Bruce Bellard papers

The collection begins with Bruce Bellard’s high school athletic career and follows him to BGSU, his coaching, teaching, retirement and his life as an elected official for the City of Bowling Green. The collection includes correspondence, faculty reports, mayoral reports, scrapbooks, campaign information, photos and awards.

Much of the correspondence to Federal and state elected officials involves financial contributions, his feelings on potential bills and tax proposals (Federal Aviation Administration and the IRS Project from the 1970s), and letters of recommendation for the Military Academy, as well as congratulations on reelection and retirement.

His papers include his research for his master’s thesis on physical education being mandatory for graduation, as well as some notes from classes he taught at BGSU. His coaching days are well represented with newspaper clippings and scrapbooks detailing wins. Bellard was also extremely involved in promoting Drivers Education and encouraging this to be a mandatory program for young drivers. Many of his papers and talks are included in the collection.

His letters from his positions on the city council and as mayor include personal correspondence, requests for public speaking, and personal views on potential voting in city affairs.

Letters from all levels of government from the President of the United States to the City Council of Bowling Green. Some correspondence also includes his time at BGSU in the Athletic Department. Also included are personal letters congratulating Bellard on awards received, and retirement.

Bruce Bellard’s annual report to the council as Mayor of Bowling Green.

RESEARCH NOTES FOR THESIS; 1953-1954. Notes and copies of written thesis for Bellard’s Masters Degree of Graduate level study.

ARTICLES; undated. Copies of articles and notes written by Bruce Bellard regarding coaching, drivers education and teaching.

TEACHING NOTES; undated. Notes used for lectures when Bellard was teaching at BGSU.

MARRIAGE CERTIFICATES; 1983-1988. Copies of Marriage Certificates of people he married during his tenure as Mayor of Bowling Green.

CAMPAIGN RECORDS; 1973-1988. Records from his various campaigns for public office.

EMPLOYEE CONTRACTS, BGSU; 1950s-1980s. Copy of employee contracts and information from his time at BGSU.

SCRAPBOOKS; 1939-1971. Scrapbooks include Football, Wrestling, Swimming, Basketball, Softball, Drivers Education, and election to city council.

NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS; 1940-1989. Clippings include Wrestling, BGSU, Elections, Campaign Ads, mentions as Mayor, mentions in City Council, and miscellaneous articles.

CERTIFICATES/AWARDS; 1943-1998. Various certificates, awards and trophies won for service and achievement. Many three dimensional awards represented in photographic form or with the engraved plate only.

FLYERS AND PROGRAMS; 1970s-2000s. Various programs to events he attended or was invited to, as well as protest flyers he kept.

Various photographs of events, personal and professional.

Artifacts relating to the City of Bowling Green and BGSU Sports, including Letterman’s Sweater and blanket.