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Guide to the Marianne Michael papers

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Collection Overview
Date Span: 1897-2005
Creator: Michael, Marianne (1917-)
Extent: 3.13 linear feet.
Collection Number: IWA0453
Repository: Iowa Women's Archives
Summary: Served with her husband as missionaries for the Church of the Brethren in Garkida, Nigeria from 1948 to 1961.

Alternate Extent Statement: Photographs in box 1.

Access: The papers are open for research.

Use: Copyright held by the donor has been transferred to the University of Iowa, with the exception of three family histories written by Marianne Michael.

Acquisition: The papers (donor no. 662) were donated by Marianne Michael in 2000 and subsequent years.

Preferred Citation: Marianne Michael papers, Iowa Women's Archives, The University of Iowa Libraries, Iowa City.

Repository: Iowa Women's Archives
Address: 100 Main Library
University of Iowa Libraries
Iowa City, IA 52242
Phone: 319-335-5068
Curator: Kären Mason
Email: lib-women@uiowa.edu
Website: http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/iwa

Marianne Krueger Michael was born in Guthrie County, Richland Township, Iowa in 1917. When Krueger was three, her father died, leaving her mother to raise Krueger and her two brothers. Upon graduating from Bagley High School in 1934, Krueger attended McPherson College in McPherson, Kansas, where she earned a B.A. in economics. It was during college that Krueger met her future husband, Herbert Michael, whom she married in 1944.

For the next four years, Marianne Michael taught high school economics in Minneola, Kansas and Stuart, Iowa. Michael and her husband then spent a year at Bethany Theological Seminary. At the conclusion of their training, the Michaels became missionaries in Garkida, Nigeria. From 1948 to 1961, the Michaels carried out missionary work for the Church of the Brethren, including the organization of the Garkida Girls' Life Brigade and the establishment of an adult literacy program for women. Michael published extensively in the church newsletter Gospel Messenger about her missionary work.

The Michaels returned to the United States in 1961 and settled in Iowa City, Iowa, where Michael completed an M.A. in Social Work in 1963. Michael then accepted a position within the University Hospital system, working in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Neonatal Intensive Care. In 1978, Michael became an adjunct faculty member of the University of Iowa School of Social Work. Her professional work includes a number of scholarly publications focusing on issues related to child abuse.

Michael remains active in regional church activities, serving on the district administrative board of the Church of the Brethren. She also has published three separate genealogies documenting both the Krueger and Michael family lines. The Michaels have four children--Jan, Rosemary, Peter and Elizabeth.

The Marianne Michael papers date from 1897 to 2005 and measure 3.13 linear feet.  The papers are arranged in nine series: Photographs; Biographical; Professional; Writings; Correspondence; Garkida, Nigeria; Church of the Brethren Conferences; Elizabeth Michael; and Genealogy.

The Photographs series consists primarily of black and white photographs taken during the Michaels' missionary work in Garkida. 

The Biographical series includes diaries, various clippings and certificates earned by Marianne Michael, dating from 1928-2003.

The Professional series includes documents related to Michael's job as a social worker at the University of Iowa.  These encompass her M.A. thesis, entitled "Factors Related to the Use of the Food Commodity Program by ADC Recipients in Iowa, 1961"; professional publications dating from 1970-1981; various talks, dating from 1981-1999; a scrapbook from the National Association of Perinatal Social Workers annual meeting in 1985; job evaluations, dating from 1964-1987; salary letters and grades, dating from 1964-1987; and correspondence associated with Michael's retirement in 1987.

The Writings series includes Michael's religious publications and talks, dating from 1949-1990; a small collection of letters to the editor written in Iowa City, dating from 1964-2005; drafts of her religious publications; two logs of Michael's day-to-day experiences, dating from 1948-1956 and from 1957-1986; and two memoirs written by Michael, one detailing a trip to the United States from Nigeria in 1956, and one which begins with her birth in 1917 and continues through 1999.

