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Charles F. Shaffer Collection 1937-1941

MSS-148

Biographical Note

Charles Franklin Shaffer and his wife, Anna Mildred (Kelso) Shaffer, lived in Supai, Arizona from the early 1930s to the early 1940s. Their children, Ethel Jane and Charles Franklin "Teddy" Shaffer Jr., lived with them in Supai. C. F. Shaffer was the principal and Mildred Shaffer one of the teachers for the Havasupai Reservation School, which lies within the Grand Canyon National Park. Charles F. Shaffer acted as the local federal authority in the area since the Indian Agent for the Havasupai Reservation lived on the plateau in Valentine, Arizona. In the early 1940s the couple moved from Supai due to Mildred Shaffer's health. They later worked at the Dennehotso School on the Navajo Nation in Arizona. Their son Teddy returned to live in Supai for the last 30 years of his life.

Scope and Content Note

The Charles F. Shaffer Collection contains a guest book, two photograph albums, a scrapbook and the guest book's wooden cover. The materials date from 1937-1941 and pertain to the Shaffers' time as school teachers on the Havasupai Reservation in Supai, Arizona and subsequently at the Dennehotso School in Arizona.

The guest book for the Shaffers' Supai Lodge contains guests' comments and signatures. The guests include Ruth Underhill, Joyce and Josef Muench, several members of the Babbitt family, Ann Nolan Clark, and Harold and Ferrell Colton. Stored separately is the guest book's wooden cover with a painted image of a cowboy on the front. Also included in this series is a newspaper clipping on the Havasupai Indians.

The photograph album contains 212 pictures of landscapes and residents in Supai, Arizona. The photographs include various Havasupai residents, Havasupai school children, the school building, the Shaffers and co-workers. Also included are pictures of the canyon trail, agricultural fields, residences, the Supai Post Office, and the three major water falls -- Mooney Falls, Havasu Falls, and Navajo Falls. Many photographs are believed to be the work of Josef Muench. The individual photographs are described in Appendix I and II. The photographs in Appendix I remain in the original album. These photographs have the call number LAB MSS-148 with a numerical extension that reveals the item's location. The photographs in Appendix II were removed from the album, but original order and groupings were maintained. The call numbers read like those in Appendix I with the addition of a box and folder number.

The scrapbook contains photographs, correspondence, paintings, lithographs, newspaper and magazine clippings, programs and postcards regarding Arizona and the Southwest. Much of the material pertains to the Havasupai, Hopi, and Navajo Nation.

Arrangement

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

To view this collection, please contact Ask an Archivist or call (480) 965-4932 at least five days in advance. Appointments in the Wurzburger Reading Room at Hayden Library (rm. 138) on the Tempe campus are available Monday through Friday. Patrons can also arrange to view this collection at the Labriola National American Indian Data Center (rm. 305) at Fletcher Library on the West campus. Check the ASU Library Hours page for current availability.

Copyright

Arizona State University does not own the copyright to this collection. We recognize that it is incumbent upon the researcher to procure permission to publish information from this collection from the owner of the copyright.

Access Terms

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Charles F. Shaffer Collection, MSS-148, Arizona State University Library.

Provenance

The Charles F. Shaffer Collection was purchased from dealer Gary Landi in November 1996 (ACC# 96-1774).

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