Buffalo Chips
The Newsletter for
THE CENTER FOR WESTERN STUDIES
Augustana College
Volume 1, Edition 2
Sioux Falls, SO 57197
1982
Parker papers afe processed
The extensive collection of research
materials and personal papers of Dr.
Donald D . Parker, Ph .D ., long-time
professor of history and chairman of the
department at South Dakota State, is
currently being processed for permanent
deposition at the Center for Western
Studies. The collection will be a part of
the archives . During the time Dr.
Parker was at SDS U he did extensive
research and wrote prolifically on the
history of the region. He specialized in
local histories, county histories, and
church histories . He also wrote several
regular columns for regional
newspapers.
He is the author of several books , in­cluding
Early Churches and Towns in South
Dakota and Recollections of Philander
Prescott) Frontiersman of the Old Northwest
1819-1862.
Upon his retirement he and his wife
moved to the Southwest. For a number
of years he continued to do research and
writing, but had to give it up because of
poor health. When he realized he could
no longer continue active research, he
made the decision to return all of his
reSQUrce materials to South Dakota
where they originated. It was at that
timt!" (1977 -78) that he began negotia­tions
with the Center for Western
Studies. Tom Kilian, a member of the
CWS Board was instrumental in secur-
April 2 -3
Dakota History Con­ference,
Madison, S.D.
April 19-June 1
Handcarved Decoy Col­lection
Display, CWS
April 21
History Day
H.S. Students
April 23-24
S.D. Academy of Science
Meetings, Augustana
During the preparation of this
feature , we received word that Dr.
Donald Parker died at his home in
Duarte, Cal. , from an apparent
heart attack on March 25, 1982.
Dr. Parker retired from active
teaching at SDSU in 1962. The
Parkers lived in Brookings for a few
years following retirement , then
moved to Sante Fe, where they lived
for seven years. They then moved to
Duarte in the Los Angeles area. Mrs.
Parker died in 1980. Dr. Parker suf­fered
some health problems that
resulted in greatly impaired vision.
He was unable to do any active
research or writing in recent years.
A memorial fund in the name of
Dr. Parker is being established at the
Center.
The late Dr. and Mrs. Parker
UPCOMING
EVENTS
April 28
Episcopal Archives Open
House, 7:30 p .m., CWS
May 7-8
Chandler Institute on
Indian Studies, Pierre
May 23
Augustana College Bac
calaureate & Commence­ment
ing the collection . Kilian and Sven
Froila nd visited him and strongly en­couraged
him to place the collection with
the Center. H e made the decision, and
lengthy discu ssions followed in regard to
the procedure, timing and u ltimate
deposition of the Collection at the CWS.
Gradually over the next few years Dr .
Parker sorted, packed, and shipped box
after box of material to the Center.
The final box arrived last summer ,
shipped by Dr. Parker's daughter, Mrs.
Jessie Strauss of Bremerton, Wash. In
total, 43 boxes have been received from
the Parkers.
Alan Schwartz, the Center archivist,
is cu rrently working hard on sorting,
organ iz ing, and incorporating the
material into the Center's arch ives. It
consists primarily of correspondence,
manuscripts, transcripts of personal ac­counts
and newspapers, booklets, pam­phlets,
photos, maps, and clippings ,
primarily on South Dakota topics.
Donald Parker felt strongly that the
fruits of his lifetime of research and col­lecting
should be permanently preserved
and that it should remain in South
Dakota and in a place where it could be
utilized by act.ive researchers, scholars,
and students. It is an excellent, valuable
collection, one that adds immeasurably
to the primary resource material now
available at the Center.
July 9-11
Nordlandfest
James Bjerk's Historial
. Photo Collection, CWS
July 31-August 1
Canton Academy
Alumni Reunion
September
J ohn Allen's Wildlife
Art Show
October 29-30
Annual Fall Meeting
November 12-14
Western Art Show