The Correspondence series includes letters to friends and family, dating from 1944-2000; the annual Michael family newsletters, dating from 1964-1998; a large collection of letters and documents from Marianne Michael's mother, Helen Krueger Trent, dating from 1927-1980; a few letters from Zola Krueger, Michael's sister-in-law; a small collection of letters from the Michaels' eldest daughter Rosemary, dating from 1956-1984; a few letters from Clara Miller, a friend and quilting companion, dating from the mid-1970s; and an incomplete collection of the Round Robin letters circulated among Marianne Michael and her college friends, dating from 1979-2001.

The Garkida, Nigeria series contains correspondence between the Michaels and their relatives, dating from 1948-1961, and correspondence between the Michaels and family friends, the Vaughns, also dating from 1948-1961; some miscellaneous correspondence; an undated diary kept by Marianne Michael during her missionary work in Garkida; documents relating to the women's literacy group developed by the Michaels; and notes from the Sunday school lessons taught by Michael in Garkida.

The Church of the Brethren Conferences series includes travel brochures, correspondence, and conference programs from two church conferences: the annual meeting held in Portland, Oregon in 1991 and the National Older Adult Conference held in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina in 1996.

The Elizabeth Michael series includes a chronology of Elizabeth Michael's life, written by her mother Marianne Michael; a lock of Elizabeth's hair from 1959; schoolwork and artwork, dating from Hillcrest Boarding School in Nigeria from the late 1950s to the early 1960s, and from Iowa City Public School system from the early 1960s to the early 1970s; and a very large collection of letters written by Elizabeth Michael to her parents, dating from 1967-2000.  This correspondence includes four folders of undated letters, plus one folder of letters which can be approximately dated, based on Elizabeth Michael's city of residence.

The Genealogy series includes three published genealogies written by Marianne Michael: Robert McLellan: Iowa Pioneer Farmer (1996), accompanied by three folders of the documents used as illustrations in this work, An Aschenbrenner Family: Hesse to USA (1998), The Jacob George Family of Adams County, Pennsylvania (1998), and Out of Ebern: A Michael Family History (2001).

Browse by Series:
Series 1: PHOTOGRAPHS
Series 2: BIOGRAPHICAL
Series 3: PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORK
Series 4: WRITINGS
Series 5: CORRESPONDENCE
Series 6: GARKIDA, NIGERIA
Series 7: CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN CONFERENCES
Series 8: ELIZABETH MICHAEL
Series 9: GENEALOGY

