Guide, finished version, July 30, 2008 [title page says June]

GUIDE TO THE RECORDS

OF THE

NEW YORK CITY BOARD OF

EDUCATION

Municipal Archives

New York City Department of Records

June 2008

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

GUIDE TO THE RECORDS

OF THE

NEW YORK CITY BOARD OF EDUCATION

Compiled by

David M. Ment

Municipal Archives

New York City Department of Records

June 2008

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

PREFACE

The Guide to the Records of the Board of Education is the outcome of

the work of archivists, educators, and researchers, over many years, in

assembling the collections, organizing them, and recognizing their

usefulness.

The Department of Education and its predecessor, the Board of

Education, has perceived the significance of its historical records and

cooperated in their archival preservation. The Department of Records and

Information Services has not only accepted responsibility for the records but

has defined a vision of their importance as a major resource for the study of

education. The New York State Archives, through its Local Government

Records Management Improvement Fund has supported archival processing

of portions of the collection as well as the preparation of this Guide.

Archivists Tobi Adler and David Ment have worked on organizing

and describing the records, with leadership from Leonora Gidlund, Director

of the Municipal Archives and Kenneth Cobb, Assistant Commissioner of

the Department of Records and Information Services.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

CONTENTS

Introduction 6

List of Record Series 9

Series Descriptions

Series 1: New York Public School Society, 1805-1853

Series 2-19: City of Brooklyn, 1843-1897 and other school

boards

Series 20-79: City of New York, 1843-1898 32

Series 50-59: Records of Ward Trustees and District

Inspectors

Series 60-75: Records of individual schools 38

Series 80-99: Borough Boards, 1898-1902

Series 100-999: Consolidated City of New York, 1898-1970 45

Series 100-130: Board of Education bylaws, manuals,

meetings, calendars, minutes

Series 131-151: Standing Committees

Series 152-199: Special Committees

Series 200-209: Annual Reports 58

Series 210-219: Directories

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 220-269: Records of Board projects, commissions,

activities

Series 275-299: Secretary of the Board 65

Series 300-399 Board Members’ Papers 69

Series 400-499: Superintendent of Schools 79

Series 500-699: Administration, Office of the

Superintendent of Schools, Associate and Assistant

Superintendents, Divisions, Bureaus

Series 590-599: Anticommunist Investigations 89

Series 601-699: Deputy, Associate, and Assistant

Superintendents

Series 700-799: Bureau of Reference, Research, and

Statistics (BRRS) and related research bureaus

104

Series 800-859: Business Administration and School

Buildings

112

Series 860-865: Vocational Education Advisory Groups 117

Series 870-879: Teacher Associations [reserved]

Series 890-899: City College, Hunter College, and Board of

Higher Education [reserved]

Series 900-949: Cooperating Agencies 118

Series 950-999: Records of individual schools 121

Series 1000-1999: Period of Decentralization, 1970-2002 123

Series 1000-1099: Board of Education (including Secretary,

Counsel, etc.)

123

Series 1100-1199: Chancellor (and Office of the Chancellor)

132

Series 1200-1699: Administration 142

[Series 1700-1799: reserved]

Series 1800-1849: Graphic Materials 151

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

APPENDICES

Appendix I

Chronology of the Public Schools

of New York City

155

Appendix II

Organization Charts of the New York City

Board of Education

157

Appendix III

Regulations of the Department of

Records/Municipal Archives for Use of

Collections and Access to Restricted Materials

162

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

INTRODUCTION

Building the Collection

The collection of the records of the Board of Education at the New

York City Municipal Archives is the product of several strands of collecting

activities. This Guide is the first effort to provide a coordinated description

of the entire collection, an essential step in unleashing the potential value of

the records for educators, historians, architects, and participants in family

and community history activities. The Guide is intended to be used in

coordination with finding aids and inventories for the various components of

the collection, which are accessible either on the Department of Records

web site or at the Municipal Archives reference room.

The first major effort to preserve the historical records began in 1975,

with an agreement between the Board of Education and Teachers College,

Columbia University, under which the library of Teachers College would

serve as custodian of Board of Education records of historical significance.

Under that arrangement, archivists from Teachers College reviewed the

materials in various Board of Education storage rooms and selected those of

greatest importance. A “Preliminary Checklist” prepared in 1978 became

the basic guide to these records. A few years later, the files of several

members of the Board of Education, which had been under the jurisdiction

of the Office of the Secretary of the Board of Education, were transferred.

And these were followed, in the mid-1980s, by the Board’s photograph files.

Overall, these materials constituted about 1500 cubic feet of records.

In 2003, during a reorganization of the library at Teachers College, it

was decided to end the library’s role as custodian of the records and

agreement was reached to transfer them to the Municipal Archives, which

has overall responsibility for municipal records. At approximately this time,

the Department of Education began to plan for the move of its headquarters

out of 110 Livingston Street, Brooklyn. The Department cooperated with

the Municipal Archives in a review of records stored there at that time.

These included the records of each of the Chancellors who had administered

the school system since the decentralization of 1970, as well as the files of

several members of the Board of Education and the files of various board

bureaus and projects. Approximately 1700 cubic feet of records were

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

identified as requiring archival preservation and these were transferred to the

Municipal Archives in 2004.

Also, in 2004, the Municipal Archives cooperated with the School

Construction Authority, in reviewing the archival requirements of the

architectural records stored in their facility in Long Island City, Queens.

Approximately 2,000 cubic feet of architectural drawings were selected for

transfer to the Archives. Finally, in 2007, the Municipal Archives agreed to

accept collections of the records of two organizations whose functions had

been deeply intertwined in the operations of the public school system: the

Public Education Association and the United Parents Associations.

In addition to these large transfers the collections include historical

materials transferred from several individual public schools and files

contributed by individual members of the Board. Each of these adds a

dimension to the usefulness of the overall collection.

Describing the Collection

Early efforts to describe the collection and provide access tools for

researchers include the “Preliminary Checklist” mentioned above and folder

listings that were prepared for particular series. In the 1980s and 1990s,

some portions of the collection were organized and described with

government and private support. From 2004-2007 several major series of

Chancellors records and board member files were processed with LGRMIF

support. Routine management efforts have also generated inventories, at

box, folder, or volume level, for many series. However, the work of

description is an incremental process, and much remains to be done.

The brief descriptions in this Guide are intended to provide

researchers with a thorough overview of the collections. With the series-

level descriptions provided here, the researcher can determine those series

that seem promising and worth further consideration. The next step for the

researcher, of the greatest importance, is to review the more detailed finding

aids, inventories, or folder or box listings that may exist for those series in

which they are interested. The Guide entries indicate if a finding aid is

available online; however, for many other series, detailed inventories or box

listings are available at the Archives reference room.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

The user of this Guide will observe that the various records series are

organized in a framework that combines major chronological divisions with

some recognition of the organizational structure of the Board of Education.

Over the decades, the public school system of New York City grew not only

in size but in complexity, and its administrative structure changed as well,

with redefined functions and renamed bureaus. The subject of interest to a

researcher may have been the shared responsibility of many levels of

administration. Thus, the series structure provides an initial basis for

approaching the records, but it is necessary for the researcher to take a broad

view in considering possible series of relevance. The “List of Record

Series” is intended to assist in this process, providing a relatively concise

overview that can be used before approaching the series descriptions.

New York City Municipal Archives

Department of Records and Information Services

31 Chambers Street, Room 103

New York, NY 10007

www.nyc.gov/records

phone:

(in New York City) dial 311

(outside New York City) (212) NEW-YORK

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

LIST OF RECORD SERIES

I: Condensed Outline

Series

numbers

Category of records

1 Public School Society of New York (1805-1853)

2-19 City of Brooklyn (1843-1898) and other school boards

20-79 City of New York (1843-1898)

80-99 Borough boards (1898-1902)

100-999 Consolidated City of New York (1898-1970)

1000-1999

Period of Decentralization (1970-2002)

II: List of Record Series

Series Brief Title Dates Volume

(cu. ft.)

Series 1: Public School Society of New York, 1805-1853

1 Public School Society of New York. Records. 1835-1853 1

Series 2-19: City of Brooklyn, 1843-1897 and other school

boards

2 City of Brooklyn. Board of Education. Manual and Course of

Study

1867-1887 0.3

3 City of Brooklyn. Board of Education. Bylaws and Rules 1887-1897 0.1

4 City of Brooklyn. Board of Education. Proceedings 1867-1897 5

5 City of Brooklyn. Board of Education. Annual Report of the

Superintendent of Public Instruction

1858-1897 2.5

6 City of Brooklyn. Board of Education. Annual Report of the

President of the Board

1884-1896 0.2

7 City of Brooklyn. Board of Education. Directory 1882-1896 0.1

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

9 City of Brooklyn. Board of Education. School Visitors’

Records.

1859-1881 0.1

11 City of Brooklyn. Board of Education. Evening Schools

Payroll

1891-1898 0.1

16 Long Island City. Board of Education. Records 1871, 1893 0.1

17 Town of New Lots. Union Free School District No. 2. Roll

of Teachers and Janitors

1883-1886 0.1

18 Town of New Utrecht. School District No. 2. Trustees.

Minutes.

1849-1894 0.1

Series 20-79: City of New York, 1843-1898

---

[Journal of the Board of Education, 1854-1897, continuous

with 1898-2001; see Series 116]

22 Annual Report of the Board of Education 1843-1896 7

23 Annual Report of the City Superintendent of Schools 1889 0.1

25 Superintendent of Truancy. Annual Report 1875 0.1

30 Documents of the Board of Education, 1851-1868 2.5

35 Manual of the Board of Education 1844-1897 3.5

37 Register of Oaths 1876-1916 0.5

38 Account Book 1856-1857 0.1

40 Directory of the Board of Education 1854-1897 1

45 Committee on Buildings. Minutes 1878-1899 1.5

46 Committee on Instruction. Minutes 1897 0.1

47 Committee on School System. Minutes 1896 0.1

48 Committee on Bylaws and Legislation. Minutes 1897 0.1

49 Teachers Manual 1873, 1884 0.2

Series 50-59: Records of Ward Trustees and District

Inspectors

50 8

Ward. Board of School Trustees. Account Book 1864-1869,

1894

0.1

54 17

Ward. Board of School Trustees. Manual 1888, 1895 0.1

56 19

Ward. Board of School Trustees. Report on Salaries 1884 0.1

57 21

Ward. Board of School Trustees. Minutes 1868-1876 0.1

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

58 1

Ward. Board of School Trustees. Minutes 1870-1879 0.1

59 24

School District. Board of Inspectors. Minutes 1896-1902 0.1

Series 60-75: Records of individual schools

65 School Visitors’ Records 1833-1930,

bulk 1843-

1898

67 Ward School No. 14. 21

Ward. Boys Dept. Record of

Students.

1851-1866 1

Grammar School 18. Primary Department. Principal’s

Record Book.

1875 0.1

69 Evening School. Teacher Attendance Record. 1852-1855 0.1

70 Primary School 7. Annual Report to the City Superintendent 1886 0.1

71 Grammar School 56. News Clippings. 1886, 1888 0.1

72 Grammar School 52. 12

Ward. Record of Examinations 1875-1889 0.5

Series 80-99: Borough Boards, 1898-1902

82 School Board for the Boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx.

Bylaws

1898 0.1

83 School Board for the Boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx.

Related Documents.

1973-1985 34.5

1436 Division of Public Affairs. Biographical Files. 1973-1989 11

1440 Division of Public Affairs. News Clippings. 1990-1996 30

1444 Division of Public Affairs. Press Releases. 1958-1984 16

1446 Office of Public Affairs. Sherman Jackson. Director.

Subject Files

1983-1984 5

1468 [Division of Community School District Affairs]

Community School Board Liaison (Elizabeth B. Clark)

1970-1979 14

1480 Office of Student Information Services. School Profiles 1971-1984 3

1481 Division of Computer Information Services. School Profiles

[printouts]

1988 13

1670 Office of the Chancellor. Circulars 1975-1991 18

[Series 1700-1799: Reserved for records of community

school boards and community school districts]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 1800-1849: Graphic Materials

1801 Office of Superintendent of School Buildings, C.B.J. Snyder.

Photographs

circa 1895-

1918

1802 Office of Superintendent of School Buildings C.B.J. Snyder.

Lantern Slides

circa 1910 1

1804 Office of Superintendent of School Buildings C.B.J. Snyder.

Adult Evening Lectures Photographs

circa 1910 11

1806 Office of Superintendent of School Buildings C.B.J. Snyder.

Evening Schools Photographs

circa 1910 6.5

1810 Bureau of Construction. Official Photographer.

Photographs

1918-

circa 1975

180

1811 Bureau of Construction. Official Photographer.

Photographers’ Logbooks

1918-circa

1975

1.5

1814 Glass Plate Copy Collection circa 1900-

1930

1820 Bureau of Construction. School Construction Photograph

Albums

1948-1954 7

1830 School Construction Authority. Architectural drawings ca. 1880-

1990

3,000

1831 School Construction Authority. Architectural drawings.

Microfiche

ca. 1880-

1990

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

"Trio," Herman Ridder Junior High School 98, Bronx, May 27, 1935

(Series 1810, Photo # 5479)

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Series 1: New York Public School Society, 1805-1853

Series 1. Public School Society of New York. Records. 1835-1853

1 cu. ft.

This series consists of a limited number of Public School Society documents that were

found among the records of the Board of Education. The Public School Society operated

from 1805 to 1853, when their schools were merged with those of the Board of

Education.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 2-19: City of Brooklyn, 1843-1897 and other school boards

Series 2. City of Brooklyn. Board of Education. Manual and Course of

Study. 1867-1887

5 volumes (0.3 cu. ft.)

The Manual combines directory-type information with some or all of the following types

of material: the bylaws of the board, related legislation, history of the school system,

course of study, and listings of schools with their teaching staff. The course of study,

with detailed instructions for implementation, was included in the 1873, 1877, and 1880

Manual and a revised course of study was printed separately in 1887.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 3. City of Brooklyn. Board of Education. Bylaws and Rules. 1887-1897

4 volumes (0.3 cu. ft.)

The “Bylaws and Rules” contains the “Bylaws” governing the activities of the Board of

Education and the “Rules and Regulations for the Schools” setting forth rules relating to

school hours and calendar, admission of students, and the responsibilities of students,

teachers, and principals. The bylaws and rules were included, in earlier years, in the

Manual of the Board. (See Series 2. City of Brooklyn. Board of Education. Manual.

1867-1880.)

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 4. City of Brooklyn. Board of Education. Proceedings. 1867-1897

26 volumes (5 cu. ft.)

The printed proceedings, or minutes, of the meetings of the Brooklyn Board of

Education. The proceedings document formal actions of the board and also, in some

cases, give indication of the rationale for policies or decisions. Each year is indexed at

the end of the volume.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 5. City of Brooklyn. Board of Education. Annual Report of the

Superintendent of Public Instruction. 1858-1897.

23 volumes (2.5 cu. ft.)

The printed annual report of the chief administrator of the Brooklyn schools. The report

includes extensive statistics on school attendance and finances, together with a narrative

presentation of the major policy and administrative issues facing the school system.

Included also is school-level information, including names of principals and teachers,

grades taught, and class registers.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 6. City of Brooklyn. Board of Education. Annual Report of the President of

the Board. 1884-1896

11 volumes (0.2 cu. ft.)

The annual report of the president of the board was addressed to the Mayor and, through

1890, covered the year ending November 30; beginning 1891 the report covered a

calendar year ending December 31. The report includes statistics of the schools and their

finances, a review of the school building program and needed buildings, and a discussion

of major issues and problems facing the schools.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 7. City of Brooklyn. Board of Education. Directory. 1882-1896

7 volumes (0.1 cu. ft.)

Directories of members and officials of the board of education. Published annually on a

school year basis. The directories include, for board members, name, residence address,

business address, and committee assignments. For administrative officials: title and

residence address. For each school: school address, board members on “local committee”

for that school, and names and addresses of principal and janitor. (Information similar to

that in the directories was published in earlier years in the board’s “Manual.” See Series

2. City of Brooklyn. Board of Education. Manual. 1867-1880.)

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 9. City of Brooklyn. Board of Education. School Visitors’ Records. 1859-

1881.

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

A visitors’ book for Public School 15, Brooklyn, located in downtown Brooklyn at

Powers and State Streets. Chronological entries record the dates and signatures of

visitors to the school, together with occasional comments on the work of the pupils and

teachers and on conditions observed in the school. Visitors were primarily members of

the local committee having responsibility for supervision of the school and the city

superintendent of schools, but also included other educators and officials.

[See also Series 953 which contains visitor book for P.S. 75, Brooklyn, 1889-1920.]

Series 11. City of Brooklyn. Board of Education. Evening Schools Payroll. 1891-

1898

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

A payroll ledger recording payments to teachers for evening schools, including evening

high schools, from September 1891 to January 1898 (the last month before

Consolidation). Recorded, for each teacher, are the number of nights worked, pay per

night, and monthly totals. Entries are arranged by year and by school. School totals and

yearly cumulative totals are also recorded.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 16. Long Island City. Board of Education. Records. 1871, 1893

0.1 cu. ft.

The series consists of two printed documents. The “City Charter Relative to the

Department of Public Instruction of Long Island City” (1871) consists of Title IX of the

charter (Laws of 1871, Chapter 461). The “Rules and Regulations of the Board of

Education” (1893) includes, besides the rules, the course of study and “general

suggestions to teachers.”

Series 17. Town of New Lots. Union Free School District No. 2. Roll of Teachers

and Janitors. 1883-1886

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

A ledger recording salaries, appointments, and resignations, for teachers, “floating

teachers,” and janitors, in the 3 schools of the district, for the school years 1883/84 to

1885/86. Besides salary, information for each teacher includes their title, department,

and relative ranking.

Series 18. Town of New Utrecht. School District No. 2. Trustees. Minutes. 1849-

1894

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

Minutes of the School District Trustees of School District No. 2, Town of New Utrecht,

Kings County. (The town of New Utrecht was annexed by the City of Brooklyn in 1894

and included in Greater New York in 1898.) The trustees were elected by the district

voters and had responsibility for overseeing the district’s affairs including, especially,

budgets, school taxes, and financing of school buildings, and preparation of an annual

report to the Town Superintendent of Common Schools. Included in annual reports,

besides financial and attendance statistics, are the names of all parents in the district and

the titles of school books in use.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 20-79: City of New York, 1843-1898

[Journal of the Board of Education, 1854-1897; continuous with 1898-2001; see

Series 116]

Series 22. Annual Report of the Board of Education. 1843-1896

44 volumes (7 cu. ft.)

The annual report of the Board of Education provides both substantial data on the school

system and a narrative discussion of the administrative and policy issues affecting the

schools. The annual reports also generally include the annual report of the superintendent

of schools and detailed listings of the schools and teachers, and often include the course

of study for the various subjects and grades. The earliest years, 1843 and 1844 were

issued in Board of Education and Assembly documents series, respectively; there was no

report for 1897.

Related series:

Series 201. Annual Report of the Department of Education, 1898-1915

Series 401. Annual Report of the Superintendent of Schools, 1899-1965

Researchers should use the set of annual reports available on microfilm at the City Hall

Library. This is a complete set, including Series 22, Series 201, and Series 401 up

through 1949/50. A preliminary guide to the microfilm set of annual reports is available

at the Municipal Archives Reference Desk and also at the City Hall Library.

Series 23. Annual Report of the City Superintendent of Schools. 1889

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

The printed annual report of the Superintendent of Schools, covering the calendar year.

The report includes narrative discussion of administrative and educational issues, along

with analysis of statistics of school attendance. An analysis of the work of the truant

officers includes statistics on children arrested for various offenses in the preceding five

years, compared with the period before the truant officer law. Included also is a list of

teachers granted licenses during the year. The Superintendent’s report was published

separately, but was also included as a component in the Annual Report of the Board of

Education (Series 22).

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 25. Superintendent of Truancy. Annual Report. 1875

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

An annual report covering the first year of the work of the Superintendent of Truancy.

To implement the state compulsory education law of 1874 the Board of Education

created the position of Superintendent of Truancy, with a staff of Agents of Truancy.

The report describes the work of these agents, discusses the philosophy, goals, and

methods of the department, and provides statistics for the year. The superintendent

recommended creation of a Truant School and Home to be managed by the Board of

Education. Accompanying the report is a portion of the Journal of the Board of

Education for January 13, 1875, containing an address by the president of the board, in

which he describes the creation of the truancy office.

Series 30. Documents of the Board of Education. 1851-1868

16 volumes (2.5 cu. ft.)

The series includes a variety of documents issued by the Board, including annual reports

of the board and of its committees, special committee reports, reports of the city

superintendent, and speeches by board officials. Many of the reports relate to the Free

Academy. Lists of the documents in each year’s volume (for most years) are at the front

of the volume.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Researchers are requested to use the set of this series in the City Hall Library whenever

possible.

Series 35. Manual of the Board of Education of the City of New York. 1844-1897

47 volumes (3.5 cu. ft.)

The Manual contains the basic information required by officials of the school system.

Generally, the manual includes a list of board members and their committee assignments,

the legislation affecting the schools, the bylaws of the Board of Education, and the rules

and regulations governing the teachers and students. The manuals for the 1840s to 1860s

also contain detailed information on schools, including the names and residence

addresses of the teachers. (Similar information was also published in the Directory of the

Board of Education.) Included also is a volume published in 1859 that includes only the

bylaws and rules, as amended in December 1858.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 37. Register of Oaths. 1876-1916

3 volumes (0.5 cu. ft.)

Constitution of the State of New York and will faithfully discharge the duties of the

office of . . .” In the period 1876-1897 oaths were recorded for administrative officials,

including superintendents and truant agents. From 1898 to 1901 oaths are also recorded

for members of the Board of Education and members of the borough school boards.

From 1902 to 1916 the only oaths recorded are for the Superintendent of School

Buildings and the Superintendent of School Supplies.

Series 38. Account Book. 1856-1857

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

Records the budgeted amounts and appropriations during 1856, for the New York City

Board of Education. Included are expenses for teacher salaries, administration, the Free

Academy, textbooks, and other purposes. Also includes a copy of the report of the

Finance Committee dated January 28, 1856 (printed as Board of Education Document,

1856 No. 2, January 30, 1856).

Series 40. Directory of the Board of Education of the City of New York. 1854-1897.

41 volumes (1.0 cu ft.)

The Directory contains information that was frequently needed by officials, educators,

and others involved with the public school system. It includes listings of board members,

their residence and business addresses, and their committee assignments. For schools it

includes listings of teachers with their residence addresses. Also included are listings of

‘corporate schools” which were schools operated by voluntary agencies such as

orphanages, with public funding. Generally, the directory was issued annually.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 45. Committee on Buildings. Minutes. 1878-1899.

18 volumes (1.5 cu. ft. )

Minutes, manuscript and printed, of the Committee on Buildings of the New York City

Board of Education in the pre-consolidation period. The manuscript volumes in the

1890s consist almost entirely in approval of payrolls and approval of minor payments for

repairs. The printed volumes have much more information on new buildings and

policies.

Manuscript volume 11 (1897-1899) includes the minutes of the Committee on Sites and

Buildings of the School Board for the Borough of Manhattan and the Bronx, for the

period February 1898 to March 1899. The printed minutes for January 1898 are bound

with the printed minutes of the Committee on Sites and Buildings of the School Board for

the Boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. (See Series 84.)

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 46. Committee on Instruction. Minutes. 1897

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

The printed minutes of the Committee for February to December 1897. The committee

dealt with appointments of teachers and supervisors, organization of schools and classes,

and curricular issues. The volume is not indexed.

Series 47. Committee on School System. Minutes. 1896

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

The manuscript minutes of the Committee on School System for February to December

1896. These minutes are included in the same bound volume with the minutes of the

Committee on Bylaws and Legislation (Series 48) for 1897.

Series 48. Committee on Bylaws and Legislation. Minutes. 1897

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

The manuscript minutes of the Committee on Bylaws and Legislation for January to

December 1897. These minutes are included in the same bound volume with the minutes

of the Committee on School System (Series 47) for 1896.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 49. Teachers Manual. 1873, 1884

2 volumes (0.2 cu. ft.)

