Manuscripts Collection
Carlton Chester Orlando Qualey was born December 17, 1904 in Spring Grove, Minnesota, the son of Ole O. (1858-1937) and Clara Amalia Knatterud (1868-1947) Qualey. He spent his boyhood in Spring Grove, graduating from Spring Grove High School in 1922. He enrolled in a teacher training program at the high school and received a common school teaching certificate. At the age of 18 he was appointed a teacher in School District 85 (Houston County, Minn.). He taught there for two years before entering St. Olaf College (Northfield, Minnesota) in 1925. After his graduation in 1929 with a degree in history, he received a graduate teaching assistantship at the University of Minnesota. He received a Master of Arts in history in 1930.
A fellowship from Columbia University enabled him to teach and earn his doctorate in history in 1938. During this time he also was working as an historian with the National Park Service. He taught at Columbia University (Bard College, Teachers College, Graduate School), 1936-1944; Swarthmore College, 1944-1945; Columbia Graduate School, 1945-1946; and Carleton College (Northfield, Minn.), 1946-1970. He also served as a visiting professor at other schools, 1951-1976. In addition, he served as the superintendent of the Minnesota Historical Society, 1947-1948, returning there in 1970 as a research fellow and initiator of the Ethnic History Project (1973-1981).
His fields of research were European migrations to America, and Scandinavian emigration in particular.
He married Elizabeth Cummings in 1933. They had two children: John and Mary. Carlton Qualey died March 25, 1988.
These records are organized into the following sections:
The collection documents the academic career of a college history professor and researcher specializing in ethnic and immigration history, especially regarding Norwegian immigration to the United States. The papers contain an autobiography, correspondence (1926-1988), academic papers (1929-1936), research files (1933-1940), class syllabi (1942-1973), association and organization records (1939-1987), conference and seminar materials (1947-1985), speeches (1949-1982), publications (ca. 1938-1983), miscellaneous subject files (1925-1985), photographs, book reviews, and newspaper clippings.
The correspondence is from students, colleagues, and other researchers. Very little personal correspondence is included. School records document his own schooling (1910-1925) and his work as a teacher in a rural public school (1923-1925). The academic papers (1929-1936) include theses written to fulfill requirements for his academic degrees. National Park Service papers (1933-1937) document his career as a historical technician. The material documenting his academic career (1934-1985) at Bard College, Columbia University, Swarthmore College, Finch Junior College, and Carleton College includes correspondence, minutes, reports, and class syllabus files.
Qualey was closely associated with the Minnesota Historical Society (1939-1970), serving as superintendent (1947-1948) and remaining thereafter on the executive committee. The MHS files do not reflect his work after 1970 as a research fellow. He was a member of the Organization of American Historians (1965-1973), Norwegian-American Historical Association (1931-1987), and Mississippi Valley Historical Association (1940-1967) and his professional correspondence files reflect his work on the editorial board of the NAHA and on various program committees, as well as his own journal articles. The section on conferences and seminars (1944-1985) contains correspondence, reports, papers, and programs associated with various meetings he attended. His speech files (undated, 1949-1982) mainly contain speeches about ethnic migration.
Publications (1938-1983) include book reviews, articles, and materials relating to his books. Trips to Scandinavia in 1934 and to the Soviet Union in 1958 are documented. Research materials include transcripts and translations of letters and articles. Census materials (1850-1900) relating to the immigration and subsequent migration of Scandinavians in the Upper Midwest compose the majority of the research material.
Scholarship and grant information (1952-1974), miscellaneous subject files (1925-1985), and photocopied newspaper clippings (1920s-1930s) containing genealogical information about families in Minnesota are also included. Certificates and diplomas are housed in an oversize box.
A group of microfilmed statistical charts illustrating the geographic dispersion of immigrant groups in Minnesota, compiled by Qualey as part of his work on the Minnesota Ethnic History Project, is cataloged separately.
