Creator: Renne, Roland Roger, 1905-

Provenance Note: Letters, notations, speeches, and miscellaneous papers created or collected by Roland R. Renne or the various Renne for Governor clubs were donated to Special Collections through Mary Bushing of Bozeman, Montana, on October 24, 1994.

Historical Note: Roland Roger Renne was born on December 12, 1905 in Grenwich, New Jersey, the third of five children. Renne grew up helping his father farm and attended country schools. He applied for admission to Rutgers University and graduated with top honors in 1927. Renne went on to earn a PhD. in Agricultural Economics at the University of Wisconsin in 1930. Following his graduation he joined the faculty of Montana State College in Bozeman as an assistant professor. In 1943 Renne became president of the College, a position he held until his resignation in 1964, although he took several leaves of absence to work for the United States government overseas and in Washington, D.C. In 1964 Renne ran for governor in the state of Montana as the Democratic candidate and lost. After again working in Washington and overseas he returned to retire in the Bozeman area in 1972. He married Polly Wisner in 1932 and the couple had four children. Roland Renne died in Bozeman, Montana on August 30, 1989.

Content Description Note: The Renne papers consist of correspondence, letters, reports, and memoranda created or gathered by Renne or the various Renne for Governor clubs which assisted him in his unsuccessful 1964 campaign. Arranged in four series the papers include letters outlining Renne's position on political issues such as agriculture, labor, taxes, primary election cross-over voting, land economics and family. Other materials describe the organization of the various Renne for Governor clubs in most Montana counties, travel plans, and speaking engagements. Campaign advertising memorabilia is also included, as well as a draft outline of one of Renne's speeches.

Contents

Series 1 General Correspondence, 1963-1965
Series 2 County files, 1963-1966
Series 3 Contributions
Series 4 Miscellaneous

Series 1: General correspondence, 1963-1965

Letters pertaining to the gubernatorial campaign of Roland R. Renne are arranged alphabetically by addressee and concern the following subjects: organization of county Renne for Governor Clubs; travel plans and speaking engagements; fund raising; issues such as agriculture, transportation, labor, taxes, campaign advertising, primary election cross-over voting, Land Economics and family.

Box 1
1. A
2. B
3. B
4. C
5. C
6. D
7. D
8. E
9. F
10. G
11. H
12. I
13. J
14. K

Box 2
1. L
2. L
3. Mc
4. M
5. M
6. N
7. O
8. P
9. Q
10. R
11. R
12. S
13. S
14. T
15. U-V
16. W
17. W
18. X-Y-Z

Contents | Special Collections

Series 2: County Files, 1963-1966

Letters and newspaper clippings arranged alphabetically by county name which report plans and responses to meetings. speeches and fund raising activities. Responses to topics such as Beef Imports (Carbon County), Wildlife (Lake), Wheat Certificate Program (Madison), Oil and Gas (Toole), Higher Education (Missoula) and Main Issues of the Campaign (letter of 7-27-64, Missoula). The last files in this series pertain to the statewide committees and campaign advertising.

Box 3
1. Beaverhead
2. Big Horn
3. Blaine
4. Broadwater
5. Carbon
6. Carter
7. Cascade (April 30, 1963-March 31, 1964)
8. Cascade (April 1, 1964-June 5, 1964)
9. Cascade (June 7, 1964-November 20, 1964
10. Chouteau
11. Custer
12. Daniels
13. Dawson
14. Deer Lodge
15. Fallon
16. Fergus
17. Flathead
18. Gallatin (June 21, 1963-April 27, 1964)
19. Gallatin (May 18, 1964-November 10, 1964)

Box 4
1. Garfield
2. Glacier
3. Golden Valley
4. Granite
5. Hill
6. Jefferson
7. Judith Basin
8. Lake
9. Lewis and Clark
10. Lewis and Clark
11. Lewis and Clark
12. Liberty
13. Lincoln
14. McCone
15. Madison
16. Meagher
17. Mineral
18. Missoula
19. Missoula
20. Missoula

Box 5
1. Musselshell
2. Park
3. Petroleum
4. Phillips
5. Pondera
6. Powder River
7. Powell
8. Prairie
9. Ravalli
10. Richland
11. Roosevelt
12. Rosebud
13. Sanders
14. Sheridan
15. Silver Bow
16. Silver Bow

Box 6
1. Stillwater
2. Sweet Grass
3. Teton
4. Toole
5. Treasure
6. Valley
7. Wheatland
8. Wibaux
9. Yellowstone
10. Yellowstone
11. Yellowstone
12. State Committee
13. State Committee--Business and Professional
14. Campaign advertising
15. Campaign advertising

Contents | Special Collections

Series 3: Contributions

Letters thanking contributors from county organizations and other organization such as labor unions and individuals. The files are arranged alphabetically.

Box 7
1. Contributions from County organizations, Beaverhead through Judith Basin
2. Contributions from County organizations, Lake through Prairie
3. Contributions from County organizations, Ravalli through Yellowstone
4. Contributions from individuals, A-C
5. Contributions from individuals, D-G
6. Contributions from individuals, H-L
7. Contributions from individuals, M-P
8. Contributions from individuals, R-S
9. Contributions from individuals, T-Z

Contents | Special Collections

Series 4: Miscellaneous

Primary Election results by county, outline of a speech by Dr. Renne made at Polson March l964, at a fund raising dinner, and other miscellaneous campaign notations.

Box 7 (cont.)
10. Primary returns
11. Speech and miscellaneous

Contents | Special Collections

Updated: 5/19/09