The series includes two manuals, 1873 and 1884. Each combines description of the

course of study with instructions and suggestions for teachers. The 1873 manual covers

both primary and grammar grads. The 1884 manual is for grammar grades (upper

grades) only.

Series 50-59: Records of Ward Trustees and District Inspectors

Series 50. 8

Ward. Board of School Trustees. Account Book. 1864-1869, 1894

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

A manuscript recording expenses for teachers, janitors and “specials” [probably

substitute teachers], for 1864-1867. Entries are arranged by year, school, and month, for

each of the grammar schools, primary schools, and “colored” schools in the ward. Also

included are lists of bills paid for each year, by month, with the payee’s name, for 1864-

1867 and also for February and March 1869. Also included are two letters to the trustees

from the Board of Education, in 1894, regarding approval of teacher appointments.

Series 54. 17

Ward. Board of School Trustees. Manual. 1888, 1895.

2 volumes (0.1 cu. ft.)

The Manual contains a list of members, their residence and business addresses, and their

committee assignments; the bylaws, rules for teachers, and duties of janitors; a directory

of schools, including school address, teachers’ names, residence addresses, and salaries;

and attendance statistics. The series includes manuals for 1888 and 1895; it is not known

if others were published. The title varies: the manual for 1888 is titled Manual of the

Board of School Officers.

Series 56. 19

Ward. Board of School Trustees. Report on Salaries. 1884

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

A notebook listing and analyzing the salaries of female assistant teachers in the 19

Ward. It was prepared by Charles L. Holt, former chairman of the Board of School

Trustees. The record reports the individual salaries and the variations within each school,

but omits the teachers’ names.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 57. 21

Ward. Board of School Trustees. Minutes. 1868-1876

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

A manuscript volume of minutes of the board of trustees having local responsibility for

the schools of the 21

Ward. The largest portion of the minutes records actions of the

board regarding teachers. This included appointment of teachers for local schools and

also a high degree of oversight of teachers, including approval of teacher absences, and

recommendations for teacher promotions and transfers. In addition, the minutes reflect

board action on purchasing of supplies and paying of bills.

Series 58. 1

Ward. Board of School Trustees. Minutes. 1870-1879

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

A manuscript volume of minutes of the board responsible for the schools of the 1

Ward.

The board meetings were held at Grammar School 29, 97-99 Greenwich Street. The

minutes reflect the activities of the board in general supervision of the schools, including

appointment of teachers, excuse of absences of teachers, approval of payroll, and

approval of bills for payment.

Series 59. 24

School District. Board of Inspectors. Minutes. 1896-1902

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

Minutes of the Board of Inspectors created under the reorganization of the school

governance under the 1896 reform legislation, which created 35 inspection districts. The

inspection system continued in the post-Consolidation period, under the borough school

board, until 1902. The 24

District inspectors met at Grammar School 6, East 85

Street

and Madison Avenue and were responsible for reviewing conditions in the district

schools and making recommendations to the Board of Education and the Superintendent

of Schools. Topics reflected in the minutes include school facilities (buildings,

furnishings, physical conditions, and supplies), teachers, curriculum, janitors, and general

operation of the schools. In several instances, the inspectors concerned themselves with

school safety and security, including problems with nearby saloons, depraved men

endangering the children, and similar issues.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 60-75: Records of individual schools

Series 65. School Visitors’ Records. 1833-1930, bulk 1843-1898

28 volumes (4 cu. ft.)

Manuscript volumes maintained in individual schools for the recording of the names of

and comments by school visitors. Most of the visitors were local school officers on

official business, including inspectors and trustees who were required to visit the schools

to monitor building conditions, to observe teachers and classes, to conduct formal

examinations of pupils, and generally to ensure that the schools were functioning

effectively. Other visits were by the superintendent of schools, also for official oversight,

and occasionally by other dignitaries and educators. Entries vary from a minimal

signature and date to extended and detailed comments about conditions in the school.

Some volumes also include printed or hand-drawn programs for graduation exercises and

other special events, or news clippings related to the school.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 67. Ward School 14. 21

Ward. Boys Department. Record of Students.

1851-1866

3 volumes (1.0 cu. ft.)

A continuous register of pupils containing facts of admission, discharge and other

pertinent information. Records of pupils are arranged alphabetically by letter of the

alphabet, then chronologically by date of admission. For each pupil, the entries show

name, date of admission, age, parents name and occupation, residence address, previous

school, dates of completion of reading levels and other subjects, and date of discharge,

with an indication for students transferring to other grammar schools or going on to the

Free Academy.

Series 68. Grammar School 18. Primary Department. Principal’s Record Book.

1875

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

Record book kept by Mary E. Joyce, principal of the Primary Department, Grammar

School No. 18, 51

Street near Lexington Avenue, in the 19

Ward. The book records

monthly register and attendance data for the period February to May, 1875. For each

teacher the record shows the grade of her class, the average register and attendance for

the month, pupil absences as a percent of register, etc. Also recorded are teacher

absences, transfers, and similar information.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 69. Evening School. Teacher Attendance Record. 1852-1855

0.1 cu. ft.

A record of teacher attendance and statistics of student attendance at a New York City

evening school from September 1852 through February 1855 (The specific school is not

identified.) For each teacher, the record shows the time of arrival for each evening

school session (generally arrival a few minutes before 7:00, for class sessions beginning

7:00pm). For students, the total attendance for each day is recorded. Most of the

teachers whose names are recorded can also be found listed in the Manual of the Board of

Education as teachers in a variety of day schools.

Series 70. Primary School No. 7. Annual Report to the City Superintendent. 1886

0.1 cu. ft.

An annual statistical report, prepared on a printed form. Included are statistics on

teachers and their qualifications, pupil enrollment, pupil attendance, and pupil ages. The

report was prepared by the principal, Augusta Rohda.

Series 71. Grammar School No. 56. News Clippings. 1886, 1888

0.1 cu. ft.

Clippings describing a student “tableau vivant of the Statue of Liberty” in honor of

French visitors, November 1, 1886, and a school-wide flag presentation exercise, May

15, 1888.

Series 72. Grammar School 52. 12

Ward. Record of Examinations. 1875-1889

1 volume (0.5 cu. ft.)

A record of examinations of the work of the classes in a small grammar school.

Examinations were given in January and June of each year, with additional examinations

in some years. For each examination date, entries for each teacher show the performance

(excellent, good, fair) of the class in each subject. The examination was actually an

examination of the teacher’s performance, and for 1889 includes detailed evaluative

comments. (It is not indicated if the examination was conducted by ward trustees or by

the city superintendent.)

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 80-99: Borough School Boards, 1898-1901

Series 82. School Board for the Boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. Bylaws.

1898

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

Sets forth the “Bylaws, Rules, and Regulations” of the borough school board. The

regulations provide for the organization and procedures of the Board as well as the

responsibilities of principals, teachers, and students. The Bylaws also includes the

courses of study for elementary schools, high schools, and evening schools. Includes an

index.

Series 83. School Board for the Boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. Directory.

1898-1901.

5 volumes (0.2 cu. ft.)

The Directory lists the names, addresses, and committee assignments for school board

members, and the names, titles, and addresses for administrative officials. For each

school it provides the names and addresses of the principal and teachers. Also included is

a brief version of the Directory, titled “Official Directory” issued in October 1899.

Series 84. School Board for the Boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. Committee

Records. 1898-1902

8 volumes (0.6 cu. ft.)

The series consists of minutes of three committees of the borough board with combined

jurisdiction of the Boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx: the Committee on Sites and

Buildings the Committee on Teachers, and the Committee on Studies, Bylaws, and

Legislation.. The new organization under the Consolidation Law went into effect

February 1, 1898, so the minutes for meetings in January 1898, included in these

volumes, are actually for the committees of the old New York City Board of Education.

The minutes for the Committee on Sites and Buildings and the Committee on Teachers

are printed, in bound volumes for each year, now in protective phase wrappers. The

minutes for the Committee on Studies, Bylaws, and Legislation are in one manuscript

volume.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 85. School Board for the Boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. Journal.

1898-1902

4 volumes (2.0 cu. ft.)

The Journal is the printed minutes of the School Board, for the entire period of its

existence, February 1898 through January 1902. Matters before the board included

planning of school sites and buildings, leasing of facilities, hiring of teachers,

organization of the schools, and approval of curriculum.

The volume for 1898 also includes the minutes of the Board of Education of the City of

New York for January 1898, the last month before Consolidation. The volume for 1901

also includes the School Board minutes for January 1902, the last month before

reorganization of the school system. Each volume has an index.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 90. School Board for the Borough of Brooklyn. Bylaws. 1898-1901

5 volumes (0.5 cu. ft.)

The Bylaws of the borough school board include rules relating to board meetings, board

officers, board committees, local (school) committees, duties of administrative officials,

licenses, appointments, and salaries of teachers, and procedures to be followed in

conducting the schools. The bylaws include cross-references to provisions of the Greater

New York Charter and, in some cases, the text of other relevant legislation.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 91. School Board for the Borough of Brooklyn. Directory. 1899-1901

5 volumes (0.2 cu. ft.)

Directories of members and officials of the board of education. Published approximately

twice per year. Cover title: “School Board, Borough of Brooklyn, N.Y.” Title page:

“Members, Officers, and Committees of the School Board, Borough of Brooklyn, N.Y.”

The directories include, for board members, name, residence address, business address,

and committee assignments. Also includes names of members assigned as delegates to

the central citywide board of education. For administrative officials: title and residence

address. For each school: school address, board members on “local committee” for that

school, principal’s name and residence address and janitor’s name and residence address.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 93. School Board for the Borough of Brooklyn. Proceedings. 1898-1902

4 volumes (2 cu. ft.)

The printed proceedings (minutes) of meetings of the Brooklyn school board. The

minutes document formal actions of the board but also include some reports to the board,

rationales for policy actions, and other revealing information. Each year is indexed at the

end of its volume

Series 94. School Board for the Borough of Brooklyn. Committee Records. 1899-

1901

2 volumes (0.2 cu. ft.)

Manuscript minutes of two committees of the Brooklyn borough board: the Committee

on Manual Training High School and the Committee on Physical Culture. The minutes

of the Committee on Manual Training High School record, primarily, its role in approval

of appointments and salaries of teachers. The committee also discussed facilities for the

school, including improvements in its existing quarters and plans for a new building. The

minutes of the Committee on Physical Culture show its role in authorizing the

appointment and assignment of teachers of physical education; it also considered aspects

of curriculum policy in that subject.

Series 95. School Board for the Borough of Queens. Bylaws. 1898

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

The bylaws adopted by the borough board for Queens. Includes an index.

Series 96. School Board for the Borough of Queens. Journal. 1898-1902

4 volumes (1.5 cu. ft.)

The Journal is the printed minutes of the School Board, for the entire period of its

existence, February 1898 through January 1902. Matters before the board included

planning of school sites and buildings, leasing of facilities, hiring of teachers,

organization of the schools, and approval of curriculum.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 97. School Board for the Borough of Richmond. Directory. 1900-1901.

2 volumes (0.1 cu. ft. )

The Directory lists the names, addresses, and committee assignments for school board

members, and the names, titles, and addresses for administrative officials. For each

school it provides the names and addresses of the principal and teachers.

Series 98. School Board for the Borough of Richmond. Bylaws. [1898]

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

The bylaws adopted by the borough board for Richmond (Staten Island). Includes an

index.

Series 99. School Board for the Borough of Richmond. Minutes. 1898-1900

3 volumes (1.0 cu. ft.)

The Journal is the printed minutes of the School Board, for the first three years of its

existence, February 1898 through December 1900. Matters before the board included

planning of school sites and buildings, leasing of facilities, hiring of teachers,

organization of the schools, and approval of curriculum.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Manhattan Trade School for Girls, July 3, 1919

(Series 1810, Photo #211)

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 100-999: Consolidated City of New York, 1898-1970

Series 100-130: Board of Education bylaws, manuals, meetings,

calendars, minutes

Series 111. Bylaws [Manual] of the Board of Education. 1898-1985

Approximately 20 volumes (2 cu. ft.)

A printed compilation of the basic laws and bylaws governing the school system. The

title varied (“Bylaws” or “Manual”) but the contents generally consisted of the bylaws

defining the responsibilities of the participants in the school system, as adopted by the

Board of Education, together with the state laws governing the system. Unlike many of

the nineteenth century manuals (Series 35), these volumes generally do not contain

directory-type information. An exception is the volume for 1903 which includes a list of

the schools and maps of their locations. After 1927, several editions were issued in

updatable formats; various copies have pasted in revisions and supplements.

Researchers are requested to use the set of the Bylaws available in the City Hall Library,

Room 112, 31 Chambers Street.

Series 116. Journal of the Board of Education. 1854-2001

221 volumes (138 cu. ft.)

The printed minutes of the meetings of the Board of Education. The Journal includes

records of all formal actions by the Board, including actions affecting individual schools,

personnel, contracts, and policies. While most entries are brief, occasionally the minutes

include substantial explanation of policy matters.

Each year of the minutes consists of one or two volumes, with a detailed index at the end

of the year (thus, the index is at the end of volume 2 for a two-volume year). Since the

nature of the series did not change with Consolidation or with decentralization, the entire

run of the Journal from 1854 to 2001 has been kept together as Series 116.

Researchers are requested to use the set of the Journal available in the City Hall Library,

Room 112, 31 Chambers Street

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 118. Board of Education. Meetings and Hearings. Recordings. 1966-1969

10 cu. ft.

Audiotapes of Board of Education public meetings and hearings, on reel-to-reel tape.

Included are tapes of regular meetings, special meetings, and public hearings on

decentralization, school system budgets, and other major policy issues. Arranged

chronologically. (See also Series 1013, which consists of recordings of meetings for the

period 1970-1998.)

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 120. Board of Education. Regular and Special Meetings. Calendar.

1946-1961. 12 cu. ft.

The calendar of the board presents the agenda including the specific resolutions to be

considered at the regular or special meetings of the Board of Education. The series

includes calendars for January 1946 through September 1961, except for all of 1949 and

September-December 1956. Arranged chronologically.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 121. Board of Education. Committee of the Whole. Calendar. 1924-1938

5.5 cu. ft.

The series consists of calendars (agendas) for the Committee of the Whole of the Board

of Education. Also included are minutes of the Committee of the Whole, minutes of

Stated Meetings of the Board of Education, and minutes of Special Meetings. Most of

the files are bound in spring binders, with title pages generally indicating the calendar for

the Committee of the Whole, but with the actual contents varying. Arranged

chronologically. Mimeographed.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 122. Board of Education. Executive Session. Calendar. 1943-1961

21 cu. ft.

Agendas of executive sessions of the Board of Education. The board used its executive

sessions for several purposes. They served as an opportunity to discuss issues and

policies in their formative stages. They were used for an advance discussion of

resolutions prior to their placement on the agendas of regular meetings. And they were

the place for discussion of issues of personnel or other privacy-related issues. The

Executive Session calendar files include the calendar, or agenda, for each meeting

together with documents relating to each agenda item. In addition, the file includes the

“action calendar” which is a condensed record of actions taken on each item. The series

is arranged chronologically by meeting date.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 126. Local School Boards. Minutes. 1902-1912

3 volumes (0.5 cu. ft.)

Manuscript minutes of meetings of local school boards for two districts. The local school

boards, under the 1902 reorganization of the Board of Education, were essentially

advisory boards, but had general responsibility to oversee the operation of the schools, to

consider charges against teachers, to approve absences of teachers, to monitor the

adequacy of the school facilities, and to make recommendations to the Board of

Education and Superintendent of Schools. Included are minutes for District 1 (1904-

1909) and District 9 (1902-1912).

Series 128. Personnel Board. Agendas and Minutes. 1943-1961

1 cu. ft.

Agendas and Minutes of the board, which dealt with personnel matters relating to non-

pedagogical employees.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 131-151: Standing Committees

Series 131. Committee on the Care of Buildings. Minutes. 1902-1915

32 volumes (4 cu. ft.)

The series consists of manuscript minutes in bound volumes, with separate index

volumes. The Committee on the Care of Buildings was concerned with maintenance and

operation of school buildings.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 132. Committee on Sites. Records. 1898-1916.

10 volumes (1 cu. ft.)

The Committee on Sites dealt with the selection and acquisition of sites for school

buildings. The series includes six volumes of manuscript minutes and four volumes

recording the acquisition process.

The “Minutes” cover the period 1900-1916 and reflect committee actions in considering

and approving sites for new buildings and expansion of existing buildings, including

recommendations for the purchase of necessary land by the city. The “Record of Site

Acquisition” is a record of the multiple steps in the process of acquisition of sites.

Entries were made indicating the date of completion of each action. There are volumes

for each borough (Manhattan and the Bronx are combined).

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 133. Committee on Buildings. Minutes. 1898-1917

20 volumes (7 cu. ft.)

The printed minutes of the Committee on Buildings, a continuous record for the period

1898 to 1917, except for the year 1914. The committee dealt with planning, construction,

alteration, repair, leasing, and furnishing of school buildings. The minutes include

description of projects in specific schools and listings of contracts and expenditures.

Also included is a manuscript prepared by the committee, “Building Bureau Rules and

Regulations, as Adopted by the Committee on Buildings, November 23, 1914.” The

volume for each year has an index at the end.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 134. Committee on Buildings and Sites. Records. 1931-1961.

10 cu. ft., including 30 volumes

Agendas, minutes and other records of the Committee on Buildings and Sites. This

standing committee dealt with selection of sites and plans for school construction. The

minutes are most complete for the years 1931-1939 and 1958-1961.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 135. Committee on High Schools and Training Schools. Minutes. 1902-1917

16 volumes (2 cu. ft.)

Manuscript minutes of a standing committee of the Board of Education. The committee

dealt with all matters affecting the high schools and teacher-training schools, including

facilities, staff, salaries, students, supplies, and the course of study.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 136. Committee on Bylaws and Legislation. Minutes. 1898-1917

20 volumes (3 cu. ft.)

The Committee on Bylaws and Legislation dealt with adoption, amendment, and

interpretation of Board of Education bylaws and implementation of state legislation

affecting the schools. Much of the committee’s minutes reflect interpretations of bylaws

as they affect the licenses, status, and salaries of individual teachers and groups or

categories of teachers. The volumes are not indexed.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 137. Committee on Elementary Schools. Minutes. 1902-1915

1.0 cu. ft.

The series consists of the printed minutes of the Committee on Elementary Schools. The

committee’s activities touched on all matters relating to elementary schools: teachers,

pupils, supplies, kindergartens, classroom activities, and school publications, among

others. There is an index at the end of each year’s volume. Also included is a manuscript

notebook containing portions of the minutes for September to December 1902, along

with some parts of minutes of other committees, including the Executive Committee and

the Board of Superintendents.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 138. Committee on Finance. Minutes. 1912-1917

8 volumes (1.5 cu. ft.)

Manuscript minutes of a standing committee of the Board of Education. The committee

considered and acted on all types of requests involving expense, including budget

requests and modifications, salary adjustments for administrative staff, auditors’ reports,

and contracts for supplies and for construction and repair of school buildings. The

committee also considered general policies affecting school system finances as well as

specific areas of potential savings, such as changes in the types of coal to be used for

heating buildings.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 139. Committee on Finance and Budget. Records. 1944-1961

6 cu. ft.

Records of a standing committee of the Board of Education. Included are agendas,

minutes, and limited subcommittee records and administrative records. Files of minutes

are most complete for 1945-1948 and 1958-1961.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 140. Committee on Instructional Affairs, 1946-1961

4 cu. ft.

Calendars (agendas) for meetings of a standing committee of the Board of Education.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 141. Committee on Instructional Affairs and Auxiliary Agencies. Minutes.

1937

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

Minutes of a standing committee of the Board of Education. The committee’s actions

included consideration of and approval of a wide range of policy and administrative

matters, including lists of teachers recommended for tenure, organization of schools and

annexes, cooperative programs with other city departments and voluntary agencies,

curriculum experiments, and acceptance of gifts to schools. Mimeographed, with

manuscript additions.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 142. Committee on Law. Records. 1927-1936, 1945-1961.

3.5 cu. ft., including 5 volumes

The series consists of two groups of manuscript records: calendars, minutes, and other

records for 1927-1936 and agendas and minutes for 1945-1961, each of which is

incomplete. The committee dealt with a variety of legal issues including charges against

teachers and other employees; amendments to Board of Education bylaws; interpretation

of bylaws, license rules, and other regulations; analysis of proposed state legislation; and

claims against the Board of Education.

In addition to calendars and minutes, the series includes “Memoranda Written for the

Committee on Law” from 1927-1928. Indexes are included in some volumes of minutes;

additional indexes and draft indexes are included in the folders of enclosures

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 143. Committee on Lectures and Libraries. Minutes. 1910-1917

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

Manuscript minutes of a standing committee of the Board of Education. The committee

approved plans for the lecture program recommended by the Supervisor of Lectures.

This included the planned program of lectures and lecturers, proposed budgets, requests

for use of school buildings and other locations for lectures, requested repairs or

improvements of lecture facilities. The committee also reviewed and approved

recommendations for the creation of school libraries and for stocking them with books,

and reviewed the budget for library materials.

Series 144. Committee on Nominations. Minutes. 1914-1917

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

Manuscript minutes of a standing committee of the Board of Education. The committee

supervised the process of selection of appointees for positions of associate superintendent

and member of the Board of Examiners. The committee also reviewed and approved

candidates for the position of district superintendent who had been nominated by the

Board of Superintendents.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 146. Committee on Special Schools. Minutes. 1903-1917

15 volumes (1.5 cu. ft.)

The series consists of printed and manuscript minutes of the Committee on Special

Schools. The committee dealt with vacation schools, the parental school, summer

evening schools, truant schools, recreation centers, continuation classes, and other special

types of schools designed for special groups of students or specific educational needs.

The minutes for1903-1910- are printed; those for 1911-1917 are in manuscript volumes.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 147. Committee on Studies and Textbooks. Minutes. 1902-1917

3 volumes (0.3 cu. ft.)

Manuscript minutes of a standing committee of the Board of Education. The committee

reviewed and approved or modified recommendations from the Board of Superintendents

for approval or disapproval of textbooks and other supplies. It also discussed and

reviewed changes in the course of study.

[An inventory of the volumes in this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 148. Committee on Supplies. Minutes. 1902-1917.

49 volumes (6 cu. ft.)

The series consists of minutes of the committee, in bound volumes, with additional pages

attached or inserted. The committee had responsibility for oversight of purchasing

procedures, contracts, bids, etc. The minutes include detailed information on supplies

and equipment of all types purchased for the schools.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 150. Committee on Vocational Schools and Industrial Training. Minutes.

1908-1917.

3 volumes (0.3 cu. ft.)

Manuscript minutes of the committee. Entries reflect its areas of responsibility including

establishment of schools, acquisition and improvement of buildings and facilities,

purchase of supplies, employment of teachers and staff, and revision of curriculum.

Generally, the committee either reviewed and approved recommendations from school

administration or made recommendations to administrative bureaus or the full board.

[An inventory of the volumes in this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 152-199: Special Committees

Series 154. Committee on Recreation. Minutes. 1915-1917

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

Manuscript minutes of a “provisional” committee of the Board of Education (August

1915-April 1916) and of a “special” committee of the board (June 1916-December 1917).

Both committees had responsibility for recreational use of school buildings, including

community centers and after school activities, other than school athletics. The committee

shared aspects of these responsibilities with the Committee on Buildings (Series 133) and

the Committee on the Care of Buildings (Series 131). The minutes reflect decisions on

policies and procedures as well as permissions given for specific recreational use of

particular schools.

Series 155. Committee on Economy. Minutes. 1915-1916

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

Manuscript minutes of a special committee of the Board of Education. The committee’s

purpose was to consider proposed cutbacks to meet a fiscal emergency. Proposals

discussed included cuts in salaries, reductions in evening schools, summer programs, and

recreational programs, use of volunteers, elimination of some principals, and reductions

in special education programs. For earlier minutes of the committee see Series 158:

Special and Miscellaneous Committees, Minutes, volume 2.

Series 156. Special Committee Appointed to Create Standards With Reference to

the Work of District Superintendents. Report. 1915

0.1 cu. ft.

