Schafer, Sheila, 1925-2016

Report on the 2011 annual meeting of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) held in Medora and Dickinson, North Dakota. The report highlights the various venues for the meeting including Dickinson State University, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and Medora, and it notes the winners of three awards conferred by the TRA. Thirty-eight photographs comprise most of the report, including twenty-six of the various guests, dignitaries, and speakers as well as twelve photographs of the North Dakota Badlands.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

2012

Creator(s)

Theodore Roosevelt Association

Harry N. Lembeck provides a report on the 2009 annual meeting of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) held in Tampa, Florida. Lembeck notes the business meeting, including the election of officers, and he highlights the seven speakers at the meeting, providing a brief synopsis of each of their addresses. Lembeck also notes the conferring of the Bertha B. Rose Award and the USS Theodore Roosevelt Junior Officer Award. Thirty-seven photographs taken by Art Koch of the speakers, guests, and members of the TRA leadership accompany the text.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

2010

Creator(s)

Lembeck, Harry N.; Koch, Art

P. James Roosevelt confers the Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal on Harold Lyle Schafer and Sheila Schafer. Roosevelt quotes extensively from Theodore Roosevelt in his remarks in which he notes the philanthropic work done by the Schafers, the roots of their success in the Gold Seal Company, and their restoration of the town of Medora, North Dakota.

A photograph of the Schafers with Roosevelt and William Davison Johnston of the Theodore Roosevelt Association accompanies the citation. A text box with the “Vision Statement of the Theodore Roosevelt Association” supplements the speech. 

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1983-10-27

Obituary for Harold Lyle Shafer who resurrected the town of Medora, North Dakota, and transformed it into the number one tourist attraction in North Dakota. The obituary traces Shafer’s hard scrabble childhood, his family’s frequent moves, and his relentless hard work, and it follows the rise and success of his Gold Seal Company, the vehicle he used to transform Medora. The obituary highlights his generosity, and it notes many of the awards he received in his lifetime, including those from the state of North Dakota and the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA).

In addition to a photograph of Shafer and his wife Sheila Shafer, two text boxes supplement the obituary: one notes that this issue of the journal is dedicated to Shafer while the other promotes the TRA’s website. 

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Report on the Roosevelt family reunion held in Bismarck and Medora, North Dakota. The report notes that the group was hosted by Ed Schafer, the governor of North Dakota, and was accompanied by historians John A. Gable and Douglas Brinkley. The report highlights and lists the Roosevelt family members who have contributed to a fund established by the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) to support a lecture series in honor of P. James Roosevelt. A photograph of the group assembled in Medora appears on the first page of the report. 

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1997

Creator(s)

Unknown

John A. Gable reviews Douglas Brinkley’s The Majic Bus: An American Odyssey and highlights the work’s section on Medora, North Dakota. Gable notes that some of the royalties from the sale of the book will go to the Theodore Roosevelt Association, and he quotes at length from Brinkley’s call for a return to basics in teaching American history. The review is followed by an excerpt from The Majic Bus. “Book Notes” also discusses the conferring of the 1993 Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt Naval History Prize to Brinkley and his co-author Townsend Hoopes for their biography of James Forrestal, and it lists all of the recipients of the prize from 1986 to 1993. The section also includes a meditation of Theodore Roosevelt by William Hard in which he asserts that Roosevelt’s magnetic personality could transform the ordinary into the “immortally interesting.”

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1993

Creator(s)

Gable, John A.; Brinkley, Douglas; Hard, William; Unknown

Robert D. Dalziel speaks on the occasion of being elected 12th President of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA). He recalls the beginning of his interest in Theodore Roosevelt, as well as his involvement with the TRA and how the TRA has developed. The TRA has grown greatly and strengthened its ties with a number of Roosevelt-related sites, and Dalziel hopes to continue growing the membership of the TRA across the country. Other areas that Dalziel hopes to focus on include putting the TRA on a firmer financial footing and enhancing the scholarly reputation of the TRA.

