The records consist of five series: PERSONAL, DRAMATIC WORK AND PUBLIC SPEAKING, COMMUNITY SERVICE/VOLUNTEER WORK, PHOTOGRAPHS, and SCRAPBOOKS. The collection does not adequately document Lavine's many civic involvements and dramatic accomplishments. However, information on dramatic activities in Duluth, Minnesota from 1926-1939 is a collection strength. Researchers interested
in Lavine's dramatic work are encouraged to also check the COMMUNITY SERVICE/VOLUNTEER WORK series as Lavine often incorporated her dramatic talents into her volunteer work.
PERSONAL (1941-1982) includes correspondence with friends, acquaintances and typically consists of letters of appreciation and well wishes. There are also scattered biographical materials relating to her father, Louis Hoffman, and the Lavine family; including eulogies for both father and husband, a birth announcement (1941) for son John Morgan in the form of a play bulletin, and miscellaneous materials.
DRAMATIC WORK AND PUBLIC SPEAKING (1925-1983) provides some documentation of Lavine's work and involvement in the dramatic arts, but primarily contains newsclippings and programs. Newsclippings relate to the Children's Theatre of Duluth, Lavine's own dramatic performances and readings, and occasionally to Lavine's civic involvements. Programs and other materials pertain to the Children's Theatre of Duluth, Associated Studio's School of Speech Arts (Duluth), Lavine's narration work with the Duluth Symphony Orchestra, and Lavine's performances. There are also some materials which concern Lavine's commencement speeches at Mount Senario College in Ladysmith and at Northland College in Ashland where she was also awarded an honorary doctorate degree. There is one file of Lavine's writings and speeches consisting of a speech which Lavine gave for a wellness program, scattered notes relating to drama, and a booklet, "Play Production Course" written by Lavine for the St. Louis County (Minn.) Rural Schools, circa 1932.
COMMUNITY SERVICE/VOLUNTEER WORK (1935-1982) includes newsclippings, correspondence and materials related to her many community service involvements including her service on the St. Scholastica Board of Trustees and later receipt of an honorary doctorate degree from the college, teaching work with the Clam Lake Job Corps Center (1968-1969), and establishment of the Max H. Lavine Award for Scholarly Activity at the Wisconsin State University at Superior. Other materials are more fragmentary and include some invitations of the Duluth Women's Club, and newsclippings and miscellany related to Lavine's work with the
Red Cross, Anti-Tuberculosis Association, and disabled children.
PHOTOGRAPHS (circa 1936-circa 1969) include a few images of the Children's Theatre of Duluth; Frances; son John and family; an unidentified newspaper office, presumably part of the Lavine Newspaper Group; and the Clam Lake Job Corps Center.
SCRAPBOOKS (1926-1938) relate to Lavine's dramatic involvement in the Duluth and French River communities and contain newsclippings, programs, and occasional photographs relating to the Children's Theatre of Duluth, Little Theater of Duluth, French River Dramatics Arts Club, the Senior Hadassah at Temple Emanuel Congregation in Duluth, and Lavine's (then Hoffman's) dramatic performances. The scrapbooks have been microfilmed and the original scrapbooks are in the possession of the Northeast Minnesota Historical Center, University of Minnesota-Duluth.