Report of a special committee created at the request of the Board and reporting to the

Board’s Committee on Elementary Schools. The members were a group of district

superintendents appointed by the Acting Superintendent of Schools. The report reviewed

the duties of district superintendents under the Board’s Bylaws and offered specific

recommendations for their implementation.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 158. Special and Miscellaneous Committees. Minutes. 1900-1917

3 volumes (0.3 cu. ft.)

Manuscript minutes of various special committees of the Board of Education, recorded in

shared volumes. The Secretary of the Board of Education recorded minutes for special,

temporary, or ad hoc committees together, in a largely chronological sequence, in

volumes titled “Special and Miscellaneous Committees.” Volume 1 (1900-1908) has a

table of contents listing the committees and dates. Volume 2 has no list, but has some

grouping of minutes by committee. (The third volume consists of formerly loose

materials removed from volume 2.) Committees included in these volumes dealt with a

very wide range of subjects; they included a Committee on an Educational Museum

(1905-1906), a Committee on Athletic Fields (1905-1906), a Committee on Corporal

Punishment (1907), a Committee on Classical Dramas in the Schools (1911), a

Committee on Hygiene (1914-1915), and a Committee on War Service (1917), among

others.

[An inventory of the volumes in this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 161. Committee on School Relief. Minutes. 1931-1936

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

Minutes of a special committee created by the Board of Education. The President of the

Board, George J. Ryan, served as honorary chairman, but the remainder of the committee

was the Superintendent of Schools and various administrative officials. The committee

managed a program of relief aid to needy children and families, including emergency

cash funds, children’s shoes and clothing, and school lunches. Over $5 million was

raised and spent, most of which was raised through voluntary donations of 5% of salary

from teachers and staff. The committee’s role in relief work was gradually replaced, after

1934, by other government and school system agencies.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 164. Joint Committee on Maladjustment and Delinquency. Reports. 1937-

1938

3 volumes (0.2 cu. ft.)

Reports produced by a joint committee, combining a Board of Education special

committee and an administrative committee. James Marshall, vice president of the board,

and Margaret J. McCooey, associate superintendent, served as co-chairmen. The

committee was concerned with problems in “delinquency, child guidance, attendance,

maladjustment, counselling [sic], guidance, and placement.” It produced a five-part

report in 1938 covering statistical data on “maladjustment,” the “psychological and

sociological implications of maladjustment and delinquency” (volume 4), and a general

report and analysis containing 45 recommendations for programs in this area (volume 5).

The series includes volumes 4 and 5. Also included is a 1937 report on probationary

schools, prepared by administrative staff in response to a request in an interim report of

the joint committee.

Series 165. Architectural Commission. Report. 1938

0.2 cu. ft.

The Architectural Commission was selected by the Board of Education Committee on

Buildings and Sites and was appointed by the Board of Education in 1936. It completed

its work at the end of 1937 and its report was published by the Board of Education in

1938. The commission reviewed site selection and building design practices and

recommended improvements. The series consists of the commission’s 1938 report:

“Report of the Architectural Commission.”

Series 171. Committee for the Study of the Care and Education of Physically

Handicapped Children. Reports. 1941

8 volumes (0.5 cu. ft.)

A series of reports resulting from a major study of the education of physically

handicapped children. The committee was chaired by James Marshall, president of the

Board of Education, and its staff was headed by Harold W. McCormick. In addition to a

general report, specialized reports examined the medical and educational issues relating

to acoustically handicapped children, children with cardiac problems, children with

speech defects, epileptic children, and orthopedically handicapped children, as well as a

report on “open air” classes for the care of “below par” children. Reports on the

education of children with tuberculosis and visually handicapped children, and on

psychological considerations in the care of the handicapped were announced, however no

copies have been found and it is uncertain whether they were published. (See also Series

354. James Marshall Files.)

[An inventory of the volumes in this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 172. Committee on the Study of Vocational Education and Mechanic and

Industrial Arts Classes in Secondary Schools. Report. 1942.

0.1 cu. ft.

The series consists of the committee’s published report, Vocational Education and

Mechanic and Industrial Arts Classes in Secondary Schools (1942). The committee was

co-chaired by James Marshall, president of the Board of Education, and Harold G.

Campbell, Superintendent of Schools. It included other members of the board, school

administrators, labor union officials, employers, government agency officials, and

university professors. The report notes that the commission was planned at a time of

peace but that conditions are vastly changed by the war, and suggests that the report’s

findings may become useful after the war is over.

Series 174. Committee on Civilian Defense in the Schools. Reports. 1942

0.1 cu. ft.

Reports of a committee created at the beginning of World War II to deal with urgent

planning for protection of school children in the event of bombing raids upon the city.

The committee, which included James Marshall, the president of the Board, John E.

Wade, the Deputy Superintendent of Schools, and several chief administrators,

emphasized the importance of thorough planning to reassure citizens and avoid “group

anxiety.” The series includes a general report on civil defense preparations and response

procedures, and a separate, detailed report on glass protection, including blackout

procedures and similar measures. The reports make reference to the experience of

London during bombings as a guide for New York.

[An inventory of the volumes in this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 175. Committee for the Study of Practical Democracy in Education.

Report. 1943.

0.1 cu. ft.

The series consists of the published report of the committee, Practical Democracy in

Education (1943). The committee was chaired by Johanna M. Lindlof, a member of the

Board of Education, and included a number of school officials and professors of

education and history. The report reflects the effort of the committee to engage

administrators, teachers, and students in an examination of the ways actual school life

supported or obstructed democracy and the ways practices could be improved.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 176. Committee on the War Industries Training Program. Records. 1940-

1944

0.5 cu. ft.

Reports and other records of a special committee established to oversee the Board of

Education’s efforts in the War Industries Training Program, part of the crash mobilization

efforts at the beginning of World War II. The committee was chaired in succession by

several board members, and included board members and senior staff, while the training

programs were headed by Associate Superintendent George F. Pigott, Jr. The programs

provided initial training for workers in war industries in vocational high schools.

sometimes on a 24-hour a day basis. In its later phases the program also included

supplemental on the job training of workers in arms factories. The largest categories of

training provided were in machine shop skills, shipbuilding trades, and aviation trades.

The series consists primarily of two reports describing the program from its inception in

1940 through 1943 and two volumes of course outlines developed for use in the program.

[An inventory of the volumes in this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 177. Special Committee on Veterans. Records. 1946-1948

1 cu. ft.

Records of a special committee of the Board of Education, created to consider planning

of educational programs adapted to veterans of World War II. Included are agendas and

minutes of committee meetings. Arranged chronologically.

Series 179. Committee on the Superintendency. Records. 1946

0.2 cu. ft.

Records of a joint meeting of the Board’s Committee on the Superintendency with its

Advisory Committee on the Superintendent. Includes an agenda and supporting

documents on the selection of a new superintendent.

Series 184. Special Committee on Veterans and Reconversion Training. Records.

1958-1961.

1 cu. ft.

Records of a special committee of the Board of Education, created to consider planning

of educational programs adapted to veterans of the Korean War. Included are agendas

and minutes of committee meetings. Arranged chronologically.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 200-209: Annual Reports

Series 201. Department of Education. Annual Report. 1898-1915.

18 volumes (3 cu. ft.)

This annual report consists of two reports of the Board of Education to the Mayor,

together with the reports of several components of the school system. The Board’s first

report to the Mayor is comprised of statistics on schools, teachers, pupils, attendance, and

the like, and covers a school year ending July 31. The second report is a detailed

financial report for a fiscal year ending the following December 31. Accompanying these

are the report of the Superintendent of School Buildings, the report of the Superintendent

of School Supplies, the report of Supervisor of Lectures, and the report of the

Superintendent of the Nautical School, together with a report on school sites and

directory-type material including a very detailed listing of central administrators, clerks,

and other staff. The total package was titled the “Annual Report of the Department of

Education.”

[An inventory of the volumes in this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Related Series:

Series 22. Annual Report of the Board of Education, 1843-1896

Series 401. Annual Report of the Superintendent of Schools, 1899-1965

Researchers should use the set of annual reports available on microfilm at the City Hall

Library. This is a complete set, including Series 22, Series 201, and Series 401 up

through 1949/50. A preliminary guide to the microfilm set of annual reports is available

at the Municipal Archives Reference Desk and also at the City Hall Library.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 210-219: Directories

Series 211. Directory of the Board of Education of the City of New York. 1898-1969.

63 volumes (3.5 cu. ft.)

The Directory contains information that was frequently needed by officials, educators,

and others involved with the public school system. Over the years the details included

varied, but for some periods the directories include listings of board members, their

residence and business addresses, and their committee assignments; local school board

members, their addresses, and local board boundaries; and information on a large

number of administrative officials and staff. For schools the listings generally show

school address, principal, district superintendent, and grade levels. With the twentieth-

century expansion of administrative functions in the school system, the directory became

the essential guide to the structure and membership of the education bureaucracy.

Directories were generally published annually, except for alternate years between 1917

and 1929. This series of directories continues the pre-Consolidation series (Series 40).

For the years 1898-1901 directories were also published by the borough school boards

(Series 83, 91, and 97). For the post-1970 decentralization era, see Series 1001.

[An inventory of the volumes in this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 212. Directory [of board members and administrative officials]. 1902-1930.

0.5 cu. ft.

A brief pocket directory, listing board members, committee assignments, and

administrative officials, including district superintendents and directors. It omits other

detailed school-level material that is printed in the full directory (Series 211). Also

included is a “telephone directory” for 1914.

Series 215. Directory of Teachers. 1902-1916

14 volumes (1 cu. ft.)

A printed directory of the teachers in all of the New York City public schools. The

directory contains two main sections: a listing for each school, with each teacher’s name

and residence address; and a single alphabetical index of all teachers, with page

references leading to the school list. Listings of school officials and local board members

are also included. Published annually, 1902-1914. For 1916 the board published an

alphabetical list of teachers with their schools indicated.

[An inventory of the volumes in this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 217. Maps of Districts and Schools. 1910

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

A printed volume of detailed maps, published by the Board of Education as Maps

Showing Territory Covered by the Local School Board Districts and Location of the

Public Schools of the city of New York (1910). It uses a base map by Rand McNally,

showing all city blocks, transit lines, and other geographic features, in atlas format, with

district lines and school locations superimposed. (No other editions of this atlas are

known.) Includes an index, listing each school, its address, and map location.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 220-269: Records of Board projects, commissions, activities

Series 225. Teachers Council. Records. 1933

0.1 cu. ft.

The series consists of a report of the Teachers Council. The council was made up of

members of the teaching and supervisory staff elected by the various teacher

organizations. The report, “War Work in the Public Schools,” by the council’s

Committee on School Records and Statistics, is a review of the responses of the school

system to the special situation of the First World War. In includes extensive reprints of

documents from 1917-1918 reflecting those activities.

Series 233. School Visitors’ Records (post-Consolidation). 1898-1932

5 volumes (0.5 cu. ft.)

Visitors’ books maintained by individual public schools. Visitors included members of

local school boards, which had advisory responsibilities, as well as other officials,

organization representatives, etc. The books were used also as logbooks or scrapbooks,

in which programs of school events, news clippings, and other memorabilia were

inserted.

[An inventory of the volumes in this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 235. Paris Exposition of 1900. Board of Education Exhibition. 1900.

18 volumes (3.0 cu. ft.)

Original classwork of public school pupils. For the Paris Exposition of 1900 the Board of

Education prepared an exhibition of the regular classwork of public school pupils, to

demonstrate the curriculum and the progress of the pupils through the course of study.

The pupils’ work was systematically collected in representative classrooms and bound in

18 volumes, together in some cases with explanatory introductions by teachers and

photographs of classroom activity. Arranged by borough and subject of study.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 236. St. Louis World’s Fair of 1904. Board of Education Exhibition. 1903

1 volume (.5 cu. ft.)

The series consists of an exhibition of the curriculum of the New York City schools in the

form of a compilation of the printed courses of study and syllabi adopted in 1903.

Included in a single bound volume are a general course of study and also specific syllabi,

in various levels of detail, for many subjects in the primary and grammar grades.

Series 240. Harlem Project: The Role of the School in Preventing and Correcting

Maladjustment and Delinquency. Report. 1947

0.4 cu. ft.

A report of a project sponsored by the Board of Education, the New York Foundation,

and the Hofheimer Foundation. The project was carried out during 1943-1945. The

report is dated 1947 and is mimeographed. A transmittal letter dated March 24, 1948

(folder 1) indicates that the report was released in March 1948.

Series 241. Education Management Study. Records. 1951, 1955.

1 cu. ft.

Records of a study by the “Mayor’s Committee on Management Survey” in cooperation

with the Board of Education, and related studies. The committee studied aspects of

Board of Education management; the study team was under the direction of George D.

Strayer and Louis E. Yavner. On April 16, 1951 the Survey issued its “Interim Report on

the Administrative Management of the School System of the City of New York: Some

Aspects of the Division of Housing and Related Administrative Problems.” In October

1951 it issued a summary report, “Administrative Management of the School System of

NYC: A View in Perspective and a Summary of Recommendations.”

In 1955, the Board of Education employed Louis Yavner, again, as a consultant to review

the actions taken in the previous 4 years to implement the 1951 report and to update the

recommendations.

The series consists of copies of the 1951 reports, a 1951 press release about the reports,

the 1955 resolution engaging Yavner as consultant, and Yavner’s 1955 report, titled

“Patterns for the Further Implementation of the 1951 Education Management Study.”

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 255. New York State Education Department. Cooperative Studies of New

York City Schools. 1941-1962

0.5 cu. ft.

The series consists of several distinct studies carried out by the New York State

Education Department in cooperation with the Board of Education. Included are a 1941

study of the “Activity Program” in the New York City Schools, comparing it with

standard programs on the basis of student achievement; a group of 1951 studies of

vocational education, and a 1962 study of the instructional program of the public schools.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 261. Commission on Integration. Records. 1954-1960.

3 cu. ft.

Records of a major commission created by the Board of Education and chaired by the

board president, Charles H. Silver. The Commission on Integration was established at

the time of the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education.

While not immediately affected by the decision, the New York City board recognized

that segregation was a problem in the city’s schools. The commission included board

members and representatives of a broad range of constituencies, and established sub-

commissions on zoning, teacher assignments, curriculum, and community relations,

which sponsored public hearings and prepared reports. Included in the series are

correspondence, records of hearings, agendas and minutes of commission meetings,

public statements, and commission reports. Arranged by types of material, by sub-

commission, and then chronologically.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 270. Coordinator of Local School Boards. Records. 1961-1970

46 cu. ft.

Records of the Coordinator of Local School Boards during the pre-decentralization

period. Local School Boards were advisory groups, appointed by the Board of

Education, in each district. There were 54 districts up to 1965 and 30 districts from 1965

to 1969.

The coordinator had two roles. One was to administer the process of recruiting and

selecting board members. Many of the files document this process, which involved

“screening panels.” The second role was to monitor the work of the local school boards.

District files include correspondence and copies of local school board minutes, acquired

as part of the monitoring function. Both the screening panel files (1963-1970) and the

district files (1961-1970) are arranged chronologically. Also included are chronological

correspondence files (1967-1970) and subject files (arranged alphabetically).

Elizabeth Clark served as assistant coordinator and then coordinator of Local School

Boards; after decentralization she served in the analogous position of Community School

Board Liaison (see Series 1468).

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 275-299: Secretary of the Board

Series 277. Office of the Secretary. Legal Files. 1920-1987

55 cu. ft.

This series consists of files on legal cases involving the Board of Education. They are

arranged alphabetically, within several general time periods. The “Legal Files” were

maintained by Office of the Secretary of the Board of Education. At various times the

Board also had a “Law Secretary,” a “Counsel,” and an “Office of the Counsel,” and

some of these records may have been originally under one of those jurisdictions. While

the Board maintained its own legal staff, generally the New York City Department of

Law (or Corporation Counsel) represented the Board of Education in actual litigation.

For the period up to about 1953, the files contain the range of documents that would have

been produced in a case from start to finish, including motions, briefs, decisions, and

correspondence. All of these files have been retained. For the period after 1953, the files

generally included only a copy of the summons or other document that initiated the case,

with an indication that this was referred to the city’s Law Department. A small sample of

these routine files has been retained.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 278. Office of the Secretary. Damage Maps. 1950-1975.

10 cu. ft.

The series consists of site plans for proposed new schools or additions, with details of

existing property lines and existing structures, and the value of each. Included are tables

of assessed values, generally for 3 years. The plans include certification by the surveyors

who prepared them and also by the Secretary of the Board.

The plans were produced in various formats, including linen “originals,” linen copies,

and paper copies, with various copy technologies. Arranged by borough and school

number.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 279. Office of the Secretary. Site Approvals. 1965-1975

4 cu. ft.

Records regarding approval of sites for new school buildings. The series consists of files

on each school containing the documentation to support action by the Board of

Education. (The series is not yet arranged.)

Series 280. Office of the Secretary. Subject Files. 1940-1958.

2 cu. ft.

Subject files of the Secretary of the Board of Education from about 1940 to 1958. During

this period there were several holders of the position of Secretary. Small quantities of

subject files and of correspondence were retained by the Office of the Secretary,

apparently because they reflected sensitive or significant issues or actions. (The series is

not yet arranged.)

Series 281. Office of the Secretary. Harold F. Hay. Subject Files, 1958-1966.

36 cu. ft.

Subject Files of Harold F. Hay, who served as Secretary of the Board of Education from

1958 to 1965. He had responsibility for administering a wide range of Board functions,

including meetings, committees, formal correspondence, legal referrals, and official

records. The Secretary’s subject files are concentrated on the major policy and

administrative matters that came before the board, including sensitive and confidential

issues and actions. Included are matters on which the Secretary monitored

documentation and record-keeping and policy issues on which the Secretary maintained

files to facilitate his role as a resource for the Board. The files are not fully arranged, but

retain elements of an original alphabetical arrangement structure.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 282. Office of the Secretary. Harold Siegel. Subject Files, 1965-1970.

23 cu. ft.

Subject files of the Secretary of the Board of Education, Harold Siegel. Harold Siegel

served as Secretary from 1965 to 1980. His service covered the last years before

decentralization and the first period after decentralization, thus they included a crucial

period of the transformation of the school system. Files for the pre-decentralization

period are included in this series; files after decentralization are in Series 1028. While

Siegel divided most files between the two periods, there inevitably are some materials in

each series related to the other time period.

As Secretary of the Board, Siegel had responsibility for administering a wide range of

Board functions, including meetings, committees, formal correspondence, legal referrals,

and official records. The Secretary’s subject files are concentrated on the major policy

and administrative matters that came before the board, including sensitive and

confidential issues and actions. Included are files on matters on which the Secretary

monitored documentation and record-keeping and files on policy issues which he

maintained to facilitate his role as a resource for the Board. The files are not fully

arranged, but retain elements of an original alphabetical structure.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 283. Office of the Secretary. Beatrice Steinberg. Subject Files. 1965-1971.

6 cu. ft.

Subject files of Beatrice Steinberg, Assistant Secretary. The position of assistant

secretary had general management responsibility in the Office of the Secretary. These

subject files, on decentralization and related topics, were apparently retained in her office

because of the significance of the topics and the need to respond to inquiries from Board

members and others.

Series 285. Office of the Secretary. Expense Journals, 1927-1959.

4 volumes (1 cu. ft.)

Expense journals maintained by the Office of the Secretary. The journals record

incidental “petty cash” expenditures, checks drawn, advances to the petty cash fund, and

vouchers transmitted to the controller. The Journal indicates the date, the individual staff

member involved, the purpose of the expenditure, and the amount.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 286. Office of the Secretary. Index of Leases, Architects, and Engineers,

1950-1979. 1 cu. ft.

An index of leases of properties for school use, and of architects and engineers

involved in school construction and renovation. The series consists of a 5x8 index card

file, about 2000 cards. These record detailed summaries of actions (contracts, fees, and

approvals) on leases, architects, and engineers, with the date of action by the Board of

Education and approvals by the mayor or other agencies. The records of leases cover the

period 1950-1979 while the records of architectural and engineering contracts begin after

1960. The cards are arranged by category (leases separately from architects and

engineers) and then by borough and school. (See also Series 287)

Series 287. Office of the Secretary. Index of Capital Projects. 1963-1979

2 cu. ft.

A summary record of capital projects undertaken by the Board of Education. The

series consists of a card file (approximately 3,000 cards) indexing such capital projects as

construction of new schools, additions to schools, renovations, etc., including brief data

on submission of specifications, proposed budgets, and approvals by the mayor’s office

or the Board of Estimate. Arranged by borough and school. This series can be used in

conjunction with Series 286, which tracks contracts with architects and engineers for the

design of such projects.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 300-399: Board Members’ Papers

Series 311. Stephen R. Aiello Files. 1974-1980.

9 cu. ft.

Stephen R. Aiello served as a member of the Board of Education 1974 to 1980. His

records include subject files, community school district files, and chronological

correspondence files. The subject files, the largest portion of the series, focus on

administrative and policy matters such as budgets and finances, union contracts,

legislation, audits, and high schools. The subject files are arranged alphabetically by

topic; the school district files are arranged numerically by district; and the

correspondence files are arranged chronologically.

[A detailed finding aid, including a full folder listing, is available on the Municipal Archives web site]

Series 312. Amelia H. Ashe Files. 1974-1985

45 cu. ft.

Amelia H. Ashe served as a member of the Board of Education from 1974 to 1985. Her

records include subject files, community school district files, legal files and chronological

correspondence files. The subject files, the largest subseries, focus on such policy areas

as equal educational opportunity, bilingual education, special education, and school

breakfast and lunch programs for disadvantaged children. The district files reflect the

particular problems of individual schools and districts. The legal files relate to

disciplinary and appeal cases on which the board had jurisdiction. The subject files are

arranged alphabetically by topic, the district files numerically by district, the legal files

alphabetically by case title, and the correspondence files chronologically.

[A detailed finding aid, including a full folder listing, is available on the Municipal Archives web site]

Series 313. Gwendolyn C. Baker Files. 1986-1991

12 cu. ft.

Gwendolyn Baker served as a member of the Board of Education from 1986 to 1991.

Her papers reflect the policy-making and administrative aspects of the work of the Board

during those years. The main portion of the papers consists of subject files,

alphabetically arranged. Also included are files on high schools, community school

districts, public officials, and litigation.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 314. Joseph G. Barkan Files. 1974-1986

12.5 cu. ft.

Joseph G. Barkan served as a member of the Board of Education from 1963 to 1969 and

again from 1974 to 1986. The series consists of records from the second period of

service only. Included are subject files, relating to administrative and policy matters such

as budgets, personnel, integration and bilingual education; community school district

files; Consultative Council files, relating to meetings that brought together central board

members with local board members; and files on searches to fill the position of

Chancellor. The subject files are arranged alphabetically by topic, the district files are

arrranged numerically, and the Consultative Council files are largely chronological

[A detailed finding aid, including a full folder listing, is available on the Municipal Archives web site]

Series 315. Charles J. Bensley Subject Files. 1947-1954

2.5 cu. ft.

Charles J. Bensley served as a member of the Board of Education from 1948 to 1961.

The series of subject files is limited almost completely to the period 1949-1952. The files

are arranged alphabetically by topic, but only the portion from N to Z is present. Notable

are files on various community organizations that Bensley corresponded with and those

related to teachers, including the banning of the Teachers Union and the dismissal of

teachers suspected of communist affiliations.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 316. Murry Bergtraum Files. 1969-1973

2 cu. ft.

Murry Bergtraum served as a member of the Board of Education from 1969 to 1973.

Only a small portion of his files have been found. Included are files on searches for key

administrative officials and subject files on student rights and services to non-public

schools. Search files are arranged chronologically; subject files alphabetically by topic.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 317. Amalia Betanzos Files. 1986-1990

5 cu. ft.

Amalia Betanzos served as a member of the Board of Education from 1987 to 1990. Her

files consist entirely of materials relating to board meetings, including executive session

minutes, and agendas and accompanying papers for public meetings and budget hearings.

Arranged by type of meeting and chronologically.

Series 319. Andrew G. Clauson, Jr. Files. 1954-1961

2 cu. ft.

