New-York Historical Society public programs and education records
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
The New-York Historical Society public programs and education records include files related to the creation, publicity, outreach, funding, management, and implementation of N-YHS's programs, principally for the years 1984-1992. Regular programming included, among other things, panel discussions, lectures, concerts, films, museum gallery tours, teacher/educator workshops, and special collaborations such as arts-in-education classes or programs for at-risk students.
Biographical/Historical Note
In 1928, New-York Historical Society's Act of Incorporation was amended by the state legislature to recognize the organization's mission as including "educational purposes." This had important tax advantages, but it also reflected the vision of the chief executive officer at the time, Librarian Alexander J. Wall, to expand public access to N-YHS's resources. Presentations on historical topics, public access to the galleries and even school tours had long been a feature of N-YHS's programs, but financial constraints limited these. In the late 1930s, with the receipt of the large Thompson bequest, the renovation and expansion of the Central Park West building, and the hiring of a small staff to direct educational programs, the programs could, and did, expand, even to include concerts and films, among other initiatives.
Librarian Wall died in 1944, but his son, Alexander J. Wall, Jr., became N-YHS's Head of Education and Public Relations in 1946 when he returned from the military at the close of World War II. With the exception of the 1950s, this connection between programs and public relations continued until educational programs were cutback in the early 1980s in the face of financial difficulties. This cutback was short-lived, and in 1983 N-YHS hired Carole Slatkin as Director of Public Programs. Over the course of the next several years, programming would expand aggressively in quantity and in N-YHS's willingness to move in new, even provocative, directions. It is this period from about 1984 through 1992 that is the principal focus of the current content of the public programs and education record group.
Carole Slatkin remained Director of Public Programs until about 1989 when she was replaced by Rae Alexander-Minter. Slatkin continued to work on program-related projects until she left N-YHS. Stephanie Starr worked as an Associate for Public Programs in the 1980s, replaced when she left N-YHS about 1989 by Erika Sanger. Judith M. Giuriceo became an Associate for School Programs about 1990. Jane Lattes was the docent/volunteer coordinator until about 1989 when Marion Galison took that role. Alisa Aydin was an administrative assistant in the unit around 1990. All these individuals, in their active management of programming activities, appear in the documents of the record group. In January 1993, at the height of N-YHS's fiscal crisis, the galleries closed to the public, bringing an end to the program staff and explaining the clear break in the records here. The galleries re-opened in mid-1995 with a renewed emphasis on education and public programs, one that has greatly developed well beyond even the significant initiatives of the late 1980s-1990s.
Following is some background on certain unique initiatives for which there is extensive documentation in the record group:
Summer Institute: This teacher workshop was conducted for three summers (1987-1989). Centered on the theme "Teaching the Constitution," the workshop accepted about fifteen educators each year from public and private schools of various grades to participate in three weeks of readings, lectures, and discussions. Each teacher developed a lesson plan as a final project based on knowledge gained during the workshop and using N-YHS's library resources. The program was overseen by Carole Slatkin, though directed by Gail Sussman Marcus, who was hired specifically to focus on the Institute's development and implementation.
U.S. Constitution Programs: The Summer Institute used the Constitution as its organizing focus at least in part because 1987 was the Constitution's bicentennial. N-YHS engaged in several educational programs drawing on this anniversary and the associated exhibition it mounted, Government by Choice: Inventing the Constitution. Among these programs were U.S. Constitution on the Air (a series of radio programs and related curriculum guide) and a set of teacher programs called The Bicentennial Connection. These initiatives were done in partnership with others, including a New York City educational program called Impact II, and with funding from the Commission on the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution.
Why History?: This series of programs started in 1990 as an initiative to examine the meaning of history and its relationship to contemporary issues in America. It attempted to thematically link multiple events across three program components: panel discussions, film series, and music presentations. The 1991 series added a sub-theme: Why History? Race and Class. 1992's sub-theme was: Why History? What is American?
