VERLIE AIRD PAPERS

COLLECTION: OGL 1525

SIZE: 5.5 linear feet

DATES: 1951-2006

INTRODUCTION

ACQUISTION: The Verlie Aird Papers were deposited in the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection by Dan Aird, Kindred, North Dakota on April 15, 2007. (Acc.# 2007-2919)

ACCESS: Available for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Department of Special Collections.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Verlie Aird was born on January 14, 1918. She married her first husband, Maurice, on June 1, 1940 when she was twenty-two years old. During their marriage, the Airds had five sons. Verlie Aird was an elementary school teacher for most of her life. Maurice Aird died August 20, 1994, following a stroke. Verlie Aird then married Lyndon Clark, a mutual friend of Maurice’s, on February 2, 1996. Two years later, on April 9, 1998, Lyndon Clark died. Verlie Aird spent her last years in a nursing home in Rolla, North Dakota. She died on March 7, 2007 at the age of eighty-nine.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Verlie Aird Papers consist of handwritten diaries beginning in 1951 and ending in 2006. With the exception of 1959 and 1960, Verlie Aird wrote everyday. In the earlier diaries she wrote mostly about everyday activities such as cooking, cleaning, work, and what she was wearing. She also wrote about visits she had with her friends, coworkers and family. She also wrote some stories about what her students said in the classroom. In these earlier diaries the sentences were very short and precise. As the diaries progress the sentences become longer and more involved. As she ages her diaries become more personal and story-like rather than a record of what occurred during the day. In later years, her diaries relate many visits with her children and grandchildren. Also in the later diaries Verlie Aird wrote about her trips to Bingo and senior dinners with her friends and husband.

Verlie Aird commented on the weather but would only state the temperature and report if the sun was out. She also wrote some comments on current/political events such as the inauguration of President Ronald Reagan, the freeing of the hostages in Iran, and September 11th. Those entries, however, were very short and not very in depth. Also, throughout the diaries she wrote notes to self, resolutions, and also included inspirational newspaper clippings. In the later diaries she included an index of the year which consisted of a list of days and the main event from that day.

BOX AND FOLDER INVENTORY

Box 1
Folder

1. Biographical Information
2. 1951- 1952 January-January
3. 1952 January-December (not daily)
4. 1953 January-December
5. 1954 January-December
6. 1955 January-December
7. 1956 January-December
8. 1957 January-December
9. 1958-1959 (out of order)
10. 1961 January-December
11. 1962 January-December
12. 1963 January-April 28th
13. 1963 April 29th-September 26th
14. 1963 November 12th-December
15. 1964 January-December
16. 1965 January-June 4th
17. 1965-1966 June 5th- September (1966 first)
18. 1966-1967 September-September
19. 1967-1968 (out of order)
20. 1969 January-September
21. 1969 November 11th-December
22. 1970 January-December
23. 1971 January-October
24. 1971 October-December
25. 1972 January-December
26. 1973 January-December

Box 2
Folder

1. 1974 January-December
2. 1975 January-December
3. 1976 January-December
4. 1977 January-December
5. 1978 January-June 16th
6. 1978 June 17th-November 23rd
7. 1978 November 24th-December
8. 1979 January-July
9. 1979 August-December
10. 1980 January-December
11. 1981 January-December
12. 1982 January-December
13. 1982 July-December
14. 1983 January-November 2nd
15. 1983 November 3rd-December
16. 1984 January-August
17. 1984 September-December
18. 1985 January-June 8th
19. 1985 June 10th-December

Box 3
Folder

1. 1986 January-June 19th
2. 1986 June 20th-December
3. 1987 January-July 28th
4. 1987 July 30th-December
5. 1988 January-May
6. 1988 June-December
7. 1989 January-June 7th
8. 1989 June 8th-October
9. 1989-1990 November-April 20th
10. 1990 April 21st-October 1st
11. 1990 October 2nd-December
12. 1991 January-June 23rd
13. 1991 June 24th-October 22nd
14. 1991-1992 October 23rd -February 18th
15. 1992 February 19th-September
16. 1992 October-December
17. 1993 January-December
18. 1994 January-November 12th
19. 1994 November 13th-December

Box 4
Folder

1. 1995 January-December
2. 1996 January-December
3. 1997 January-June 12th
4. 1997 June 14th-December
5. 1998 January-August
6. 1998 August 11th-December
7. 1999 January-May 12th
8. 1999 May 15th-September 16th
9. 1999 September 17th-December 31st
10. 2000 January-April 11th
11. 2000 April 12th-September 27th
12. 2000 September 28th-December
13. 2001 January-May 2nd
14. 2001 May 3rd-August
15. 2001-2002 September 1st - March 10th
16. 2002 March 12th-July 8th
17. 2002 July 9th-December
18. 2003 January-April
19. 2003 May-August
20. 2003 September-December

Box 5
Folder

1. 2004 January-April
2. 2004 May-August
3. 2004 September-December
4. 2005 January-April
5. 2005 May-August
6. 2005 September-December
7. 2006 January-July 23rd
8. 2006 July24th-December 10th
9. 2006 December 11th-December 27th

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