Andrew G. Clauson, Jr. served as a member of the Board of Education from 1954 to

1961. The series includes subject files, school files on Staten Island schools, and files of

speeches. Notable subject files relate to the introduction of collective bargaining for

teachers and the investigation of the Board’s practices in school construction. (The series

is not yet arranged.)

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 321. James B. Donovan Subject Files. 1961-1963

1.5 cu. ft.

James B. Donovan served as a member of the Board of Education from 1961 to 1965.

His subject files consist almost exclusively of materials from September 1961 to mid-

1963. Included are files on such topics as collective bargaining, integration, and local

school boards, and files of correspondence with other members of the board. Arranged

alphabetically by topic.

[A detailed finding aid, including a full folder listing, is available on the Municipal Archives web site]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 331. Lloyd K. Garrison Files. 1959-1968.

7 cu. ft.

Lloyd K. Garrison served as a member of the Board of Education from 1961 to 1968. His

files include materials on several major policy areas, including integration, school reform,

and budget planning, each constituting a distinct subseries. Also included are other

topical subject files, local school board files, and meeting files, including agendas and

supporting materials for board meetings. Meeting files are arranged chronologically;

local board files are arranged numerically; major subject files are arranged topically or

chronologically, and other subject files are arranged alphabetically.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 332. Alfred A. Giardino Subject Files. 1964-1968

4 cu. ft.

Alfred A. Giardino served as a member of the Board of Education from 1964 to1968.

His subject files consist of correspondence, memoranda, and reports primarily related to

major aspects of school administration. These include the Board of Examiners, the

Educational Construction Fund, the Teachers Retirement System, and contracts for pupil

transportation. Arranged alphabetically.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 334. Carol A. Gresser Files. 1993-1996

5 cu. ft.

Carol A. Gresser served as a member of the Board of Education from 1990 to 1998. Her

records include subject files on three major topics—asbestos in school buildings, lead

testing, and a school lunch investigation—and files on the redistricting process of 1994-

1995.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 337. John F. Hennessy Files. 1961-1964

12 cu. ft.

John F. Hennessy served as a member of the Board of Education from 1961 to 1964. His

files include correspondence, school files, legal memoranda, reports, agendas and

minutes, and similar materials relating to Board of Education policies and administration.

(The series is not yet arranged.)

Series 345. Irene Impellizzeri Files. 1980-1993

11.5 cu. ft.

Irene Impellizzeri served as a member of the Board of Education from 1980 to 2002. Her

files are limited to the period up to 1993. The largest component is subject files, which

focus on audits, budgets, and capital construction programs. A separate subseries is

devoted to the issue of HIV/AIDS education, on which Impellizzeri played a

controversial role. Also included are community school district files, Consultative

Council files (regarding meetings between the central board and community school

boards), and files on the Erasmus Hall High School bicentennial. Subject files are

arranged alphabetically, district files numerically, and Consultative Council files

chronologically.

[A detailed finding aid, including a full folder listing, is available on the Municipal Archives web site]

Series 351. Seymour P. Lachman Subject Files. 1969-1972

16.5 cu. ft.

Seymour P. Lachman served as a member of the Board of Education from 1969 to1974.

This series of subject files is limited to the period 1969-1972. Included are

correspondence, memoranda, and reports on administrative and policy matters facing the

first Board under the decentralized governance structure adopted in 1970. Major groups

of files include those on litigation, on appeals adjudicated by the Board, on community

school districts, and on ethnic issues. The files are arranged alphabetically.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 353. Carl McCall Files. 1991-1993.

48 cu. ft.

Carl McCall served as a member of the Board of Education from 1991 to 1993. His files

include subject files on aspects of administration and curriculum, files of correspondence

with board officials and other public officials, and files of reports and studies on aspects

of the public school system, prepared by board bureaus and external agencies. (This

series is not yet arranged.)

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 354. James Marshall Papers, 1930-1986, bulk 1935-1958

12 cu. ft.

James Marshall served as a member of the Board of Education from 1935 to 1952. His

papers include subject files, correspondence, speeches, press releases, essays,

photographs and scrapbooks documenting Marshall’s work during his years on the Board,

as well as similar types of material, related to his continuing interests in public education

during the period after he left the Board. Marshall was appointed to the Board by Mayor

LaGuardia as a “reformer” and his papers focus, to a large extent, on his conceptions of

democratic education and efforts to reform school administration and finances. The

series is organized into thirteen subseries by types of material, with subject files arranged

alphabetically by topic, correspondence files generally arranged alphabetically by

correspondent, and files of speeches, press releases, and other writings arranged

chronologically.

[A detailed finding aid, including a full folder listing, is available on the Municipal Archives web site]

Series 356. Mary E. Meade Files. 1969-1972

4 cu. ft.

Mary E. Meade served as a member of the Board of Education from 1969 to 1972. Her

files include subject files and school district files and reflect the role of the Board in the

transition to a decentralized governance structure. Major topics include budgeting and

allocation of funds, collective bargaining, student rights, and occupational/vocational

education. The subject files are arranged alphabetically by topic and the district files

numerically by district.

[A detailed finding aid, including a full folder listing, is available on the Municipal Archives web site]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 372. James F. Regan Files. 1972-1986.

1.5 cu. ft.

James F. Regan served as a member of the Board of Education from 1972 to 1990. His

files reflect a very small portion of that service; they consist only of limited subject files

from 1972-1973 and 1985-1986 and community school district files from 1985-1986.

(This series is not yet arranged.)

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 373. Luis O. Reyes Files. 1990-1995

66 cu. ft.

Luis O. Reyes served as a member of the Board of Education from 1990 to 1998. His

files cover only the period up to 1995. Included are files on board meetings, subject files,

files on educational organizations and conferences, and files on curriculum policies.

Curriculum files focus on areas such as bilingual education, multicultural education, and

HIV/AIDS education that were of public concern and controversy at the time. Board

meeting files are arranged chronologically; the remainder of the series is not yet arranged.

(See also Series 1143, Latino Commission on Educational Reform; Reyes was appointed

as chair of the commission by Chancellor Joseph Fernandez.)

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 378. Isaiah Robinson Files. 1968-1972

19.5 cu. ft.

Isaiah Robinson served as a member of the Board of Education from 1969 to 1978.

However, his files cover only the period up to 1972. Included are correspondence files,

subject files, and files relating to Robinson’s ex-officio responsibilities on city, state, and

national boards. The series is organized into twelve subseries based on types of records.

The special focus of subject files is on the community control demonstration districts and

the decentralization program, each of which constitutes a distinct subseries. Subject files

are arranged alphabetically by topic, correspondence files alphabetically by

correspondent, district files numerically, and other groups of files chronologically.

[A detailed finding aid, including a full folder listing, is available on the Municipal Archives web site]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 379. Max J. Rubin Files. 1961-1964

12.25 cu. ft

Max J. Rubin served as a member of the Board of Education from 1961 to 1963. His

files consist of subject files on administrative and policy matters such as budgets, state

aid, civil rights, collective bargaining, and local school boards; files on individual

schools; press releases and public statements; and search files (1962) for a new

superintendent of schools. The subject files are divided into two chronological units,

1961-1962 and 1963, each of which is arranged alphabetically by topic; school files are

arranged by borough, then school name or number; and press releases and statements are

arranged chronologically.

[A detailed finding aid, including a full folder listing, is available on the Municipal Archives web site]

Series 381. Edward Sadowsky Files. 1986-1990.

1 cu. ft.

Edward Sadowsky served as a member of the Board of Education from 1986 to 1990.

The series consists of correspondence files, especially with other public officials or with

the chancellor and his staff, regarding administrative and policy matters. (This series is

not yet arranged.)

Series 385. Rose Shapiro Papers. 1955-1969

8 cu. ft.

Rose Shapiro served as a member of the Board of Education from 1963 to 1969. Her

papers include subseries of files on her work on board committees; files of

correspondence, memoranda, and reports from various bureaus in the school

administration; and subject files, which emphasize issues such as sex education,

integration, community control experiments, and decentralization (which constitutes a

distinct subseries). Each subseries is arranged alphabetically.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 386. Charles H. Silver Files. 1952-1961

4.5 cu. ft.

Charles H. Silver served as a member of the Board of Education from 1952 to 1961.

However, the files in this series cover mainly only the period 1957-1961. Included are a

substantial file of speeches and public statements, files on individual schools, especially

several new or expanded high schools, subject files, and files on the selection of the

superintendent of schools in 1957. Speeches are arranged chronologically; the other files

are arranged alphabetically.

[A detailed finding aid, including a full folder listing, is available on the Municipal Archives web site]

Series 387. Esmerelda Simmons Files. 1993-1994

1 cu. ft.

Esmerelda Simmons served as a member of the Board of Education from 1993 to 1994.

The series consists primarily of memoranda and reports from board and administrative

committees and bureaus on policy matters facing the school system. Included are files on

a lawsuit claiming the curriculum to be racially discriminatory and on experiments in

multicultural education. (This series is not yet arranged.)

Series 391. Robert F. Wagner, Jr. Files. 1985-1990

30.5 cu. ft.

Robert F. Wagner, Jr. served as a member of the Board of Education from 1985 to 1990.

The series includes extensive subject files as well as files on community school districts.

The subject files focus on administrative topics, such as personnel, school buildings, and

legislation and on policy areas such as decentralization, AIDS, sex education, special

education, drugs, homeless students, and school dropouts. The district files focus on the

interplay between the central board and the districts, as they worked out issues of power-

sharing. The subject files are arranged alphabetically; the district files numerically.

[A detailed finding aid, including a full folder listing, is available on the Municipal Archives web site]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 392. Frank D. Wilsey Scrapbooks. 1905-1919.

3 cu. ft.

Frank D. Wilsey served as a member of the Board of Education from 1902 to

1921. The series consists of 8 scrapbooks containing correspondence, clippings, and

memorabilia, including invitations and programs for meetings of educational associations

and political organizations. A large number of elaborate multi-course dinner menus are

included. Notable also are programs for events at individual public schools and a series

of photographs of school groups celebrating the victory in World War I. Arranged

chronologically.

[An inventory of the volumes in this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 400-499: Superintendent of Schools

Series 401. Annual Report of the Superintendent of Schools. 1899-1965

18.0 cu. ft.

The annual report of the Superintendent of Schools provides both substantial data on the

school system and a narrative discussion of the system’s accomplishments and

challenges. Reports from directors of bureaus within the school system, such as those

responsible for high schools, kindergartens, special education, evening schools, etc., are

often included either as appendices or as supplementary reports.

No regular annual reports were issues for 1916 through 1924; however, many

supplementary reports issued during those years provide information about significant

aspects of the schools. From 1935 through 1946, the main volume of the report was titled

“All the Children” and combined essay narratives with extensive photographs. From

1934 through 1952 a “Statistical Section” of the report was issued as a separate volume.

Related series:

Series 22. Annual Report of the Board of Education, 1843-1896

Series 201. Annual Report of the Department of Education, 1898-1915

Researchers should use the set of annual reports available on microfilm at the City Hall

Library. This is a complete set, including Series 22, Series 201, and Series 401 up

through 1949/50. A preliminary guide to the microfilm set of annual reports is available

at the Municipal Archives Reference Desk and also at the City Hall Library.

Series 416. Superintendent of Schools. Visitors’ Book. 1907-1930

1 volume (0.1 cu. ft.)

A visitors’ book recording visits to New York City schools by educators from other

countries and other American cities. Visitors include professors of education, officials of

school systems, and other educators; many entries indicate the purpose of the visit, such

as observation of particular types of classes. Included in the volume are letters of

introduction addressed to the superintendent of schools and visitors’ business cards. The

majority of entries are for the period 1907-1918 when William H. Maxwell served as

superintendent of schools.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 471. Superintendent of Schools William Jansen. General Correspondence.

1948-1958

13 cu. ft.

Correspondence files of Superintendent of Schools William Jansen, who served as

superintendent from 1947 to 1958. The series consists of incoming general

correspondence, originally filed under the title “Public Opinion.” Major topics include

“civil rights” (actually civil liberties topics such as teacher loyalty investigations,

suspensions, and censorship), local school issues (correspondence pertaining to specific

schools), and personnel issues, such as salaries and work load. Arranged alphabetically

by topic.

Also included are 8 volumes titled “Highlights of Today’s Mail.” These volumes consist

of typescript memos to Jansen from his administrative assistant, David J. Swarz, listing

and summarizing mail received and indicating how it has been handled or to whom

referred. The daily memos cover the period March 1948 to June 1955.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 472. Superintendent of SchoolsWilliam Jansen. Subject Files on Racial

Discrimination. 1951-59.

0.5 cu. ft.

Subject files of Superintendent of Schools William Jansen, who served as superintendent

from 1947 to1958. Included are materials on school segregation and related issues of

racial discrimination. Files are arranged as correspondence, news clippings, and press

releases, plus one file on the Intergroup Committee on New York Public Schools.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 473. Superintendent of Schools William Jansen. Exemption from Instruction

Authorizations. circa 1950

1 cu. ft.

Files on students with medical or handicapping conditions, on the basis of which it was

recommended that they be exempted from instruction (even home instruction). Includes

reports from psychologists and other professional evaluations. Provides insight into

definitions and categories used to determine possibilities and needs for instruction in this

era. The approval of the Superintendent of Schools was required to implement the

recommendation in each case. Research use is subject to restriction to preserve privacy

of individuals.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 490. Superintendent of Schools Bernard E. Donovan. Subject Files. 1964-

1970.

18 cu. ft.

Subject files of Superintendent of Schools Bernard E. Donovan, who served as

superintendent from 1965 to 1970. The subject files include correspondence, reports, and

background materials on topics relating to school administration, community relations,

and policy development. Notable are files on budgets, municipal departments, deputy

superintendents, the Council of Supervisors and Administrators, and the demonstration

districts (created as experiments in decentralization of school governance). Arranged

alphabetically by topic. However only part of the alphabet (essentially A-F) is present.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

"Typewriting Class," Herman Ridder Junior High School 98, May 27, 1935

(Series 1810, Photo # 5469)

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 500-699: Administration, Office of the Superintendent of Schools,

Associate and Assistant Superintendents, Divisions, Bureaus

Series 511. Office of the Superintendent of Schools. Indexes to Circulars. 1902-

1962

1 cu. ft.

Printed digests and indexes of the various circulars issued by the office of the

superintendent of schools. Included are digests of “matter of current value” (1902-1915;

1924-1930) and five-year indexes (1925-1930; 1947-1962).

Series 512. Office of the Superintendent of Schools. Circulars. 1902-1970

15 cu. ft.

Circulars issued by the Superintendent of Schools or by other administrative officials,

such as associate superintendents, generally under the heading of the “Office of the

Superintendent of Schools. The circulars were issued in multiple series based either on

the categories of officials to whom they were addressed or on the general subject area.

Circulars were used to inform principals and other administrators of policies and

procedures, special activities, reporting requirement, and similar matters. Their content

ranges from routine announcements to very significant policies and requirements.

Most circulars were issued as numbered series for each school year. They are arranged

by category and then chronologically. The largest categories are General Circulars

(1902-1970), Heads of Bureau Circulars (1932-1970), High School Circulars (1910-

1964), and Special Circulars (1912-1971). Indexes to the main series of circulars are

contained in Series 511.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 521. School Vandalism Reports. 1953

1.5 cu. ft.

Reports on incidents of school vandalism, submitted to the Superintendent of Schools.

Included are statistical reports for the month of January 1953 and narrative reports for

June 1953. Arranged chronologically and by borough.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 522. Accident Reports. 1958-1960

1 cu. ft.

Reports on accidents in schools, submitted to the Superintendent of Schools. Included

are reports for vocational high schools only, for the period 1958-1960. Arranged

chronologically.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 530. Staff Bulletin. 1962-1970

0.7 cu. ft.

A news bulletin published for the approximately 70,000 pedagogical and administrative

employees of the Board of Education. The content of the bulletin included reports of

official actions and organizational changes, new policies and programs, and the

achievements of staff members. The bulletin was prepared by the Office of Education

Information Services and Public Relations and was issued throughout the school year,

generally at three-week intervals.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 542. Assistant to the Superintendent, David J. Swartz. Comprehensive

Calendar Correspondence. 1948-1954

0.5 cu. ft.

The series consists of correspondence within the Board of Education administration and

with civic organizations and members of the public regarding the planning of the school

system’s yearly calendar. Calendar planning involved such issues as determining school

closings for vacation and holiday periods and ensuring sufficient days of schooling.

Arranged chronologically.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 547. Secretary to the Superintendent, Howard Shiebler. Subject Files

(Secretary to Superintendent Harold G. Campbell). 1934-1942

3 cu. ft.

Files of the Secretary to the Superintendent, a position somewhat akin to “chief of staff.”

The Secretary had general responsibilities in areas of public affairs, dealt with issues of

community concern, and prepared the superintendent’s annual report. The series consists

of Shiebler’s files while serving as secretary to Superintendent of Schools Harold G.

Campbell. Included are topical subject files and correspondence files, on issues ranging

from legislative investigations to cooperation between department stores and the school

system. Arranged alphabetically.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 548. Secretary to the Superintendent, Howard Shiebler. Subject Files

(Secretary to Superintendent John E. Wade). 1942-1947

2 cu. ft.

Files of the Secretary to the Superintendent, a position somewhat akin to “chief of staff.”

The Secretary had general responsibilities in areas of public affairs, dealt with issues of

community concern, and prepared the superintendent’s annual report. The series consists

of Shiebler’s files while serving as secretary to Superintendent of Schools John E. Wade.

Included are topical subject files, on issues ranging from the school building program to

bus transportation. Several files relate to World War II, including files on national

defense, on armistice day celebrations, and on the surrender of Japan. Arranged

alphabetically.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 550. Puerto Rican Study. Records. 1953-1959.

2 cu. ft.

The series consists of the records of the Planning Committee and Advisory Committee of

the Puerto Rican Study. The study was established in order to help the Board of

Education develop policies, programs, and curriculum appropriate for the increasing

number of students arriving from Puerto Rico. Included are correspondence, agendas,

minutes, drafts of reports, subject files, curriculum materials, and a final report titled

“The Puerto Rican Study.” Arranged by types of material and then chronologically.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 551. Committee to Study Training Methods and Procedures of the Armed

Forces. Report. 1946

0.1 cu. ft.

Report of a special committee appointed by the Superintendent of Schools. Chaired by

William A. Hannig, a member of the Board of Examiners, the committee consisted of

officials from several Board of Education bureaus aided by military officials assigned

from each of the armed services. Although created in 1943, in the middle of the war, the

committee’s focus was the possible post-war uses of training methods developed by the

armed forces, either in planned special institutes for demobilized veterans or in the

general educational program.

Series 552. Committee on the School Camp Experiment. Records. 1947-1948

0.1 cu. ft.

Records of a special committee appointed by the Superintendent of Schools. The

committee worked in cooperation with a “private” committee led by former board

member Johanna M. Lindlof and the Life Camps, Inc., to conduct an experimental

program in June 1947. Two school classes lived and studied at a rural camp for three

weeks, and a systematic evaluation was made of the results. The series consists of a

“confidential” preliminary draft report and a covering letter from Superintendent of

Schools William Jansen. Mimeographed with manuscript corrections.

Series 553. Committee on Articulation. Report. 1958

0.1 cu. ft.

Report of a special committee appointed by the Superintendent of Schools. The

Committee on Articulation, created in 1954, was chaired by Deputy Superintendent Jacob

Greenberg and included senior administrators from all levels of the school system. Its

purpose was to “consider the school system as a whole” and to focus on ways to improve

the interrelation of its parts and the articulation between school levels. Mimeographed.

Series 554. Committee for the Study of Retardation, Truancy, and Problems of

Personality and Conduct. Report. circa 1930

0.1 cu. ft.

Records of an administrative committee including the directors of the Bureau of

Reference, Research and Statistics and the Bureau of Attendance. Included is an interim

report of a subcommittee on “Plan and Survey,” proposing a research project to study the

definitions of pupil maladjustment, its causes, and solutions.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 562. Advisory Committee on Human Relations. Files. 1945-1950

0.2 cu. ft.

Files of an advisory committee to Superintendent John E. Wade. The committee was

chaired by William F. Russell, Dean of Teachers College, Columbia University and was

formally in existence from November 1945 to August 1947. Created at the end of World

War II, the committee’s purpose reflected the concern to combat the racial and religious

hatreds that had contributed to war. It was charged with recommending ways the schools

could foster harmonious intergroup relations among school children and in the city’s

communities. The series consists of correspondence, minutes, reports, and background

material maintained by Mary E. Riley, secretary of the committee, a member of the staff

of Associate Superintendent Jacob Greenberg. Included also are material’s reflecting her

office’s continuing interest in intergroup relations in the years after the committee’s

termination. Arranged by types of material and then chronologically.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 565. Office of Education Information Services and Public Relations

(OEISPR). Subject Files. 1954-1967.

21 cu. ft.

Subject files of OEISPR. Included are correspondence memoranda, news clippings,

articles, press releases, and related materials, gathered to support the office’s functions in

providing information for internal needs and for external publicity. Subjects range

widely from decentralization to school system budgets, to the dedication of new school

buildings. The series is not yet fully arranged; however most files are in sequences

reflecting original alphabetical arrangement.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 567. Office of Education Information Services and Public Relations

(OEISPR). Press Releases. 1954-1968

7.5 cu. ft.

Press releases publicizing the activities of the school system. Topics of releases include

special policy areas such as desegregation and pupil achievement as well as new

curricula, reports on educational experiments, school budgets, and proposed legislation.

Included is some correspondence related to the releases. Arranged chronologically.

Finding aids include an alphabetical list of press release titles.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 569. Office of Education Information Services and Public Relations

(OEISPR). Education News Digest. 1961-1963

1 cu. ft.

Digests of news relating to public education in New York City, prepared by OEISPR for

the use of school system administrators. Included are digests for 1961 to 1963. Arranged

chronologically. (See also Series 570, OEISPR News Clippings, 1961-1972.)

Series 570. Office of Education Information Services and Public Relations

(OEISPR). News Clippings. 1961-1972

92 cu. ft.

Newspaper clippings, primarily from New York newspapers, on topics relating to public

education in New York City. The clippings were compiled by staff of the Office of

Educational Information Services and Public Relations each work day and a photocopied

set of the clippings was sent to Board members and selected administrators. The series

consists of the original clippings, stored in envelopes (one day’s clippings per envelope),

arranged chronologically by the date of the compilation. Since clippings were compiled

on work days, weekend clippings are sometimes included in the Monday compilation.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 572. Office of Education Information Services and Public Relations

(OEISPR). Press Release Support Files, 1959-1969

7 cu. ft.

Files of materials supporting press releases prepared by OEISPR. Each file consists of

one press release, or a group of related releases, or another type of public announcement,

together with material used to generate the release and to support it with data, documents,

and photographs. Many of the files relate to school buildings, new buildings, and

additions. Another large group relates to racial segregation and integration and public

controversies relating to such issues. Arranged chronologically.

Series 581. Rebecca Elsberg Memorial Scholarship. Records. 1921-1946

0.5 cu. ft.

Records of a scholarship program administered by the Office of the Superintendent of

Schools. Included are correspondence regarding the establishment and administration of

the program and listings of award recipients. Arranged chronologically.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 582. Chamber of Commerce Essay Competition, Records. 1955-1972.

1 cu. ft.

The competition was sponsored by the New York Chamber of Commerce and the Board

of Education. An Assistant Superintendent (Irving Anker for 1968 and 1969; Henrietta

Percell for 1970 through 1972) coordinated the competition for the Board of Education.

Students in public, private, and parochial high schools were invited to submit essays on a

theme selected by the sponsors. A different theme was selected each year, generally

involving a major topic related to New York City, such as water supply and inter-ethnic

tolerance. The files for 1968-1972 include announcements of the competition, lists of

winners, manuscripts of winning essays, and correspondence. A background file contains

announcements for earlier years, back to 1955. Arranged chronologically.

Series 590-599: Anticommunist Investigations

Series 590. Anti-communist Investigations. Lists of Names, Index of Publications,

and Filing Records [Restricted Access]. circa 1940-1962

0.5 cu. ft.

Files maintained by the special investigative office of the Board of Education. Included

are listings of the case files maintained on individual teachers; a separate list of teachers

names (ca. 1940); and an index to the office’s file of publications.