New York Tapes: This was a pilot program, or prototype, conducted in August 1990, that videotaped New Yorkers at various places in the city, telling personal stories. It was produced by video artist Wendy Clarke and directed by Gary Glassman in conjunction with N-YHS, with funding by the DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund.
Lab School Programs: This arts-in-education program was begun in 1991 as a collaboration between N-YHS and the William J. O'Shea Junior High School, or IS 44, using the Luman Reed Gallery as its centerpiece. In 1992, a second project was started, initially to study local history, but eventually to focus on Seneca Village. In addition to IS 44, collaborations included Central Park East Secondary School and the Trinity School.
Liberty Scholars Program: This was begun in October 1990, funded by the State Education Department as part of the Governor's Liberty Partnerships Program concerning at-risk students. Conducted in collaboration with Bank Street College, the program included eight Saturday sessions during which the students visited N-YHS to tour, meet professionals, learn about the various operations of libraries and museums, and to work on a local history project.
Returning the Gift: This project included various activities in order that North American Native writers might share their work. N-YHS was one of four outreach sites.
Arrangement Note
The New-York Historical Society public programs and education records are organized in the following series:
Series I. Program Files
Series II. Teaching Resources
Series III. Docent John B. Snook Files
Scope and Contents Note
The New-York Historical Society public programs and education records include files related to the creation, publicity, outreach, funding, management, and implementation of NYHS's programs, principally for the years 1984-1992. Regular programming included, among other things, panel discussions, lectures, concerts, films, and museum gallery tours. The programs also included school age education programs, such as tours for schoolchildren and teacher/educator workshops, as well as special collaborations such as arts-in-education classes or programs for at-risk students. The record group includes documents such as correspondence, plans, scripts, background information for docents, evaluations, statistical reports (e.g., attendance), logistical arrangements (e.g., group reservations, docent scheduling, expenses), classroom teacher resources, brochures, funding requests, and more. Special programs well-documented in the record group are, among others, the array of activities conducted by N-YHS in connection with the 1987 bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution and the Why History? series (1990-1992) that sought to explore historical themes in direct relation to present day concerns. The record group also holds the reference files of John B. Snook, a docent at N-YHS from 1995-2004.
Subjects
Organizations
Topics
Access Restrictions
Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit 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: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions
Preferred Citation Note
This collection should be cited as the New-York Historical Society public programs and education records (NYHS-RG 23), The New-York Historical Society.
Location of Materials
Accruals Note
Further accruals to the record group are expected over time.
About this Guide
Processing Information Note
The record group was compiled and partially arranged at some point, likely in the early 2000s. In December 2016, a rough overall arrangement of the files was implemented and a finding aid prepared by project archivist Larry Weimer. The record group was minimally processed and the bulk of the material remains in original folders.
Sponsor Note
Repository
Series I. Program Files, 1941-2014 (bulk, 1984-1992)
Extent
Scope and Contents Note
The Program Files series includes records related to the creation, publicity, outreach, funding, and implementation of N-YHS's public programs, principally for the years 1984-1992. Regular programming included, among other things, panel discussions, lectures, concerts, films, and gallery tours. The programs also included school age education programs, such as tours for schoolchildren and teacher/educator workshops, as well as special collaborations such as arts-in-education classes or programs for at-risk students. See the Historical Note above for further description of some of the specific programs well-represented in the series.
The series appears to be, in general, a compilation of records from at least seven individuals: Directors of Public Programs Carole Slatkin (1984-1989) and Rae Alexander-Minter (1989-1993), Associates for Public Programs Stephanie Starr (until about 1989) and Erika Sanger (about 1989-1993), Associate for School Programs Judith M. Giuriceo (started about 1990), and docent/volunteer coordinators Jane Lattes (until about 1989) and Marion Galison (1989-1993). The series includes program descriptions, planning documents, correspondence and memos, publicity, attendance counts, logistical records (e.g., group reservation forms, docent schedules), program evaluations, curriculum or presentation materials for school groups, background texts and some training or informational content for docents. The specific programs covered are wide-ranging and further detail on scope and content at the box level is given below in the container list.