  • Series 1: PHOTOGRAPHS
  • Box 1:
  • Photographs - 1958-1996
  • Series 2: BIOGRAPHICAL
  • Box 1:
  • Diary and composition book - 1928-1930
  • Certificates - 1921-1990
  • Clippings - 1970-1979
  • Trip to New Orleans, LA - 1985
  • Diary - 2003
  • Series 3: PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORK
  • Box 1:
  • M.A. commencement announcement and program - 1963
  • M.A. thesis, "Factors Related to the Use of the Food Commodity Program by ADC Recipients in Iowa, 1961" - 1961
  • Job evaluations (University of Iowa) - 1964-1987
  • Salary letters/grades/certificates (University of Iowa) - 1964-1987
  • Publications - 1970-1981
  • "The Battered Child" (Summer), Iowa Journal of Social Work, 3(3):78-83 - 1970
  • "Follow-Up Study of Abused Children Reported from University Hospitals, (May), Journal of Iowa Medical Society, 62(5): 235-237 - 1972
  • "Social Report: Child Abuse, (February), Iowa Journal of Social Work, 5(1):22-26 - 1973
  • "A Childs World," (Jan/Feb), Children Today, 30-31. - 1976
  • "The Psychosocial Assessment, (April) Perinatal Press, 5(3): 35-38 - 1981
  • Talks - 1981-1984
  • "The Psychosocial Assessment," delivered at staff meeting, August 11 - 1981
  • "Social Security," delivered Feb 7 (partial notes) - 1984
  • "Parents Point of View," delivered at Southeast Iowa Community College, undated
  • "Child Abuse," undated
  • "Chronic Illness in Children," undated
  • Retirement correspondence - 1987-1988
  • Series 4: WRITINGS
  • Box 2:
  • Religious publications - 1949-1973
  • "And They Sang," (May 28), Gospel Messenger, 22 - 1949
  • "Are Not Sparrows Sold for a Penny?", Gospel Messenger, 25 - 1950
  • "Taking Wings," (December 17), Gospel Messenger, 21 - 1952
  • "The Wings of the Morning," (January 17), Gospel Messenger, 23 - 1953
  • "Garkida Womens Work: Reports to District Conference," (February 28), Gospel Messenger, 23 - 1953
  • "Behold, I Stand at the Door," (August 29), Gospel Messenger, 23 - 1953
  • "The WordA Light Unto My Path," (September 12), Gospel Messenger, 25 - 1953
  • "Every Good Gift," (November 19), Gospel Messenger - 1955
  • "If God So Clothes the Grass," (June 30), Gospel Messenger, 12-13 - 1956
  • "I Will Hear," (October 6), Gospel Messenger, 21 - 1956
  • "Path of Fellowship," (March 15), Gospel Messenger, 22 - 1958
  • "The Path of Prayer," (March 29), Gospel Messenger, 21 - 1958
  • "The Path of Purpose," (March), Gospel Messenger - 1958
  • "Little People," (April 5), Gospel Messenger, 23 - 1958
  • "Operation Bootstraps," (July 19), Gospel Messenger, 21 - 1958
  • "Broken Fences," (December 6), Gospel Messenger, 25 - 1958
  • "Contacts," (December 13), Gospel Messenger, 23 - 1958
  • "A More Acceptable Way," (December 20), Gospel Messenger - 1958
  • "Set the Foundation Early," (October 10), Gospel Messenger, 9 - 1959
  • "In Two Worlds," (December 12), Gospel Messenger - 1959
  • "If Any Are Wise," (December 26), Gospel Messenger - 1959
  • "Be of Good Courage," (January 2), Gospel Messenger, 15 - 1960
  • "Nigeria: World Day of Prayer" (April 23) - 1960
  • "Outlook," (June) Gospel Messenger - 1973
  • "Enough," Gospel Messenger
  • "O Happy Day," Gospel Messenger, 22
  • "A Spiritual Pilgrimage," Gospel Messenger, 24
  • "My Doctrine Shall Dropas the Small Rain upon the Tender Herb" Gospel Messenger, 22
  • "Except the Lord Build the House," Gospel Messenger, 12
  • "Beautiful Feet," Gospel Messenger, 22
  • "Will God Hold it against Me?" Gospel Messenger
  • "I Cannot But Speak," Gospel Messenger, 24
  • "Sweep Clean the Path," Gospel Messenger
  • "The Lord is the Strength of My Life," Gospel Messenger, 22, 24
  • "Broken Homes," Gospel Messenger, 22
  • "Walk in the Way," Gospel Messenger
  • "African Mother Treks Seven Miles to Preach," source unknown
  • Religious talks
  • "Sorrow," delivered April 19 - 1990