[The series contains some materials (lists of case files and lists of teacher names) the use

of which must be restricted in order to preserve the privacy rights of individual teachers.]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 591. Anti-communist Investigations. Subject Files. [Restricted Access].

1936-1961.

19.5 cu. ft.

Subject files created by the special investigative office of the Board of Education. The

files contain correspondence, reports, memoranda, transcripts and other materials on

topics associated with the investigations. Many files relate to organizations and

individuals that played significant roles, either public or private, as targets of

investigation or as sources of information. Other groups of files relate to the systematic

development of the legal basis and administrative procedures for the investigations.

Arranged in several broadly alphabetical sequences. An additional group of files

contains source material for legal cases, in a numbered sequence assigned by the

investigative office.

[This series of subject files, originally maintained by the special investigative office of

the Board of Education, contains some materials (mostly copies of portions of case files)

the use of which must be restricted in order to preserve the privacy rights of individual

teachers.]

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 593. Anti-communist Investigations. Trial Transcripts. 1950-1951.

2 cu. ft.

Official transcripts of a series of trials of teachers held before a Trial Examiner of the

Board of Education. The initial hearing session related to the entire group (Alice Citron

et al). It was followed by sessions devoted to individual teachers. Also included is the

transcript of the Board of Education hearing on the report of the Trial Examiner. The

transcripts are mimeographed and bound in 8 volumes.

The teachers were charged with membership in the Communist Party. The trials included

testimony from police and informers as well as testimony and argument on individual

rights and on the legitimacy of the trials.

[An inventory of the volumes in this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 594. Anti-communist Investigations. Individual Case Files. [Restricted

Access]. circa 1952-1962

21.5 cu. ft.

Case files created by the special investigative office of the Board of Education.

Individual case files include correspondence, reports from investigative agencies and

informers, “interview” transcripts, and internal memoranda, relating to individual

teachers investigated for possible communist connections. The case files are divided into

two groups: “closed files” and “active files”. The series includes

an original card index to the cases and an index prepared in 1980 by archivists at

Teachers College reflecting the records as received at that time.

[This series of files contains materials the use of which must be restricted in order to

preserve the privacy rights of individual teachers.]

Series 595. Anti-communist Investigations. Published Materials. circa 1940-1962

8.5 cu. ft.

A file of published materials was maintained by the special investigative office of the

Board of Education. Most of the file consists of publications of congressional

committees, such as the House Un-American Activities Committee and the Senate

Judiciary Committee; some publications of state agencies are also included. The file

includes over 300 publications, grouped by sponsoring agency; the publication numbers

are those assigned in the office’s “Index to Publications.” A copy of that index is

included in Box 1. The original index is included in Series 590. [Access to this series is

not limited by any privacy restrictions]

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 596. Anti-communist Investigations. General Index File of Suspected

Communists. circa 1955

16.5 cu. ft.

The series consists of a file of index cards (approximately 30,000 cards), each listing

name, address, and other information for one individual. Typical information includes

the source from which the name was obtained, such as Communist Party voter

registration lists, federal and state investigating committees, police spies, and informers.

Most of the cards are stamped “no record in Board of Education.” Arranged

alphabetically.

Another card file of the same type, containing about 1600 cards, covers only the portion

of the alphabet from A to P. It is apparent that the individuals on these cards, also, were

generally not teachers. A third file of about 300 cards, lists camps, schools and

organizations suspected of communist connections. Arranged alphabetically.

[This series of files contains materials the use of which must be restricted in order to

preserve the privacy rights of individuals.]

Series 597. Anti-communist Investigations. Feinberg Law Loyalty Forms. 1953-

1960

4 cu. ft.

Loyalty forms, signed by principals and other supervisors, certifying to the loyalty of

teachers and other employees. The certificate, as required by state legislation known as

the Feinberg Law, stated that “to the best of my knowledge or belief and with the

exceptions noted below . . . there is no evidence indicating that any employee . . . is being

charged with (a) subversive activities [or] (b) membership in the Communist Party.”

Principals signed these statements regarding teachers, custodians, and cafeteria workers.

Higher officials signed them regarding various administrative officials, and the

Superintendent of Schools signed regarding the Associate Superintendents, who were

listed by name in the certificate. It appears that all certificates in the series indicate

“none” for the exceptions, that is, that no subversives are employed. The series is not yet

arranged, but materials are generally grouped chronologically, then by borough and

school.

[A set of photocopies of each type of form, from each year of the series, is available at the Municipal

Archives.]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 601-699 Deputy, Associate, and Assistant Superintendents,

Divisions, Bureaus

Series 601. Executive Deputy Superintendent Nathan Brown. Subject Files. 1966-

1969

6.5 cu. ft.

Files of the second-ranking administrator in the school system. Nathan Brown served as

Executive Deputy Superintendent during a period of high-pitched controversy and major

restructuring. His subject files concentrate on collective bargaining and the teachers’

strike of 1968; and decentralization, community control, and the Ocean-Hill

demonstration district. Included also are district files (on the advisory, pre-

decentralization districts), and files of correspondence and memoranda with individual

members of the Board of Education. Arranged alphabetically by topical subject.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 611. Board of Superintendents. Minutes. 1902-1939

38 volumes (22 cu. ft.)

Minutes of the highest administrative unit of the school system. The Board of

Superintendents consisted of the Superintendent of Schools together with the several

Associate Superintendents. The board’s approval was required for many actions, large

and small. Significant maters before the board included location and design requirements

for new school buildings and adoption and revision of courses of study and syllabi. The

board also dealt with matters as minor as approval of sabbatical leaves and acceptance by

schools of items donated by parents associations. There is an index at the end of each

annual volume of minutes.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 612. Board of Superintendents. Calendar and Action Calendar. 1943

0.2 cu. ft.

Calendars, stenographic notes, and action calendars, for Board of Superintendents

meetings, September-December 1943. The series consists of mimeographed calendars,

setting forth the agenda for meetings of the Board of Superintendents, which were

approximately weekly. The board consisted of the Superintendent of Schools and the 8

associate superintendents. With each calendar are stenographic notes recording the

action taken on each agenda item; also included for most meetings is a typed version of

these notes, constituting an “action calendar.” The series is arranged in reverse

chronological sequence, which has been maintained of necessity because the notes on

actions were entered on the back of a page facing a calendar page, and must remain in the

original sequence to be understood. From 1902 to 1939 the Board of Superintendents

minutes were printed (see Series 611) but no printed minutes exist after 1939.

Series 615. Board of Superintendents. Committee on Youth Problems. Report.

1945

0.1 cu. ft.

Report of a special committee of the Board of Superintendents. The committee was

chaired by Associate Superintendent N. L. Engelhardt and the report (“Today’s Problems

of the Youth in New York City”) was prepared by Carleton Mason and Joseph E.

Mulqueen. The committee studied problems of youth over 16, broadly defined, including

problems of military demobilization, juvenile delinquency, school-leaving, employment,

and the role of youth in community and society. The goal was to identify ways the

school system could more effectively assist youth through new programs, expanded

guidance, and steps to attain equality of educational opportunity.

Series 617. Board of Superintendents. Committee on Instructional Materials.

Records. 1955-1960

0.3 cu. ft.

Records of a committee of the Board of Superintendents. The Committee on

Instructional Materials was charged with approving textbooks and other instructional

materials for inclusion in the list of approved materials that schools could purchase. The

records consist primarily of agendas, minutes, memoranda, and correspondence of the

committee, 1959-1960. These include specific examples of elements in textbooks that

led to acceptance or rejection.

Also included is a report of the committee (under an earlier name, “Committee on

Textbooks and Supplies”): “Selecting Instructional Materials for the Public Schools of

New York City,” published by the Board of Education in 1955.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 618. Board of Superintendents. Abraham Lefkowitz Case Files.

1919-1933.

0.5 cu. ft.

Records of a teacher dismissal case which involved issues related to academic freedom

and political expression. Materials include correspondence, memoranda, news clippings,

transcripts, and reports. Arranged by types of material.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 619. Board of Superintendents. Henriette Porteous Case Files. 1926-1936

2.2 cu. ft.

Records of a teacher dismissal case which raised various issues of due process. Materials

include correspondence, legal briefs, transcripts, and reports. Arranged by types of

material.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 621. Association of Assistant Superintendents. Reports. 1938-1955

0.5 cu. ft.

The assistant superintendents consisted primarily of district superintendents responsible

for one or more districts, but also included several assigned to central administration.

The reports for 1944/1945, 1945/1946 and 1950/1951 were issued as annual reports of

the Association of Assistant Superintendents. The report for 1937/1938 is in the same

form as the others, but is simply titled “Annual Report of the Assistant Superintendents

of Schools.” The report on “The Education of Intellectually Gifted Children”

(September 1941) is by the association, but is not designated as an annual report.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 628. Assistant Superintendent Clare Baldwin. Files. 1955-1958

2 cu. ft.

Files of an assistant superintendent. Included are general correspondence files, arranged

alphabetically by correspondent, and subject files. The subject files include

correspondence, memoranda, minutes, and reports primarily relating to aspects of the

relations between the public schools and the larger community. Arranged alphabetically

by topic.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 629. Assistant Superintendent Philip Becker. Subject Files. 1950-1961.

6.5 cu. ft.

Subject files of an assistant superintendent. Philip Becker served as assistant

superintendent assigned to the high school division, after serving as principal of William

E. Grady Vocational High School. His subject files primarily include correspondence

and memoranda with other officials and administrative units of the Board of Education,

and minutes of various committees, councils and conferences among public school

educators. Arranged alphabetically by topics, individuals and bureaus.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 630. Assistant Superintendent John Conroy. Subject Files. 1950-1954.

0.7 cu. ft.

Subject Files of an assistant superintendent. John Conroy served as Assistant

Superintendent assigned to the Office of the Superintendent of Schools. His

responsibilities included serving as the superintendent’s representative on the Personnel

Board. The series consists of agendas, minutes, reports, and correspondence, primarily

relating to the Personnel Board as well as other administrative committees. Arranged by

type of material.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 631. Assistant Superintendent Thomas Nevins. Subject Files. 1958-1961.

0.5 cu. ft.

Subject files of an assistant superintendent. Thomas Nevins was an Assistant

Superintendent assigned to the Office of the Supt. of Schools. The series consists of

correspondence, memoranda, and reports on legislation and other administrative matters.

His duties included representing the Superintendent on the Personnel Board. Arranged

alphabetically by topic.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 634. Associate Superintendent Jacob Greenberg. Intercultural Education

Course Files. 1944-1953

0.5 cu. ft.

The series consists of correspondence, memoranda, minutes, reports, pamphlets, and

course outlines relating to actual and proposed in-service courses in intercultural

education. The courses became a topic of controversy over alleged political and

religious bias. Arranged by types of material, then chronologically.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 635. Associate Superintendent Jacob Greenberg. Programs for Teacher

Study and Travel. 1952-1956

1 cu. ft.

The series consists of records documenting several programs for teacher study and travel.

The largest group relate to the High School Teacher Fellowship Program of the Fund for

the Advancement of Education, a program of the Ford Foundation. Another file relates to

the Fund for Adult Education, also a Ford Foundation program. Several files relate to the

Harvard Graduate School of Education scholarship program in educational

administration. A single file relates to a program of group travel abroad for teachers.

Arranged by program.

Portions of the records are files of Associate Supt. Edmund Gannon, who appears to have

assumed responsibility for these programs after Jacob Greenberg was promoted to

Deputy Superintendent.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 637. Committee on Commercial Education Research. Report. 1923

0.1 cu. ft.

Report of a special committee in the high school division. The committee consisted of

representatives of English teachers in the high schools and representatives of five major

businesses that employed high school graduates. The report considered ways to modify

the English instruction program to better prepare graduates with the skills needed in the

business world.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 638. Committee on Specialized High Schools. Report. 1946

0.1 cu. ft.

The series consists of the published report of the committee, Specialized High

Schools in New York City (1946),dealing with a broad range of specialized schools

including selective academic schools, such as Stuyvesant High School (science) and

Music and Art High School, and specialized vocational schools such as the Manhattan

High School of Aviation Trades. The committee was co-chaired by three associate

superintendents: N.L. Engelhardt (housing and business administration), Frederic Ernst

(academic high schools), and George F. Pigott, Jr. (vocational high schools). The

committee also included the principals of the various specialized schools that were the

subject of the report.

Series 648. Division of High Schools. High School Equivalency Testing Program.

Records. 1961, 1967

0.2 cu. ft.

Instructions and regulations for the high school equivalency testing program, a state

program in which the Board of Education participated.

Series 652. Division of Vocational High Schools. Proposal for the School of the

Performing Arts. 1946

0.1 cu. ft.

The series consists of the proposal to create the School of the Performing Arts. The

proposal was prepared in 1946 by Franklin J. Keller, principal of Metropolitan Vocation

High School. It provided for the School of the Performing Arts to begin as an annex of

Metropolitan Vocation High School and eventually to become independent. This plan

was followed. Ultimately, the School of the Performing Arts was merged with Music and

Art High School to create Fiorello LaGuardia High School.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

Series 663. Division of Elementary Schools. Public School 500 (Speyer School)

Curriculum Experiment. Records. 1938-1941

0.5 cu. ft.

The Public School 500 (Speyer School) experiment was a cooperative program of the

Board of Education and Teachers College, Columbia University to develop and

implement specialized curriculum for two distinct groups of children: slow learners and

fast learners. The series consists of publications of the project: curriculum bulletins for

special units of study, and a final report. The final report provides a bibliography of

articles and other publications relating to the experiment.

[An inventory of the volumes in this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 664. Division of Curriculum Development. “Strengthening Democracy.”

1949-1965.

0.3 cu. ft.

A serial publication addressed primarily to teachers and staff. Although the themes of

“Strengthening Democracy” included the discussion of the role of the United States in the

world, as a democratic nation versus totalitarian challenges, the contents were primarily

focused on democratic education and human relations issues in the schools. A sub-theme

was the ongoing program of investigating teachers suspected of communist affiliation.

Series 665. Division of Curriculum Development. Curriculum Council. Minutes.

1958-1963

0.2 cu. ft.

Minutes of a council convened by the Division of Curriculum Development. Chaired by

the associate superintendent responsible for curriculum development, the Curriculum

Council included curriculum officials and also assistant superintendents from each of the

other divisions. The minutes reflect the council’s function in general curriculum

planning, in approval of the plans for the annual series of curriculum bulletins, and in

consideration of other specific curriculum materials needs. The council’s

recommendations went to the Board of Superintendents for approval before

implementation. Mimeographed with manuscript additions.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

100

Series 666. Board of Superintendents. Courses of Study and Curriculum Resource

Materials. Non-Serial Publications. 1900-1942

5 cu. ft.

Courses of study, syllabi, and related curriculum resource materials. In the period prior

to 1942, curriculum development and the revision of the course of study were the shared

responsibility of the several associate superintendents and were coordinated by a

committee of the Board of Superintendents. (The committee had various names,

including Committee on Research and Course of Study; as of 1942, the committee was

known as the Committee on Curriculum.) Courses of study were prepared for each of the

subjects taught, at all grade levels. Generally, courses of study and syllabi remained in

effect for several years, and might be reprinted unchanged. Revision of the courses of

study was based on perceived need, rather than any schedule. (This series is not yet

arranged.)

Series 667. Division of Curriculum Development. Curriculum Bulletin. 1942-1970

15 cu. ft.

A serial publication of curriculum materials for use of teachers. Courses of study,

teaching guides, and similar resource materials were issued for each subject and for the

various grade levels. Revision was done on a varying schedule based on need. Each

numbered bulletin was published separately (e.g. “Curriculum Bulletin, 1947-1948

Series, Number 1”). Included is a listing (published in 1968) of all bulletins issued

through that date.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 671. Division of Personnel. Associate Superintendent Edmund Gannon.

Subject Files. 1934-1958; bulk 1948-1958.

2.5 cu. ft.

Subject files of an associate superintendent. Edmund Gannon served as Associate

Superintendent responsible for the Division of Personnel. Prior to that he served as a

member of the Board of Examiners and in various supervisory positions in the Board of

Education. The subject files include correspondence, memoranda, reports, committee

minutes, and related materials. Much of the correspondence is with the Superintendent of

Schools, William Jansen; other correspondence relates to Board of Education resolutions,

and dates primarily from 1953 to 1958. Committee materials relate primarily to the

Teacher Advisory Committee, and include some records as early as 1934. Arranged

alphabetically, with correspondence files preceding topical subject files.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

101

Series 672. Division of Personnel. Committee on Teacher Recruitment. Subject

Files. 1949-1959

3.0 cu. ft.

The series includes correspondence, memoranda, reports, and minutes, reflecting the

work of the Committee on Teacher Recruitment. Included are the agendas and minutes

of the committee’s meetings, which took place from 1955 to 1958, and documentation of

efforts to reach out beyond normal Board of Education sources to promote teacher

recruitment. Arranged alphabetically by topic.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 678. WPA Project Records. 1936-1942

6 cu. ft.

Records of several projects carried out by the Board of Education under the federal work

programs, initially the Works Progress Administration, later the Works Projects

Administration. Included are correspondence, memoranda, reports, and publications

generated by the projects. The records are organized by project and by material type.

Federal funding permitted the employment of educators and related professionals in

projects aimed at otherwise unmet educational needs. These included an Adult Education

Project (1936) to develop new curricular content and another Adult Education Program

(1939-1942) which produced manuals, courses of study, and reading materials; the

Remedial Reading and Arithmetic Program (1937-1942), which produced 80 new reading

units; the New Reading Materials Program (1938-1942), which wrote and printed dozens

of story books and other readings targeted to current interests and needs; and programs

for Comprehensive Testing in junior high schools (1940), Lip Reading (1939), which

produced a manual for teachers; and a Summer Play School Program (1938). The

Elementary School Activity Program (1936-1940), primarily aimed at in-service teacher

training, was a component of a larger program throughout the Board of Education, to

experiment with a “progressive” activity program, to evaluate the progress of the

students, and then to implement the program more widely.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

102

Series 679. Bureau of Child Guidance. Report. 1955

0.1 cubic feet

The series consists of the printed report The Bureau of Child Guidance in the New York

City Schools: A Survey (New York: Board of Education, 1955). The survey was

conducted by an Advisory Committee chaired by the Superintendent of Schools but

including representatives of lay and professional organizations, with a survey staff of

psychiatric and psychological professionals.

Series 680. Bureau for the Education of Socially Maladjusted Children. Assistant

Director Louis Hay Papers. 1950-1971

4 cu. ft.

Correspondence, memoranda, instructional manuals, curricula, and professional writings

related primarily to the Junior Guidance Program. The program provided guidance

services to “emotionally and socially disturbed children in regular elementary schools”.

Hay served as assistant director (clinical) for the Bureau and was responsible from 1959

to 1971 for the development and direction of the Junior Guidance Program. Also

included is material related to the Child Guidance Project at P.S. 181, Brooklyn, 1950-

1955. Partially arranged by projects and types of material.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 681. Bureau of Lectures. Records. 1901-1922.

0.7 cu. ft.

The series consists of annual reports of the Supervisor of Lectures, Henry M. Leipsiger,

and other records of the Bureau of Lectures. The Board of Education provided a program

of free adult evening lectures, held in school auditoriums and also in other publicly

accessible auditoriums. The lectures constituted a kind of “free university”: college

instructors and other experts offered various series of lectures on scientific and cultural

topics. The reports provide data on the topics, locations, speakers, and audience as well

as analysis of the purposes and impact of the lecture program.

Also included are several volumes of Bulletins (1919-1922) announcing the lectures.

Each bulletin advertised the lecture series in a particular school or venue, listing the

dates, times, topics (with brief description), and lecturers. With these is a handbook for

lecturers describing the routes to lecture centers by public transportation, with travel

times.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

103

Brooklyn Technical High School, May 15, 1935

(Series 1810, Photo # 5429)

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

104

Series 700-799: Bureau of Reference, Research, and Statistics (BRRS) and

related research bureaus

Series 705. Bureau of Reference, Research, and Statistics. Publications Series.

1914-1947.

15 volumes (0.5 cu. ft.)

A series of printed publications on educational and administrative issues. Included are

publications issued (1914-1918) by the Bureau under its former name, Division of

Reference and Research, as well as publications of BRRS (1919-1947), numbered in the

same sequence. Topics range from studies of pupils’ progress through the grades, and

statistical measures of “maladjustment”, to standards for teaching of penmanship, and

analysis of programs for remedial reading.

[An inventory of the volumes in this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 706. Bureau of Reference, Research, and Statistics. Division of Curriculum

Research. Curriculum Research Bulletin. 1942-1949

7 volumes (0.2 cu. ft.)

A series of printed publications supplementing the courses of study. Topics include the

education of “superior” children, sources for curriculum development in language arts,

and a bibliography on New York City history and current conditions.

[An inventory of the volumes in this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 707. Bureau of Reference, Research, and Statistics. Educational Research

Bulletin. 1941-1949

14 volumes (0.3 cu. ft.)

A series of printed publications supplementing the courses of study. The bulletins were

prepared by various divisions within BRRS. Most topics relate to aspects of reading

instruction, including individualization of instruction, reading readiness, and guiding

reading interests. Also included is a single bulletin issued by the Division of Tests and

Measurements, regarding scoring of intelligence tests.

[An inventory of the volumes in this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

105

Series 711. Bureau of Reference, Research, and Statistics. Research Division.

Research Reports. 1913-1937

10 cu. ft.

Reports, generally typescript, prepared by the Bureau’s Research Division. Included are

reports on a wide variety of educational and administrative issues, prepared in response to

requests fro the Superintendent of Schools or members of the Board of Education.

Topics range from a study of the ability of children in map reading and a study of non-

promotion in first grade to an analysis of the costs of a proposed teacher salary increase.

A substantial number of reports relate to testing programs or evaluation of pupil

achievement in experimental instructional activities.

Reports issued from 1913 to 1918 were prepared by the Division of Reference and

Research, which became the Bureau of Reference, Research, and Statistics in 1918. The

numbering of the reports is continuous across the bureaucratic change, so they are treated

as a single series. The BRRS generally bound the typed reports when they were

completed. However, many of the research projects are represented by loose-leaf

binders; the contents vary, including completed reports, draft reports, or, in some cases,

correspondence and data, without finished reports. Arranged numerically by project

number/report number (not all project numbers are presented in the series) in two groups:

completed bound reports and reports/data in loose-leaf binders.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 712. Bureau of Reference, Research, and Statistics. Division of

Administrative Research. Research Reports. 1938-1948

6 volumes (0.5 cu. ft.)

Typescript reports of research studies prepared by Eugene Nifenecker, Director of BRRS

and others. Included are a “Proposed Plan for the Organization and Administration of the

Curriculum Function” (1938, a report on the school system’s experience with sabbatical

leaves for teachers (1946), and a study of the prosecution of children not attending school

(1948).

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

106

Series 713. Bureau of Reference, Research, and Statistics. Division of Curriculum

Research. Research Reports. 1942-1943

4 volumes (1 cu. ft.)

Typescript reports on curriculum studies. Includes a study of objectives in elementary

science and a detailed exploration of basic considerations in curriculum development,

place curriculum in the broad context of the aims of education in a democratic society

and the needs of the child.

[An inventory of the volumes in this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 714. Bureau of Reference, Research, and Statistics. Division of Instructional

Research. Research Reports. 1948-1950

6 volumes (0.5 cu. ft.)

Typescript reports of research studies prepared by the division. Included are a report

(1948) of a study of experiments in remedial reading conducted during 1938-1942 and a

report (1950) of clinical studies of learning problems of young children carried out during

1941-1944.

Series 715. Bureau of Reference, Research, and Statistics. Division of Tests and

Measurements. Research Reports. 1938-1949

43 vols. (4 cu. ft.)

Typescript reports of the results of pupil tests. Included are detailed reports on tests of

intelligence and reading ability, with extensive school-level data. Arranged

chronologically.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 717. Bureau of Educational Research. Research Reports. 1949-1966

7 cu. ft.

Typescript reports, primarily of educational testing programs. Included are detailed

analyses of results of citywide tests of ability and achievement. From 1949 to 1962 the

reports were prepared by the Division of Tests and Measurements of the Bureau of

Educational Research. After 1962 they were issued by the Bureau without any

subdivision, but were essentially of the same character. Arranged by project number and

chronologically.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

107

Series 719. Bureau of Educational Program Research and Statistics. Research

Reports. 1955-1974

4 cu. ft.