Although the bulk of the series includes documents from 1984-1992, there is a small amount of earlier program material, principally publicity-related; this is noted in the container list. For later periods, there are also publicity brochures from the early 2000s.
Arrangement Note
The series is arranged in rough topical order. During processing in 2016, the files were found with little overall arrangement, accordingly much of the arrangement and categorizations of material were established in 2016 by the processing archivist. Files on specific special programs that had especially extensive files appear first in the container list. These are followed by more general sets of files. Notes at the box level provide further information about the content and the more substantive material found there.
Summer Institute 1987 (16 folders), 1987-1988
Summer Institute 1988 (26 folders), 1988-1989
Summer Institute 1989 (22 folders), 1989-1990
Summer Institute. General Files (16 folders), 1987-1989
General Note
Includes files with documents relating to Institutes from multiple years (e.g. speaker biographies, participant lists, correspondence templates, etc.) and miscellaneous materials.
Summer Institute. Final Projects (23 folders), 1988-1989
Summer Institute. Resources (11 folders), 1986-1988
General Note
Includes miscellaneous print matter (not produced by N-YHS) related to the Constitution, materials produced in connection with the Bicentennial, and teaching resources. Includes an artifact: cards depicting images and biographies of the delegates to the 1787 Constitutional Convention.
Summer Institute. Readings & Resources (38 of 65 folders), 1987-1988
General Note
This box and the next includes files (most of which appear to be those of Gail Marcus) of Institute readings and other reference matter.
Summer Institute. Readings & Resources (27 of 65 folders), 1987-1988
"We the People": Our Living Constitution. N-YHS Discovery Book, 1987
Government by Choice: Inventing the Constitution (4 folders), 1986-1987
General Note
Includes a folder with documents concerning the exhibition of this name held at N-YHS from September 17, 1987-January 17, 1988. Also includes files of programs related to the exhibition including education/class tie-ins and an audiovisual slide show. See also the box of Exhibition Files (1 of 2) below; this holds several folders on program tie-ins to the Constitution Bicentennial and exhibition.
U.S. Constitution Bicentennial Programs (20 folders), 1986-1989
General Note
Includes various programs related to the Constitution, including "United States Constitution on the Air," Bicentennial Connection, mock debates, lectures, and others. Some done in partnership with the IMPACT II program of the New York City Board of Education and funded by the Commission on the Bicentennial of the Constitution.
IMPACT II Materials / Arts & Cultural Education Network (16 folders), 1985-1991
General Note
Includes general material concerning these New York City Board of Education programs and N-YHS's connection to them.
Why History? 1990 (57 of 79 folders), 1989-1990
Why History? 1990 (22 of 79 folders), 1989-1990
Why History? Race & Class 1991 (50 of 83 folders), 1990-1991
Why History? Race & Class 1991 (33 of 83 folders), 1990-1991
Why History? What is American? 1992 (42 of 97 folders), 1991-1992
Why History? What is American? 1992 (44 of 97 folders), 1991-1992
Why History? What is American? 1992 (11 of 97 folders), 1992
General Note
This box holds transcripts of the lectures.
Why History? General Files (7 folders), 1990-1992
General Note
Includes folders that include materials related to all or most of the three Why History? years/series.
Collecting & Connoiseurship Symposium (5 folders), 1982, 1984
New York Walks (1 of 2 boxes), 1987-1988
General Note
These were walking tours of Manhattan. Includes narratives, publicity, clippings, route maps, etc.
New York Walks (2 of 2 boxes), 1987-1989, 1992
New York Tapes (41 folders), 1990
General Note
Includes narrative, location permissions, interviewee releases, budgets, logistics, etc.
Imagining the New World: Columbian Iconography Programs (50 folders), 1991-1992
General Note
Includes drafts and finals of teacher's packet, program evaluations, background material, and other documents concerning tie-ins to this exhibition.
Lab School Programs (41 of 68 folders), 1990-1992
General Note
This box holds general files on Lab Schools and the files for the Luman Reed Gallery project. The general files include reference to the Seneca Village project, which is primarily in the following box.
