mary Elizabeth Ewing Scrapbook. OGLMC 1516. 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 January 2014.