Walter Klein Hillmer papers

Collection

Identifier: MS 0732

Staff Only

Summary

Contains information on the life of Walter Klein Hillmer, a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) from 1935-1939. The material in this collection deals mostly with Walter's life in the various CCC camps throughout this time period. Included are personal letters from family and acquaintances; general information about the CCC camps, including newspaper clippings; published articles written by Hillmer; and official CCC handbooks on health, safety, and psychology. Also included within this collection are letters and articles from the Lutheran Church; letters written to Hillmer in his capacity as a CCC educational adviser; scenic memorabilia from various places he traveled to; printed programs from camp functions; lists of names and addresses of acquaintances; and manuscripts of plays, radio shows, and personal presentations that he wrote for the camp activities.

Walt kept personal files during his student teaching, printed music sheets that were sung at church services, and of his personal finances. The collection includes various unsorted pictures in their original envelopes, an unbound photo album of CCC camps, a small pocket-size photo album, and CCC annuals from Pocatello and California for the years 1935, 1936, and 1938. Also included are photocopies from Walter's annual from the University of Idaho South Branch (1937) of the personal notes written in it by his colleagues. (The annual itself has been added to the Library and Archives yearbook collection for public use.).

Dates

Creation: 1935 - 1939

Biographical Note

Walter "Walt" Klein Hillmer was born in Topeka, Kansas on January 14, 1912 and died August 27, 2001. His father, Ernest F. Hillmer, owned Hillmer's Leather Shop in Topeka, Kansas, which was opened by Walt's grandfather, George Klein Hillmer, in 1896. Walt had two younger siblings, a brother Harold and sister Ella Mae.

Walt was active in the Lutheran Church and participated in the Walther League in California with his Uncle Gerhard H. Hillmer and family. Walt regularly sent money to his uncle's family to pay bills, as well as help support the family in purchasing clothes and household necessities. Walt also sent a regular monthly offering to his uncle's church, where Gerhard was pastor.

Walt was a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) from January 1935 until July 1939. He was stationed in California, Wyoming, and Idaho, serving as company clerk and later as an educational advisor. During his time in Pocatello, Idaho, Walt received his teaching certificate from the University of Idaho South Branch (1937), and became actively involved with the Idaho Education Association.

During his time with the CCC, Walt wrote to the local papers about the happenings and activities in the camp, and wrote plays and stories, even winning third place in a writing contest sponsored by the Kellogg [Cereal] Company. Walt also kept small notebooks of his observations and personal thoughts of the men in camp and surroundings at the time. He took many photographs of the men in the camps, the complete projects and the surrounding scenery, and compiled a partial photo album of the camps where he was stationed, as well as the events he attended, like the Ashton [Idaho] dog sled race.

Following his service with the CCC, Walt entered into the U.S. Army. On April 20, 1942, he married Mary Elizabeth Fowler. After the Army, Walt and Mary moved back to Topeka, Kansas and began working in the family business. In 1956 he bought the business and in 1995, sold it to his son, Walter Knox Hillmer.