M. L. Cushman Papers, 1911-1980

M. L. Cushman Papers

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Collection Overview

Title: M. L. Cushman Papers, 1911-1980

ID: OGLMC488

Primary Creator: Cushman, Martelle L. (1908-1982)

Extent: 9.75 Linear Feet

Date Acquired: 07/00/1978. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Education, University of North Dakota - Faculty

Languages: English

Abstract

1908-1982; UND Dean of the College of Education from 1954 to 1972

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The M.L. Cushman Papers have been divided into five series:

Series 1: Associations of School Administrators

Series 2: North Dakota Educational Organizations

Series 3: Teacher Educational Organizations

Series 4: Professional Organizations

Series 5: Assorted Materials

Collection Historical Note

Martelle L. Cushman was born March 9, 1908, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In 1928, Cushman graduated from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo with a Life Teaching Certificate. He served as principal of Ellsworth High School in Ellsworth, Michigan from 1928 to 1931. He re-entered Western Michigan in 1931, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1932. He was employed as a teacher and coach at Kellogg School in Augusta, Michigan, from 1932 to 1935.

He married Florence Haas on June 20, 1933 in Kalamazoo. The couple had four children: Clifton, Cedric, Marnita, and Marlene. In 1935, he was hired as superintendent of schools in Cedarville, Michigan. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1937 with a Master of Arts. His master's thesis was titled "Natural Community School Survey of Mackinac County, Michigan." From 1938 to 1941, he was superintendent of schools in Richmond, Michigan.

He left Michigan in 1941 to attend Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York, where he earned his Ph.D. in 1943. His doctoral dissertation was titled "An Evaluation of Rural School District Reorganization in Michigan." He served in the U.S. Army Air Force as an instructor on the B-24 bomber from August 1943 to March 1945.

He joined the faculty of Iowa State College in Ames in 1945. Directing work in rural education, he specialized in the areas of school administration, finance, and school district reorganization. He also directed the 1950 Iowa Study on School Finance in cooperation with the Iowa Department of Public Instruction. After rising to the rank of professor, he left Iowa State in 1954 to become dean of the College of Education at the University of North Dakota.

Under his leadership, the College of Education underwent a steady growth in enrollment. This growth was assisted by the reinstatement of the elementary education program in 1958. The foundation of a program in special education was undertaken in 1967, and the Northern Plains Indian Teacher Corps Program was established in 1969. Cushman also led the college through the process of receiving its first national accreditation.

Following the completion of a large-scale, statewide study on the issue of education in 1967, significant changes were made to the structure of the College of Education. An experimental college in teacher education, the New School, was established outside of the College of Education. This occurred despite reluctance from Dean Cushman and other members of the College of Education. Cushman went so far as to personally lobby the State Board of Higher Education to reject the restructuring of the College. Dr. Cushman took leave from UND in July 1972 to pursue research and writing. He formally retired the following year.

Cushman was a prodigious scholar who authored numerous articles. He was an active member of Phi Delta Kappa, an honorary education fraternity. He served as president of Phi Delta Kappa International from 1955 to 1957. He was also active in the National Educational Association, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, and the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges.

He died November 28, 1982, in Port Charlotte, Florida.

Subject/Index Terms

Education
University of North Dakota - Faculty

Administrative Information

Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections

Accruals: Additional materials were donated in 2001 (2001-2495).

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

Acquisition Source: Martelle Cushman

Acquisition Method: Donation; 78-519

Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). M.L. Cushman Papers. OGLMC 488, 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 June 2015.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Associations of School Administrators],
[Series 2: North Dakota Educational Organizations],
[Series 3: Teacher Educational Organizations],
[Series 4: Professional Organizations],
[Series 5: Assorted Materials],
[All]

Series 2: North Dakota Educational Organizations

Correspondence, publications and records: North Dakota School Administrator Association, County Superintendents, Department of Public Instruction, Legislative Research Committee, North Dakota Colleges, and reorganization of North Dakota schools.

