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This collection is organized into four series: Biographical, Correspondence, Military, and Photographs.

Series 1: Biographical (1924-1981)

The Biographical series includes personal items including Ley’s birth certificate, framed high school basketball letter, and Catechism bible, as well as a handwritten copy of a poem composed by his mother for his funeral service. The series also includes an extensive scrapbook including photos, personal and educational documents, and newspaper clippings from early childhood until after his death.

Series 2: Correspondence (1939-1946)

The Correspondence series consists of three sub-series: letters written by Jimmy Ley, letters written to Ley and returned to his parents, and letters written to his parents after his disappearance. Ley’s letters are almost exclusively addressed to his parents and date from between just before he first attended Grinnell College in the fall of 1939 until his disappearance in February 1944. Ley’s letters are organized chronologically and divided into folders by location, mostly military camps where Ley was stationed. Mostly written by the families of other missing men in Ley’s flight crew, the letters to Jimmy’s parents after his death date from between November 1944 and August 1945 and are arranged alphabetically by sender’s last name.

Series 3: Military (unkown-1948)

The Military series consists of Ley’s official certificates and awards, bomb squadron yearbook, air force patch, and framed medals (Distinguished Flying Cross, 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, and Purple Heart).

Series 4: Photographs (unknown-1945)

The Photographs series includes fifteen unframed photographs, a portrait in a display folder, a framed photo collage documenting the medals Ley earned, a large framed portrait displayed at Ley’s funeral, and a large framed artistic collage of Ley’s plane and flight crew.

Included are “memories of a Freshman Year”, a reminiscence given at the class of 1940’s 50th reunion dinner on June 2, 1990, as well a “Moments in a Grinnell Experience” given at the Class of 1940’s 55th reunion dinner on June 2, 1995. These typed speeches include photographs of comical sketches of the Grinnell experience as drawn by Wes Davies. In an oversize drawer marked “Moments in a Grinnell Experience”, there are drafts of the sketches, full-sized sketches, and copies of the reminiscences.

Series 1: Biographical about Isabella Beaton, including recital pamphlets, family photographs, materials on the Beaton School of Music, academic degrees . Minimal biographical information about her cousin, Abby Williams-Hill, and her father, William Beaton, are also included.

Series 2: Correspondence to and from Isabella Beaton, Carrie Park, Ada Park, Ruth Hubbard, William Beaton

Series 3: Three pieces of music composed by Isabella Beaton and information about one piece for which there is no existing music.

Series 4: Pieces of music and music magazines owned by, but not created by, Isabella Beaton and/or The Beaton School of Music.

Isabella Beaton graduated from the Iowa College Conservatory of Music in 1890.