Correspondence in the Frank N. Graass Papers includes the years from 1917 to 1963. Letters are chiefly to and from constituents concerning personal problems with which an assemblyman often helps; matters relating to conservation, especially fisheries; financial programs in the state; financial aids and job requests; and military deferments. Very little of the correspondence discusses state politics in any detail, although there is some departmental correspondence during the period when Graass was assistant to Governor Goodland. One exception is a letter from Graass
to Governor Philip F. La Follette, Feb. 13, 1935, outlining legislative and political problems of the state and making proposals for their solution. La Follette's reply is contained in a letter dated Feb. 16, 1935.
Because of his interest in conservation and his work in behalf of the Great Lakes fisheries, much of the collection is concerned with committee work, bills, proposals, and reports. Graass was in communication with Dr. John Van Oosten, who was in charge of Great Lakes fisheries investigations for the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries, and the Papers contain both reports and letters from Dr. Van Oosten. Materials relating to the Izaak Walton League and its activities are filed in Folder 6 of Box 2; they include the years, 1927 to 1931.
As the chief architect of Governor Goodland's budget of 1943, and of the proposed budget for 1947, Graass had copies of his proposals. These will be found in Box 2, as will his amendment to Governor Heil's budget of 1939, Folders 4 and 5.
Graass gave many speeches, himself, and seems to have written and delivered several as a representative of Governor Goodland. Copies of these, 1926-1955, n.d., are filed in Folder 8 of Box 2. Box 1 contains biographical material, and many clippings concerning Frank Graass and his career, Folders 5-7.
