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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.

Two folders of correspondence written by Murray McMurray (class of 1910). The bulk of the correspondence is addressed to Jessie.

One black wool banner with red lettering "Grinnell." Measures 22 inches x 25 inches.

6 folders and boxes.

Materials related to the Grinnell College experience of Virginia "Ginny" Lobell Rosen, class of 1948.

Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) was established in 2021 with Schvalla R. Rivera as the first Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Chief Diversity Officer, and Senior Advisor to the President.

Letters exchanged between 1934-1940 between Jean Pottenger and William A. Schneider Jr., as well as some letters from other friends and family. Copy of the Mentored Advanced Project (MAP) on their correspondence and some extra information the donor shared.

The bulk of the materials are from Dennis Haas' tenure as chaplain with a few records from Roger Lee Eldridge's time. The files are generally in alphabetical order and contain chapel bulletins, budgets, and programs/speakers; files of college committees on which Haas served; files of liaison committees between the town and the college; numerous records of the Inner-City work study/seminar project from 1965-71; and historical information about Herrick Chapel and the people who used it.

In addition to attending to the religious needs of the college students, Grinnell College chaplains have been intimately and actively involved with social issues. Included in the collection are materials relating to Black students on the Grinnell campus, conscientious objectors and men seeking to avoid the draft, and an off-campus student coffeehouse. The Inner-City project may be an early example of Grinnell students caring for people less privileged than they and attempting to both learn about them and to assist them, much as students of the 1990s have participated in the I Have a Dream and the Alternative Break programs.

Grinnell College has had an active chapel program since the college began. In more modern times there was a dean of the chapel who functioned as chaplain. Winston L. King, also a professor of philosophy and religion, served from 1949-1962 and Howard Burkle, a professor of religion, was acting dean from 1958-60. In October 1963 Roger Lee Eldridge was installed as the first college chaplain, and he was succeeded in 1966 by Dennis Haas who served in that capacity until 1996. Both Eldridge and Haas were professors of religious studies. Deanna Shorb became chaplain upon Haas' retirement. Currently the Chaplain's Office is within the Office of Student Affairs; earlier in Mr. Haas' tenure it was independent and the chaplain reported to the president

The Center for Religion, Spirituality, and Social Justice is dedicated to fostering and celebrating a diversity of practice and opinion regarding religion, spirituality, culture, ability, disability, and social justice policy. They encourage and support engagement on our campus, in the broader Grinnell community and the global commons, in the form of dialogue, programming, and service.

Eight documents, mainly manuscripts, from late eighteenth to nineteenth century Haiti donated by Hugh Hagius.