ELWYN B. ROBINSON DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

CHESTER FRITZ LIBRARY

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA

GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA 58202

TOBY BAKER PAPERS

COLLECTION: OGL # 1398

 

DATES: 1992-1999

 

SIZE: 15 linear feet

 

INTRODUCTION

ACQUISITION: The Toby Baker Papers were deposited in the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection by Toby Baker, UND First Lady, in June 1999 (Acc.#99-2369).

 

ACCESS: Available for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Department of Special Collections.

 

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Toby Baker was the First Lady of the University of North Dakota from 1992-1999. A native of Laramie , Wyoming , she graduated from the University of Wyoming with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism in 1976. She also earned a Master of Arts degree in creative writing from UND in 1998. Her thesis was entitled "Prairie Meadows: A Play in Three Acts; Based on the Play Our Town , by Thornton Wilder."

 

During her time as First Lady, Baker was active in a number of campus and local organizations, including the UND International Cultural Centre, the UND Era Bell Thompson Cultural Center , and the Grand Forks County Historical Society. She also hosted a popular radio talk show entitled "Toby Talk," on KCNN, AM1590 in Grand Forks . At a regional and national level, she was involved with the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation, as well as the Council of Spouses for the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges.

 

Toby Baker left UND in 1999, when her husband, Dr. Kendall Baker, accepted the presidency at Ohio Northern University in Ada , Ohio . She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in studio art from ONU in 2006, and currently works as an artist focusing on sculpture and painting.

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Toby Baker Papers date from 1992-199, and consist of clothing, photographs, calendars, schedules, memorandum, invitations, thank yous, guest lists, speeches, gifts, and other materials relating to Baker's time as the University of North Dakota's First Lady. A total of t wenty-two audio cassette tapes were separated and placed in the Audiotape Collection. The tapes consist of recordings of Baker's popular radio show, Toby Talk.

BOX AND FOLDER INVENTORY

Box 1

Folder

  1. 1992 Meet Ken and Toby Baker Parties
  2. First Lady
  3. Inauguration October 1992
  4. History of UND's First Ladies
  5. National Association of Universities and land colleges
  6. Alumni Days 1992-1998
  7. North Dakota Tea 1992-1993
  8. International Center Board Information 1993
  9. Leadership Notes 1993
  10. Careers in Communications 1993
  11. Seize the Day - Rushee 'Leadership' Talk
  12. "Free Lance" Lecture 1993
  13. Life with a Workaholic Notes 1993
  14. UND Honorary Coach 1995
  15. Sioux Pride Task Force 1993
  16. Off-the-beaten Path Tour 1993-1994
  17. Entertaining at the Presidents Residence November 1993-May 1994
  18. New Faculty Tour 1993-1994
  19. New Faculty Tour 1997
  20. UND Art Museum Gala Benefit Dinner 1993/1996
  21. Home Coming Schedule 1993-1997
  22. 1995 New Faculty tour-ND Tourist Information
  23. 100 Years of Football 1994
  24. Notes for "Living in a Fish bowl" speech 1994
  25. Tips on Mingling - Summer Counselor Message 1995
  26. "P.R. of Being a R.A." 1995
  27. Overview to ambassadors to the President
  28. Alumni Reunions 1996
  29. Third Grade Tour 1996
  30. Thank Yous from Lake Agassiz Elementary School Kids
  31. Marketing Yourself 1996
  32. Shakespeare in our Backyard 1996
  33. Naturalization Ceremony 1997
  34. Flood Notes 1997
  35. Flood Journal
  36. Date Book 1997
  37. Norway 1997
  38. SIOUX Booster M.C. Notes 1997
  39. Camp Depression
  40. Memorial Stadium Early Home to UND Athletes
  41. Catering Requests 1993-1994
  42. Catering Requests 1995-1996
  43. Catering Requests 1996-1997
  44. Catering Requests 1997-1998

 

Box 2

Folder

  1. Date Book 1998
  2. Hultberg Lecture 1998
  3. Round Table Tea with the Dames 1998
  4. Health, Wealth, and Self 1998
  5. The House the UND's Community Built 1998
  6. 1999 Division II Women's Basketball Championship
  7. Transition Notes to Adele Kupchella 1999
  8. 1932/1934 Commencement Programs
  9. Fabric from the President's Coach
  10. Ken and Toby's Name Pins
  11. Miscellaneous

 Box 3

-Jumbo Cards

-Toby Talk Cartoon

-Sand Bag from Students

-3 point sign

-100 Years of Football Sign

-Sioux Stix

-Pompom

-Hultberg Lecture Scrapbook

-Buttons

-Manual for National Association of Universities and Land Colleges

 

Clothes

Box 4     

  1. "A rotten place to visit, but I sure want to live there. Red River Valley Flood,   1997."
  2. " Grand Forks Herald"
  3. "No Food, Water, Power No Problem. Red River Valley Flood of the Century.   1590 KCNN News talk radio."
  4. "Come Hell and High Water"
  5. "Grand Forks I survived the Great Come Hell and High Water Flood 1997 East   Grand Forks."
  6. "Mucked out, Stripped down, power washed, and sanitized. Red River Valley   Flood worker 1997."
  7. "1995 UND Student Ambassador"
  8. "Und New student Orientation '96"
  9. "UND Student Government"

