Neil C. Macdonald Papers, 1863-1970
Collection Overview
Title: Neil C. Macdonald Papers, 1863-1970
Predominant Dates:1896-1923
ID: OGLMC097
Primary Creator: Macdonald, Neil C. (1876-1923)
Extent: 0.75 Linear Feet
Subjects: Education, University of North Dakota - Alumni
Languages: English
Abstract
Scope and Contents of the Materials
The Neil C. Macdonald Papers consist primarily of materials related to his educational career. Included are his writings, some of which were composed while he was the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Other items pertain to his time at Harvard University, his illness and death, and to other members of the Macdonald family.
125 photographs were separated and placed in the Photograph File Cabinets. Most of the photographs depict Neil Macdonald and his work in the field of education. There are also several photographs of the extended Macdonald family.
Collection Historical Note
Neil Carnot Macdonald was born March 17, 1876, at Michael's Bay, Manitoulin Island, Ontario. He was the son of Neil and Isabelle (McLeod) Macdonald, Sr. Neil Carnot Macdonald immigrated with his family to Cavalier County in northeastern Dakota Territory in 1885. Macdonald graduated from Mayville Normal School in 1896. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1900 and Master of Arts degree in 1908 from the University of North Dakota. He obtained a doctoral degree in education from Harvard University in 1921, with a dissertation titled "Rural Schools and Rural Public Consolidation."
In 1892, Macdonald started teaching at a country school near his home. By 1900, he was superintendent of schools for Cavalier County. Between 1903 and 1909, he served as superintendent of schools in Lidgerwood and held a similar position in Mandan the following year. On June 14, 1904, he married Katherine Belanger, daughter of Ferdinand and Margery (Johnston) Belanger. Macdonald was appointed State Inspector of Elementary Schools during the summer of 1911, and was elected North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction in 1916. His wife served as the Assistant Superintendent.
As both the State Inspector and the State Superintendent, Macdonald traveled throughout the state, inspiring teachers, county superintendents, and school boards. His efforts came to a climax in 1917, when he conducted "Better Rural School Rallies" in every county of the state. The rallies took the form of a one-week workshop for teachers, and a one-day conference for school board members. North Dakota historian Elwyn Robinson called the rallies "the most effective campaign for school improvement ever conducted in the state" (History of North Dakota, p.305). From 1911 to 1917, Macdonald succeeded in increasing the average number of days students attended school, the length of the school year, and the number of farm children attending school. The number of standard rural schools which were eligible for state aid rose from 169 to 599. At the same time, the number of consolidated districts increased from 114 to over 400.
Macdonald's efforts ended when he was defeated for re-election in 1918. In a campaign of "slander and smear" (History of North Dakota, p.306), North Dakota conservatives painted Macdonald, a member of the Nonpartisan League, as a socialist who was corrupting children by introducing them to socialist books. Following his election loss, the Macdonalds left North Dakota in 1921 for the Pacific Northwest. Neil Macdonald died unexpectedly in Glasgow, Montana, on September 8, 1923, of uremic poisoning while en route to accept a deanship at Seattle Pacific College.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections
Accruals: Additional material was donated by John W. Macdonald, Annapolis, Maryland, on November 25, 1988 (88-1629).
Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.
Acquisition Method: Donation; the original acquisition records are unavailable.
Related Materials: Kathrine Tiffany Papers: OGLMC 266
Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). Neil C. Macdonald Papers. OGLMC 97, 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 July 2015.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Box:
[Box 1],
[Box 2],
[Photographs :],
[All]
- Box 1
- Folder 1: "Foreword" to the collection, written by Kathrine Tiffany: 17 March 1955
- Folder 2: Testimonials on character, ability, and achievements: 1920-1922
- Folder 3: Newspaper clippings: 1911-1919
- Folder 4: Materials from Harvard: 1920-1921
- Folder 5: Illness: 1923
- Folder 6: Death: 1923
- Folder 7: Tributes: 1923
- Folder 8: Educational Writings: 1911-1921
- Folder 9: Educational Writings as Superintendent of Public Instruction: 1917-1918
- Folder 10: Miscellaneous Correspondence: 1863, 1904, 1920
- Folder 1: "Foreword" to the collection, written by Kathrine Tiffany: 17 March 1955
- Box 2
- Folder 1: Miscellaneous
- Folder 2: Europe: 1909
- Folder 3: Correspondence and newspaper clippings of relatives and friends
- Folder 4: Correspondence of his mother
- Folder 5: Souvenir battlefield stones
- Folder 6: Teachers Contract and Teachers' Certificate for May S. Dickinson 1887, Ransom County
- Folder 7: Teacher's Contract for Katherine Belanger: 1896
- Folder 8: Property Tax Statement for Neil Macdonald: 1910
- Folder 9: Correspondence to Neil Macdonald: 1922, 1924
- Folder 10: Correspondence regarding the Neil Macdonald Scholarship: 1970
- Folder 11: Miscellaneous Newspaper Clippings
- Folder 1: Miscellaneous
- Photographs :
- Separated and placed in the Photograph File Cabinets.
