Box 1: Series I Southwest MERC, 1970-1987

Spanning from 1970 to 1987, the collection contains photographs, slides and slide presentations, correspondence, newsletters, ephemera, reports, surveys, and newspaper clippings. The collection is divided into two series, with the Southwest MERC being Series I and the Southeast MERC being Series II.

Very little documents the migrant population of Idaho, and in particular Mexican and Mexican-American agricultural workers. This collection will help fill the gap for researchers interested in the state's Latino population. As the MERC was an educational institution, the collection primarily focuses on K-12 migrant students and how school districts around southern Idaho attempted to serve their unique needs. The records show how the MERC served as a catalyst for improving those districts in their efforts to educate an often transient population.