Reports of studies conducted by the bureau on aspects of educational administration.

Topics range from an analytic census of Puerto Rican pupils to a study of teacher

accidents. The Bureau was created in a 1957 reorganization of its predecessor, the

Bureau of Administrative and Budgetary Research. The report series was numbered

continuously across the two bureaus, so they are treated as a single series. Arranged

numerically by publication number and chronologically.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 725. Bureau of Educational Research. J. Wayne Wrightstone, Director.

Correspondence Files. 1951-1954.

1 cu. ft.

Correspondence files of the Director of Educational Research. The Bureau of

Educational Research was one of three bureaus that replaced the former Bureau of

Reference, Research, and Statistics. The correspondence reflects the functions of the

bureau: its primary function was designing and administering the citywide pupil testing

programs and analyzing, interpreting, and reporting the results; a second area of

concentration was research on and evaluation of teaching methods, especially

experimental projects. Arranged alphabetically.

Series 751. Bureau of Reference, Research, and Statistics. Subject Classification

System. 1936

0.1 cu. ft.

A detailed classification system designed by the Bureau of Reference, Research, and

Statistics to control the arrangement of the bureau’s reference files. The system, similar

in concept to the Dewey decimal system, divides all school-related topics into 10 broad

categories, such as “100s administration and educational control,” breaks these down into

subcategories, and defines decimals for further subdivisions. The system was used to

organize several series in the reference division of the Bureau of Reference, Research,

and Statistics and its successors, including the Pamphlet Collection, 1888-1966 (Series

753), the Vertical File, 1888-1966 (Series 755), and the Subject Files, ca. 1937-1959

(Series 757).

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

108

Series 753. Bureau of Reference, Research, and Statistics. Pamphlet Collection.

circa 1888-1966

25.5 cu. ft.

Pamphlets and booklets on all aspects of the public schools, including administration,

curriculum, and staffing. The collection was maintained by the reference section of the

Bureau of Reference, Research, and Statistics and successor bureaus. Consisting

primarily of publications by the Board of Education, the collection also includes related

publications by state and federal agencies and educational organizations. Arranged

according to the BRRS subject classification system (Series 751). This series

complements Series 755, BRRS Vertical File, which contains materials on the same

subjects but in different formats.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 755. Bureau of Reference, Research, and Statistics. Vertical File. circa 1888-

1966.

60 cu. ft.

An extensive subject file of reference material on all aspects of the public schools. The

file was maintained by the reference section of the Bureau of Reference, Research, and

Statistics and its successors. Included are correspondence, memoranda, reports, and

similar materials, primarily generated by the Board of Education, but including materials

received from other educational agencies. Arranged according to the BRRS subject

classification system (Series 751). This series complements Series 753, BRRS Pamphlet

Collection, which contains materials on the same subjects but in printed booklet format.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 757. Bureau of Educational Program Research and Statistics. Subject Files.

circa 1937-1959.

4 cu. ft.

Subject files maintained by the bureau’s reference and research library. Included are

reports, circulars, and correspondence on such topics as tests, pupil attendance, special

classes, and teacher associations. While the series includes some older materials, most

appear to have been collected during 1949-1959 when the library was under the aegis of

the Bureau of Administrative and Budgetary Research and its successor, the Bureau of

Educational Program Research and Statistics. Arranged according to the Bureau of

Reference, Research, and Statistics subject classification system (Series 751).

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

109

Series 762. Bureau of Reference, Research, and Statistics. Building History Cards.

circa 1930-1965.

3.5 cu. ft.

The Building History Cards are a summary record of basic facts about each school

building. Data collected on 5 x 8 index cards generally included opening date, naming,

construction contacts, additions to the building, changes in school number and

reassignment of the building or changes in its function. Entries were initially made based

on information in annual reports and board minutes, going back to the early 19

century;

then added entries were made to keep the cards up to date, through 1965. Most entries

are cross-referenced to pages in the annual reports or minutes. The cards are arranged by

borough, then by school number (elementary and junior high schools, all of which are

numbered, are in one sequence). High schools are grouped separately, also by borough,

then school name alphabetically. (The original cards are brittle; a file of photocopies has

been prepared for research use.)

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 763. Bureau of Reference, Research, and Statistics. Nationalities Surveys.

1931-1947.

1 cu. ft.

Records of school-level surveys, conducted by the Bureau of Reference, Research, and

Statistics, of the national origin background of pupils. The series consists of 3x5 forms

completed by each school principal reporting the numbers of students of each national

origin, based on country of birth of father. The surveys were carried out generally in 2

year intervals from 1931 to 1947. Included are categories for “United States (White)”

and “United States (Negro)” and a special census, in 1947, of Puerto Rican students.

Arranged by survey year, then by borough and school.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

110

Series 780. Bureau of Reference, Research, and Statistics. Budget Estimates.

1923-1953.

96 volumes (15 cu. ft.)

Detailed budget estimates to support Board of Education budget preparation. The series

consists of bound manuscript volumes with mimeographed additions (generally 3 or 4

volumes per year) containing detailed listings of staff, supplies, and other budgetary

requests. The estimates are organized by activity units within the school system. In

some cases, the activity or bureau submitted detailed statements describing the activities,

including explanation of the need for staff or supplies, to support the budgets. After 1947

the estimates were prepared by the Bureau of Administrative and Budgetary Research,

one of the successor agencies to the Bureau of Reference, Research, and Statistics.

Arranged chronologically.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 783. Bureau of Reference, Research, and Statistics. Budget Estimates for

Classes for Physically Handicapped Children. 1925-1943

19 volumes (3 cu. ft.)

Detailed budget estimates (1928-1943) and extensive supporting material regarding

classes for physically handicapped children. The materials were prepared by Adela J.

Smith, Assistant Director of Health Education. Information about teachers, pupils,

materials, and apparatus, is presented at the level of detail of the individual teacher and

classroom. Included is correspondence between Smith and school principals who were

requesting expanded services for pupils. Materials for each budget year are compiled in a

looseleaf binder. Arranged chronologically. Also included are three volumes of data on

physically handicapped children requiring bus transportation to school (1925-1926).

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

111

Series 790. Bureau of Reference, Research, and Statistics. Circulars. 1918-1954.

4 cu. ft.

Circulars issued by the Bureau of Reference, Research, and Statistics (BRRS). Originally

the Bureau of Reference and Research, it was renamed BRRS in 1918, when it acquired

expanded statistics-gathering functions. The circulars were issued in multiple series

based on the category of officials to whom they were addressed. In most cases they were

issued to principals, with instructions and forms for statistical reporting. Arranged in

numbered series by intended recipients and school year. Although BRRS was replaced

by three new bureaus in a 1949 reorganization, some circulars that continued the existing

statistics-gathering function continued to be issued under the old bureau title.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 791. Bureau of Administrative and Budgetary Research.

Circulars. 1953-1957.

0.5 cu. ft.

Circulars issued by the Bureau of Administrative and Budgetary Research.. This bureau,

was created in 1948 to concentrate on research that might lead to administrative and

budgetary efficiencies. In 1957 its name was changed to the Bureau of Educational

Program Research and Statistics. The circulars were issued in multiple series based on

the category of officials to whom they were addressed. In most cases they were

addressed to principals, outlining requirements for statistical record-keeping and

reporting. They were arranged in numbered series by intended recipients and school

year.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 792. Bureau of Educational Program Research and Statistics. Circulars.

1957-1963.

0.5 cu. ft.

Circulars issued by the Bureau of Educational Program Research and Statistics. This

bureau, given this name in 1957, was the successor to the Bureau of Administrative and

Budgetary Research. The circulars include requests for statistical data on student scores

on Regents examinations and for reports on numbers of students graduating. Arranged in

numbered series by intended recipients and school year.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

112

Series 800-859: Business Administration and School Buildings

Series 801. Office of Business Affairs. Circulars. 1919-1963

0.2 cu. ft.

Includes circulars issued by the Bureau of Finance and the Bureau of School Lunches,

both of which were included in the Office of Business Affairs when it was created in

1951. Also includes some circulars issued centrally by the Office of Business Affairs.

The circulars are addressed to principals and other administrators and provide

instructions on operational and reporting responsibilities. Some circulars are numbered

in annual (school year) series, others are “un-numbered.” Arranged by issuing bureau,

then chronologically.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 805. Bureau of Finance. Annual Financial and Statistical Report. 1908-

1966.

35 volumes (9 cu. ft.)

An annual report containing detailed financial data as well as information going beyond

strictly financial matters. The report for 1915, for example, includes statements of actual

expenditures broken down into major categories such as plant operation, textbooks,

teacher salaries, administration, etc. It also includes extensive data for each school

including costs of construction, maintenance, and operation; special features; uses of the

building; and average daily attendance. Each report provides comparative data for

preceding years. Thus the 1908 report provides parallel data for 1906 and 1907. From

1908 through 1938 the report is for a fiscal year coinciding with the calendar year; for

1939/40 through 1965/66 the report is for a fiscal year July 1 to June 30.

The 1908 report includes, in addition to statistical data, an extended section documenting

the real estate assets of the Board of Education. This includes photographs of each

school building, together with site plans and details of property conveyances,

construction dates, and costs of land and buildings. Most reports after 1908 contain

pictures and data for newly completed buildings. In addition, the reports from 1908

through 1916 contain photographs of various types of classes, including specialized

classes for particular groups of students or distinctive curricula.

Note: A set of the photographs and building data from the 1908 report is available in the

Municipal Archives Reference Room, in two volumes, in the atlas case.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

113

Series 806. Bureau of Finance. Payroll Ledgers. 1893-1920

70 volumes (35 cu. ft.)

Monthly payroll records for teachers. The series consists of manuscript payroll records,

on printed forms, bound in ledgers. Included is a representative sample of ledgers

(approximately 70 volumes out of an original 700 volumes), including all boroughs, day

and evening schools, vacation schools, and recreation centers. Ledgers for 1893-1897 are

for schools of the City of Brooklyn. Special payroll records, such as records of special

payments required under the “Davis Law” and the “Ahearn Law” are also included. The

monthly entries for each school show the actual roster of teachers employed there; for

each teacher they show days absent and actual wages. Arranged by type of school, then

by borough and date.

Series 808. Bureau of Finance. Teacher Salary Record Cards. 1894-1927

2 cu. ft.

Records of individual teacher salaries, increments, and adjustments. The series consists

of 16mm microfilm copies of original 5x8 cards. The cards were punched and annotated

to indicate salary-related data. The cards are arranged in two groups: one by borough and

school (11 microfilm reels), the other alphabetically by teacher name (40 microfilm

reels). The cards were not entirely in order when filmed, with some resulting difficulty in

locating individual teacher records.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 812. Bureau of Finance. Accounts Payable. Assignment Ledger. 1917-1923

1 volume (0.5 cu. ft.)

A ledger recording assignments by contractors working in school buildings for the Board

of Education. Contractors assigned the payments due them to a third party, most

frequently the “Royal Company of New York, Private Bankers.” Entries are arranged

alphabetically by contractor (assignor) and show assignee, the school worked on, amount,

order number, and date.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

114

Series 818. Office of Business Affairs. Audits of General Organizations, Vocational

Activities Funds, and Cafeterias. 1954-1956.

2.2 cu. ft.

Audits of various cash-generating functions in the schools. Included are audits of

“general organizations” (student activities), lunch programs,, and vocational fee-based

activities. Arranged by borough and school.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 820. Bureau of Supplies. Reports. 1917, 1944

0.1 cubic feet

The series consists of two reports: an examination of accounts by the New York City

Commissioner of Accounts (1917) and a progress report describing reforms in supply

purchasing procedures (1944).

Series 821. Bureau of Supplies. Bid Proposals. 1943-1944

0.1 cubic feet

The series consists of bid proposals for general supplies, custodial supplies, and science

supplies. Arranged chronologically.

Series 822. Bureau of Supplies. Requisitions. 1947-1958

2 cu. ft.

Requisitions for office supplies, equipment repair services, and other administrative

requirements. The series consists of requisitions submitted by the Bureau of Reference,

Research, and Statistics and its successors, the Bureau of Administrative and Budgetary

Research and the Bureau of Educational Program, Research, and Statistics. (It is not

known whether the forms may be the file copies of the initiating bureaus rather than of

the Bureau of Supplies.) Arranged chronologically.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

115

Series 823. Bureau of Supplies. Circulars. 1942-1970

0.2 cubic feet

Circulars prepared in the Bureau of Supplies, directed to superintendents and principals,

providing information, instructions, and costs for ordering supplies and services such as

printing, soap, and library books. Arranged chronologically.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 824. Bureau of Supplies. Record of Coal Deliveries. 1901

1 volume (0.1 cubic feet)

The series consists of a manuscript volume recording coal deliveries to schools in Queens

during 1901. Data includes quantities and types of coal, as well as names of suppliers.

Series 834. Bureau of Plant Operations and Maintenance. Circulars. 1921-1959

0.2 cu. ft.

Circulars issued by the Bureau, variously titled as General Circulars, Special Circulars,

and Maintenance Circulars. Circulars are addressed to custodians and custodian

engineers and provide instructions for operating and reporting responsibilities. Arranged

chronologically.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 850. Division of Housing. School Building Program Records, 1945-1971.

13 cu. ft.

Records of the construction and renovation of school buildings. Included are memoranda

on planned schools and on programs of requirements for school design. Also included are

memoranda on materials to be used in school construction and on procedures for school

planning, rules for school naming, and similar concerns. Arranged chronologically.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

116

Series 852. Division of Housing. Building Status Records. 1936-1972

9.7 cu. ft.

Files recording the stages of planning and construction of school buildings. Entries

record the dates of actions, providing a record of the status of each project. Arranged by

borough and school.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 853. Division of Housing. Site Data Files. 1962-1970

4.2 cu. ft.

Records of selection and analysis of school building sites. Included are files on

elementary and high schools, both sites for planned new schools and sites for expansion

of existing schools. Arranged by borough and school.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 856. Division of Housing. Leased Facilities Certifications. 1969-1972

1 cu. ft.

Records of facilities leased for school use. Includes certifications of proposed leases as

well as correspondence and memoranda regarding leasing procedures. Arranged by

borough and school.

Series 857. Division of Housing. Building Renovation and Maintenance

Correspondence. 1956-1957

3 cu. ft.

Correspondence regarding maintenance of school buildings. Included are files, regarding

renovations, repairs, and furnishings, for elementary and junior high schools in the

borough of Queens only. Arranged by school.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

117

Series 860-865: Vocational Education Advisory Groups

Series 860. Vocational Survey Commission. Reports. 1932

3 volumes (0.5 cu. ft.)

The series consists of two reports of the Vocational Survey Commission: a two-volume

study of “The Printing Industry and Instruction in Printing,” and a report on “General

Recommendations on Vocational Education and Guidance.” The commission was

chaired by Harold G. Campbell, Deputy Superintendent of Schools. The staff director

was Franklin J. Keller, principal of the East Side Continuation School. The staff

consisted of committees on the various trades, made up of teachers from high schools and

junior high schools.

[An inventory of the volumes in this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 862. Advisory Board on Vocational Education. Reports 1935-1946.

5 volumes (0.5 cu. ft.)

The series consists of reports on specific industries by The Advisory Board of Vocational

Education. The Advisory Board, appointed by the Board of Education, was made up of

officials of New York industries and trade unions. It was staffed by Betty Hawley

Donnelly, Executive Secretary. For industry reports the board enlisted special

commissions of industry and labor experts in the particular industry. Industries reported

on include aviation, metal trades, machine manufacturing, air-conditioning, oil burner

and refrigeration, and wood furniture. Prior to 1940 the board was known as the

Advisory Board on Industrial Education.

[An inventory of the volumes in this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

118

Series 900-949: Cooperating Agencies

Series 901. Public Education Association Records. 1895-1998

60 cu. ft.

Records of a non-governmental organization created to work in cooperation with the

public school system. The Public Education Association was established to promote and

assist in the reform of the Board of Education accomplished in 1896, which aimed to

strengthen the schools by reducing the role of politics and increasing the role of

professional leadership. In later years the PEA cooperated with the Board of Education

in progressive curriculum experiments, in new programs to enhance educational equality,

and in participatory reforms such as the community school board elections. The records

include board minutes; committee records; subject files and correspondence files of PEA

officials; records of special projects; financial files; PEA publications, newsletters, and

press releases; and photographs. The series includes significant materials from the period

1910-1950, but is strongest for the 1960s to 1990s. The records are organized into 17

subseries, variously arranged.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 911. United Parents Associations Records. 1921-1989

60.5 cu. ft.

Records of a non-governmental organization established to cooperate with the public

school system through the development of an effective system of school parent

associations. The UPA served as a federation of parent associations and also as a

mechanism for parents to work for improvement of the schools through advocacy of

increased budgets, better facilities, more adequate teacher salaries, desegregation and

racial equality, decentralization of authority and citizen participation in school

governance. The records include foundation documents, administrative and committee

files, records of the negotiation of a formal status and rights for parent associations within

the Board of Education, materials relating to training of parent association leaders,

subject files on integration, decentralization, collective bargaining, capital budgets, and

other major issues, UPA publications, and photographs. They are organized into 20

subseries, variously arranged.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

119

Series 912. Joan Carney Files of United Parents Associations and Parents

Association of P.S. 75, Manhattan. circa 1973-1990

5.5 cu. ft.

Files of an officer of parent organizations of the public schools. Joan Carney served as

president of the United Parents Association, the umbrella organization of parents

associations, and also as president of the Parents Association of P.S. 75, Manhattan. Her

files include minutes, announcements and correspondence of the PS 75 parents

association, correspondence, memoranda, and reports of the United Parents Association,

records of special UPA projects, and subject files on major educational policy issues.

(The series is not yet arranged.)

Series 921. Commission on School Facilities and Maintenance Reform. Files. 1994-

1996

3.5 cu. ft.

Records of the chairman of the commission. The Commission on School Facilities and

Maintenance Reform was an independent commission appointed by Chancellor Ramon

Cortines and chaired by Harold O. Levy. Its function was to review the work of the

Board of Education’s bureaus responsible for school facilities and to make general

recommendations for reform. The commission’s report recommended a massive

increase in maintenance effort and funding. Included are correspondence, memoranda,

minutes, and interim and final reports. Arranged by types of material.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

120

"Art in Elementary School," P.S. 10, Manhattan, October 17, 1946

(Series 1810, Photo # 12,320)

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

121

Series 950-999: Records of individual schools

Series 951. P.S. 230 Brooklyn. Oral History Interviews. 1980.

0.5 cu. ft.

Interviews with people involved in the early history of P.S. 230, which was founded in

1930. Included are interviews with Max Gewirtz, the first principal, the first parent

association president, and early students. The interviews are on audio cassette tape,

accompanied by one typed transcript.

Series 952. Boys and Girls High School, Brooklyn. School History Curriculum and

Time Capsule. 1979

3 volumes and 1 realia (2.5 cu. ft.)

Curriculum materials on school history and a time capsule. Boys and Girls High School

was created by the merger of two Brooklyn high schools, Boys High School and Girls

High School, which traced their origins back to 1879. The series includes a three volume

“Centennial Resource Collection” of reproduced documents and suggested classroom

activities. Also included is a metal time capsule (approximately 12 in diameter, 3 feet

long) prepared on the occasion of the opening of the school’s new building in 1979, but

placed in the Archives for safekeeping.

Series 953. P.S. 75, Brooklyn. Records. 1889-2004

6.5 cu. ft

Records of activities at a Brooklyn elementary school. Public School 75 collected and

retained an unusually varied documentation of its past and recent activities. Included are

an album of photographs from ca. 1890-1910, lists of early-twentieth century graduates

from the school, news clippings, a history of the school prepared by teachers, scrapbooks

documenting school activities in the period 1975-2004, and similar materials.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

122

Series 954. Manhattan School for Children (JHS 118, Manhattan). Children’s

World Trade Center Letters and Gifts. 2001

9 cu. ft.

Letters and gifts of sympathy after the destruction of the World Trade Center. Because of

its name, the Manhattan School for Children was identified by schools across the United

States and around the world as a suitable address to send letters and gifts. Materials

include packets of letters from children in American and foreign schools, art work and

small gifts from the children, and large posters and room-size wall displays.

Series 955. P.S. 86, Brooklyn. School History. 1960.

0.2 cu. ft.

An historical manuscript about P.S. 86, Brooklyn, written by its principal, Marguerite

Maloney. She used school visitor books as a source for 1893 to 1942, together with

personal experience in the school 1942-1960.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

123

Series 1000-1999: Period of Decentralization, 1970-2002

Series 1000-1099: Board of Education (including Secretary and

Counsel)

Series 1005. Board of Education. Public Meetings. Calendar. 1983-1985

2 cu. ft.

Files maintained by the Secretary to the Board of Education. These include calendars for

public meetings, with texts of resolutions and supporting explanations, together with

notes on actions taken at the meeting and notes, lists, and documents relating to speakers

at the “public agenda” portion of the meeting. Arranged chronologically.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1007. Board of Education. Public Agenda Meetings. Speaker Lists. 1970-

1989 1 cu. ft.

Records maintained by the Secretary to the Board of Education. At regular meetings of

the Board, members of the public could speak only on those items officially on the

meeting calendar. However, at public agenda meetings (sometimes held the evening

before a regular meeting, generally once a month) the people could speak on any topic

related to the schools. Included are lists of speakers, with their organizations and topics

indicated. The records cover the periods 1970-1979 and 1985-1989. Arranged

chronologically.

Series 1011. Board of Education. Informal Meetings. Minutes. 1966-1985

12 cu. ft.

Minutes of “informal” (non-public) meetings of the Board of Education. The board

developed the practice of holding an “informal” meeting in advance of each public

meeting. At this meeting they discussed issues of importance, including issues that were

on the public meeting calendar. By the time the public meeting took place, board

discussion was largely completed, so the public often saw only the end product of a board

consensus. Some of the minutes are really stenographic transcripts of the comments of

board members, often on important issues. These minutes were confidential. Some of

the material involves personnel or other privacy matters (and access may require

limitation) but much of it relates to general policy and administration. Arranged

chronologically.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

124

Series 1013. Board of Education. Public Meetings and Hearings. Audiotapes.

1970-1998

37 cu. ft.

Recordings of public meetings of the Board of Education, including regular and special

meetings and public hearings. Audiotapes of meetings were produced on reel-to-reel tape

until February 1990. A few cassette tapes were made prior to 1990, after which all the

tapes in this series are cassettes. There are no tapes for 1985. (See also Series 118 which

consists of records of meetings for the period 1966-1969.)

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1014. Advisory Council on Redistricting. Records. 1994-1995

17 cu. ft.

In accordance with the decentralization law, the question of the boundaries of the

community school districts was reopened in 1994. Redistricting hearings were held in

the several boroughs, input obtained from various citizen groups, and ultimately, the

existing boundaries were retained. The series includes audiotapes of the public hearings,

binders indicating the speakers and attendance at the hearings, position papers, petitions

and form letters submitted from various schools and districts, and proposals for

redistricting with accompanying maps. (The series is not yet arranged.)

[A partial box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1015. Public Hearings on Budgets. Records. 1988-1995

2 cu. ft.

Records of public hearings held by the Board of Education to elicit comment on proposed

budgets. The files include the notice of hearing, speaker lists, correspondence with

public officials, summaries of speakers’ testimony, and copies of written testimony

submitted by speakers. Included are files for hearings on the Expense Budget for fiscal

years 1988/89 through 1995/96; the hearings for 1988/89 and 1989/90 also covered the

capital budgets for those years. Arranged chronologically.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

125

Series 1022. Consultative Council Meetings. Audiotapes. 1971-1994.

3 cu. ft.

Recordings of meetings of the Consultative Council. The council consisted of members

of the central Board together with representatives of each Community School Board. It

generally met monthly from 1971 to 1994. The council was chaired by a board member,

first Amelia Ashe, then Irene Impellizzeri, and staffed by Elizabeth Clark, Community

School Board Liaison. Included are audio-cassette recordings of the meetings together

with, in some cases, copies of the agenda or other notes. Arranged chronologically. (See

also Series 312, Amelia H. Ashe Files; Series 345, Irene Impellizzeri Files; and Series

1468, Community School Board Liaison Records.)