 

Box 5   

  1. "A miracle in progress "Celebration of thanks" Grand Forks , ND "
  2. "The use of history UND 29 th Annual Writers Conference March 24-27, 1998"
  3. "H.O.T. Staff 1997"
  4. "Come hell or high hog. Texas Lil's world's largest smoker smoken' up a   Texas size BBQ for Greater Grand Forks."
  5. "I survived the North Dakota Blizzards and Flood 1996-1997"
  6. "Dakota Student Governing UND for more than 110 years"
  7. "UND Proud"
  8. "UND Proud"
  9. " University of North Dakota Top 10"
  10. "1999 Greek Week"
  11. "New student orientation Start exploring your future!"
  12. "First night greater Grand Forks Glacier Beach December 31, 1997"

Box 6      

  1. "UND Student Ambassadors"
  2. "UND Solar Car Team"
  3. "UND"
  4. "UND Faculty Ambassador"
  5. "UND Student Ambassador"

 

Box 7

  1. White "UND"
  2. Green "UND"

 

Box 8   

  1. Leather jacket from Ralph Engelstad. "UND 1996-1997 NCAA and WCHA   Hockey Champions"
  2. Apron Made by Ruth Unruh Dickinson Husband George

 

 Box 9

Folder

Photographs: At least one photograph from each folder was photocopied, and placed into a three binder entitled "Presidents-Baker." The binder has been placed on the shelves with the other binders for the University Archives Photograph Collection. Researchers will need to look in the folders to find the remaining photographs which were not copied.

 

  1. Aerial Pictures of Flood: Point Bridge , Lincoln Park , and Demers Bridge
  2. Aerial Pictures of Flood
  3. Aerial Pictures of Flood in downtown Grand Forks
  4. Aerial Pictures of UND campus
  5. Aftermath of Blizzard Hannah: beginning to flood, preliminary clay dike, and sandbagging.
  6. Airport Pictures at Arrival of President Clinton
  7. Alabama Football Game in the Rain
  8. Alumni Party
  9. Ambassador Party
  10. Arrival of President Clinton
  11. Art Museum Dinner
  12. Base Retention Hearing: dinner decoration at Breckenridge condo
  13. Bismarck Pow Wow: Kitchen carpet, flower beds around campus, building of sunroom, and custom dresses.
  14. Boy Scout Lawn Party
  15. Blizzard Pictures- during and after
  16. Blizzard Pictures- spring 1997
  17. Brass Quintet
  18. Building the Sunroom
  19. Campus Flooding 1
  20. Campus Flooding 2
  21. Campus Pictures after the Flood: porta-potties arrive, muddy dikes, streets with debris, and coulee flooding.
  22. Campus Scenes in Winter
  23. China Airlines Dinner (set up)
  24. Christmas Entertaining
  25. Christmas Party
  26. Christmas Picture, 1992
  27. Coulee Flooding
  28. Day 1 of 1996 Blizzard: inside
  29. Day 2 of 1996 Blizzard: outside
  30. Day After the Blizzard of 1995
  31. Final Hosted Dinner, June 1999 ,packing
  32. Flooding: sandbagging and dikes
  33. Graduation Pictures
  34. Graduation Speaker/ Ceremony 1999
  35. Homecoming Parade
  36. Ice Storm 1999
  37. Ice Storm on UND Campus, dinner with women's Basketball team, Swimmers/ Divers Luncheon
  38. International Women's Day
  39. Ken's Cabinet Farewell Party June 1999
  40. Ken's Final Commencement May 1999
  41. Lincoln Park Damage, Ken driving solar car- subzero
  42. Luncheon for Adele Kupchella May 1999
  43. Meals and Showers at Thompson High School , flood pictures
  44. Miscellaneous
  45. Miscellaneous Flood 1997
  46. Miscellaneous Rock, one picture of Toby Baker with Tony Bennett.
  47. New Facility Tour, Walker , MN
  48. North Dakota Art Museum Dinner
  49. North Dakota Cheer Team and Homecoming Parade
  50. Peace Garden
  51. Physical Plant Party
  52. Pictures of People in Cold Football Stadium
  53. Pine Bluff Arkansas Women's Basketball National Tournament, pre and post win
  54. Pine Bluff Arkansas Women's Basketball : people and pep rally
  55. Post Flood: Downtown Ruins
  56. Post Flood: UND Campus 1
  57. Post Flood: UND Campus 2
  58. Post Flood: UND Campus 3
  59. Press Conference with President Clinton
  60. Receding Water
  61. Reception
  62. Redtag Diner 1
  63. Redtag Diner 2 , receding water , FEMA conference, health clinic
  64. Rising Water 1, miscellaneous
  65. Rising Water 2, around UND campus
  66. Rising Water 3, footbridge getting flooded
  67. Rising Water 4, coulee and near the railroad tracks behind UND
  68. Rising Water 5, around UND campus
  69. Rising Water 6, around UND, sandbagging and the dikes
  70. Rising Water 7, around UND campus
  71. Rising Water 8, around UND campus
  72. Ryan Hall- FEMA Conference
  73. Sandbagging, flooding around campus
  74. Save the Base Rally
  75. Scandinavian Art Museum
  76. Search Party- "You won't find a better Baker"
  77. Spring at the Coulee
  78. Spring Snow on the Coulee, miscellaneous dinner party pictures
  79. Student Ambassador Party and Sing
  80. Student Ambassador Valentines Reception
  81. Summer Days, luncheons and parties
  82. Sun Rayce St. Francis , KS
  83. Sunsets on Campus after the Rain
  84. Table Centerpieces and set ups, third grade carpet picnic
  85. Tea with Toby
  86. Thanksgiving with Guests
  87. Toby's Graduation
  88. Town Meeting in Aftermath of Flood
  89. Trip to North Dakota , first day at work as president
  90. UND Christmas Dinner
  91. UND Flying Team
  92. Western Theme Dinner
  93. Winter Pictures 1997
  94. Winter Scenes 1995
  95. Winter Scenes on Campus

