University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Archives Department.

Schmitt, Aroline, 1904- .

Papers, 1939-1971.

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection BX

2.2 cubic ft. (5 archives boxes, and 1 small archives box)


ABSTRACT: The collection consists primarily of Mrs. Schmitt's files dealing with conservation in Wisconsin, many of which are routine or social in nature. The papers concerning organizations contain fragmentary material, not complete records. There is almost no personal material. Because many individuals were involved in more than one conservation organization, there is some overlap in the files.


ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law. However, the researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

SCOPE AND CONTENT: The collection consists primarily of Mrs. Schmitt's files dealing with conservation in Wisconsin, many of which are routine or social in nature. The papers concerning organizations contain fragmentary material, not complete records. There is almost no personal material. Because many individuals were involved in more than one conservation organization, there is some overlap in the files.

The papers are arranged chronologically and alphabetically into two series: Correspondence, and Subject Files.

The Correspondence series contains letters and enclosures referred to by the correspondents, such as writings and mailing lists. Included in the Organizations and Government Agencies subseries is the correspondence of Forests; this short lived national organization was headed by Mrs. Schmitt and Charles H. Stoddard. Also included are copies of the Forests newsletters. Much of Mrs. Schmitt's correspondence with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (known as the Conservation Department prior to 1967) is with Ernest Swift, who was later affiliated with the National Wildlife Federation. The records of the Wisconsin Conservation League include letters from Louis Radke, president of that group. Also present is some correspondence with other noteworthy individuals active in conservation work, including Aldo Leopold and Gifford Pinchot.

The Subject Files includes material regarding the preservation of the Flambeau wilderness area, a key conservation issue in Wisconsin for many years. Mrs. Schmitt's papers concerning the Menominee Indians show that she was primarily interested in the conservation of the tribe's extensive forest resources, rather than in the termination issue. There is also a file of newspaper clippings containing articles about Mrs. Schmitt and some of the issues which interested her.


BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Aroline Hiles Schmitt, a leader of Wisconsin conservation efforts, was born in Jamestown, New York on 4 August 1904. After she earned her L.B. in Nurses Training from Hamont Hospital, Erie, Pennsylvania, in 1925, she married Max Schmitt, a Milwaukee businessman. The couple had two children, Maxine and John.

During the 1930s, while her children were still young, Mrs. Schmitt became active in Junior Garden Clubs and acted as a nature study guide in local schools. Her volunteer conservation work soon became a full-time career, as she served the following organizations: Citizens' Natural Resource Association, president; Forests, executive director; Friends of the Land, charter member, director, and third vice-president; Milwaukee County Conservation Alliance, charter member, forestry chairman; and Wisconsin Garden Club Federation, state conservation chairman, as well as a number of other groups.

Mrs. Schmitt continued her conservation efforts by telephone and by mail after a serious illness in 1948 left her an invalid, and during the 1950s she became vice-president of the Citizens' Committee for the Menominees. She received awards for her volunteer services from the following organizations: the Izaak Walton League in 1950; Quota Club of Milwaukee in 1952; a citation from Lane Bryant around 1955; and the Wisconsin Garden Club, which established the annual Aroline Schmitt conservation scholarship. Mrs. Schmitt currently resides in Idaho.


COLLECTION CITATION: This collection should be cited as:
Schmitt, Aroline, 1904- . Papers, 1939-1971. Milwaukee Manuscript Collection BX. Wisconsin Historical Society. Milwaukee Area Research Center. UWM Libraries. University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee.

RELATED COLLECTION:

Pohl, Pearl, 1887-1982. Papers, 1928-1981. (Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 195 and PH Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 195)


ACQUISITION: Presented by Aroline Schmitt of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin in 1961, and by Walter Scott of Madison, Wisconsin in 1973 (accession numbers M61-106, and M73-278).

PROCESSING: Processed by L. Aber and M. Behrnd on March 23, 1979.