Lab School Programs (27 of 68 folders), 1991-1992
General Note
Includes the Seneca Village Lab School project files.
Bank Street College / Liberty Scholars (12 folders), 1990-1991
Returning the Gift / Six Nations (Iroquois) Census Reprint (17 folders), 1992
General Program Files (1 of 5 boxes), 1972-1991
General Note
Generally, this set of five boxes appears to hold material primarily from the files of Carole Slatkin, Rae Alexander-Minter, Erika Sanger, and Stephanie Starr. This box includes, among other subjects, a survey of N-YHS visitors (1988), statistics (1984-1989), budgets (1986-1991), reports, and files on various tours, lectures, St. Nicholas festivals, and other programs from the late 1980s. There is a small amount of material from the 1960s-1970s, principally related to concerts.
General Program Files (2 of 5 boxes), 1985-1990
General Note
Includes, among other subjects, Wilkinson toy collection programs, New York: Past, Present & Future lecture series, Shelburne Sampler-related programs, wine-tasting tours and other trips, and Angela Brown recital.
General Program Files (3 of 5 boxes), 1987-1992
General Note
Includes, among other subjects, concerts (Mexican, Virtuosi Quintet); Associated Solo Artists' development of a musical work based on Thomas Cole's Course of Empire (the file includes an audiotape); survey from open house for scholars of American history and art; tours and programs associated with Paris 1889 exhibition; a Con Edison Black History Book Cover Program (with a photograph of Dr. Rae Alexander-Minter with students at IS 44); Jewish Museum at N-YHS; Art What Thou Eat notes and discussion guide; Luman Reed projects; and management reports on public programs, FY1990-FY1992.
General Program Files (4 of 5 boxes), 1990-1992
General Note
Includes, among other subjects, tour attendance statistics (1991); audience trends at New York museums; Audubon-related programs; Simon Schama lecture; programs in connection with McKim, Mead & White exhibition (with questionnaires); Day Without Art; program administration (ticketing, audiovisual requirements, mailings); and questionnaires from "History for Adults: Objectives & Strategies."
General Program Files (5 of 5 boxes), 1990-1993
General Note
Includes, among other subjects, "Make Your Own Board Game!"; Thomas Cole exhibition education budget (1992); after-school workshop for educators presented by curator of manuscripts Margaret Heilbrun; proposed permanent gallery re-installation (1992); World War II film program; "Writing History: Works and Process" series; Anne Dillard reading; "Repossessing History" slide show and discussion; programs in connection with City Hall exhibition; "Reinterpreting the American West" symposium; budgets, statistics, and internal memos.
Exhibition Files (1 of 2 boxes), 1941-1988
General Note
This box and the next includes a set of files that appear to be those of volunteer coordinator Jane Lattes. The files are alphabetical by exhibition. They include various documents about the exhibition, including press releases, checklists, reference material, etc., but more relevant to this record group is that many of the files hold docent training notes, tour notes, background material prepared by N-YHS staff, program tie-ins, etc. Those files that include program-related documents in this box are: Rise & Fall of New York; P.T. Barnum; Bellow, Bobbins & Butter Churns; Centuries of Childhood; George Catlin (1941-42); Small Talk; Merchants & Mandarins / New York & the China Trade; Government by Choice: Inventing the U.S. Constitution (and other Constitution bicentennial programs); and Jasper Cropsey. In addition to the 1940s Catlin material, the box holds some photographs of models of antique cars from the collection, possibly dating from the 1950s, and some old reprints of articles.
Exhibition Files (2 of 2 boxes), 1983-1989
General Note
Those files that include program-related documents in this box are: domestic life (Bellows, Bobbins and American Gadgets & Gastronomy); Francis Edmonds; Firefighting on Parade; Glass & Paperweights; Heraldry; Hudson River & the Highlands; immigration conference; Jackie Robinson; Karol Kozlowski; Livingston Manor; lecture series; Arnold Newman; Niagara; Paris 1889; Liberty's Legacy; Visions of Liberty; A Child's World; and George Washington in New York.