Accompanying Dalziel’s speech is a brief list of recent recipients of the TRA’s Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal, and photographs of President George Bush interacting with members of the TRA at a lecture by David G. McCullough.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1990

This edition of “News and Notes” features an obituary of Jessica Van Ausdall Kraft who served as the personal secretary to Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt, Curator of Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, and in various roles with the Theodore Roosevelt Association. The section also explains the decision of Harold and Sheila Schafer of Medora, North Dakota, to found the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation to run the various motels and shops in the tourist town formerly run by Harold Schafer’s Gold Seal Company. “News and Notes” closes with an announcement about a new musical, “Teddy and Alice,” which depicts the life of President Theodore Roosevelt and his daughter Alice Roosevelt Longworth in the White House.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1987

Creator(s)

Unknown

This edition of “News and Notes” opens with coverage of the commissioning of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. A letter from Captain Paul W. Parcells, Commanding Officer of the ship, praises the work of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) in making the commissioning a success. The section also discusses the thirteen flags donated by the TRA to the carrier. Each flag of the city, state, or entity is identified and is followed by a brief paragraph about its history and meaning to Theodore Roosevelt. The individual responsible for donating the flag is also noted. A notice about a new prize, the Roosevelts Gold Medal, awarded by the New York Council of the Navy League of the United States, also features in the section. 

“News and Notes” reviews the plans of Prism Entertainment to issue a video cassette of the film “The Indomitable Teddy Roosevelt,” and it notes that the company will establish a fund to promote historical and environmental films, and will donate money to the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Fund at the American Museum of Natural History. The section also highlights two recent publications by John A. Gable, Editor of the TRA Journal, and it quotes from a letter from President Ronald Reagan on the occasion of the opening of the Roosevelt Study Center in the Netherlands. “News and Notes” closes by quoting from three letters by members of the TRA praising its work.

Six photographs appear in “News and Notes”: two depict scenes of the carrier’s commissioning; three show Roosevelt, one in a dynamic speaking pose and two with members of the United States Navy; and one shows dignitaries at the opening of the Roosevelt Study Center. An illustration of both sides of the TRA medallion also appears in the section. 

History of the Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal awarded by the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA). The article highlights twenty-one of the winners, lists the thirteen different fields of endeavor for which individuals are honored, and details the design of the medal by James Earle Fraser.  It also discusses the various venues at which the Medal has been awarded. An illustration of both sides of the medal accompanies the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1985

Creator(s)

Unknown

John A. Gable provides a brief history of the Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal awarded by the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA). Gable highlights twenty-one of the winners, lists the thirteen different fields of endeavor for which individuals are honored, and details the design of the medal by James Earle Fraser. Gable also discusses the various venues at which the Medal has been awarded.

A photograph of TRA President William Davison Johnston presenting the Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal to Captain Edward L. Beach is found on the second page of the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1984

P. James Roosevelt confers the Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal on Harold Lyle Schafer and Sheila Schafer. Roosevelt quotes extensively from Theodore Roosevelt in his remarks in which he notes the philanthropic work done by the Schafers, the roots of their success in the Gold Seal Company, and their restoration of the town of Medora, North Dakota.

A photograph of the Schafers with Roosevelt and William Davison Johnston of the Theodore Roosevelt Association accompanies the citation.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1983-10-27

This article provides a biography of each of the winners of the 1983 Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal. Three paragraphs cover the four winners: Captain Edward L. Beach, Ambassador Philip C. Habib, Harold Lyle Schafer, and Sheila Schafer. The paragraphs provide highlights of the careers of each of the winners. Each of the paragraphs is accompanied by a photograph of the medal recipient(s).

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1984

Creator(s)

Unknown

John A. Gable gives a detailed report on the annual dinner of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) held on the 125th anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt’s birth on October 27, 1983, at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Gable provides some history about the Museum, quotes from the address given by President Ronald Reagan, and lists some of the various dignitaries and politicians who sent messages to the assembled guests. An excerpt from the speech given by the TRA President, William Davison Johnston, the presentation of a check to the American Museum of Natural History, and the awarding of the Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal to four individuals are also covered in detail. Gable also lists many of the guests, including members of the Roosevelt family, and closes with remarks on some of the other events held to mark the 125th anniversary of Roosevelt’s birth.

Seven photographs of various guests, speakers, award winners, and members of the TRA leadership accompany the article. Photographs of the equestrian statue of Theodore Roosevelt in front of the American Museum of Natural History and of President Ronald Reagan addressing the dinner guests on a video screen are also found in the article.