- Photograph 1: Unidentified negatives
- Photograph 2: Unidentified negatives
- Photograph 3: Neil Macdonald, Harvard Graduation, June 1921
- Photograph 4: Neil Macdonald, Harvard Graduation, June 1921
- Photograph 5: Neil Macdonald, Harvard Graduation, June 1921
- Photograph 6: Neil Macdonald, circa 1916
- Photograph 7: Neil Macdonald, circa 1916
- Photograph 8: Neil Macdonald, Superintendent of Public Instruction
- Photograph 9: Neil Macdonald, at his office in Bismarck: 1917
- Photograph 10: Neil Macdonald with other state employees and spouses at a picnic
- Photograph 11: Neil Macdonald with other state employees and spouses at a picnic
- Photograph 12: Neil Macdonald with other state employees and spouses at a picnic
- Photograph 13: Neil and Kathrine Macdonald on the grounds of the State Capitol
- Photograph 14: Kathrine Macdonald and Sport (hunting dog) - the photograph was taken outside of the Valley City home where Neil and Kathrine lived when Neil was the State Inspector of Elementary Schools, 1910-1916
- Photograph 15: Neil Macdonald on a rural school inspection trip: circa 1910-1916
- Photograph 16: Neil Macdonald on a rural school inspection trip: circa 1910-1916
- Photograph 17: Neil and Kathrine Macdonald, along with E.J. Taylor, Superintendent of Public Instruction: circa 1910-1916
- Photograph 18: Neil Macdonald in Shriner’s uniform
- Photograph 19: Neil Macdonald in Mason’s uniform
- Photograph 20: Neil and Kathrine Macdonald, August 1904
- Photograph 21: Neil Macdonald at graduation from Mayville Normal School: 1896
- Photograph 22: Neil Macdonald at graduation from UND: 1900
- Photograph 23: Bachelor’s Club, Mayville Normal School: 1894-1895
- Photograph 24: Neil Macdonald and other members of the UND Class of 1900
- Photograph 25: Neil Macdonald: 1893
- Photograph 26: (Misnumbered)
- Photograph 27: Unidentified train
- Photograph 28: Edith Jean Macdonald: 1939
- Photograph 29: Neil Macdonald’s hunting dog, Sport
- Photograph 30: Unidentified school
- Photograph 31: Schulke Block, Langdon, North Dakota: circa 1916
- Photograph 32: Freeman University, circa 1916
- Photograph 33: 8th grade boys, Eden Valley School
- Photograph 34: 8th grade boys, Eden Valley School
- Photograph 35: “Growth of Consolidated Schools,” (Photograph of Chart): undated
- Photograph 36: “Growth of Consolidated Schools,” (Photograph of Chart): undated
- Photograph 37: “Growth of Consolidated Schools,” (Photograph of Chart): undated
- Photograph 38: “Growth of Consolidated Schools,” (Photograph of Chart): undated
- Photograph 39: “Growth of Consolidated Schools,” (Photograph of Chart): undated
- Photograph 40: “Growth of Consolidated Schools,” (Photograph of Chart): undated
- Photograph 41: “Growth of Consolidated Schools,” (Photograph of Chart): undated
- Photograph 42: “Growth of Consolidated Schools,” (Photograph of Chart): undated
- Photograph 43: “Growth of Consolidated Schools,” (Photograph of Chart): undated
- Photograph 44: Unidentified School
- Photograph 45: Unidentified School
- Photograph 46: Manning School District #10
- Photograph 47: Pisek, North Dakota, School
- Photograph 48: Sarnia School, Whitman, North Dakota
- Photograph 49: Dawson, North Dakota, High School
- Photograph 50: “A Happy North Dakota Farmer & His Well Built Sod Cottage”
- Photograph 51: Neil Macdonald (?) as a child
- Photograph 52: Temporary Schoolhouse, Dunn County
- Photograph 53: 14 year old boy kept out of school to assist in the harvest
- Photograph 54: 14 year old boy kept out of school to assist in the harvest
- Photograph 55: 10 year old boy kept out of school to assist in the harvest
- Photograph 56: Depot and Train, Hannah, North Dakota: circa 1915
- Photograph 57: Red River Oxcart
- Photograph 58: 14 year old girl kept out of school to assist in the harvest: 1912
- Photograph 59: Unidentified students at an unidentified school
- Photograph 60: "Consolidated Schools in North Dakota," (Photograph of Chart): 1914