General Education & Tours Files (1 of 7 boxes), 1979-1992
General Note
These seven boxes include files that appear to have been primarily those of volunteer coordinators and associates for school programs, Jane Lattes, Marion Galison and Judith Giuriceo. This first box includes files related to specific exhibitions or galleries; these are in alphabetical order and continue in the next box. Principal subjects in this box are AIDS quilt; architecture (McKim, Mead & White); Audubon; Thomas Jefferson Bryan; Andrew Carnegie; Carriage and Volunteer Fire Department Galleries; colonial New York; Art What Thou Eat/Food.
General Education & Tours Files (2 of 7 boxes), 1985-1992
General Note
This box concludes the files related to specific exhibitions or galleries. Principal subjects are Forever Wild (Adirondacks); Highlights Tour; Hudson River School; Luman Reed Gallery/Thomas Cole (includes synopsis of curator Tim Burgard's training session for volunteers about Course of Empire); Paris 1889; Peale; Silver; Tenth Street Studio (proposed exhibition); unguided group introductory script; World War II Home Front. The box also holds material on various subjects compiled here as they relate to paintings: Changing Face of Portraiture; Early American Leaders / Presidents, Patriots & Portraits; landscapes; frames; and American genre (includes transcript of curator Ella Foshay's talk to the volunteers about genre paintings).
General Education & Tours Files (3 of 7 boxes), 1968-1992
General Note
This box includes files on education programs more generally, including teacher workshops, open houses, letters from student visitors, school program publicity packets, teachers' center, adult and child versions of a slide show script (1986), and other actual and proposed programs. Also includes files concerning contacts with particular schools or other institutions, especially Junior League, but also Community School District 5, Symphony Space, and others.
General Education & Tours Files (4 of 7 boxes), 1985-1992
General Note
Includes tour and workshop evaluations by participants and by coordinators, volunteer hours (in all departments), reports and statistics (e.g., attendance on tours), schedules (see also box 6 of 7 below), and miscellaneous program correspondence and memos.
General Education & Tours Files (5 of 7 boxes), 1985-1992
General Note
This box includes files concerning the administration of the volunteer program, including files on sources of volunteers, blank application forms, docent meetings and training sessions, memos, the N-YHS "Handbook for Volunteers" (circa 1986), and general administrative matters. The box also holds files of various resources not clearly connected with other more specific matters, much of which was likely general background material for docents and coordinators; these files include laminated images, papers on museum education, general information about N-YHS, and an audiotape and filmstrip(?) of "Trinity Parish in New York."
General Education & Tours Files (6 of 7 boxes), 1989-1992
General Note
This box includes volunteer daily and weekly schedules and group reservation forms completed for each arranged tour. There appear to be two sets of reservation forms, one set holding the original completed at the time the reservation was made and the other filed after the actual tour. This latter set holds additional documentation about the monthly tours, including attendance, evaluations, monies collected, etc.
General Education & Tours Files (7 of 7 boxes), 1990-1993 January
General Note
This box holds two sets of the "Special Events/Public Programs Logistics Forms." The first set is the more complete and orderly; it is the copy from the Security Department's files and as such includes all program notification forms sent from any N-YHS unit for 1990-early 1993. (These documents were the only ones from that department in the archive and so were added to this record group). The second set are from the Program and Education files and are in some disorder.
Adult Tour Mailings, circa 1990
General Note
Includes the file of cards with organizational contacts for mailing information on tours.
Objects Used by Docents, circa 1990
General Note
Includes fragments of stained glass (Tiffany?), wig, small teapot, feathers, samples of stones (e.g., pyrite, agate, etc.), and laminated reproductions of saloon, hotel, and restaurant licenses.
Emerson Prize Winners, 1995
General Note
Includes a memo noting that Concord Review's first Emerson Prize would be awarded at a ceremony in the N-YHS Reading Room, the event program, and the special isssue of the Review with the winning essays.
