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The Frederick and Shawn Hinga Collection

 File
Identifier: RH-A-3120

Scope and Contents

Collection is comprised of handwritten letters between Frederick “Fritz’ Hinga and Maxine “Mac” Pope.The folder entitled “Frederick Hinga and Maxine Pope Correspondence 1947-1948” contains 40 handwritten letters by Frederick “Fritz” Hinga to his girlfriend Maxine “Mac” Pope. Fritz, while attending Western Michigan College summer ’47 classes and living with his mother, father, and grandmother on Hazard Avenue in Kalamazoo, MI, wrote to his girlfriend Mac, while she was home for the summer from her studies, in Eau Claire at her family’s farm. Between his trips out to the family cottage on Pine Lake, errands he was running for his father’s business, teaching swimming lessons for the American Red Cross at various lakes around Southwest Michigan, and listening to the Detroit Tigers or boxing matches on Kalamazoo’s new radio station, found the time to write his girlfriend a couple times a week to tell her his day’s events and express his love and admiration he had for her. Fritz was a chemistry student for the summer of 1947 and enjoyed fishing with his family, playing cards with friends, and listening to the Detroit Tigers win some baseball games after he had spent time teaching swimming lessons to children for the Red Cross. Also, he occasionally helped around the Pope’s orchard, bringing home delicious apples and peaches to enjoy.

The collection also includes photographs Benton Harbor High School material; ledger book; financial records; tax records, 1856-1920; teacher contracts; wills; information about the Kalamazoo Education Association, 1980-1984 and the Kalamazoo School district belonging to the Hinga, Pope, Griffin, Quigley and Born families of Benton Harbor and Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Dates

  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1926-2012

Creator

Frederick Hinga

Frederick Hinga (1926-2012) was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He was the only child of Marvin Martin Hinga and Mildred I. Quigley. Fred attended Western Michigan College of Education on the G.I. bill and graduated in June of 1949 with a B.A. in Chemistry and minors in Mathematics and Social Studies. He continued his education at Western Michigan University, Bowdoin College, Michigan State University and the University of Michigan where he completed his Master’s Degree in the Teaching of Science. He became a teacher for Kalamazoo Public Schools for 33 years, as well as serving on several committees and volunteering his services around the community of Kalamazoo, MI.

Maxine Wilma Hinga

Maxine (Wilma) Hinga (1927-2001), formerly Maxine Pope, was born in Sodus Township, the daughter of Ora Pope and Eunice (Griffin) Pope. She graduated from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Education. She later earned her Master's Degree in secondary education from the University of Michigan. She married Frederick Hinga in 1948. Then Maxine taught mathematics for 39 years in the Vicksburg, Comstock and Kalamazoo Public Schools, and volunteered her services around the community of Kalamazoo, MI with her husband. Maxine and Frederick have folders dedicated to them in the collection.

Eunice Griffin

Eunice Griffin (1884-1972) was born in Berrien County in 1884. She married a farmer, Ora Pope (1876-1960), where they also cultivated an orchard. Her brother, Jasper Griffin, was also born in Berrien County in 1896. He served in the United States military and died in 1973. Among Eunice and Ora’s other children, George Pope (1906-1984), also became a teacher in Benton Harbor Public Schools. Jasper and George have folders dedicated to him in the collection.

Marvin Martin Hinga

Marvin Martin Hinga (1891-1951) was born in Kalamazoo, MI, and was the son of Dirk Hinga (1863-1928, born in Netherlands) and Catherine Born (1860-1933, born in Michigan). Marvin was a stock clerk for M.M. Hinga Auto Replacement Parts and Accessories. He married Mildred I. Quigley in 1923 where they raised their son Frederick on 940 Hazard Street in Kalamazoo. Mildred became a teacher after attending Western State Normal School. Catherine Born’s brother, William Born, was a member of the United States military and served during the Polar Bear Expedition in World War I. Marvin, Mildred, and William have folders dedicated to them in the collection.

Victor Francis Quigley

Victor Frances Quigley (1893-1959) was the brother of Mildred Quigley. Their parents are James Quigley (1863-1944, born in Michigan) and Alice Nash (1871-1960, born in Cass County). Alice Nash’s parents were Charles Nash (died 1888) and Rebecca Blessing – whose father was Augustus Blessing. Thomas Quigley (1869-1949) was also a brother of Mildred Quigley. Mildred, Alice, Thomas, and Rebecca have folders dedicated to them in the collection.

Extent

3 boxes

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Frederick and Shawn Hinga Collection is comprised of various handwritten letters, pictures, Benton Harbor High School material, ledger book, financial records, and funeral service booklets belonging to the Hinga, Pope/Griffin, and Quigley/Born families of Benton Harbor and Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Physical Description

The collection was a gift from Shawn Hinga who is a repeat donor. It contains.50 cubic feet of various materials in 19 acid-free legal size folders, along with 3 acid-free letter size photograph folders. These folders and materials are stored in a brown Paige banker’s box.

Various materials include: 14 separate photographs in good condition, two separate pictures mounted on a cardboard backing slightly faded, 7 class photographs 8.5” x 16” large and in good condition, a certificate 8.5” x 13” large on thick paper in good condition, one high school composition notebook in decent condition with minor wear and fading, one funeral service booklet bound by plastic bindings in good condition, and one ledger book in decent condition with a good amount of wear and fading. Also including as follows; seven receipts in decent condition with some wear and fading, one checkbook with checks and registers in good condition, three handwritten letters in pencil that are in good condition, one Michigan book bound by plastic bindings with its covers in bad condition (slight mold on front and back) and with its interior in good condition, one catalogue book with leather covers and bound by glue (in bad condition with stains and wear), one school history typed and protected by plastic sleeves, and various letters written in ink – all in good condition with little to no fading of the ink. There is also a folder of 41 handwritten letters that are in good condition and the stamps on the corresponding envelopes have little wear. In the folder entitled “Alice Nash, Michael Nash, Charles Nash,” the documents titled “To All Whom It May Concern” (1868) and “Cass County in Probate Court” should be handled with care since they are in fragile condition with tears, fading, and creases.

Extra

4 loose Books in collection: 1) History of the American Nation 2) American History 3) College Algebra 4) Mathematical Wrinkles

Title
The Frederick and Shawn Hinga Collection Finding Aid
Status
Completed
Author
Samantha Beland
Date
Undated
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Western Michigan University Archives & Regional History Collections Repository

Contact:
Charles C. and Lynn L. Zhang Legacy Collections Center
1650 Oakland Drive
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5307 US
(269) 387-8490