Accession numbers: 13,642: 13,812; 14,004; 14,482
Processed by: Bonnie Beatson Palmquist, February 1989
Catalog ID number: 09-00022469
Correspondents include historians Merle Curti, Ryan Fox Dixon (Union College, N.Y.), Herbert Heaton and George Stephenson (University of Minnesota), and Arthur M. Schlesinger (Harvard University).
Correspondence concerned with Qualey's research topics, academic career, and literary endeavors, as well as a few personal letters.
Correspondents in this alphabetical sequence include the Association of Lutheran College Faculties, Clara W. Blegen (1948-1984), Michael Brook, Kenneth O. Bjork (Norwegian-American Society), Ray A. Billington (Huntington Library), John Hope Franklin (University of Chicago), John T. Flanagan, Laurence Gould, Kurt Hedumann (conditions in Norway, 1947-1948), Hubert H. Humphrey (1951-1975), Lloyd Hustvedt, Erling M. Hunt (Teachers College, Columbia University, 1946-1953), Felix E. Hirsch (Bard College, N.Y., 1947-1981), Esther Jerabek, Frank Kille (Carleton College, 1950-1958), John A. Krout (Columbia University, 1946-1949), Taro Kawa (1947-1986), Helen Thane Katz (1966-1978), Grace Lee Nute (1949-1950), and Abbott Smith (1947-1981).
Correspondence concerning Albion's visiting professorship at Carleton in spring 1966.
Boe was president of St. Olaf College.
Correspondence with Buck, a former superintendent of the Minnesota Historical Society, who later became Archivist of the United States.
Letters from Johnson, a professor in Norway. Many are in Norwegian.
Correspondence with historian Nevins, who taught at Columbia University from 1923 to 1958, as well as correspondence (1955-1960) about Qualey's essay in a book honoring Nevins.
Nason was a president at Carleton College.
Semmingsen was a professor at the University of Oslo.
Shippee was a professor at the University of Minnesota.
Report cards, photographs, and a play program.
Memorabilia of Qualey's two years of teaching (photographs, pupils' record book, class lists, etc.), as well as his contract.
Programs, directories, newspaper clippings, and material concerning the 35th and 50th reunion of the class of 1929.
Correspondence concerning Qualey's school records at the University and his scholarships at Columbia, as well as his teaching assignments at Columbia's summer sessions.
Honors Thesis, St. Olaf College. Also includes an additional paper.
M.A. thesis, University of Minnesota.
Includes a souvenir pictorial card (1907), research notes, and an article published by Norwegian-American Historical Association, 1936.
Correspondence, research notes, and paper of L. M. Larson: "The Norwegian Settlement Element in the Northwest, 1833-1933," 15 p., as well as Qualey's paper: "Norwegian Settlement in the United States," delivered at the New York History Conference, January 9, 1933.
Qualey was appointed a Historical Technician on Emergency Conservation Work and assigned to Gettysburg National Military Park and Meriwether Lewis National Monument for the summer of 1933. Each park's group of historical assistants researched the event commemorated by each park and reviewed the actual ongoing project work. The file includes a description of the plans for the National Archives building in Washington, D.C. (April 24, 1934). Qualey was appointed Assistant Historian in the National Park Service, April 27, 1934 and Junior Park Historian on July 6, 1935. He resigned September 6, 1935 after receiving an appointment to the faculty of New College in Columbia University.
Correspondence with Olaf T. Hagen and Lewis M. Anderson, who were assigned to the camp near Hohenwald, Tennessee as historical assistants, and who were responsible for the accuracy of the work done by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Correspondence with William Allison and John B. Wolf, historical assistants at Gettysburg.
Qualey was a historical assistant with the Federal Emergency Administration, hired to research materials pertaining to Jamestown, Virginia.
Reports, memoranda, and correspondence relating to Bard College and its relationship to Columbia University. Includes information on the Committee on Hudson River Valley Studies, 1941-1942.
Correspondence about Qualey's teaching appointments.
Coursework for the Army Specialized Training Program, and the commencement address of April 27, 1944.
