Manuscripts Collection
Esther Jerabek, teacher and librarian, was born October 15, 1897 in Silver Lake, Minnesota, the daughter of Czech immigrants John and Julia (Bren) Jerabek. She graduated (1918) magna cum laude from Macalester College, St. Paul, and received an M.A. degree from the University of Minnesota (1924). She taught school (1918-1923) in Goodhue and Sibley counties and in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, and later (1925-1928) in Rawlins, Wyoming. In 1929 she joined the library technical services staff of the Minnesota Historical Society, where she served as cataloger until her retirement in 1963. She died in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, October 16, 1979.
Jerabek authored many books and articles on Czechs in Minnesota and the United
States, and on library procedures. Her major publications were
The papers include biographical and genealogical information (1937-1964), correspondence files (ca.1964-ca.1975) on the publication of Jerabek's Czechs and Slovaks in North America, a few records of the Folk Arts Foundation of America (1948-1954), articles, reports, and speeches by Jerabek (1933-1950), scrapbooks (1914-1929), a University of Minnesota commencement booklet (1928), and a cookbook (1960).
Accession number: 3197; 5536; 5645; 7156; 12,665
Processed by: Kathryn A. Johnson, March 1997
Catalog ID number: 990017336270104294
The first two folders in box 1 contain two short obituaries of Jerabek (1979), genealogical and other information on the Jerabek family compiled by Jerabek including a brief genealogical chart (1758-1870) of the Frantisek and Jerabek families, vital statistics, family lists (all in Czech), and a manuscript by Jerabek, "One Branch of the Jerabek Family in Czechoslovakia and America" (1964), which briefly describes conditions in Bohemia and Moravia and then describes the eight generations of the family (including the Bren family) from 1758 to 1965. The manuscript also includes a genealogical chart and copies of letters written by Jerabek's grandfather, John L. Jerabek (1861), the diary (1874) of his emigration to the United States and Silver Lake, and an article about him (1903).
The third folder includes an undated essay on conservation (nature) by Elizabeth Jerabek; Esther Jerabek's M.A. degree, University of Minnesota (1924); correspondence (1940, 1944) with the Civil Service Commission relating to her salary and departmental staffing problems at the Minnesota Historical Society; World War II ration books; University of Minnesota Alumni Association "News and Notes" (1944, 1947); her bird watching records (1946); correspondence and other papers in Czech (untranslated, 1964-1977); and a letter (1976) from her niece "Bonnie" containing interesting observations on feminist issues.
Contains invitations; Jerabek's report cards, including transcript of grades (1914-1918); concert and theatrical programs; tickets; clippings on Macalester College events; greeting cards; commencement programs; and a few letters. There are also concert and theatrical programs for non-Macalester events.
Includes a copy of her Goodhue County teaching contract (1918); programs; dance programs; commencement (1919); Macalester Glee Club (1920); clippings; Minnesota Education Association program (1919); ticket stubs; and a few letters.
Includes a handmade scrapbook entitled "A brief history of the life of Miss Jerabek," by Alice Hoefer (1919); copy of her Sibley County teaching contract (October 16-19, 1920); Minnesota Education Association certificate of membership cards (1920-1922); The American Red Cross, Northern Division certificate issued to Jerabek (February 1921); student letters from Gibbon High School; concert and theatrical programs; Gibbon High School theater and commencement programs (1921-1922); clippings; written quotes and sayings; and ticket stubs.
Orchestral and theatrical programs; descriptive booklet regarding Macalester College; her election to Lambda Pi (University of Minnesota, 1924); programs from Gibbon High School (1924); University of Minnesota certification of completion of summer course (1923); University of Minnesota commencement program (1924); Oxford-Minnesota Debate Program (1924); M.E.A. membership card (1923); Fergus Falls High School Athletic Program (1923); and other programs from Fergus Falls, University of Minnesota, and Macalester College (1925-1926).
Mainly relating to her teaching career in Rawlins, Wyoming (1925-1928) including her teaching contracts (1925-1928); programs for concerts and plays; ticket stubs from sporting events; commencement programs; tally cards; a few letters from family and friends; greeting cards; summer session programs (UCLA, 1927); and related materials.
Includes Czech recipes.
The recipes were found in the back of the cookbook.
An extensive file of correspondence between Jerabek and historical
societies, museums, churches, schools, ethnic organizations, and
individuals relating to the publication of
A small group of Jerabek's academic papers, articles, speeches, and reports, mostly dealing with Czechs in Minnesota, Minnesota ethnic history, librarianship, and the Jerabek family.
Holograph copy of selected text from the
Presented to a meeting of the McLeod County Historical Society.
Two separate versions.