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1023. Subcommittee on Management Pay Plan. Files. 1991-1997

1 cu. ft.

Files of a subcommittee of the “Committee of the Whole” of the Board. The

subcommittee was created to deal with the personnel issue of pay for managers who were

not covered by a union contract or other general pay rule and was chaired by Irene

Impellizzeri. The subcommittee worked on development of the plan and on

recommending the salaries of individual managers covered by the plan. (The series is not

yet arranged.)

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

126

Series 1026. Office of the Secretary. Financial Disclosure and Appointment

Records. 1970-2002.

12 cu. ft.

Financial disclosure forms and appointment records for board members and chief

administrative officials. Under the 1970 decentralization law, appointed members of the

Board of Education, chancellors, deputy chancellors, and certain other administrative

officials, were required to submit an annual financial disclosure form. After some

controversy it was determined that this requirement also applied to community school

board members.

The series consists primarily of the disclosure files for central board members and central

administrative officials. The files contain the disclosure forms and related

correspondence, including in some cases, employment contracts and other documents

affecting the status of members of the board or administrators. Also included is a sample

of disclosure files for community school board members. The files for CSB 2

(Manhattan) and CSB 13 (Brooklyn) were selected. Arrangement is alphabetical, with

board members and administrators intermixed, followed by the files for community

school board members.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1027. Office of the Secretary. Files on Asbestos in School Buildings. 1982-

1993.

1 cu. ft.

Records maintained by the Secretary to the Board, regarding a critical problem facing the

schools. The series, comprising correspondence, memoranda, reports, and clippings,

documents repeated efforts to deal with asbestos in school buildings, including the

“Operation Clean House” of 1993. Arranged chronologically.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

127

Series 1028. Office of the Secretary. Harold Siegel. Subject Files. 1970-1977.

18 cu. ft.

Harold Siegel served as Secretary of Board of Education from 1965 to 1980. As

Secretary of the Board, Siegel had responsibility for administering a wide range of Board

functions, including meetings, committees, formal correspondence, legal referrals, and

official records. His subject files are concentrated on the major policy and administrative

matters that came before the board, including sensitive and confidential issues and

actions. The series is not yet arranged. (The Secretary divided most files between the

periods before and after decentralization in 1970. For subject files for the period 1965-

1970 see Series 282).

[A partial box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1029. Office of the Secretary. Appeals. 1972-1991

15 cu. ft.

Records of the Secretary regarding appeals adjudicated by the Board of Education.

Several significant types of cases came before the Board. Community school boards and

parents associations appealed decisions of the Chancellor regarding such issues as zoning

for integration, pupil inter-district transfers, appointment of principals, and school

reorganization. Teachers and principals appealed decisions of the Chancellor regarding

their employment status. Students, whose suspensions by principals or superintendents

had been upheld by the Chancellor, appealed to the Board.

Included are case files on each appeal, containing evidence regarding students and staff,

data regarding administrative controversies, correspondence, legal motions, and full

explanation of Board decisions. (The minutes of the Board, in its Journal, provide only a

brief statement of the Board’s ruling in each case.) The files are arranged in

chronological groups and by type of case, and then alphabetically by case title. (Research

use of some of these materials, especially student suspension cases, requires restriction to

preserve privacy rights.)

[A partial box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

128

Series 1032. Office of the Secretary. Decisions of the New York State

Commissioner of Education. 1970-1985.

3 cu. ft.

Decisions of the state commissioner received by the Secretary to the Board. The series

consists of official copies of decisions rendered by the Commissioner of Education in

cases in which the Board of Education was a party. Types of cases include teacher

license appeals, appeals of pupil special education placements, teacher tenure appeals,

and appeals over school integration. Arranged alphabetically by case title.

Series 1035. Office of the Secretary. Corrective Action Plans and Comprehensive

Educational Plans. 1997-2000.

4 cu. ft.

Records of the Secretary to the Board of Education on state-mandated school

improvement programs. The series includes Corrective Action Plans (CAP) for “schools

under state registration review” (SURR) resulting from low pupil test scores in 1998;

these plans include “Redesign Plans” and “Redesign Updates.” Also included are

Comprehensive Educational Plans (CEP) which were district-level improvement plans.

Arranged by district and school. (See also Series 1225 which also includes some CAP

and CEP files.)

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1037. Office of the Secretary. Copyright Registration Applications. 1970-

1989.

1 cu. ft.

Records of the Secretary regarding copyrighting of Board of Education publications. The

series consists of copies of applications for copyright registration, submitted to the

publications involved were generally curriculum guides and similar materials produced

by the Board’s office of curriculum development. The official copyright registrations

(which would have been sent to the Board by the Copyright Office in response to these

applications) are not included in this series. Arranged chronologically.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

129

Series 1039. Manual of Policies, Regulations, and Bylaws. 1971-1973

3 cu. ft.

The series consists of a three-volume set titled “Policies, Regulations, Bylaws,” produced

in 1973. The volumes were prepared in looseleaf format by Davies-Brickell-Associates,

Tucson, Arizona and organized according to a Davies-Brickell system, with references to

Board of Education policy documents. Included also is a one-volume preliminary edition

produced in 1971.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1045. Office of the Counsel. Major Issues Files. 1970-1996

55 cu. ft.

Files of the Counsel, who was responsible to the Board of Education directly (while the

separate Office of Legal Services reported to the Chancellor.) The files relate to policy

and administrative concerns and to specific legal cases of significance; many of them

were designated as “major issues” by the office of the Counsel. Access to this series will

need to be restricted to the extent necessary to preserve the privacy rights of individuals.

(The series is not yet arranged.)

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

130

Series 1046. Office of Counsel. Appeals. 1971-1997, bulk 1989-1997

45 cu. ft.

Records of the Office of the Counsel regarding appeals adjudicated by the Board of

Education. Among the significant types of cases coming before the Board (generally on

appeal from decisions of the Chancellor) were those from community school boards and

parents associations appealing decisions regarding such issues as zoning for integration,

pupil inter-district transfers, appointment of principals, and school reorganization;

teachers and principals appealing decisions regarding their employment status; and

students appealing suspensions by principals or superintendents.

Included are case files on each appeal, containing evidence regarding students and staff,

data regarding administrative controversies, correspondence, legal motions, and full

explanation of Board decisions. (The minutes of the Board, in its Journal, provide only a

brief statement of the Board’s ruling in each case.) The files are not yet arranged, but

groups of files show evidence of previous alphabetical arrangement by case title.

(Research use of some of these materials, especially student suspension cases, requires

restriction to preserve privacy rights.) See also Series 1029, which contains appeals

files of the Office of the Secretary. Most of the files in Series 1029 are earlier than those

in Series 1046, although there is some overlap. The location of the files may reflect a

change in procedure in the late 1980s.

[A partial box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

131

Board of Education Headquarters, 110 Livingston Street, Brooklyn, October 4, 1940

(Series 1810, # 8353)

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

132

Series 1100-1199: Chancellor (and Office of the Chancellor)

Series 1101. Chancellor Harvey Scribner. Central Files. 1970-1973

9.5 cu. ft.

Files of Chancellor Scribner, the first Chancellor under the decentralized school system,

who served from 1970 to 1973. The records include correspondence, memoranda,

minutes, and reports relating to many aspects of policy and administration in the school

system. Included are several subseries; the largest subseries consists of subject files,

alphabetically arranged. Other subseries focus on community school districts, meetings

of the Board of Education, the role of the schools in the Model Cities Program, and

school system budgets.

[A detailed finding aid, including a full folder listing, is available on the Department of Records web site]

Series 1105. Chancellor Irving Anker. Central Files. 1973-1978

83 cu. ft.

Files of Chancellor Anker, who served from 1973 to 1978. The records include

correspondence, memoranda, and reports relating to all aspects of policy and

administration for the public schools. Included are materials on major areas of

controversy or change, such as bilingual education, racial segregation, and relations

among various constituencies in the decentralized system. The records are limited for the

period 1973-1975, with better coverage for 1976-1978. (The series is not yet arranged,

however, elements of the original arrangement are apparent in the transfer inventory)

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

133

Series 1107. Michael Costelloe, Special Assistant to Chancellor Anker.

Aspira Compliance Records. 1974-1975.

4 cu. ft.

Michael Costelloe served as a special assistant to Chancellor Irving Anker. During 1974

and 1975 he was responsible for preparation of compliance reports relating to the Aspira

Consent Decree. This was a court-supervised agreement to provide bilingual education

to all children for whom it was appropriate. The Board of Education submitted monthly

reports of the status of its compliance efforts and also regular reports of its efforts to

obtain necessary funding for bilingual services.

The records in this series include handwritten drafts and revised versions of reports

prepared for submission to Judge Marvin Frankel, together with related memoranda.

Included are final versions of the reports, as submitted to the court by Chancellor Anker,

and memoranda transmitting copies of the reports to the members of the Board.

Arranged by type of report and then chronologically.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1110. Chancellor Frank J. Macchiarola. Memos to the Board. 1978-1983

16 cu. ft.

Records of Chancellor Macchiarola who served from 1978 to 1983. The series of memos

to the Board constitutes a portion of the overall group of records of the Chancellor. They

were maintained as a separate file, continuous through Chancellor Macchiarola’s term of

office, while most of the other central files of the Chancellor were maintained on an

academic year basis. The primary function of the memos, with extensive attachments,

was to keep Board members fully informed on all major activities in the realms of policy

and administration. As a result, their scope is extremely broad and they provide an in-

depth view of many aspects of the public schools. Arranged chronologically.

[A detailed finding aid, including a full folder listing, is available on the Department of Records web site]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

134

Series 1111. Chancellor Frank J. Macchiarola. Central Files. 1978-1983

237 cu. ft.

Records of Chancellor Macchiarola, who served from 1978 to 1983. The Chancellor’s

central files contain a wide range of materials, including correspondence, memoranda,

and reports relating to all aspects of policy and administration for the school system.

Included are substantial files of materials generated by bureaus and offices within the

school administration as well as extensive files of correspondence from parents,

community groups, teachers, and the general public. Although the series has not yet been

arranged, the files reflect the original arrangement maintained by the Chancellor’s office:

the records were organized, on a school-year basis, into a set of categories in alphabetical

sequence.

[A partial box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1112. Commission on the Review of the Federal Impact Aid Program. 1978-

1981

3 cu. ft.

Chancellor Frank Macchiarola served as a member of the Commission, and was assisted

in regard to the concerns of New York City by the Board of Education’s Washington

Representative, Fern Lapidus. Included are agendas, minutes, and transcripts of

commission meetings; drafts and final versions of commission reports; correspondence

with commission staff and Board of Education staff; and drafts of Macchiarola’s dissent

from the report. (The series is not yet arranged.)

Series 1113. Assistant to the Chancellor, Monica Blum. Files. 1978-1983

25 cu. ft.

Records of Monica Blum, an assistant to Chancellor Macchiarola. (The series is not yet

processed.)

Series 1114. Assistant to the Chancellor, John Comer. Files. 1978-1983

7 cu. ft.

Records of John Comer, an assistant to Chancellor Macchiarola. The series consists of

subject files, arranged alphabetically. (The series is not yet processed.)

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

135

Series 1115. Assistant to the Chancellor, Ronald Edmunds. Files. 1978-1981

10 cu. ft.

Records of Ronald Edmunds, an assistant to Chancellor Macchiarola. (The series is not

yet processed.)

Series 1116. Assistant to the Chancellor, Arlene Pedone. Files. 1978-1983

29 cu. ft.

Records of Arlene Pedone, an assistant to Chancellor Macchiarola. Included are files on

audits, special education, high schools, and districts, as well as extensive subject files.

(The series is not yet processed.)

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1117. Assistant to the Chancellor, Joseph Saccente. District Files. 1980-

1981

3 cu. ft.

Records of the Chancellor’s intervention in community school districts. Joseph Saccente

(who held an appointment as assistant superintendent) served as an assistant to

Chancellor Macchiarola. During 1980-1981 he served as the Chancellor’s representative

in the supercession of the Community School Boards of District 26 and District 29. The

series consists primarily of his files on the supercessions; also included are files

reflecting more normal relations with Districts 1-16.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1118. Assistant to the Chancellor, John Weston. Files. 1978-1983

12 cu. ft.

Records of John Weston, an assistant to Chancellor Macchiarola. (The series is not yet

processed.)

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

136

Series 1120. Chancellor Anthony J. Alvarado. Central Files. 1983-1984

41.5 cu. ft.

Files of Chancellor Alvarado, who served from 1983 to 1984. The records include

correspondence, memoranda, and reports on all aspects of the management of the public

schools. Among these are substantial files of materials generated by bureaus and offices

within the school administration as well as extensive files of correspondence from

parents, community groups, teachers, and the general public. The series is organized

according to the original system used by the Chancellor’s office, with categories of

records arranged in alphabetical sequence.

[A detailed finding aid, including a full folder listing, is available on the Municipal Archives web site]

Series 1121. Assistant to the Chancellor, Marie DeCanio. Management Reports.

1983

1 cu. ft.

Records compiled by Marie DeCanio, Senior Assistant to Chancellor Anthony Alvarado.

This series consists of Management Reports, prepared by various divisions of the Board,

for inclusion in an overall management report to the Mayor. They were prepared in

response to a June 1983 request by the Chancellor and were received by DeCanio

between July and December of 1983.

Series 1125. Chancellor Nathan Quinones. Central Files. 1984-1988

141.5 cu. ft.

Files of Chancellor Quinones, who served from 1984 to 1988. The records reflect the

work of the Office of the Chancellor in this period on a wide range of administrative and

educational concerns, including high school dropout prevention, special education,

teacher and supervisory appointments, and class size. Included are substantial files of

materials generated by bureaus and offices within the school administration as well as

extensive files of correspondence from parents, community groups, teachers, and the

general public. The series is organized according to the original system used by the

Chancellor’s office, with categories of records arranged in alphabetical sequence.

[A detailed finding aid, including a full folder listing, is available on the Municipal Archives web site]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

137

Series 1126. Chancellor Nathan Quinones. Subject Files. 1984-1988

11 cu. ft.

A series of files on subjects in which Chancellor Quinones took a special personal

interest, including many containing his handwritten drafts or comments. Included are

files on advisory councils and study groups he set up to try to define priorities and

strategies that would lead to broad improvement of the school system. Arranged

alphabetically by topical subject or name.

[A detailed finding aid, including a full folder listing, is available on the Municipal Archives web site]

Series 1127. Chancellor Nathan Quinones. Confidential Files. 1984-1988

4 cu. ft.

A series of files maintained as confidential by the office of Chancellor Quinones,

generally because they contained matter of a legal, investigative, or personal nature.

Included are correspondence with the Board of Education’s Office of Inspector General

or other investigators and files relating to union negotiations and arbitrations. Arranged

by category of records and then chronologically. While there is no longer any reason for

restriction of access to most of the materials, caution should be used regarding materials

that might involve the privacy rights of individuals.

[A detailed finding aid, including a full folder listing, is available on the Municipal Archives web site]

Series 1128. Assistant to the Chancellor, Jill Blair. Ombudsman for Students in

Temporary Housing. Records. 1986-1987

2 cu. ft.

Records of Jill Blair, an assistant to Chancellor Richard Green. Blair served as

Ombudsman (or “Chancellor’s Ombudsman”) for Students in Temporary Housing. The

series documents activities to coordinate policies and practices affecting school

assignments, pupil transportation, attendance monitoring, and educational services, for

pupils living in hotels and similar housing for homeless families, 1986-1987. Included

are background materials on homeless families, data on children and schools,

correspondence with civic organizations and Board of Education bureaus, attendance

registers, and audiotapes of meetings relating to a 1987 summer program.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

138

Series 1130. Chancellor Richard R. Green. Central Files. 1988-1989

66 cu. ft.

Files of Chancellor Green, who served from March 1988 until his untimely death in May

1989. The records reflect Green’s efforts to involve board members, administrators,

teachers, public officials, citizens’ groups in a program of school improvement and

educational reform. Included are substantial files of materials generated by bureaus and

offices within the school administration as well as extensive files of correspondence from

parents, community groups, teachers, and the general public. The series is organized

according to the original system used by the Chancellor’s office, with categories of

records arranged in alphabetical sequence.

[A detailed finding aid, including a full folder listing, is available on the Department of Records web site]

Series 1131. Assistant to the Chancellor, Barbara Thompson. Public Relations

Records. 1988-1989.

1 cu. ft.

Records of Barbara Thompson, an assistant to Chancellor Richard Green. Thompson’s

files relate to public presentations and public information activities of the Office of the

Chancellor. Included are the typed texts of speeches by Chancellor Green, 1988-1989,

and a binder for his speech at Erasmus Hall High School in 1988. Also included is a file

of photographs of workers renovating school buildings, taken for a projected staff

newsletter.

Series 1132. Assistant to the Chancellor. Shirley Wang. Asian American Task

Force Files. 1989

1 cu. ft.

Files of Shirley Wang an assistant to Chancellor Richard Green. Wang served as

Coordinator of the Chancellor’s Asian American Task Force. The files document the

management of the task force and include memoranda, correspondence, background

material, and the task force report.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

139

Series 1135. Chancellor Bernard Mecklowitz. Central Files. 1989

7 cu. ft.

Files of Chancellor Mecklowitz who served as Acting Chancellor and then Chancellor,

from May 22, 1989, shortly after the death of Chancellor Bernard Green to December 31,

1989, when he was succeeded by Chancellor Joseph Fernandez. The series documents

Mecklowitz’ efforts to maintain progress in the school system during an extended interim

term. Included are correspondence with board members, administrators, other public

officials, and the general public; memoranda, audits, circulars, reports, and publications.

The series is organized according to the original system used by the Chancellor’s office,

with categories of records arranged in alphabetical sequence.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1140. Chancellor Joseph Fernandez. Central Files. 1990-1993

73 cu. ft.

Files of Chancellor Fernandez, who served from 1990 to 1993. Included are

correspondence, memoranda, and reports relating to all aspects of public school

administration. Among the subjects represented are some to which Fernandez gave

special emphasis, such as curriculum reform and multiculturalism. The series is not yet

arranged, although groups of files reflect their original order.

[A partial box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1143. Latino Commission on Educational Reform. 1991-1994

10 cu. ft.

The Latino Commission on Educational Reform was appointed by Chancellor Joseph

Fernandez to advise him on matters of particular concern to the Latino educational

community. Luis O. Reyes, a member of the Board of Education, served as chair of the

commission. Included are administrative records of the commission, including

correspondence, meeting files, audio cassettes of meetings, and drafts and final versions

of reports. Also included are background materials such as articles and reports, on issues

and projects relevant to the work of the commission. The series is not yet arranged,

however elements of the original arrangement are apparent in the transfer inventory.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

140

Series 1145. Chancellor Ramon C. Cortines. Central Files. 1993-1995

45 cu. ft.

Files of Chancellor Cortines, who served from 1993 to 1995. The records include

correspondence, memoranda, and reports relating to a broad range of administrative and

policy matters affecting the public schools. Major categories include correspondence

with board members, memoranda to the board; and correspondence with and reports from

administrative bureaus and divisions. The series is not yet arranged, however elements of

the original arrangement are apparent in the transfer inventory.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1150. Chancellor Rudolph F. Crew. Central Files. 1995-2000.

18 cu. ft.

Files of Chancellor Crew, who served from 1995 to 2000. The records include

correspondence, memoranda, and reports relating primarily to the Chancellor’s

responsibilities in relation to the Board of Education. Included are files on board

meetings and memoranda to the members of board, conveying reports and

recommendations on matters of policy and administration. Also included are “signature

files” of outgoing correspondence, chronological correspondence files, and “weekly

update” files relating to ongoing projects and problems. The series is not yet arranged,

however elements of the original arrangement are apparent in the transfer inventory.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1155. Chancellor Harold Levy. Central Files. 1992-2002; bulk 2000-2002

31 cu. ft.

Files of Chancellor Levy, who served from 2000-2002. Included are correspondence,

memoranda, and reports on administrative and policy matters affecting the school system.

Major groups include subject files, alphabetically arranged; a separate group of files on

major administrative issues; files on board meetings; and chronological correspondence.

The series is not yet arranged; however elements of the original arrangement are apparent

in the transfer inventory.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

141

Series 1161. Chancellor’s Correspondence Unit. Correspondence Files. 1991-2001.

183 cu. ft.

The Chancellor’s Correspondence Unit, within the Office of the Chancellor, had the

responsibility to receive all mail addressed to the Chancellor and to arrange for its

appropriate handling. In some cases, the Chancellor drafted replies. In other cases, mail

was referred to an appropriate staff member with instruction either to reply to it or to

draft a reply that could go out over the Chancellor’s signature, with or without further

editing. The Correspondence Unit monitored the response process to make sure that all

inquiries were handled properly.

Each incoming letter generated a referral form and a tracking number. In many cases, the

file includes originals or copies of the referral form, the incoming letter, and the response.

In some cases, the file also includes background memos and data generated in

researching the situation prior to response. Procedures varied over the years, with the

result that some files have nothing except the referral form.

The series includes incoming mail from all sources. These include major public officials

and important organizations that participated in policy discussions on public education.

Also included are letters from ordinary citizens, parents with particular problems or

concerns, and teachers with complaints or suggestions; these letters provide insight into

the typical functioning of the school system as it affected actual classrooms and families.

The files are arranged by tracking number, which corresponds largely to chronological

sequence.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

142

Series 1200-1699: Administration

Series 1202. Deputy Chancellor Bernard Gifford. Files. 1973-1978

111 cu. ft.

Records of Deputy Chancellor Bernard Gifford. Included are correspondence,

memoranda, and reports on many aspects of policy and management of the new-ly

decentralized school system. As Deputy Chancellor, Gifford had extensive

responsibilities, especially in areas of administration, management, budgeting, and

allocation of resources. For the period 1973-1977 much of the files of Chancellor Anker

are lacking, and the Deputy Chancellor’s files represent the most complete high-level

documentation of many aspects of policy making in those years. The series is not yet

arranged, although portions of the files reflect original arrangement either as school

district files or as alphabetical subject files.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1204. Deputy Chancellor Bernard Gifford. Publications and Reports. 1974-

1977

2 cu. ft.

Detailed reports on administrative issues prepared by the Deputy Chancellor. The reports

served, in many cases, as a means to make detailed analyses of complex resources and

allocation issues accessible to a wide range of constituencies in the decentralized school

system. Among the reports are studies of the costs of labor contracts, analyses of state

budget proposals, and presentations of formulas for allocation of funds to districts and

schools. Many of the reports were issued in small series, such as “Policy Papers” or

“Negotiation Notes.” Arranged by series, then chronologically.

[An inventory of the volumes in this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1220. Deputy Chancellor for Operations, Stanley Litow. Files. 1990-1991

5 cu. ft.

Records of Deputy Chancellor Stanley Litow. Included are correspondence and

administrative memoranda relating to Community School Districts 10-32 (files for other

districts were not found). Issues reflected include budgetary problems, appointment of

district superintendents, and conflicts among community school board members.

Arranged numerically by community school district. Also included are chronological

correspondence files for 1991.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

143

Series 1221. Deputy Chancellor for Operations. Senior Assistant, Lynne Savage.

Audit Summary Files. 1990-1991

1 cu. ft.

The series consists of “Chancellor’s Confidential Audit Summaries” prepared for the

Chancellor’s approval and for transmission to the Board of Education. Included are

summaries of audits by various agencies, including the Office of Auditor General and the

New York City Comptroller. Arranged chronologically.

Series 1224. Deputy Chancellor for Instruction, Beverly Hall. Correspondence

Files. 1994-1995

2 cu. ft.

Files of Beverly Hall, Deputy Chancellor for Instruction. The series consists of

chronological files of outgoing correspondence for the period March 1994 to March

1995.

Series 1225. Deputy Chancellor for Instruction, Judith Rizzo. Files. 1997-1999.

4 cu. ft.