(part of Qualey's research) Typed copy (100 pp.) of diary kept on the ship
Coursework for the summer sessions.
Correspondence relating to his teaching assignments.
Correspondence relating to teaching American history to Navy personnel.
Correspondence about part-time teaching assignments in addition to his schedule at Swarthmore College.
Correspondence concerning the feasibility of a new college.
Correspondence about Qualey's candidacy for president.
Correspondence about Qualey's candidacy for president.
Fellowships for one year of graduate study to prepare for careers in college teaching.
History of the American Frontier and Seminar in U.S. History.
Correspondence relating to Qualey's appointment as a visiting professor. Includes course outline and bibliographies.
Qualey taught a course entitled "Immigrant in American History."
Materials used by Qualey in his history courses. Files may include notes, bibliographies, outlines, and examination questions.
Questions used at year-end examinations.
Examination questions.
Qualey taught a summer session course at Macalester College (St. Paul).
Correspondence, memoranda, and reports concerning a program in American studies at Carleton College. It was made possible by the establishment of the Fred C. Andersen Foundation in American Studies.
Correspondence and course material used by Qualey as a Visiting Coe Professor in Stanford's Institute of History in the summer of 1966.
Lecture notes.
Correspondence and a chapter of a proposed book on "The Survey in United States History."
Includes
Minutes, correspondence, and statements relating to professional ethics.
Correspondence, reports, and programs relating to annual meetings. Qualey was a participant in the immigration history section, as well as a member of the nominating committee.
Includes two translated letters of 1854 and 1858, and some financial statements and minutes, 1947).
It was written in Waseca on October 3, 1869 and published in Vol. 27 of Journal.
Includes correspondence of Grace Lee Nute.
Includes constitution, annual meeting program (1951), and Qualey's speech, April 20, 1951.
Qualey was program chair.
Includes certificate of incorporation, 1944.
Correspondence relating to Qualey's association with the University while he was superintendent of the Minnesota Historical Society.
Correspondence, reports, and agendas.
Correspondence and reports.
Correspondence with Qualey about members of the Institute of Current World Affairs visiting Carleton College.
Pre-medical education; includes reports.
Material on yearly conference.
Correspondence and papers given at a conference honoring Theodore C. Blegen on his retirement.
Correspondence and reports.
Seminar held at the Newberry Library (Chicago); includes correspondence and reports.
Conference reports.
Includes correspondence, program, and Qualey's paper.
Qualey was a participant at an international congress held in Wuppertal, Germany; includes correspondence and papers presented.
Conference held at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
Correspondence, progress reports, minutes, action proposals, and registration list of a conference held in Minneapolis.
Qualey's paper, "The People Came," presented at the annual meeting.
Qualey was a spring conference participant.
Uppsala International Migration Course held in Minneapolis.
Qualey's paper "The Cornish: A Mining Elite."
Includes research on George M. Stephenson.
Correspondence and book reviews by Qualey.
Correspondence and research material relating to various talks.
Delivered over Northfield Radio Station WCAL.
Institute on American Studies, Resources of History for Study of the Midwest.
Commencement address given at Austin, Medford, and Northfield, Minnesota schools.
Notes.
Annual meeting in Minneapolis.
Spring Grove High School Commencement.
An address that was tape recorded for the Norwegian Information Service.
Delivered at Western Reserve Historical Society (Cleveland).
Delivered at St. Scholastica College (Duluth, Minn.).
About the Minnesota Ethnic History Project and the resulting publication,
Correspondence and notes.
Newspaper clippings.
Outline, forward, chapter 1, and part of chapter 2 of a proposed book.
Manuscript copy.
Articles and research.
Qualey's essay, "Immigration, Emigration, Migration," was included in a volume honoring Dean Wittke. Includes correspondence with O. Fritiof Ander, professor of history, Augustana College (Rock Island, Ill.).
Correspondence with publishers.
