The boxes contain wonderful photographs that date from the early 1800s, a large amount of correspondence, personal papers, memorial records, scrapbook of her WWII work at Walter Reed Hospital, other scrapbooks, financial records, calendar appointment books, address files, post cards, journals, publications, information representing a variety of organizations; yearbooks; newspaper clippings, memorabilia, and some small objects. Some of the materials include items from other family members and her husband Garrett Olds. His military awards, medals, and some of his personal papers are included. There is no inventory for the collection.
The major subject areas include education; Kansas State University, Kansas State Alumni Assoc., other organizations, theatrical endeavors, family, military service, and more.
Biography
Ivy Ann Fuller was born in September 1894 in Barton County, Missouri. Her family moved to Manhattan, Kansas in 1902, settling on a farm in Ashland Township. They later moved into town, living in a home at 617 Poyntz. This became her lifelong family home until 1984.
Ivy graduated from Kansas State Agricultural College in 1913 earning a degree in Home Economics. Her college years were marked by her interest in the Panhellenic Council, journalism, where she was on the staff of the Kansas Aggie, forerunner of The Collegian; Delta Delta Delta Sorority, where she was charter member no. 6; and the performing arts. Throughout her life she was active in the sorority at the national level and in both Indianapolis, Indiana, and Manhattan, Kansas. She was also a devoted alumni of Kansas State University.
Ivy taught at Manhattan High School for 2 years. She then attended the Harvard school of physical education for two summers. While at Harvard, she was voted "prettiest girl on campus".
Ivy was a beautiful woman and won several movie queen contests. In 1917, she was crowned Movie Ball Queen in Kansas City. This led to a screen test in California. As a result, Ivy reportedly was cast in more than 20 silent films.
In late 1917 when the U.S. became involved in WWI, the Red Cross appealed to women to become trained as nurses to support the war effort. Ivy answered the call and attended nurses training at Vassar College. She had assignments at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, with the Surgeon General’s office, and later served as a physical therapist at Walter Reed Hospital. She left the Red Cross Service around June of 1920, toured out of Washington D.C. with a Chautauqua company, and became one of the founders of the Washington Theatre Production Company in 1920.
In 1920, census records show that she was living in Washington D.C. as a single woman employed in “goat service.” I am unclear as to what this is but I think it is a typo and should read government service. In 1921, Ivy accepted a position as director of the historical section of the American Legion, a newly created office with headquarters at Indianapolis. She was already a member of the legion because of her service as a nurse. Ivy was a member of the American Legion in Manhattan and was the only woman delegate from Kansas to the Legion’s national convention in 1921.
The 1930 census shows Ivy living in Indianapolis, Indiana. She was still single working as a teacher. It was there that she met Lt. Colonel Garrett W. Olds, a lawyer and a career Army officer, who had served in France in WWI. Ivy married Garrett Olds in August 1937 at St. Paul’s Church in Manhattan, Kansas. They lived in Indianapolis, Indiana where she continued to teach well into the 1940s.
Garrett Olds served in WWII and was a member of the Rainbow Division of the National Guard so he was probably required to have been gone some portion of 1938-1945, although I do not have a complete military record. It is likely the two were often separated. Ivy and Garrett were divorced in 1953. Mr. Olds retired from the army in February 1956 and died in 1964.
By 1950 Ivy had returned to Kansas to care for her ageing parents although she often visited her parents at the family home throughout her earlier years. The 1950 census also shows that Garrett Olds was not living with Ivy although according to neighbors he did visit. Ivy was no longer employed outside of the home.
In her later years, Ivy remained active. She was a life member of the Manhattan Civic Theatre. She supported the library, and both local and state historical societies as well as the Delta Delta Delta Sorority. She was an avid fan and supporter of the Kansas State rowing team. She also donated 187 items of clothing and accessories to the Historic Textile and Costume Collection in the KSU Department of Clothing,Textiles, and Interior Design and was involved in the local community until her death at Wharton Manor Nursing Home in May of 1990. She was 95 years old and is remembered as a beautiful woman, an educator, actress, nurse, and a devoted alumni and community member.
[This information was excerpted and compiled from several sources including a book by Lowell Jack, “Neighbors of the Past” published by the Manhattan Mercury in 2005; newspaper articles; ancestry.com; interview; and her obituary.]