Records of Judith Rizzo, Deputy Chancellor for Instruction, relating to planning of

instructional improvements. The major portion of the series consists of planning

documents related to systematic measures of school performance. These include

Corrective Action Plans (CAP) for “schools under state registration review” (SURR)

resulting from low pupil test scores in 1998; the plans outlined perceived problems and

planned improvements. With these are Comprehensive Educational Plans (CEP), which

were district-level improvement plans. The CAP and CEP files are arranged by district

and school. Also included are files of outgoing chronological correspondence for

January 1997 to February 1999.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

144

Series 1245. Chief Executive for Monitoring and School Improvement, Burton

Sacks. District Files. 1989-1992.

6 cu. ft.

Records of Burton Sacks, Chief Executive for Monitoring and School Improvement.

Included also are some files of his predecessor, Joseph Saccente. The series reflects the

interaction of the central administration with the community school districts, under the

decentralized governance structure. Notable are records of the Trusteeship over District

9 established by the Chancellor in 1989. For 1991-1992, district files are included for

Community School Districts 1-9 and 19-32. The files for Districts 10-18 were water

damaged and not retained. Arranged by district, with the trusteeship files grouped

separately.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1246. Chief Executive for External Affairs, Burton Sacks. District Files.

2000-2003

10 cu. ft.

Files of Burton Sacks, Chief Executive for External Affairs. Included are files for each

community school district and for the high schools, as well as files on the employment

contracts of the community school superintendents. The files reflect the role of Sacks in

monitoring the districts, a function he performed under a different title in earlier years

(see Series 1245). Arranged by school year and then by district.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1255. Board of Review. Case Files. 1970-1993.

4 cu. ft.

Records of the Board of Review, a unit responsible for considering appeals relating to

issuance and implementation of contracts with vendors, construction firms, etc. The

series consists of a representative sample of case files, drawn from three decades of files.

Included are files of a major case related to construction contracts for Fiorello LaGuardia

High School. Arranged by case number.

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

145

Series 1310. Division of School Facilities. Utilization of School Buildings. Reports.

1973-1989. 0.5 cu. ft.

Reports on school building utilization. The series consists of annual reports analyzing the

capacity, enrollment, and utilization of school buildings. This data was compiled in order

to document school over-crowding or underutilization as a basis for school facilities

planning. The agency preparing the report changed almost every year, from the School

Planning and Research Division, Programming Section, in 1973, to the Division of

School Facilities, Office of Strategic Planning, Department of Needs Assessment, in

1989.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1341. Office of Educational Evaluation (OEE). Reports. 1980

0.1 cu. ft.

Reports on educational programs. Included is a “documentation report” on the “School

Improvement Project,” a project based on school-level planning committees.

Series 1342. Office of Educational Assessment (OEA). Reports. 1987-1988

0.7 cu. ft.

Evaluation reports on educational programs. OEA prepared statistical and analytical

reports on such major issues as school dropouts and curriculum innovations. Notable are

reports that develop the “cohort” method for analyzing dropout statistics, evaluations of

dropout-prevention programs in elementary and middle schools, and an analysis of the

implementation of the Family Living/Sex Education curriculum. OEA was succeeded

by the Office of Research, Evaluation, and Assessment.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

146

Series 1343. Office of Research, Evaluation, and Assessment (OREA). Reports.

1989-1995

13.5 cu. ft.

Evaluation reports on educational programs. OREA prepared statistical and analytical

reports on such major issues as high school dropouts, reading and mathematics

achievement, and bilingual education. The majority of the over-600 reports were

prepared as required evaluations of annual progress of specific funded programs.

Arranged in approximate chronological sequence, as issued. OREA was the successor to

the Office of Educational Assessment (see Series 1342).

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1430. Division of Public Affairs. Executive Director Carol Brownell. Subject

Files. 1975-1983

30 cu. ft.

This series consists of subject files maintained by Carol Brownell, executive director of

the Division of Public Affairs. Included are correspondence, memoranda, reports, and

other materials relating to aspects of the New York City public school system and

broader educational issues. The series is arranged alphabetically by topical subject or

organization and agency names.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1434. Division of Public Affairs. Subject File of Clippings and Related

Documents. 1973-1985

34.5 cu. ft.

The series consists primarily of files of photocopies of clippings from newspapers and

magazines on aspects of the New York City public school system and broader

educational topics. Also included, in some of the files, are other types of material, such

as administrative circulars, memoranda, and reports. A small number of copies of older

documents, created before 1973, were included in these files, apparently if these

documents came to hand during public information activities. The files are arranged

alphabetically by topical subject or organization and agency name.

During part of the period that these files were assembled the Division of Public Affairs

was known as the Office of Public Affairs; it succeeded the Office of Education

Information Services and Public Relations.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

147

Series 1436. Division of Public Affairs. Biographical Files. 1973-1989.

11 cu. ft.

Files of information on individuals associated with the management of the public schools,

such as chancellors, directors of bureaus, board members, and other officials. Files

include clippings, resumes, speeches, statements, articles, transcripts, photographs, and

other professional and biographical material. Arranged alphabetically.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1440. Division of Public Affairs. News Clippings. 1990-1996.

30 cu. ft.

This series consists of newspaper clippings, primarily from New York newspapers, on

topics relating to public education in New York City. The clippings were compiled by

staff of the Division of Public Affairs each work day and a photocopied set of the

clippings was sent to Board members and selected administrators. The series consists of

the original clippings, stored in envelopes (one day’s clippings per envelope), arranged

chronologically by the date of the compilation. Since clippings were compiled on work

days, weekend clippings are included in the Monday compilation.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1444. Division of Public Affairs. Press Releases. 1958-1984

16 cu. ft.

The series consists of press releases issued by the Board of Education publicizing the

activities of the school system, special events, educational policies, and programs.

Most of the materials are preserved in permanent binders, apparently being the record

copy maintained by the board’s News Bureau. Additional materials include distribution

records for releases issued 1980-1983 and a file of The Bulletin, 1980-1983, a news sheet

for the education community. The press releases are arranged chronologically, as are the

issues of The Bulletin.

The News Bureau was a component of the Division of Public Affairs and its predecessor

agencies, the Office of Public Affairs, the Office of Education Information Services and

Public Relations, and the Office of Public Information.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

148

Series 1446. Office of Public Affairs. Sherman Jackson, Director. Subject Files.

1983-1984

5 cu. ft.

Records of the Office of Public Affairs, successor to the Division of Public Affairs. The

series consists of subject files, consisting of correspondence, memoranda, and reports,

maintained by Sherman Jackson, Director, on issues tending to generate public interest.

Included are files on subjects such as school art programs, kindergartens, and asbestos

found in school buildings. Arranged alphabetically by topical subject or name.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1468. Division of Community School District Affairs. Community School

Board Liaison. Elizabeth Clark. Records. 1970-1979.

14 cu. ft.

Records of the office maintaining liaison between the central Board of Education and the

elected Community School Boards. The CSB Liaison was Elizabeth B. Clark who had

previously served as coordinator of local school boards before decentralization. (See

Series 270). The records primarily consist of coordination and monitoring files, arranged

by year and by community school board, including correspondence and minutes of board

meetings. Also included are chronological correspondence files and subject files on

issues relating to the roles of community school boards in the school system.

Initially, in 1970, this office reported directly to the Board of Education; by 1974 it had

become a unit in the Division of Community School District Affairs, under the

Chancellor.

[A box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1480. Office of Student Information Services. School Profiles. 1971-1984

9 volumes (3 cu. ft.)

A published series of statistical compilations. Included, generally, is a statistical

overview of each elementary, intermediate, junior high, senior high, and special

education school in the city’s public school system. Included are data on pupil ethnicity,

attendance, and test scores and on staffing levels and salaries, for each school; data is also

cumulated for school districts, for boroughs, and citywide. The bureau or office officially

issuing the School Profiles varied, but the differences appear to be more in name than

substance; the Office of Student Information Services is credited with the last four

publication years.

[An inventory of the volumes in this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

149

Series 1481. Division of Computer Information Services. School Profiles

[printouts]. 1988

13 cu. ft.

The series consists of printouts of school-level information from the Board of

Education’s educational data system. Included for each school are multiple tables of data

on students and teachers, including pupil ethnic distribution and pupil achievement in

various subjects. Also included are tabulations of citywide totals.

The files of printouts are arranged by borough, school district, and individual school.

Within each borough, the elementary, intermediate, and junior high schools are arranged

together in a single sequence by school number. The high schools (which traditionally

did not have numbers) were assigned a district number (District 78) and school numbers,

for purposes of computerization. The high schools for each borough are filed following

the other schools of that borough. The citywide tables are filed at the beginning of the

series.

Series 1670. Office of the Chancellor. Circulars. 1975-1991.

18 cu. ft.

Circulars and related memoranda issued by the Chancellor by other administrative

officials, generally under the heading of the “Office of the Chancellor.” The circulars

were issued in multiple series based either on the categories of officials to whom they

were addressed or on the general subject area. Circulars were used to inform principals

and other administrators of policies and procedures, special activities, reporting

requirement, and similar matters. Their content ranges from routine announcements to

very significant policies and requirements.

Most circulars were issued as numbered series for each school year. The primary

categories were General Circulars and Special Circulars. Related memoranda included

Chancellor’s Memos (which were numbered) and Chancellor’s Un-numbered Memos (a

list of which for the year was generally included in the numbered memos). The series is

not yet arranged.

[A partial box-level inventory is available at the Municipal Archives]

[Series 1700-1799: Reserved for records of community school boards and community

school districts]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

150

Children's Hour, Victory Way": Pupils of P.S. 83, Manhattan, celebrating the end of World War I, May 2, 1919

(Series 1810, Photo # 152) [The image shows nitrate deterioration of the negative.]

Guide to the Records of the New York City Board of Education

151

Series 1800-1849: Graphic Materials

Series 1801. Office of the Superintendent of School Buildings, C.B.J. Snyder.

Photographs. circa 1895-1918

[1 cu. ft.]

Photographs of school buildings and educational activities. Although no logbooks have

been discovered for the period when C.B.J. Snyder served as Superintendent of School

Buildings, it is known that staff photographers took many photographs during the period

1895-1918. These include exteriors of all of the schools as well as pictures of teachers

and pupils engaged in school activities. The photographs were numbered and are

estimated to have included about 10,000 images.

Only a fraction of these pictures remain in original formats. Where original prints of

school building were found, they were included in Series 1810 and assigned numbers

beginning with 70,000. Other formats or special subjects constitute several smaller

series: Series 1802, lantern slides; Series 1804, adult evening lectures; and Series 1806,

evening school activities.

A large number of Snyder-era photographs were published by the Board of Education in

its Annual Financial and Statistical Report (Series 805). In 1908 this report included

photographs of each school building. In subsequent years new buildings were pictured,

along with pictures of various types of classes, including vocational classes and special

education classes. The portion of the 1908 volume comprising these photographs is

available in the Archives Reference Room.

Series 1802. Office of the Superintendent of School Buildings, C.B.J. Snyder.

Lantern Slides. circa 1910

approximately 100 lantern slides (1 cu. ft.)

Lantern slides of photographs of school buildings. Generally, the images are comparable

to the images of Series 1801 and those reproduced in the Annual Financial and Statistical

Report, 1908, part of Series 805 (see the description for Series 1801). The slides are

arranged by borough and school.

Also included is a list of slides, “List of Lantern Slides, Property of the Building Bureau,

Made in the Photographic Laboratory of the Building Bureau between 1895 and 1915,

C.BJ. Snyder, Superintendent of School Buildings, April 1915”. This 60-page document

lists more than 1,000 lantern slides, of photographs of buildings and school activities, that

once existed.

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Series 1804. Office of the Superintendent of School Buildings, C.B.J. Snyder. Adult

Evening Lectures Photographs. circa 1910

approximately 200 photographs (11 cu. ft.)

Photographs documenting the lecture program that the Board of Education offered from

about 1890 to 1920. The free lectures, by university faculty or other experts, were

offered in series on a wide variety of subjects, historical, cultural, and scientific.

Generally lectures were held in school auditoriums or in lecture halls in other cultural

institutions. Some lectures were offered in Yiddish and Italian to broaden the audience.

The photographs generally show the audience and sometimes the speaker. The original

negatives are on 8x10 glass plates. Sets of copy negatives on film and copy prints are

also included. Some of these photographs were published in the annual reports of the

lecture program (See Series 681). The photographs are not yet inventoried.

Series 1806. Office of the Superintendent of School Buildings, C.B.J. Snyder.

Evening School Photographs. circa 1910

approximately 900 photographs (6.5 cu. ft.)

Photographs of classroom scenes in a variety of evening schools. Some photos show

continuation schools, for students who had to leave school to go to work. These include

high school classes in academic and vocational subjects. Others show evening

elementary schools, where English and other basic subjects were taught to recent

immigrants. The series consists of original prints but contains no original negatives. The

photographs are not yet inventoried.

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Series 1810. Bureau of Construction. Official Photographer. Photographs. 1918-

circa 1975

approximately 50,000 photographs (approximately 180 cu. ft.)

Photographs of school buildings, of educational activities, and of special events in the

school system. The Official Photographers were based in the Bureau of Construction,

Division of School Buildings, and similar agencies under various reorganizations, all

essentially the successors of the Building Bureau. In 1918 the photographers began a

new series, starting with photograph number 1 and continuing beyond 53,000 in about

1965. During this period the photographers maintained a sequence of log books (Series

1811), in which they recorded each photograph. They continued the photograph series

until about 1975, although without individual logbook entries. Also included in the series

are a small number of original prints from Series 1801. These have been assigned

numbers beginning with 70,000.

The photographers filed prints and negatives separately, organized by borough and school

or administrative bureau. Not all images were printed, and some negatives were made

on non-permanent film stock. Large-scale preservation projects have partially remedied

some of these problems. Thus, practical access is possible for a large portion of the

original series, searching either by borough and school or chronologically. Access

through a digital image database is in preparation.

Series 1811. Bureau of Construction. Official Photographer. Photographers’

Logbooks. 1918-circa 1975

10 volumes (1.5 cu. ft.)

Logbooks maintained by the official photographers. Begun in 1918 the logbooks record

the photographs of Series 1810. For each photograph the logbooks record the assigned

photograph number, the borough and school or administrative bureau, and the date.

Additional notes for some photographs indicate the agency requesting the photo or

technical data regarding film or exposures. Since each negative was numbered, but not

all were printed, the logbook can be considered a log of negatives. A digital database of

the logbook information is in preparation.

Series 1814. Glass Plate Copy Collection. Circa 1900-1930

approximately 200 photographs (3 cu. ft.)

A collection of glass plate negatives of copy photography. Copies were made of

historical images and documents from books, from original photographs, and other

sources. Many images related to educational history and New York City history.

Included are contact prints of some of the images. The series is not yet inventoried.

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Series 1820. Bureau of Construction. School Construction Photograph Albums.

1948-1954

50 albums (7 cu. ft.)

Photograph albums documenting the construction of school buildings. Generally they

show the entire process from views of the site before demolition of previous structures

through the states of construction to the completed building. Each album covers one

building and contains about 75 prints size 8x10. There are no negatives in this series.

The photographs appear to have been made as part of the construction contract and

supplied to the Division of Inspection of the Bureau of Construction by the contractors.

[A detailed inventory of this series is available at the Municipal Archives]

Series 1830. School Construction Authority. Architectural Drawings.

circa 1890-1990

Approximately 35,000 drawings (approximately 3,000 cu. ft.)

Architectural drawings prepared for the construction, alteration, and renovation of school

buildings. The School Construction Authority was created in 1988 by New York State to

design, construct, and rehabilitate public schools. It assumed possession of the drawings

from the Board of Education, where they had been produced by its Building Bureau and

successor agencies. The drawings are in a variety of formats on various media, including

pen and ink on linen, mylar, acetate, positive and negative blueprints, and others.

Included are drawings of schools as originally built as well as drawings for construction

of additions and for alterations. Most of the drawings are plans but some elevations are

included. The series is not yet arranged but retains much of an original arrangement by

borough and school. Most of the drawings were filmed in approximately 1990 and

assigned an image number. The resulting jacketed microfiche constitute Series 1831.

Researchers are encouraged to use the microfiche whenever possible.

Series 1831. School Construction Authority. Architectural Drawings. Microfiche.

circa 1880-1990.

approximately 35,000 microfiche (7 cu. ft.)

Microfiche copies of the great majority of the architectural drawings of Series 1830. The

microfiche consist of 35mm images in fiche jackets, generally 6 images per jacket. The

microfiche are arranged by borough and school and then by aspect of construction

(general construction, electrical, heating/ventilation, plumbing). Researchers are

encouraged to use these microfiche instead of the original drawings, whenever possible.

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Appendix I

Chronology of the Public Schools

of New York City

1784 The Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York is created.

1787 Erasmus Hall Academy (now Erasmus Hall High School) is chartered by the

Regents (tied with an upstate school as the first to be chartered).

1805 The Free School Society, under its president DeWitt Clinton, is organized to

provide free education in New York City, especially for poor children not

otherwise provided for. Governed by a voluntary board of trustees.

1826 The Free School Society is reorganized and renamed the Public School

Society.

1842 The Legislature creates the Board of Education, to operate a system of public

schools in New York City (public in the sense of government-owned as well

as open to the public). The legislation provides for commissioners, trustees,

and inspectors to be elected in each ward and for each ward to send

representatives to the central board.

1843 The Board of Education of the City of Brooklyn is created, to consolidate

management over the previously established local district schools.

1847 The Free Academy is opened in New York City, under the control of the

Board of Education, to provide secondary education. Later, it becomes City

College.

1853 The Board of Education absorbs the Public School Society, including its

school buildings and other property. In creating a unified system, many

schools are re-numbered.

1855 The City of Brooklyn annexes Williamsburg and its schools are merged into

the Brooklyn system.

1870 The Normal College is created to offer teacher training programs (later

named Hunter College after its first president, Thomas Hunter).

1871 In a move to “mayoral control”, the Board of Education is abolished and

superseded by a Board of Public Instruction appointed by the Mayor, who

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also appoints ward inspectors and trustees.

1873 In another reorganization, the Board of Education is re-established, but is

still appointed by the Mayor, although ward trustees are now appointed by

the new board. The Mayor continues to hold at least part of the appointive

power through the many changes in structure over succeeding decades.

1896 The system of ward trustees is eliminated, with authority being consolidated

into the central Board of Education.

1898 Greater New York is created through consolidation of New York, Brooklyn,

Queens, Bronx, and Richmond. The Consolidation legislation creates two

levels of school governance: a central Board of Education and School Boards

for the several boroughs, with divided responsibility.

1902 The “Revised Charter of 1901” goes into effect. The borough school boards

are eliminated and responsibility is centered in one city-wide board and its

City Superintendent of Schools and Superintendent of School Buildings.

1916 The New York City Teachers Union is formed. It does not have a collective

bargaining contract, but serves as a lobbying group for teacher interests and

school reforms. Its role declines in the 1950s as it is attacked as communist-

influenced.

1921 The United Parents Associations is organized, an umbrella group of school-

level parents associations.

1960 The United Federation of Teachers is organized; in 1961 it wins the

referendum to hold collective bargaining rights for New York City teachers

and continues to represent them ever since.

1967 Three “demonstration districts” are created as an experiment in community

control of schools; controversy over the role of their governing boards leads

to a teachers’ strike in 1968.

1970 Decentralization legislation goes into effect. Thirty-two elected Community

School Boards acquire responsibility for elementary and junior high schools.

The central Board of Education retains many general powers, especially

regarding budgets, and exercises direct responsibility for high schools. The

central board consists of two members chosen by the Mayor and one by each

Borough President. The central board appoints a Chancellor as chief

administrator.

2002 The Board of Education and the elected Community School Boards are

abolished. The Schools are to be governed directly by a Chancellor

appointed by the Mayor to be head of a new Department of Education.

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Appendix II

Organization Charts

of the New York City Board of Education

1897, 1901, 1932, 1951, 1965

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Appendix III

Regulations of the

Department of Records/ Municipal Archives

for Use of Collections

and Access to Restricted Materials

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REGULATIONS GOVERNING USE OF ARCHIVAL MATERIAL

The New York City Municipal Archives, a division of the Department of Records and

Information Services, is open to all qualified persons subject to the following regulations:

A. ACCESS TO MATERIALS

(1) Researchers must provide acceptable identification upon request.

(2) All researchers must sign the register daily.

(3) Researchers using collections other than vital records must fill-out and sign a

registration form (MA-18) indicating name, affiliation, if any, and specifying the

subject and purpose of the research.

(4) Archival material may not be removed from the Municipal Archives without written

permission from the Director.

(5) Special access restrictions and procedures apply to New York County District

Attorney closed case files, and Board of Education “Anti-Communist” case files.

B. REFERENCE ROOM RULES

(1) Researchers may bring only those materials needed for research to the document

research area.

(2) Coats, bags, briefcases, and other personal articles are not permitted in the document

research area.

(3) Archives staff reserve the right to inspect all research materials, briefcases, bags and

other personal articles before a researcher leaves the Reference Room.

(4) Food and beverages are not permitted in the Reference Room.

(5) All notes must be taken with pencil, typewriter, word processor, or tape recorder. Ink

pens may not be used.

(6) Researchers may not photograph or scan archival material.

(7) Archival material is fragile. Researchers may not write upon, lean upon, mark or

otherwise mishandle material. Researchers should report any damaged material to

staff immediately.

(8) Researchers must preserve the existing order of material and notify staff if any

material is discovered to be not in order.

C. REPRODUCTION AND PUBLICATION OF MATERIALS

The Municipal Archives recognizes its responsibility to facilitate access to its collections

by permitting the reproduction, reprinting, publishing, or other use of archival material,

subject to the following conditions:

(1) The physical condition of an item may prohibit reproduction.

(2) Reproductions are provided for the researcher’s personal use. They may not be re-

duplicated or transferred to another individual or institution.

(3) Researchers may use the self-service photocopy machines available in the Reference

Room.

(4) Researchers must ask for staff assistance when copying fragile or oversize material.

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(5) Permission to publish, reprint, broadcast, re-duplicate, or make other use of archival

material may be granted subject to the conditions indicated in the Publish/Use

Contract form (MA-45), and may be subject to licensing or use fees. The Director

shall decide when and to what degree these restrictions shall apply.

D. CITATION

(1) Proper acknowledgment or credit must be given to the Municipal Archives for all

material used.

(2) The citation should be written as follows (after identification of the item and title of

the collection): NYC Department of Records/Municipal Archives.

(3) The Municipal Archives would appreciate receiving copies of any research results.

Any violation of these rules governing the use of Municipal Archives material may be

considered sufficient cause for denial of future access.

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GUIDELINES FOR ARCHIVAL USE OF BOARD OF EDUCATION “ANTI-COMMUNIST”

CASE FILES

The Municipal Archives preserves and makes available for research historical records of

the New York City Board of Education (“the Board”). This collection includes several

records series (nos. 590, 591, 593, 594, 595, 596 and 597) that pertain to the “anti-

Communist” activities of the Board from the 1930s through the 1960s. They contain

personal and confidential information relating to teachers and other school personnel

investigated and/or questioned by the Board for alleged support of or association with the

Communist Party. The individuals who are the subject of these files have a privacy right

regarding information of a personal nature contained in them; this includes a privacy

right regarding the fact that the subject case file exists.

In addition to the regulations governing public access to all archival material, public

access to the “anti-Communist” case file series is governed by the following additional

regulations and/or procedures:

(1) Researchers who request access a specific file for the purpose of researching the

views or activities of the individual who is the subject of that file or of another individual

named in that file must obtain permission for such access from the subject individual and

from the named individual, as applicable. If the subject or named individual is deceased

or unable to give or deny permission, such permission must be obtained from the

individual’s legal heirs or custodians, as specified in forms MA-101A, MA-101B, and

MA-101C.

(2) Researchers engaged in more general research not limited to a particular individual or

individuals may access files in the restricted series upon certifying that they will neither

record nor use any names or personally identifiable material obtained from such files,

form MA-101D.

(3) When a researcher accesses a file with permission from the individual who is the

subject of that file, the Archives will redact the names of other individuals in the file

whose permission has not been obtained.

(4) Self-service photocopying is not available for anti-Communist case file documents.

All photocopies will be redacted to remove information identifying any individual whose

permission has not been obtained.

(5) Published materials and materials created for general distribution, such as newspaper

clippings and press releases, are not subject to the restrictions set forth in this section.