Correspondence and article which appeared in
Correspondence and miscellaneous papers concerning a seminar on Thorstein Veblen
(Carleton College, Class of 1880), held in celebration of Carleton's centennial
year (1965). Guest speakers were John Kenneth Galbraith, Charles B. Friday, Thomas
C. Cochran, David W. Noble, Joseph Dorfman, and Isador Lubin. The speakers' essays
were edited by Qualey, who wrote an introduction. The book,
Typed transcript and original notes of Elizabeth and Carlton's trip to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and England.
Correspondence, typed transcript, and Qualey's original notes about his trip to the Soviet Union. He was one of 12 professors to visit under a grant from the Hill Family Foundation of St. Paul.
Correspondence relating to Qualey's subsequent talks and speeches about the Soviet Union to civic and cultural groups.
Correspondence and articles for a proposed publication consisting of papers written by the 12 professors who visited the Soviet Union in 1958.
Correspondence and miscellaneous material relating to a trip (Aug. 14-Sept. 10) taken by Qualey and his daughter, Mary, sponsored by the Swedish Pioneer Historical Society. While there, Qualey attended the International Congress of Historical Sciences (Aug. 21-28). Includes letters from Carlton and Mary Qualey to Elizabeth and John Qualey in Minnesota.
Transcriptions (Norwegian and English) of letters written (1874-1875) by Gjerdrum to a newspaper in Norway about his trip to America. Includes translation and photographs of newspaper pages and Qualey's notes for his paper.
Translations of articles of Evang, director of public health services in Norway.
Transcribed letters in Norwegian and English and other miscellaneous material.
Correspondence concerning Qualey's request for information.
Articles by Qualey on the history of the Scandinavians in Michigan and their church
organizations; includes article for
Copy of paper found in the State Historical Society of Wisconsin.
Includes correspondence and application.
Grant for support of a study of European migration to the U.S. since 1815; includes expense book.
Qualey received its support for his history of immigration.
Correspondence and miscellaneous material concerning Qualey's research leave.
Application for a senior fellowship for the Ethnic History Project.
Minutes and correspondence of committees formed to celebrate the centennial of the first permanent Norwegian settlement in the American West, and the second in America.
Correspondence and permit for erection of a summer home on Gunflint Lake. The home was never built.
Correspondence, schedules, and miscellaneous material.
Correspondence relating to summer camps for John and Mary Qualey.
Photocopy of a letter of Rodgers to his wife, Minerva (May 23, 1811); includes a letter to John Qualey explaining this gift to him.
Committee correspondence.
Programs about immigration presented on Twin Cities public television.
Correspondence and miscellaneous material relating to the election of 1964.
Ward 1, Northfield, Minnesota. Qualey was active in the party.
Program committee correspondence.
Correspondence in response to Qualey's letters in the
Correspondence relating to the publication and distribution of Elizabeth Cummings Qualey's memoirs.
Bylaws, correspondence, minutes, reports, and financial information of a St. Paul neighborhood association. Includes minutes of the District 12 Council.
Typed transcriptions of articles in
Letters from Blegen to Qualey, with a few from Qualey to Blegen.
The correspondence concerns Qualey's work on his thesis, his jobs and teaching assignments, and his research help for Dr. Blegen. Blegen wrote as superintendent of the Minnesota Historical Society, managing editor of the Norwegian American Historical Review, and as dean of the graduate school, University of Minnesota (1940-1960). He also served (1943-1944) as Director of the American Historical Association's Historical Service Board in Washington, D.C. Qualey was associated with Blegen in the Norwegian American Historical Association as an editor.
A two-page paper by Qualey (ca. Dec. 19, 1969) details his work for and friendship with Blegen, along with a chronology of their relationship.
Miscellaneous newspaper clippings (photocopies) in English and Norwegian.
Newspaper columns (photocopies) from the 1920s-1930s written in Norwegian. Many contain genealogical information about families in Minnesota.
Poster bearing picture of band.
Qualey's confirmation.
Qualey, 50-year member.
Miscellaneous correspondence regarding his academic and research activities.
Correspondence, reviews, and miscellaneous material.
Correspondence and paper delivered at conference in Germany.