Skip to main content

Educational Museum of the St. Louis Public Schools Records

 Collection
Identifier: A0439

Scope and Contents

The Educational Museum of the St. Louis Public Schools Records includes an inventory of records of objects circulated to grade schools, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, information on the history of the Educational Museum, reproductions of various historical St. Louis events with photos and text, printed material, financial records, and records of Delta Kappa Gamma Sorority.

Dates

  • 1901-1999

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

For permission to publish, quote from, or reproduce material in this collection, please contact the Archives Reference Desk at archives@mohistory.org. Copyright restrictions may apply. The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming to the laws of copyright.

Historical Sketch

First referred to as the Pedagogical Museum, the Educational Museum was founded in 1905 when F. Louis Soldan, the Superintendent of Instruction, and Carl G. Rathman, the Assistant Superintendent of the St. Louis Public Schools, requested that exhibitors at the 1904 World's Fair donate parts of their exhibits to aid in the education of school children. The material was first stored at the Wyman School, and a horse and wagon made weekly trips to schools to deliver visual aids to teachers who requested them. There were also exhibits set up at the museum building for students to visit. The collection grew and was moved to the Peabody School, the old Bates School, and to Carpenter Hall. In 1937 it moved to the Eugene Field School. In 1943 the museum was renamed the Division of Audio-Visual Education (DAVE). The collection began with lantern slides, photographs, stereo cards, mounted animals, rocks, industrial products, historical exhibits, and scientific equipment. Filmstrips, movies, slides, phonograph records, dolls, and radio transcriptions were added later.

Extent

11.2 Cubic Feet ( (20 boxes; 8 volumes))

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in seven series: Educational Museum Records (which includes History and Anniversary Celebrations, Reports and Memoranda, Staff Records, Collections Records, Correspondence Files, Financial Records, Scrapbooks, and Addresses subseries), Programming Materials (which includes Instructional Booklets, Manuscript Writing Experiment, St. Louis History Study Prints, and Other subseries), Printed Matter (which includes Catalogues, Program Brochures, Other Printed Matter Published by the St. Louis Public Schools, Articles About the Educational Museum, Printed Matter Regarding Educational Theory, Serial Publications, Trade and Vendors' Publications, and Miscellany subseries), Audiovisual Education in Other Cities, Individuals, Miscellany, and Honorary Societies (which includes Delta Kappa Gamma Society International and Kappa Delta Pi--An Honor Society in Education subseries).

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

There are no physical or technical restrictions.

Donor Information

The collection was donated by the St. Louis Public Schools (courtesy of Harry Acker) on August 7, 1992 (accession number 92-0087).

Related Materials

Researchers may want to also consult the following collections relating to the St. Louis Public Schools and the Educational Museum at the Missouri Historical Society: Educational Museum Collection (P0631) St. Louis Public Schools Photograph Collection (P0900) St. Louis Public Schools Records (A3030)

Processing Information

The collection was processed Missouri Historical Society staff in 1995.

Title
Inventory of Educational Museum of the St. Louis Public Schools Records
Status
Completed
Author
EAD by Jaime Bourassa using ArchivesSpace
Date
2019
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Missouri Historical Society Library and Research Center Repository

Contact:
225 S. Skinker Blvd.
St. Louis MO 63105 United States
314-746-4510