Government Records
Robert L. Snook was employed by the Commission from October 1957 to October 1958 as head of the Pageantry and Drama Consulting Service, which assisted county Centennial committees, schools, churches and organizations in planning and producing historical stage presentations incorporating the Centennial theme. He made 60 trips to communities throughout the state, serving as a consultant in 33 major pageants and two major musicals. He also produced the Statehood Day Commemorative Ceremony, Capitol rotunda ceremonies inaugurating the Centennial year, and several television programs; cooperated with the University of Minnesota Drama Advisory Service in publishing the pamphlet History Through Drama; developed and published a listing of music selections for use in Centennial productions; reproduced and distributed select scripts for use throughout the state; and coordinated the appearances of Miss Centennial Minnesota Diane Albers.
The files include correspondence, interoffice memos, scripts, contracts and agreements, information sheets, and related materials covering such topics as costumes, community and school productions, requests for assistance, sample scripts and pageants, appearance requests for Miss Centennial Minnesota and her photograph and clothing contracts, Statehood Day recordings, and distribution of publications, including Music Suggestions for Statehood Centennial Productions and Music Festivals, Voice of the River, and Minnesota-Land of Our Fathers.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the
Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics,
persons or places should
Accession number(s): None
Processed by: Charles Rodgers and Cheri Thies, October 2003
Catalog ID No.: 0900323728
Includes a description of the service, materials supplied to the county committees in relation to music and budgets, interoffice memos documenting service activities and also reporting on statewide pageants and productions, and miscellaneous correspondence with organizations covering all aspects of Centennial pageants.
Samples kept by Snook of correspondence he received asking for assistance in local pageant production; also sample scripts and programs.
Mainly dealing with Minnesota, written by Cliff Sakry for the Territorial Centennial and updated for the state celebration.
Materials distributed by the pageant service, including Music Suggestions for Statehood Centennial Productions and Music Festivals, by the Commission and Schmitt Music Company; Voice of the River, a pageant written by the fifth grade students of the Minneapolis University Elementary School; Minnesota--Land of Our Fathers, a pageant for grade schools by Viola C. McConnell; and information sheets on a wide variety of Centennial related topics.
Correspondence and related documents covering personal appearances of Miss Centennial Minnesota Diane Albers, including contracts/releases with Merle Morris Photography and Stevensons, a Minneapolis clothing store, and information on her voice lessons.
Agreement to have Miss Centennial Minnesota feature Lynbrook Fashions dresses during some of her appearances and correspondence regarding coordinating this contract with the Stevensons' agreement.
Listing of event, date, hours, sponsoring organization, function (parade, luncheon/banquet, etc.), details of the duties or special instructions for the queen, type of dress, and hostess name and address for all appearances from March through September.
Mainly correspondence and legal documents relating to the recording of Herbert Krauses' "Minnesota--Giant From the Wooded Earth," as performed by Walter Abel and the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra at the Statehood Day celebration.
NOTE: Phonographic and reel-to-reel audio copies of this reading are cataloged separately under Minnesota Statehood Centennial Commission Audio materials.