  • Mother-Daughter banquet, Bethany Baptist Church, Iowa City - 1969
  • Bethany Baptist Valentine Dinner, February 9 - 1990
  • "Gods Answers to Lifes Problems," undated
  • "Peace on Earth," undated
  • "Faith Journey," undated
  • Letters to the editor - 1964-2005
  • Publication drafts - 1953-1977
  • Publication drafts, undated
  • Log - 1948-1956
  • Log - 1957-1986
  • Log Supplemental, November 1957 and April 1959 - 1957, 1959
  • Memoirs: "From Garkida to USA: 1956" - 1956
  • Memoirs: "All We Are Like Grass" - 1999
  • Series 5: CORRESPONDENCE
  • Box 2:
  • Miscellaneous - 1921-2003
  • Miscellaneous, undated
  • Box 3:
  • Annual newsletter - 1964-1998, 2004
  • Helen Krueger Trent chronological - 1897-1965
  • Helen Krueger Trent chronological - 1966-1967
  • Helen Krueger Trent chronological - 1968-1972
  • Helen Krueger Trent chronological - 1973-1975
  • Helen Krueger Trent chronological - 1976-1977
  • Helen Krueger Trent chronological - 1978-1979
  • Helen Krueger Trent chronological (2 folders), undated
  • Helen Krueger Trent Newsclippings - 1972-1973, 1980
  • Zola Krueger - 1967-1981
  • Zola Krueger, undated
  • Rosemary Michael - 1956-1984
  • Rosemary Michael, undated
  • Clara Miller - 1972-1978
  • Round robin [with college friends] - 1970-2002
  • Series 6: GARKIDA, NIGERIA
  • Box 4:
  • Correspondence, Relatives 1947-March 1949 - 1947-1949
  • Correspondence, Relatives April-December - 1949
  • Correspondence, Relatives - 1950-1956
  • Correspondence, Relatives - 1957-1961
  • Correspondence, Vaughn family - 1948-1961
  • Correspondence, Miscellaneous correspondence - 1949-1961
  • Diary - 1955-1956
  • Womens literacy group - 1955-1960
  • Womens literacy group, undated
  • Box 5:
  • Sunday school
  • Series 7: CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN CONFERENCES
  • Box 5:
  • Annual conference in Portland, OR - 1991
  • National older adult conference in Lake Junaluska, NC - 1996
  • Conferences - 1988
  • Series 8: ELIZABETH MICHAEL
  • Box 5:
  • Chronology and lock of hair
  • Schoolwork: Hillcrest (Nigeria) - 1959-1961
  • Schoolwork: Hillcrest (Nigeria), undated
  • Schoolwork: Iowa City - 1961-1970
  • Schoolwork: Iowa City, undated
  • School records - 1966-1970
  • Artwork - 1958-1959
  • Artwork, Undated
  • Correspondence - 1967-1974
  • Correspondence - 1975-1977
  • Correspondence - 1978-1980
  • Box 6:
  • Correspondence - 1981-1982
  • Correspondence, 1983-July 1984 - 1983-1984
  • Correspondence, August 1984-1985 - 1984-1985
  • Correspondence - 1986
  • Correspondence, 1987-May 1988 - 1987-1988
  • Correspondence, June - 1988-2000
  • Correspondence, Undated (5 folders) [Chicago, 1975, Minneapolis, 1977, Red Wing, 1983, and Rochester, 1987]
  • Series 9: GENEALOGY
  • Box 6:
  • The Charles W. Krueger Family Pomeranian Ancestors, by Marianne Krueger Michael - 2002
  • Box 7:
  • Robert McLellan: Iowa Pioneer Farmer (3 folders) - 1996
  • An Aschenbrenner Family: Hesse to USA - 1998
  • The Jacob George Family of Adams County, Pennsylvania - 1998
  • Out of Ebern: A Michael family history - 2001
  • Life sketch following WWII, by Arles Updegraff (cousin) - 2010

This collection is indexed under the following subject terms.


Personal Names:
Michael, Marianne Krueger, 1917-
Michael, Elizabeth

Corporate Names:
Church of the Brethren Conference
University of Iowa

Dates:
1890-1899
20th century
2000-2009

Topics:
Women in church work
Women in higher education
Women in social work education
Women and religion
World War, 1939-1945

Occupations:
Missionaries
Social workers
College teachers

Geographic Names:
Garkida (Nigeria)
Adams County (Pa.)
Iowa City (Iowa)

Genre/Form of Materials:
Archives
Photographs
Diaries
Correspondence
Personal papers
Memoirs

Family Names:
Krueger family
Michael family

Browse:
Autobiographical Resources: Diaries, Memoirs and Oral Histories