Introduction | Biographical Sketch | Scope and Content | Inventory

Introduction

The papers of Mickey (Maxine) Campbell Welker were donated by Mickey Welker to the Center for Archival Collections on January 3, 1995. The papers, dating from 1941 through 1982, document Mickey Welker's activities and achievements from high school, through college, and as an alumna, mother, teacher, and organizer. She was instrumental in establishing the Bowling Green Alumni of Greater Toledo Chapter, the first alumni chapter established, as well as the Harold Anderson Scholarship, still awarded at Bowling Green State University. The collection consists primarily of scrapbooks, photograph albums and diaries.

The collection is open to the researcher. Duplication is permitted for educational purposes, and with the permission of the donor for publication purposes, as copyrights have been retained by the donor. The collection was arranged and described by Ann Bowers, Assistant Director, during March 1996.

Biographical Sketch

Maxine (Mickey) Joyce Campbell was born on November 25, 1923 in Albion, Michigan to Raynold H. and Arleen M. Campbell. She graduated from Washington Gardner High School, Albion, Michigan, in 1941. From 1941 to 1943, she worked as a receptionist/switchboard operator at Union Steel Pds Co. During this time, she organized (February 1942) the Albion Division of the Fort Custer Military Girls Service Clubs.

In September 1943, she entered Bowling Green State University and attended college for four years. While a student, she organized "campusteen," a club which sponsored various entertainments to promote a spirit of friendliness between the student body and the Navy V-12 stationed on campus. She was chair of thirteen all-campus parties while a student. She also was a member of the Young Women's Christian Association and the Women's Independent Legislative Board. She served as class representative for the sophomores and also was a Key Beauty in 1945. As a freshman, she was BGSU's representative to the World Student Conference, held at Ohio State University.

In September 1947, she was appointed by the President of Albion College, W.W. Whitehouse, as manager for the newly-erected student center on the Albion Campus.

On May 14, 1949, Maxine Campbell married Mark B. Welker and together had four sons, Scott, Brooks, Jon and Kenn. As a wife and mother, she became very active in the community and continued her connections with Bowling Green State University through alumni activities. She was the pioneer organizer and president of the BGSU Alumni of Greater Toledo, formed during the 1950s and early 1960s. She served on the Alumni Board of Trustees for three years, from 1961-1964. She organized during the early 1960s, the "All College Alumni Council" in the Toledo area, comprised of alumni representing 70 colleges and universities. She also served as chair of the Activities Committee of the Alumni Association and was instrumental in beginning the Harold Anderson Scholarship and also in having the basketball arena at BGSU named in honor of Harold Anderson. She was the first woman to receive the Alumni Service Award (1965), an honor acknowledging all of the work she contributed to alumni activities and support for BGSU.

In addition to these activities, she was active in community and civic affairs and organizations, such as the PTA, American Association of University Women, League of Women Voters, Child Conservation League, Mothers Club, and Cub Scouts. She was active and continues to be active with the Zion United Methodist Church. She organized a "code of ethics" for Bowsher Junior High School which was later adapted by several other area schools. In 1963, she was selected by the Toledo Blade and the University of Toledo's Division of Continuing Education as a panelist for a Clubwomen Seminar on Organization Leadership.

On top of these activities, she re-entered college and graduated with a BS in Education from Bowling Green State University in 1970. She already had been teaching, since 1963 and continued until retiring in 1989, teaching first and second grades at Fall Meyer and Garfield elementary schools in Toledo.

Maxine (Mickey) and her husband, Mark, have attended every Homecoming at BGSU for 46 years. Mark received a "Silver Letterman Award" from BGSU documenting his achievements while a football player and student at BGSU as well as his achievements as a teacher and coach at Waite High School. He also has been inducted into the "Toledo City Athletic League Hall of Fame" and the "Waite High School Hall of Fame." They reside in Toledo, Ohio.

Scope and Content

The Mickey (Maxine) Campbell Welker Collection consists primarily of scrapbooks, photograph albums and diaries. The diaries, dating from 1941-1946, document the activities of Mickey Welker from graduation from high school through most of her college career at Bowling Green State University. The diaries from the college years provide a detailed description of life of the college woman during and immediately after World War II.

Also included in this collection are scrapbooks and photograph albums which more visually document Mickey Welker from her high school years through her years at Bowling Green State University. Last, but most importantly, this collection contains scrapbooks documenting Mickey Welker's activities after college, especially her work in establishing the Bowling Green Alumni of Great Toledo Chapter, the first alumni chapter established. Fund-raising activities, development of the Harold Anderson Scholarship, and involvement with Bowling Green State University are all well documented by these scrapbooks, which contain photographs, programs, and newsclippings.

This collection is an excellent resource in studying the activities of a college woman during the mid-to-late 1940s, and the experiences of a woman involved in many organizational activities, as well as raising a family, during the 1950s-1970s.

Inventory

Box 1

1. College Scrapbook (contains programs, newsclippings and 286 photographs) September 1943-April 1945
2. College Scrapbook (contains programs, newsclippings and 111 photographs) September 1943-May 1945
3. College Scrapbook (contains programs, newsclippings and 247 photographs) May 1945-February 1947
4. College Diary, September 12, 1943-June 8, 1946

Box 2

Folders

1. High School Scrapbook photocopies-contains newsclippings, programs regarding formation of Albion U.S.O; Fort Custer Girls Military/Service Club of Albion; Duck Lake articles) 1941-July 1943
2. Bowling Green Alumni of Greater Toledo Scrapbook (photocopies-contains newsclippings memos, flyers), 1961-1962
3. The Club Woman-Seminar held in Toledo, November 1963 (photocopies), October-November 1963
4. Bowling Green Alumni of Greater Toledo Scrapbook (photocopies-contains newsclippings memos, flyers, include Mickey Welker's Alumni Service Award), 1962-1965
5. Bowling Green Alumni of Great Toledo Scrapbook-establishment of Harold Anderson Scholarship Award (photocopies of newsclippings and the award certificate and photographs), 1963
6. All College Alumni Council (newsclippings, articles) 1963-1964
7. BGSU Falcon Club Silver Letter Award to Mark Welker (photocopies of newsclippings, photographs, letters), September-November 1982
8. Bowling Green Alumni of Greater Toledo Photographs (44 photographs)(depicting Key Night and other activities) c.1960-1963
9. Miscellaneous newsclippings, programs and publications on BGSU, 1943-1976 (scattered)
10. List of Toledo Alumni, n.d.

Box 3 (Flat Storage)

1. High School Scrapbook - Original - (contains newsclippings, programs regarding formation of Albion U.S.O; Fort Custer Girls Military/Service Club of Albion; Duck Lake articles) 1941-July 1943 - Use copy in Box 2
2. Bowling Green Alumni of Greater Toledo Scrapbook - Original - (contains newsclippings memos, flyers, include Mickey Welker's Alumni Service Award), 1965 - Use copy in Box 2
3. Photograph Album of Personal Snapshots - Original - 1941-1942
4. High School Scrapbook - Original - (Washington Gardner High School clippings, programs, etc.) 1938-1942
5. The Club Woman-Seminar held in Toledo, November 1963 - Original - October-November 1963 - Use copy in Box 2
6. Bowling Green Alumni of Greater Toledo Scrapbook - Original - (contains newsclippings memos, flyers), 1958-1962

Manuscripts by Subject | Education Collections | Women's Studies Collections