The Froebel Society Records: Brooklyn Chapter
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Abstract
Minutes, yearbooks and other documents relating to the activities of the Froebel Society, a Brooklyn women's club that promoted cultural activity among its members, who were originally drawn from the mothers of children attending the Froebel Academy.
Historical Note
Friedrich Froebel (1782-1852) was a German educator and founder of the first Kindergarten. His early childhood education philosophy focused on creative play and a close relationship between parents and teachers. In 1850 the Kindergarten was banned by Prussian authorities, but followers of Froebel's philosophies immigrated to Britain where they opened a Kindergarten the following year. The Froebel Society was founded in London in November 1874 to help spread Froebel's ideas and maintain standards for Kindergarten teachers and classrooms.
The Froebel Society operating in Brooklyn was organized in 1884 by mothers of children attending the Froebel Academy. The Academy was located in Bedford-Stuyvesant, first in the home of a teacher and later in Hickock Hall on today's Herbert Von King Park. The Society members were heavily involved with the day-to-day operations of the school, meeting monthly with teachers and working to fundraise and furnish the classroom. Money raised also paid for specialists and guest lecturers invited to speak at Society meetings.
The Society was incorporated on June 12, 1891 for "the advancement of education and educational interests and the promotion of self-culture and mutual helpfulness." As the Academy hired capable, well-educated teachers the Society became less involved with the daily operations of the school and more focused on activities for members. By 1918 the Society had over 80 members, including women without children enrolled in the Academy. Activities such as the Froebel Chorus, Bible study and group discussions on art, literature and politics made the Society an attractive option for progressive Brooklyn women.
By 1955 membership had declined to 37. The remaining members decided to disband the club and donate their materials to the Brooklyn Public Library. The European branch of the Frobel Society merged with the National Froebel Union in 1938 to become the National Froebel Foundation, which dissolved in 1975.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in six series. Files within each series are arranged chronologically.
Scope and Contents
This collection contains records from the Brooklyn branch of the The Froebel Society, a women's club that promoted cultural activity among its members, who were originally drawn from the mothers of children attending the Froebel Academy.
Series I-IV makes up the bulk of the collection and consists of minutes recording the activities and discussions of various groups active in the Society:
Series I: The Board of Trustees minutes include requests for membership and resignations, matters concerning the Froebel Academy, treasurer's reports, membership dues, payments to florists etc.
Series II: The Business Meeting minutes include votes taken on proposed members and special committee reports. These meetings also included performances, talks, and recitations. Programs of the evening's entertainments are often included with the reports.
Series III: The Records of the Corresponding Secretary list communications sent out to members and correspondence received.
Series IV: Home Committee minutes include records of meetings that took place in the homes of members, who read papers on subjects of interest to the society.
The remainder of the collection includes four yearbooks and a variety of undated notes, speeches and applications.
Subjects
Conditions Governing Access
Open to researchers without restriction.
Conditions Governing Use
While many items at the Center for Brooklyn History are unrestricted, we do not own reproduction rights to all materials. Be aware of the several kinds of rights that might apply: copyright, licensing and trademarks. The researcher assumes all responsibility for copyright questions.
Preferred Citation
This collection should be cited as The Froebel Society Records: Brooklyn Chapter, Brooklyn Public Library – Brooklyn Collection.
Provenance
Gift of the Froebel Society, June 1957.
