Renovations

The large public-accessible space of the Frances Fishburn Archives and Special Collections, located in the academic underground on Park University's flagship campus in Parkville, Mo , was recently renovated, with the assistance of the University's facilities services team New signage has been installed and the large room has been separated into two areas: the Martha Jean Gray Research Room and the Thelma Jean Curl Reading Room Both areas also provide a workspace for digitization and archival projects

Gray was born to James Harvey Gray and Zella Roberts Gray in Davis Township, Mo , a twin and the youngest of three children Raised on the family farm, Gray and her siblings worked as teenagers at the Soil Conservation Office in Lafayette County, Mo , after graduation, near the start of World War II In 1942, she enlisted in the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service), becoming an aviation machinist mate 2C (3rd grade) Her brother, Frank Roberts Gray also served in the U S Navy and was wounded in action during the war After her honorable discharge, Gray attended Park College (now Park University) where she became a member of the Aurora Literary Club (serving as president in 1950), basketball team, Women's Judicial Council, Future Teachers of AmericaMary Harrison Chapter, and Who's Who list of the senior class, graduating in 1950. She then attended Ohio State University, earning a master's degree in 1952, and immediately became a science teacher at Northeast Junior High School in Kansas City, Mo. Gray's tenure at Northeast lasted 30 years, culminating in her retirement in 1982. She spent time traveling with Curl before her death in Higginsville, Mo., on March 25, 2005.

Curl was born to Griffin Oscar Curl and Mary May Grubb Curl in Johnson, Ind., the third of six children. Raised on her parent's farm in Owensville, Ind., Curl graduated from Owensville High School in 1937, soon moving to Indianapolis to work as a stenographer and bookkeeper for the next several years She enlisted in the WAVES, serving as a specialist (control tower operator) petty officer 2C (5th grade) until 1945 Following her discharge, Curl attended Park College, where she became a member of the Aurora Literary Club (serving as president in 1949), Zeta Kappa Epsilon, Future Teachers of America-Mary Harrison Chapter, French Club, International Relations Club, Narva yearbook staff, and YWCA (serving as president in 1949), graduating in 1950 Curl was hired as an elementary teacher in the Kansas City, Kan , School District, remaining in that position until 1954 when she enrolled at the University of Kansas earning a master's degree In 1955, she began teaching at Wyandotte High School in Kansas City, Kan , remaining there until her retirement in the 1980s Curl remained active in the Wyandotte County Historical Society, Delta Kappa Gamma Association, and the Missouri chapter of the American Association of University Women in between her travels overseas with Gray She retired from social activities in the 2000s. Curl, 102 years old, resides in a retirement community.