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Ruth Nees papers

 Collection
Identifier: Ms-0459

Scope and Content

The collection contains a scrapbook of the South Ward Parents Teacher Association for the school year 1954-1955 and parts of 1956, and four photographs. Newspaper clippings detailing PTA business and events, as well as school functions and meeting summaries or minutes are found within the scrapbook. The school year covered marks the last year Miss Nees served as principal of South Ward School before leaving to take the position of principal at Valley View School and some of the later clippings and minutes reflect her leave-taking.

The photos are of New Mexico buildings and a child from around 1935.

The items from the original accession pertaining to the American Association of University Women have been removed to Ms 0290.

Dates

  • 1935 - 1956

Access and Use Restrictions

This material may be examined by researchers under supervised conditions in the Search Room.

Copy Restrictions

Limited duplication is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with copyright and other applicable statutes.

Copyrights associated with this collection have not been transferred and assigned to New Mexico State University.

Biography

Born in 1902, Ruth Nees became a teacher partly because those were the only positions available. Her first teaching job was in a one-room schoolhouse in Montgomery County, Indiana. She received her A.B. from DePauw University in Indiana and went on to teach high school in Gary, IN. In 1932, she moved to New Mexico where she joined the elementary education system in Las Cruces, teaching first at the Grand View School (1934-1936) before accepting the position of principal and teacher at the South Ward School. The old school building, where the first classes of the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts were taught, was torn down and replaced by a new W.P.A. constructed building. Miss Nees continued her education and obtained her Masters of Science in Education from the University of Southern California-Los Angeles in 1950. She served as principal of South Ward School for 18 years from 1936 to 1955, leaving to accept the position of principal of the Valley View School.

In 1943, she joined the faculty at the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, having been hired by the Department of Mathematics to help teach students in the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) during World War II.

Extent

.75 Linear Feet (2 boxes)

Language of Materials

Undetermined

Acquisition

  1. RG 85-73

Related Material

UA-T105 Interview: Ruth Nees by Susan Drake, Las Cruces, NM, March 20, 1977

American Association of University Women Records. Ms 0290. New Mexico State University Library, Archives and Special Collections Department. (Unprocessed collection).
Title
Guide to the Ruth Nees papers
Status
Completed
Author
Processed by Maura Kenny
Date
2004
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the New Mexico State University Library Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Branson Hall
PO Box 30006
MSC 3475
Las Cruces New Mexico 88003 USA