Research Guides: EDC232: Reacting to the Past: American Middle Schools and High Schools: Primary Sources

Finding Primary Sources

Digital Public Library of America This link opens in a new window
Provides access to millions of items, photographs, manuscripts, books, sounds, moving images, and more from libraries, archives, and museums around the United States.

The Sophia Smith Collection
The Sophia Smith Collection contains historical research material documenting the lives and activities of women. It includes oral histories on the web, video, audio, manuscripts, photographs, and other documents of notable women activists and organizations. Explore the papers of Jane Addams, the YWCA, Headmistresses of the East, the Activist Life Oral History Project, and the Education Collection.
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To make an appointment at Special Collections, visit: http://www.smith.edu/libraries/libs/ssc/emailform2.html
Bank Street College of Education Archives
Bank Street College was founded as the the Bureau of Educational Experiments, in 1916. Considered a leading institution for progressive education, artifacts found in Bank Street's Archives reflect the evolution of theories of education from the Progressive Era to the present day. Includes the papers of Lucy Sprague Mitchell, founder.
W.E.B. Du Bois Digital Archive
This comprehensive collection of manuscripts, letters, photographs, videos, and other documents by and about Du Bois is housed at UMass Amherst, and also available entirely online.
The Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is a library of millions of free and public domain books, images, films, and more - contributed by libraries, individuals, and organizations. Search for child study, education, psychology, or the names of historic figures.
HathiTrust
HathiTrust makes millions of books and documents searchable online - including content from research libraries, the Google Books project and Internet Archive digitization initiatives. Use the link to find a sample collection of Education History materials, including documents from the Gary Plan, Booker T. Washington's speeches, conference notes from the National Education Association, and original writings by and about G. Stanley Hall, John Dewey, Mary Antin, Alice Barrows Fernandez, and more.
Mt. Holyoke College Archives: Department of Psychology and Education Records
Information on the history of teacher education at Mt. Holyoke College (1910-), including: articles; outlines; tests; newspaper clippings; announcements; reports; flyers; press releases; applications; speeches; handbooks; notices; brochures; and photographs.

Historical Newspapers: American - Individual Titles

Atlanta Constitution [Proquest], 1868-1985 This link opens in a new window Covers the political, economic, cultural & social life of the southeastern US from Reconstruction through the late 20th century.
Boston Globe [ProQuest] 1872+ MLIN This link opens in a new window
Full text newspaper, with images.
Chicago Defender Historical [ProQuest] 1905-1975 This link opens in a new window Online archive of articles, editorial cartoons, photographs, advertisements, etc. from this important African-American newspaper.
Chicago Tribune Historical [ProQuest] 1849+ (lacks current 14 years) This link opens in a new window Full text newspaper, with images.

Lily: A Temperance and Feminist Newspaper 1849-1856 The first newspaper for women (ed. Amelia Bloomer 1849-1854, then Mary Birdsall 1855-1856). Initial coverage of temperance issues later expanded to include articles on child-bearing, education, and women’s rights, with many articles by Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

Los Angeles Times Historical [ProQuest] 1881+ (lacks current 14 years) This link opens in a new window Full text, including images of the Los Angeles Daily Times (1881-1886) and the Los Angeles Times (1886-1986).
New York Amsterdam News Historical [Proquest] 1922-1993 This link opens in a new window A leading African American newspaper of the 20th century. Full page and article images with searchable full text from the New York Amsterdam news (1922-1938), New York Amsterdam news (1938-1941 : City ed.), New York Amsterdam news (1943-1961 : City ed.), New York Amsterdam news (1962-1993), New York Amsterdam star-news (1941-1943), and the New York star & Amsterdam news (1941-1941). The collection includes digital reproductions of every page from every issue in PDF format.
New York Herald Tribune [ProQuest] 1841-1962 This link opens in a new window Full text, including images, of this influential paper founded by Horace Greeley. Important for 19th century US social history and 20th century literature & arts coverage.
New York Times Historical [ProQuest] 1851+ (lacks current 4 years) This link opens in a new window Full text, including images, of the New York Times up to 2007.
Republican (Springfield, MA) 1850-1987 This link opens in a new window Part of America's Historical Newspapers. To search just this title, click on Places of Publication / Massachusetts, then scroll to the Springfield listings (Springfield Republican, Springfield Union, etc.)
Washington Post Historical [ProQuest] 1877+ (lacks current 17 years) This link opens in a new window Full text including images.

Archive Finders

Archive Grid This link opens in a new window
Collection descriptions & finding aids from libraries, museums, historical societies & archives in the US.
Archive Finder This link opens in a new window
Directory of primary source materials in U.S., U.K., and Irish repositories.

Primary Sources on the Web

Using Primary Sources on the Web (American Library Association - Reference User Services Association)

Footage from the Progressive Era

John Dewey on Education (3 min, 1929)
Dr. John Dewey distinguishes between going to college for a degree and getting an education without a degree.
Film clips on Education from 1919-1933
Clips from the University of South Carolina Archives, Moving Image Research Collections. Contains clips of John Dewey, Jane Addams, Theodore Roosevelt, and other notables making commentary about education, schools, and public policy.

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EDC232: Reacting to the Past: American Middle Schools and High Schools: Primary Sources

Finding Primary Sources

Historical Newspapers: American - Individual Titles

Archive Finders

Primary Sources on the Web

Footage from the Progressive Era