- Photograph 61: Unidentified ledger book
- Photograph 62: Brooklyn School
- Photograph 63: “Consolidated Schools in North Dakota,” (Photograph of Chart): 1914
- Photograph 64: Brooklyn School
- Photograph 65: Unidentified School
- Photograph 66: 8th Grade Girls: 1912
- Photograph 67: Tractor
- Photograph 68: Boy kept out of school to assist in the harvest
- Photograph 69: Ox driven wagon
- Photograph 70: 13 year old boy kept out of school to assist in the harvest
- Photograph 71: “Map Showing Number and Location of Consolidated Schools in the United States,” (Photograph of Chart): 1921
- Photograph 72: Neil Macdonald, undated
- Photograph 73: Neil Macdonald, undated
- Photograph 74: Neil Macdonald, undated
- Photograph 75: Neil Macdonald, undated
- Photograph 76: Neil Macdonald, undated
- Photograph 77: Neil Macdonald, undated
- Photograph 78: Neil Macdonald, undated
- Photograph 79: Neil Macdonald, undated
- Photograph 80: Neil Macdonald, undated
- Photograph 81: Neil Macdonald, undated
- Photograph 82: Neil Macdonald, undated
- Photograph 83: Neil Macdonald, undated
- Photograph 84: Neil Macdonald, undated
- Photograph 85: Neil Macdonald, undated
- Photograph 86: Neil Macdonald, undated
- Photograph 87: Neil Macdonald, undated
- Photograph 88: Neil Macdonald, undated
- Photograph 89: Neil Macdonald, 1917
- Photograph 90: Neil Macdonald, 1917
- Photograph 91: Neil Macdonald, undated
- Photograph 92: Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital, Glasgow, Montana
- Photograph 93: Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital, Glasgow, Montana
- Photograph 94: Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital, Glasgow, Montana
- Photograph 95: Linden School District: 1893 (Neil Macdonald - teacher)
- Photograph 96: Macdonald family home, Hannah, North Dakota
- Photograph 97: Neil and Isabelle (McLeod) Macdonald (father and mother): 1898
- Photograph 98: John (brother) and Isabelle Macdonald
- Photograph 99: Neil Macdonald and his sister, Charlotte, and her daughter, Evangeline
- Photograph 100: Charlotte and Belle Macdonald (sisters): 1898
- Photograph 101: N.R. Macdonald (brother) and his wife, Meda
- Photograph 102: Charlotte and her husband, George, with their children: Howard, Donald, and Evangeline
- Photograph 103: Isabelle Macdonald
- Photograph 104: Alexander Macdonald, Blois, France: July 1918
- Photograph 105: Colin C. Macdonald
- Photograph 106: Isabelle Macdonald and four of her grandchildren
- Photograph 107: Colin Macdonald (brother)
- Photograph 108: Colin and Donald Macdonald (brothers)
- Photograph 109: Evangeline George
- Photograph 110: Neil A. Macdonald (nephew of Neil Macdonald)
- Photograph 111: Macdonald Family Portrait
- Photograph 112: Isabelle Macdonald
- Photograph 113: Norman and Evelyn Macdonald
- Photograph 114: Charles Y. Macdonald: 1914
- Photograph 115: Henry McLean
- Photograph 116: Helen Sullivan, Assistant Superintendent of Public Instruction
- Photograph 117: Alexander Macdonald, UND Graduation Picture: 1912
- Photograph 118: John Wellington Macdonald, UND Graduation Picture: 1953
- Photograph 119: Neil C. Macdonald (son of Neil Carnot Macdonald's’s brother, Donald)
- Photograph 120: U.S. Senator Gerald Nye and John Wellington Macdonald
- Photograph 121: Donald, Neil C., and John Wellington Macdonald
- Photograph 122: Newspaper clipping of Edith Macdonald (daughter of Donald Macdonald, winning a bicycle contest): September 6, 1948
- Photograph 123: Newspaper clipping of John Wellington Macdonald leaving UND to enter the U.S. Military: January 1951
- Photograph 124: Newspaper clipping of Joyce Macdonald (daughter of Alexander C. Macdonald) at UND: December 1952
- Photograph 125: Newspaper clipping of Donald C. Macdonald playing chess with Samuel Reshevsky, world famous chess player
- Photograph 1: Unidentified negatives
Browse by Box:
[Box 1],
[Box 2],
[Photographs :],
[All]