Frederick E. Stratton Family Papers

Collection

Identifier: Mss 31

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Frederick E. Stratton Papers have been organized into eight series: Correspondence, Speeches, talks and writings, Book comments and notes, Lectures, Publications, Fargo College History manuscripts, Subject files and Stocker family. The Correspondence Series runs from 1875 to 1935 but is very incomplete and contains only a few personal letters. The Speeches, Talks, and Writings Series contains A Story of Christmas, a speech given to Davenport High School, and two folders of a variety of materials. The Book Comments and Notes Series consists of six books of Stratton's comments on books he and his wife had read. There is also an outline on Seely's School Management. The Lectures Series concerns Ireland and Scotland, European History, Manitou, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Yosemite. The Publications Series is on a variety of subjects and arranged alphabetically. The Fargo College History Manuscript's Series is the work of Dr. Stratton documenting the history of the college from its founding to about 1904. The Fargo College History card index appears to be an index to the manuscripts, but the numbering on the cards does not match the manuscripts pages. The Subject File Series contains a wide variety of materials. “The Game of the Greek Verb” compiled by Dr. Stratton was published in 1915 and printed by George Banta Publishing Company, Menasha, Wisconsin. The individual cards are in the original cardboard box. Of particular interest is the handwritten “Reminiscences of a Tour through Honduras” (60 leaves) that Stratton apparently wrote for one or more public talks he gave on this tour of which he was a part in 18701871. He was a member of a scientific expedition sent by the Smithsonian Institution and Williams College for the purpose of collecting botanical specimens. There are also printed copies of a one-sheet list of the topics covered in the reminiscences, beginning with their departure from Washington, D.C. for New Orleans and the return home. When the reminiscence was written is not given. Other items include a number of handwritten poems of unknown authorship and Stratton’s work for a correspondence course he took in psychology circa 1903 through the University of Chicago. The course work consists primarily of his handwritten notes (234 leaves), together with several letters located among the pages. The two scrapbooks contain clippings on politics, poetry, and items related to Dr. Stratton's career. The second scrapbook contains an index. The Stocker Family Series consists of two more recently added items of Stratton’s daughter Alice Stratton and her son and Stratton’s grandson, Arthur F. Stocker. The “History of the Congregational Church” was written by Alice B. Stocker in 1938 for use by the Congregational Woman’s Society of North Dakota. It is a 16 leaf carbon typescript detailing the history of the Congregational Church in the United States. There is nothing specific to the Congregational Church in North Dakota. The oral history of Arthur F. Stocker was done in 2008 by Elissa Blake Free and William Ward Nooter at his home in Charlottesville, Virginia. It consists of the transcript of the interview printed in a booklet accompanied by photographs and other reproductions. In the interview Stocker recounts his youth including years lived in Fargo, N.D. and his academic career in the Classics Department of the University of Virginia.

Dates

1872-1920, 1938, 2008

Creator

Stratton, Frederick E., 1847-1928. (Person)

Access

The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Institute.

Copyrights

Copyrights to this collection are not held by the Institute for Regional Studies.

Biography

Frederick E. Stratton was born at Athol, Massachusetts on July 5, 1847, the son of Joseph and Alice W. (Mann) Stratton. He attended Williams College, graduating in 1871. While a student at Williams College he was a member of an expedition to Central America. He received his Ph.D. from Wesleyan University in 1891. He married Mary Tryphena Goddard on March 14, 1874. They had one daughter named Alice Belle. Stratton held the position of principal of the Orange, Massachusetts High School in 1871. He was the principal of the New Salem Academy from 1873 to 1876. He was in charge of the Powers' Institute from 1876 to 1879. From 1879 to 1883 he taught in various positions in the Boston area. In 1883 he accepted the position of principal at the high school in Davenport, Iowa. He remained at the Davenport High School as principal until 1892, when he became the principal of the Academy connected with Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. He was the acting professor of Greek at Carleton College from 1904 to 1906. In 1906 Dr. Stratton was appointed professor of Greek at Fargo College. He served as the dean of Fargo College from 1906 to 1911, and librarian of the college. He continued his work at the Fargo College until 1922 when the college closed. For twelve summers, Dr. Stratton was an instructor and director of teachers' training schools in Iowa and Minnesota. He was an organizer, director, and secretary for many years in the Iowa State Reading Circle, and a member of the Iowa State Educational Council. He was also the author of The Game of the Greek Verb. Dr. Stratton died after a long illness in New York on June 4, 1928. He and his wife had been visiting their daughter and her husband. He was buried at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Extent

1.4 Linear Feet (1.4 linear feet)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Educator in Iowa, Minnesota and Fargo College.

Provenance

Donated by Arthur F. Stocker, 1961, 1962 & Elissa Blake Free, 2011 (Acc. 1133, 1196 & 2978).

All materials in the Stratton papers that pertained to Fargo College were removed and integrated into the Fargo College Records (Mss 153). In addition to Dr. Stratton's own personal papers, some of the materials in the papers came from the actual cornerstone of the old Fargo College Library, which was razed in 1964. Those particular materials received no accession numbers. Other pieces of material that came in from time to time relating to Fargo College had been placed in the Stratton papers. The Fargo College History Manuscripts still remain in the Stratton papers with a copy of it in the Fargo College Records.

Separation Record

The following non-manuscript items have been removed from the Frederick E. Stratton Papers and sent to the section indicated. Books (Library book collection, consult main library catalog for call number and location)

Educational Directory of North Dakota, Department of Public Instruction, Bismarck, N.D., 1904 Fargo, W.F. Cushing, Fargo, N.D. 1910 North Dakota Educational Directory, Department of Public Instruction, Bismarck, N.D., 1909-1910 Westland Educator, Dec. 1915 Newspapers (Institute newspaper collection)

Fram, Fargo, N.D., September 2, 1910 Moorhead Daily News, Moorhead, Minn., September 3, 1910 The Worcester West Chronicle, Athol, Massachusetts, June 9, 1869 Maps (Institute map collection)

New Map of Boston with squares and numbers after the Baedecker plan, by M.F. Sweetsen, 1880 Cook's Tours in Scotland, n. d. Broadsides (Institute broadside collection)

"Fargo College Orchestra", December 17, 1915, "Fargo College Orchestra", May 25, 1912, "Fargo College Orchestra", November 10, "Fargo College Orchestra", May 28, "Girls' Glee Club", March 14, 1917 Photographs (Institute photograph collection Photo 2116)

15 photographs of Dr. Stratton, Alice Stratton, his father J.W. Stratton, Stratton home at Northfield, Minnesota, and several persons including Harry H. Haggart, Frank M. Fry, and Mrs. Beach 9 photographs of Dr. Stratton and his family (Accession 2978) Fargo College photographs were transferred to Fargo College Collection (Photo Mss 153)