Landmarks of New York Project. Speaker Biographies, 1998 May 5-19
N-YHS 200th Anniversary Celebration Video, 2004-2005
General Note
Includes contents of 3-ring binder (disbound) with photocopies of licenses, releases, transcript, and other documents pertinent to the video. A standard and loop version of the video in DVDs is in the folder.
Program & Exhibition Publicity Brochures (4 folders), 2005-2014
Series II. Teaching Resources, 1970-2009
Extent
Scope and Contents Note
The series includes resources for teachers that were developed by N-YHS or by other institutions or organizations in collaboration with N-YHS. Some of these resources were prepared as teaching aids that tied-in to particular exhibitions that students would be exposed to. Most were prepared to teach subject areas not necessarily related to specific exhibitions or visits to N-YHS. The earliest resources in the series are in the form of printed manuals. Later resources are larger sets of material that include digital media, oversize reproductions, and other content in addition to print matter. The series holds material found as standalone items in the N-YHS archives as of 2016; it is unlikely that this includes all such resources prepared by N-YHS's Education Department.
Arrangement Note
The series is arranged in chronological order.
America in Art. John James Audubon: Artist, Scientist, Pioneer, 1970
Audubon's Birds, 1979
We the People: Our Living Constitution (4 copies), 1987
The Bicentennial Connection [U.S. Constitution], 1988
Imagining the New World: Columbian Iconography (2 copies), 1991
General Note
Includes the booklet only from the teacher's packet; see the Program Files series above for other files and material concerning this resource.
Seneca Village, circa 1997?
New York City 100, 1998
America Begins in New York [Immigration] (photocopy), 2000
Teaching Local History: New York City as a National Model (2 copies), 2000
Elder Grace: The Nobility of Aging, 2000
Objects Tell Stories: Learning History Through Object Study (Guide to the Henry Luce III Center for the Study of American Culture) (2 copies), 2000
Cultures, Commerce & Community [17th Century New Amsterdam] (3 copies), 2002
Home of the Free: Using Photography to Explore Public Service, 2002
American Musicals Project. Bloomer Girl, 2001
American Musicals Project. Showboat. 2nd edition (2 copies), 2001
American Musicals Project. Paint Your Wagon. 2nd edition (2 copies), 2002
American Musicals Project. Oklahoma, 2002?
American Musicals Project. Fiorello, 2001
American Musicals Project. Annie, 2002?
American Musicals Project. World War II, 2004
American Musicals Project. West Side Story, 2000
Alexander Hamilton: The Man Who Made Modern America, 2004
General Note
Includes two packages of the materials, one complete with shrink-wrapped contents and one partially shrink-wrapped, with some contents missing.
Slavery in New York, 2005
General Note
Includes 3 copies of the binders, one is shrink-wrapped and appears to be complete (with a digital disc), the other two binders are incomplete and missing the disc.
New York Divided: Slavery & the Civil War, 2006
General Note
The binder content is shrink-wrapped, but appears to be missing the digital disc and oversize content.
Grant & Lee in War and Peace, 2008
Lincoln and New York, 2009
Series III. Docent John B. Snook Files, 1995-2005
Extent
Scope and Contents Note
This series holds the files of John B. Snook (1927-2007), who was a docent at N-YHS beginning in 1995. During the course of his career he had been a professor at Barnard, a pastoral counselor, and director of financial aid at Columbia Law School. This series includes Snook's files on exhibitions, other programs, and general N-YHS matters in support of his work with public programs. The bulk of the files include baseline information about exhibitions (press packets, fliers, labels, wall text, clippings, etc.) that are likely found elsewhere in exhibition, public relations, and other record groups. Nonetheless, some files also hold docent-specific memos and guidance that may not be in other files. Further, the files collectively provide insight into the background materials and other resources available to a docent and that could be used to prepare for gallery tours.
Arrangement Note
The files were minimally processed at some point, likely circa 2007, and remain in original folders. They were integrated into this record group in 2016 by project archivist Larry Weimer.