Minnesota Historical Society Oral History Project: Interview with Lucile M. Kane

Titles: Minnesota Historical Society Oral History Project: Interview with Lucile M. Kane (Supplied title)

Description: BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Lucile Kane was born near Ellsworth, Wisconsin. She was educated in Wisconsin. She attended college at River Falls State Teachers College, and graduate school at the University of Minnesota. She worked for University Press. In 1946, she became editor and researcher for the Forest Products History Foundation. She was curator of manuscripts at MHS from 1948 to 1976; senior archivist from 1976 to 1979; senior research fellow from 1979 to 1985; and senior research associate emerita since 1985. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: March 10: Schooling; the impact of the Great Depression on her life; graduate school; job with Forest Products History Foundation; various jobs at MHS; Arthur Larsen, director of Forest Products History Foundation; numerous directors of the Society; connections to University of Minnesota; Harold Dean Cater; Ed Alexander and his sense of public history; Russell Fridley as director - Fridley's youth, strong personal ties, ability to put others at ease, lobbying skills; growth of historic sites; Nina Archabal becoming first female director in 1987; John Wood and Bob Wheeler working on relationship between Society and state. March 17: Contrast between MHS as small institution and large institution; graduate growth; change in character as the older employees retired; working actively to acquire new materials; Willoughby Babcock; smaller institution allowed for better communication and a better sense of cohesiveness; larger institutions allow for inner mobility of staff; limited travels; limitations of space and personnel in acquisitions; Lydia Lucas's work on the railroad papers; the Humphrey papers; acquisition of other political papers; maintaining collections; changes in research. The apprentice system in the MHS; Grace Lee Nute; professional recognition of archivists in the 1930s and 1940s; Society of American Archivists (SAA); various members of the SAA: Mary Gibbons Brian, H.G. Jones. March 27: The Cater era at the MHS; 1953 creation and tasks of staff organization; Carl Jones, president of the Society; discovery of the Clark journals (Lewis and Clark); the James J. Hill papers. History of the Minnesota State Archives; difficult work in the archives; 1972 absorption of the archives by MHS; regional research centers; work as state archivist, managing a division that was in three locations; 1500 Mississippi Street research center; the Public Affairs Center; relationship of Minnesota Historical Society with University of Minnesota; research fellowship; 1985 reorganization of Division of Archives and Manuscripts into two separate departments.

Dates

• 03/10/1990 - 03/27/1990 (Interviews conducted 3/10/1990, 3/17/1990 and 3/27/1990.) (Creation)

Creation

• interviewee: Kane, Lucile M.
• interviewer: Gilman, Rhoda R.

Identifiers

• Library Call Number: OH 82.14
• Accession Number: AV1990.101

Holding Type: Oral History - Interview

Project

• Oral History - Project, MHS Collection, project: 'Minnesota Historical Society Oral History Project' <OH 82>

Quantity: 3 hours sound cassette 60 pages transcript

Format

• Content Category: sound recordings
• Content Category: text

Measurements

• 03:06:12 running time

Subjects

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