MARC RECORD SEARCH TERMS: The following terms were used in the online bibliographic MARC record to this collection:
MILWAUKEE MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION BX BOX FOLDER
Correspondence, Family and Personal, 1943-1954, undated 1 1
Correspondence, General, 1940-1942 1 2
Correspondence, General, 1943-1944 1 3
Correspondence, General, 1945-1946 1 4
Correspondence, General, 1947-1949 1 5
Correspondence, General, 1950-1955 1 6
Correspondence, General, 1956-1969, undated 1 7
Correspondence, Individuals, Allen, Shirley W.,  1946-1959 5 1
Correspondence, Individuals, Allen, Shirley W., 1960-1966, undated 5 2
Correspondence, Individuals, Leopold, Aldo, 1943-1948, undated 5 3
Correspondence, Individuals, Pinchot, Gifford and Pinchot, Cornelia Bryce, 1943-1953 5 4
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, Citizens' Natural Resources Association, 1948, 1950-1951 2 1
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, Citizens' Natural Resources Association, 1951 2 2
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, Citizens' Natural Resources Association, 1952-1954 2 3
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, Citizens' Natural Resources Association, 1959-1970, undated 2 4
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, Forests, Charles H. Stoddard, 1944-1959, undated 2 7
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, Forests, Charles H. Stoddard, Writings, 1942-1951, undated 3 1
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, Forests, General, 1942-1944 2 5
Correspondence, Organizations, and Government Agencies, Forests, General, 1945-1957, undated 26
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, Forests, Mailing List, Forest Letter, Miscellaneous, 1942-1944 3 2
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, Friends of the Land, Mailing List, Miscellaneous, 1945-1950, undated 3 3
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, Garden Clubs, 1939-1953, undated 3 4
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, Garden Clubs, Scrapbook Material, 1939-1947, undated 3 5
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, Milwaukee County Conservation Alliance, General, 1941-1950 3 6
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, Milwaukee County Conservation Alliance, Minutes, Constitution and By-Laws, 1945-1956, undated 3 7
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, Milwaukee County Conservation Alliance, Trees for Tomorrow Citizens Conservation Camp, 1945-1951, undated 3 8
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, State of Wisconsin, Department of Natural Resources, 1940-1949 4 1
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, State of Wisconsin, Department of Natural Resources, 1950-1958 42
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, State of Wisconsin, Department of Natural Resources, 1959-1961, undated 43
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, State of Wisconsin, Department of Natural Resources, Contracts, Timber Sales, 1942-1944 4 4
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 1941-1961, 1971, undated 4 5
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Calvin Stott, 1941-1961, 1969, undated 4 6
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, Wisconsin Conservation League, 1940-1958, undated 4 7
Correspondence, Organizations and Government Agencies, Women's Civilian Conservation Corps, 1942 4 8
Subject Files, Conservation Legislation, Correspondence, Press Releases, Proposals, 1943-1953 5 5
Subject Files, Conservation Legislation, Printed Bills and Drafts, Federal, 1941-1946 5 6
Subject Files, Conservation Legislation, Printed Bills and Drafts, Other States, 1941-1946 5 8
Subject Files, Conservation Legislation, Printed Bills and Drafts, Wisconsin, 1939, 1941-1958 5 7
Subject Files, Flambeau Wilderness, 1943, 1951-1955, undated 5 9
Subject Files, Menominee Indians, Citizens' Committee for the Menominees, Records and Reference Materials, 1953-c. 1962 6 2
Subject Files, Menominee Indians, Correspondence, Constance Deer, 1956-1957 5 11
Subject Files, Menominee Indians, Correspondence,  Phebe J. N. Lookaround, Mayhew Mott, and Mrs. Max Schmitt, 1941, 1956-1959 6 1
Subject Files, Menominee Indians, Legislation Files, Correspondence, Bills, Drafts, 1954, 1956-1959 5 10
Subject Files, Miscellaneous, 1939-1956, undated 6 5
Subject Files, Newspaper Clippings, 1942-1959, undated 6 3
Subject Files, Writings, 1943-1954, undated 6 4

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