A listing of the officers of the TRA, along with the members of its executive, finance, and Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace committees, is found on the article’s second page.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

This four page edition of “News and Notes” is divided into six sections and is mostly concerned with a series of celebrations and commemorations of the 125th anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt’s birth. The article details the celebrations held in Indianapolis, Indiana, in New York State in New York City, Oyster Bay, and Buffalo, and at Harvard University. The Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace hosted events as did the American Museum of Natural History. Oyster Bay held a parade while the Indianapolis gathering saw the planting of a tree at the home of Roosevelt’s Vice President, Charles W. Fairbanks. The meeting at the American Museum of Natural History saw the awarding of the Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal to four recipients. A dinner was held in Buffalo while at Harvard, John Morton Blum gave a lecture.

The article also discusses the 1983 Theodore Roosevelt Public Speaking Contest for the New York City public high schools held at the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace, and it details the premiere of the documentary film The Indomitable Teddy Roosevelt at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. “News and Notes” closes with an obituary for Helen M. MacLachlan who worked for both the Theodore Roosevelt Association and the National Park Service at the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace in New York City.

A photograph from the Oyster Bay parade and two photographs of members of the Roosevelt family at Theodore Roosevelt Island in Washington, D.C., are included in the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

This edition of the “News and Notes” section is mostly devoted to the various activities, celebrations, and commemorations marking the 125th anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt’s birth. The section lists some of these celebrations and includes more details about the “Roosevelt Renaissance” held at Theodore Roosevelt Island in June 1983. The section reviews the May 1983 meeting of the American Forestry Association which marked the seventy-fifth anniversary of Roosevelt’s Conference on Conservation, and it devotes parts of four pages to a visit to Medora, North Dakota, by members of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA). It also recommends five books about Roosevelt.

The section has a photograph of the TRA group in Medora, North Dakota, and three photographs of members of the TRA with the Governor of North Dakota, Allen I. Olson. An illustration of Roosevelt in his buckskin hunting outfit and a montage of Roosevelt with images of the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace and Sagamore Hill National Historic Sites are also found in the section.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1983

The “News and Notes” section focuses on the celebrations, ceremonies, and lectures highlighting the 125th anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt’s birth in New York City, Oyster Bay, and Washington, D.C. The section repeats in shortened form some of the information provided in other articles in the issue, looks at the various lectures and interviews given by John A. Gable, Executive Director of the Theodore Roosevelt Association, and notes personnel news from the various Roosevelt sites managed by the National Park Service.

A photograph of Harold and Sheila Schafer in Medora, North Dakota, is found on page two of the section.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1983

History of Medora, North Dakota, to mark its Centennial celebration in 1983. The article focuses on Theodore Roosevelt’s time as a rancher in the Badlands surrounding Medora, its decline, and its subsequent resurrection as a tourist gateway to Theodore Roosevelt National Park due to the efforts of Harold and Sheila Schafer and the Gold Seal Company.

The logo of the Medora Centennial and photographs of the Rough Rider Hotel in Medora, the Schafers, and The Medora Musical accompany the article.

A listing of the officers of the Theodore Roosevelt Association as well as the members of its executive, finance, and Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace committees is found on the second page of the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

This edition of “News and Notes” highlights some of the ceremonies marking the 125th anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt’s birth. It details some of the content and arguments put forth in Paul Schullery’s American Bears: Selections from the Writings of Theodore Roosevelt, provides a report on the donations and finances of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) for fiscal year 1982, and reviews a colloquium on historic preservation held at Sagamore Hill National Historic Site. The column also covers Roosevelt birthday celebrations in Buffalo, New York, and Tampa, Florida, the annual meeting of the committee overseeing the Theodore Roosevelt Collection at Harvard University, and the TRA Public Speaking Contest for the New York public high schools. The column concludes with a notice about the Centennial of Medora, North Dakota.

A photograph of Selwa Roosevelt and the logo of the Medora, North Dakota, Centennial appear in the column.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1983

Article about the Centennial of the town of Medora, North Dakota, which provides a brief history of the community, including its importance to the life of Theodore Roosevelt.

The logo of the Medora Centennial occupies half of the first page of the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1983