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The majority of the materials are related to Haskell’s education from primary through graduate school, with additional items from her early career and retirement. The Correspondence Series contains her first teaching recommendation letter in 1915, a teaching appointment notice, and a few personal letters ending in 1954. The Grade Cards and Transcripts Series span her eighth grade year in 1909 through a master’s degree program in 1938. The Ephemera Series comprises dinner and event programs she attended in her early career from 1923-1939. The Clippings Series (1937-1955) cover a variety of topics, as well as coverage of the 1955 Trenton State College centennial. The Prints Series includes four etchings or reproductions of St. Petersburg Florida churches inscribed: “for Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Wilhelm” by Will Kay Hagerman (Kent Hagerman). The Certificates and Diplomas Series span from her primary school years in 1904 through 1946. They include, among other items, her Normal School diploma and bachelor’s degree, as well as membership certificates to honorary sororities, Red Cross volunteer service, and her marriage certificate to Josiah Haskell.

Content warning: Some of the published music in this collection was used in minstrel shows and some song lyrics may contain racist and harmful depictions of marginalized groups, sexist or misogynistic language, and xenophobic attitudes and opinions.

The collection contains autobiographical information including a curriculum vitae-like document composed after Bray’s retirement. She also jotted down notes for a “Typical day at retirement home” that might have been for an article in the home’s newsletter or other publication.

Her teaching and grading materials include handwritten music for portions of three Richard Wagner works: “Das Rheingold,” “Walkure,” and “Siegfried,” that may have been used for her 1933-1934 class: “German Music of the Romantic Period.” Grading materials include a “Colonial Class Register" notebook from 1947-1948 containing students’ names and grades for the following classes: Chorus, Elementary Appreciation Methods, Supervision of Music, Child Voice, High School Appreciation Methods, and Student Teaching. Also included are handwritten evaluations for the following students, mostly of the class of 1951: Albert Bazzel, Glenn Welshon, Vilma Kosco, and Doris Allen. Bray retired in 1948, which indicates that these students may have been among her last at Trenton State College.

The correspondence contains a variety of material. She received compliments for school performances she directed, as well as congratulations on her retirement. Many letters are from former students who also included updates on their lives or anecdotes about their time in Bray’s classes. There are several letters from Helen Layton Lowrey who worked in the college’s business office and who did Bray’s taxes during several years of her retirement. These letters include news about other former faculty members including Doris Perry and Lulu Haskell. There also are a few letters that Bray wrote to Trenton State College Presidents Edwin Martin and Clayton Brower that include biographical information and details about the development of the Music Department. Finally, there are letters from Effie G. Kuhn, the Head of the Speech Department from 1919-1952, and K. Elizabeth “Betty” Ingalls, an instructor of Music from 1940-1948.

There are two items of ephemera: a pamphlet from the Supervisors School of Music in Westfield, New Jersey, from 1918, and a program for the dedication of Bray Hall in 1964. Publications include a set (with multiple copies) of Bray’s Phono-Song Course, Books 1 - 4, from 1920, and a small number of issues of “Oak Leaves” newsletter from Bray’s retirement home.

Rebecca S. Smith’s collection (1863-1864) contains a graduation certificate letter signed by Principal William F. Phelps in 1863. This document was likely provided to potential employers as proof of graduation. Also included are a few items of correspondence in the same time period, including a letter by Vice-Principal Silas Betts presumably in response to Smith's request for a reference; and two letters regarding a job application and rejection for an Assistant Librarian position at the Mercantile Library in Philadelphia. (The Mercantile LIbrary was later absorbed by the Free Library of Philadelphia.)

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Ayars Fisher Davis’ collection (1895) consists of programs from musical events and Commencement that she shared with her husband Luther Davis and the Normal School class of 1895. Of special note is a Glee Club program which Lizzie annotated under the listing of a performance by Davis: "called out the 3rd time, sang both encores, brought down the house.”

Nellie Hoffman Ward’s collection (1890-1897) consists of her teacher’s certification results for Locktown, New Jersey schools; correspondence regarding her third grade teaching certification; and an absence excuse letter from her father, Cyrus Hoffman, while she attended the New Jersey State Normal School in 1897. The letter from Cyrus Hoffman does not include the referenced medical certificate.

Blanche Smith Woodford’s collection (1841-1892) consists of her 1892 merit certificate from Phillipsburg School with “Sadie Smith” written on the back. Sadie was her younger sister. Also included is an 1841 grade card for Amos Smith from Lambertville School, addressed to J.B. Smith, Esq. J.B. Smith was the father of Amos and William Smith, and Blanche’s great-grandfather.

Annie Lake Lore’s collection (1898-1903) consists of four New Jersey State Normal School Commencement invitation cards sent to her from students who graduated from 1898 to 1903. The students were all from Lake’s hometown of Port Norris. In an article in The News of Cumberland County newspaper from April 15, 1897, she is listed as an officer of the Young People’s Library Association at the M. E. parsonage along with Lucy Hand (sister of Mary Hand – both of their invitation cards are in this collection).

Eleanor Jane Rittenhouse’s collection (1899-1932) from her mother, Florence Spragg Rittenhouse, contains annotated photographs and ephemera from the New Jersey State Normal School, “daisy class” of 1899, and from alumni gatherings over 30 years later. Included from 1899 is a Commencement invitation and tickets sent to Florence’s future husband, T. Earl Rittenhouse, who was too ill to attend the ceremony. There also are three small portrait photographs of Sara Croasdale, Martha "Mattie" Sherman, and Sarah Conover Klein. The photographs were taken by Petite Photo Co. of Trenton. Croasdale, along with Rittenhouse and an unknown alum are pictured in another photograph from 1931. Additionally, there is a program from a North Jersey Normal School alumni event in 1932.

Anna May Brasch’s collection (1906-1908) consists of materials from her New Jersey State Normal School years (1906-1908), including: matriculation cards, a Commencement week invitation, an issue of the Signal, and a souvenir ribbon from St. Joseph’s picnic.

Elizabeth Simmermon Dilks’s collection (1916) contains programs from 1916 Commencement activities as well as a yearbook with yellow silk ribbon from the same year.

Content warning: the illustration and description of the mural in the postcards include inaccurate, derogatory, and/or offensive depictions of people indigenous to the area.
M. Isabelle Vanderhoff Tallman’s collection (c.1910-1930) contains materials from her years as a student at the New Jersey State Normal School including postcards from the school and the city of Trenton from c.1910-1920 and a 1920 student directory. The collection also includes the 1930 book State Teachers College and State Normal School, Trenton, N.J. Past, Present, and Future by Principal Don C. Bliss, written about the school’s transition to a college and relocation to Hillwood Lakes. Additional publications from her collection, namely Alumni Association newsletters and minutes, were transferred to the Alumni Association collection TCNJ010.

Helyn Anthony Meyer’s collection (1923-1974) consists of a play program from her time in the Arguromuthos Club at the New Jersey State Normal School in 1923, her Commencement program from 1925, and an alumni list from a reunion in Florida in 1974. She signed her name on each of these items.