 

Gifts

Box 10

  Gift 9 Glass Jars

  Gift 10 Brass Vase   

  Gift 11 Black Flowered Cloisonné Vase

  Gift 12 Blue Flowered Cloisonné Vase

  Gift 13 Blue Cloisonné Container with Top

  Gift 14 White Flowered Cloisonné Vase

  Gift 15 Green Cloisonné Container with Top

  Gift 16 Red Cloisonné Plate

  Gift 17 Writing Instrument Kit

  Gift 18 Cloisonné Cup

  Gift 19 Cloisonné Cup

  Gift 20 Cloisonné Egg and Stand

  Gift 21 Mini Cloisonné Vase

  Gift 22 Mini Cloisonné Container

  Gift 23 Crystal from Flight Safety Foundation Twain

  Gift 24 Wallet from China Airlines

  Gift 25 Dinosaur Frame for Lake Agassiz Elementary Second Grade

 

The following gifts were placed on the shelves adjacent to the Toby Baker Papers:

   Gift 1 Two Flowered Cloisonné Vases

  Gift 2 Blue and White Flowered Vase

  Gift 3 Multi Blue Vase

  Gift 4 Japanese Tea Service

  Gift 5 Flag and Platter of Mushae

  Gift 6 Japanese Cloth Banner

  Gift 7 UND Centennial Plate

  Gift 8 UND Centennial Plate

  Gift 26 USAF Thunderbirds Picture

  Gift 27 Painting from China Airlines

  Gift 28 Valentines Card

 

 

SEPARATIONS RECORD

 

Twenty-two audiotapes were separated and placed in the Audiotape Collection. The tapes consist of recordings of Baker's popular radio show, Toby Talk. This show was broadcast on KCNN, AM1590, in Grand Forks .

 

Tape Number

Date

Label Description

2198

Toby Talk, January 14, 1998

Punt and Kick, Thanks, Firehall Theater

2199

Toby Talk, June 11, 1998

German Russians

2200

Toby Talk, July 10, 1998

Mosquitoes

2201

Toby Talk, July 24, 1998

Gerry Groenewold

2202

Toby Talk, July 27, 1998

Literacy, Camp Sioux , Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, Punt and Kick

2203

Toby Talk, August 10, 1998

Chuck Wood, Jonathan Rabb, Patti Norman

2204

Toby Talk, August 24, 1998

Book Giveaway, Father William Sherman

2205

Toby Talk, August 28, 1998

Robot, Ed Schulz

2206

Toby Talk, September 21, 1998

Farmers Almanac, Slideshow

2207

Toby Talk, October 7, 1998

Warren Eckstein, Space

2208

Toby Talk, October 12, 1998

Anthropology, Theater

2209

Toby Talk, November 11, 1998

Veteran's Day

2210

Toby Talk, November 13, 1998

Leon Osborne, Dr. Richard Crawford, Dr. Jenson

2211

Toby Talk, November 19, 1998

Dr. Greg Gagnon, Gymnast

2212

Toby Talk, February 24, 1999

Customer Service Nightmares, Dr. Jim McKenzie

2213

Toby Talk, April 9, 1999

Higher Education Meeting, UND

2214

Toby Talk, April 12, 1999

Pat Owens- Woman of the Century, UND Student Body President Chris Semrau and Vice-President Keith Gendrau

2215

Toby Talk, April 15, 1999

Shakespeare, Dr. Orin G. Libby

2216

Toby Talk, April 27, 1999

Civil War, Red River Land

2217

Toby Talk, May 13, 1999

Pottery, Cop Shock by Alan Kates, Punt and Kick

2218

Toby Talk, June 7, 1999

Jim Schefter, Dr. Peter Gail, Dr. Chuck Wood

2219

Toby Talk, June 10, 1999

Dr. Jim McKenzie, Maria Williams

    

  


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