Box 2

Folder 40: North Dakota School Administrators Association, 1954-60.
Folder 41: North Dakota School Administrators Association, 1961-62.
Folder 42: North Dakota School Administrators Association, 1965. Includes Certification in North Dakota.
Folder 43: North Dakota School Administrators Association, 1966-67.
Folder 44: North Dakota School Administrators Association, 1967-68-69.
Folder 45: Adult Education.
Folder 46: North Dakota School Administrators Association, 1969-70-71-72.
Folder 47: Barnes County, School District Information.
Folder 48: Bibliography, Correspondence, School District Reorganization.
Folder 49: Bibliography, Organization of Rural Education
Folder 50: Boards of Education, North Dakota School Officers Assn.
Folder 51: North Dakota School Board Association, 1964.
Folder 52: Business Officials, North Dakota Association of School Business Officials.
Folder 53: Community School District, Rural Communities.
Folder 54: Curriculum for the Reorganized School District.
Folder 55: Community School Criteria, Evaluation from Extension Circular.
Folder 56: Criteria Checklist, Christianson's Tabulations.
Folder 57: Curriculum Checklist.
Folder 58: Correspondence, Reorganization, North Dakota.
Folder 59: North Dakota Council on Education, to 1955.
Folder 60: North Dakota Council on Education, 1955-56,
Folder 61: North Dakota Council on Education, Nov. 30, 1956 +
Folder 62: County Superintendents' Workshop, July 25-29, 1960,
Folder 63: County Superintendents, North Dakota.
Folder 64: County Superintendents, 1-16-56, Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Folder 65: County Superintendents' Workshop, January, 1958.
Folder 66: County Superintendents, Iowa.
Folder 67: County Superintendents, Workshop Summary, July 25-29, 1960.
Folder 68: County Superintendents, 1961, 1965.
Folder 69: Civil Air Patrol and Aerospace Education.

Box 3

Folder 1: State Department of Education to 1954
Folder 2: Department of Public Instruction, Peterson, State Superintendent of Schools
Folder 3: Department of Public Instruction, Correspondence, North Dakota Department of Public Instruction.
Folder 4: Deans' Council on Education, North Dakota
Folder 5: North Dakota Legal Research Committee Proposal, School District Finance and Reorganization
Folder 6: Education, Statewide Study, Correspondence.
Folder 7: Elementary School Principals' Conference, Program and Correspondence.
Folder 8: Ellendale State Teachers College, Correspondence
Folder 9: School Finance and Reorganization
Folder 10: General Data
Folder 11: Governor's Conference on Education, 1962
Folder 12: Grand Forks Superintendency and Devils Lake Superintendency, 1958-1959
Folder 13: Grand Forks County Schools
Folder 14: Junior College, Devils Lake, 1961
Folder 15: Junior College Committee Bismarck, 1.959
Folder 16: Junior Colleges
Folder 17: An Analysis of Legislation for School District Reorganization in the Midwest.
Folder 18: Legislation Analysis Correspondence
Folder 19: Legislators' School, November 25-26, 1960.
Folder 20: Legislative Research Committee, 1961, 1962.
Folder 21: Department of Public Instruction, North Dakota, Miscellaneous
Folder 22: North Dakota State University, Fargo
Folder 23: North Dakota TEPS Commission
Folder 24: NDEA and NDEA local.
Folder 25: PTA Conferences, 1952 to date
Folder 26: Population, statistics
Folder 27: Maps
Folder 28: Minot State Teachers College
Folder 29: McLean County Schools
Folder 30: International Peace Garden
Folder 31: Reorganization Manuscript
Folder 32: Reorganization, General, Topics in school administration
Folder 33: Reorganization, "Principles of Administrative Reorganization of Rural Education," by H, L. Cushman.
Folder 34: Reorganization of Rural School Districts, Textbook
Folder 35: Review of Educational Research, District Reorganization
Folder 36: Reorganization, Sargent County, North Dakota.
Folder 37: Reorganization, North Dakota Administrator's Conference, 1957
Folder 38: Reorganization, North Dakota, 1958-1959.
Folder 39: Reorganization, North Dakota.

Box 4

Folder 1: State House Conference
Folder 2: State House Conference on Children and Youth
Folder 3: North Dakota Association of Secondary School Principals
Folder 4: Statewide Testing Program, North Dakota
Folder 5: School for the Blind, North Dakota
Folder 6: State School of Science, Wahpeton, North Dakota.
Folder 7: Summary of Literature, Summaries of works on public schools.
Folder 8: Transportation, school buses. etc.
Folder 9: Upper Midwest Research and Development Council, North Dakota Meetings
Folder 10: Vocational Rehabilitation Service, North Dakota.

Department of Special Collections
Digital Finding Aids