Mary Crocker’s scrapbook contains numerous mementos from her college days at the Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University). The collection spans the years 1914 to 1918, although a few items date from 1923 to 1925. Letters and loose items have been removed from the scrapbook placed into folders.

Her scrapbook contains various artifacts and letters which shed light into the life of a co-ed at Michigan Agricultural College during the early twentieth century. It is a record of social activities, academic achievements, and events significant in the life.

Objects of interest relating to the many social activities attended by Mary Crocker include: party programs and invitations from various college societies, notifications of membership election from the Sphinx and Omicron Nu (Home Economics) societies, a constitution of the Omicron Nu society, class rivalry posters, and class rush pictures, news clippings from the Detroit News Tribune regarding football games against the University of Michigan, and letters from several young men requesting the accompaniment of Mary Crocker, the majority penned by R.J. Johnson and George Henshaw. Materials relating to academics include: class schedules, tuition receipts, reports of standings, commencement programs, and letters from various public schools regarding teaching positions after graduation.

Events of interest in the scrapbook include: pictures and news clippings regarding the 1916 fires of the MAC Engineering Buildings and East Lansing High School, news clippings and pictures of the MAC 1915 Forestry Summer Camp attended by her brother, Emory, and Emory’s Honorable Discharge from the National Guard (July 12, 1917).

Letters from her two brothers, Emory and Martin, who fought in World War I, were also saved by Mary. A member of Battery A, 119th Field Artillery, Emory’s letters to his sister document camp conditions at his base in Waco, Texas, and of conditions in France, where he was stationed during the war. Note that Emory repeatedly dated his letters “1917,” while the postmark indicates the year as being “1918.”

Martin’s letters document conditions at his base camp at Camp Meade, Maryland, and of the war from his station in France. He was a member of the Division of Engineers.