Marble Hill Nursery School collection
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Abstract
A small collection documenting the early history of the Marble Hill Nursery School, a parent-cooperative nursery school established in 1953 to serve families living in the Marble Hill Houses, a NYCHA development in Bronx Community District 8. The material here stems from Evelyn I. Lowell (1918-2016), first president of the school, who sought to parlay the expertise she gained during its founding into an educational television program for children.
Historical note
The Marble Hill Nursery School was founded in 1953 as a non-profit, parent-cooperative nursery school to serve families living in the Marble Hill Houses, a NYCHA development in the Bronx. (Although it is technically the northernmost neighborhood of Manhattan, Marble Hill is physically and politically connected to the Bronx as Bronx Community District 8.) Parents assist in school fundraising activities, volunteer in the classrooms, serve on committees, and may choose to serve on the board of directors. The school celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2023. (For more information, see marblehillnurseryschool.org.)
Arrangement
The collection is housed in five folders, the first four of which are sorted chronologically. The fifth folder holds print matter of a wider date range.
Scope and Contents
This collection stems from Evelyn I. Lowell (1918-2016), first president of the Marble Hill Nursery School, and contains foundational documentation she preserved, such as agendas, notes, drafts of committee assignments, correspondence, and budgetary requirements. Also included are proposals for a television program—tentatively titled "Wonderland Playground" and based on the Marble Hill Nursery School model—that Lowell hoped to sell to the CBS and DuMont networks. The collection includes drafts of an article "Playing is Children's Work," a guide for parents interested in establishing nursery schools in their communities, which Lowell unsuccessfully submitted to various publications. A small group of publications on child welfare supplements the collection.
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Access Restrictions
This collection is stored offsite. To arrange to consult it, please go to www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.
Use Restrictions
Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff. Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282. Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: www.nyhistory.org/rights-and-reproductions.
Preferred Citation
The collection should be cited as the "Marble Hill Nursery School Collection, MS 3227, New-York Historical Society."
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Waverly B. Lowell (daughter of Evelyn I. Lowell), 2016 (accession no. MS-2016-05).
About this Guide
Processing Information
Archivist Joseph Ditta arranged and described this collection in July 2023.
Repository
View Inventory
Marble Hill Nursery School foundational documentation, 1953-1956, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes agendas, notes, drafts of committee assignments, correspondence, a tentative budget, a "Report on Findings and Recomendations for the Formation of a Permanent 'Playschool'," and the "Constitution and By-laws of the Marble Hill Tenants Association."
Television program proposals, 1954, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Correspondence and proposals discussing Evelyn Lowell's idea for an educational children's television program, tentatively titled "Wonderland Playground," sent to executives of the CBS and DuMont Television Networks.
"Playing is Children's Work", 1956, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Drafts and copies of Evelyn Lowell's article "Playing is Children's Work," a guide for parents interested in creating a playschool in their communities, with correspondence to various magazine where she hoped it would be published.
Marble Hill Nursery School 10th anniversary, 1965, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Material documenting the school's 10th anniversary celebration, with a copy of the May 21, 1965 program, and the notes of a speech Evelyn Lowell delivered at the event.
Print matter (6 items), 1925-1954, undated, inclusive
Scope and Contents
(1) Grace T. Hallock and C. E. Turner, "Health Heroes: Louis Pasteur" (1925)
(2) Leona Baumgartner et al., "The Day Care of Little Children in a Big City: A report of the work of the Day Care Unit of the Department of Health, New York City" (May 1946)
(3) Nina Ridenour and Isabel Johnson, "Some Special Problems of Children" (1947)
(4) "Parent Conducted Activities in Public Housing Projects in New York City: A Report Prepared by the Day Care Committee of the Division of Child Welfare" (August 1953)
(5) "Directory of Day Care Agencies in New York City" (January 1954)
(6) "Guide for the Health Program in the Day Care Center" (n.d.)