RG-22. RECORDS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction was established under the Constitution of 1874. It replaced the Office of Superintendent of Common Schools, which had been created in 1857, to assume the duties relating to the administration of public schools originally lodged with the Secretary of the Commonwealth by the Free School Act of 1834. By 1876 the superintendent’s office was known as the Department of Public Instruction. The powers and duties of this department were greatly increased in 1923 when the State Library and Museum, the State Board of Censors, the Public School Employees’ Retirement Board, the Pennsylvania Historical Commission, and the various state professional examining boards were made administrative units of Public Instruction.
In keeping with its responsibility for administering the state’s educational policies, the Department of Public Instruction supervised the public school system, distributed state subsidies to school districts, administered teachers’ colleges and vocational-education programs, issued licenses for certain professions, and operated the State Library. Several administrative units were eventually separated from the department. In 1945, the Historical Commission, the Museum and the State Archives were merged to form an independent agency, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. The State Board of Censors was abolished in 1956 when the act creating it was declared unconstitutional by the state Supreme Court, and in 1963 the professional examining boards were transferred to the jurisdiction of the Department of State. In 1969 the name of the Department of Public Instruction was changed to the Department of Education.
BUREAU OF STATISTICS
Higher Education General Information Surveys on College Enrollments, 1960-1971. (1 carton, 3 boxes) Arranged chronologically by year, thereunder by type of institution, and finally alphabetically by name of institution. Annual reports relating to enrollment in institutions of higher learning filed with the Department of Education. Information furnished includes the name of the institution, the signature of the administrator, the date of the report, and the date the report was received by the Bureau of Statistics. Reports filed from 1960 to 1968 provide documentation of both full-time and part-time enrollments. Freshmen full-time student enrollments are broken down by gender. Reports filed from 1969 to 1971 document full-time and part-time enrollments and credit hours registered and these are broken down by gender for undergraduates, graduate students, non-degree students, and first-time freshmen. Enrollment statistics are given for the following African American institutions: Cheyney State College, Crozier Theological Seminary, and Lincoln University.
Higher Education General Information Surveys on College Faculty and Staff, 1967-1968, 1970-1971. (2 cartons, 2 boxes) Arranged chronologically by year, thereunder by type of institution, and finally alphabetically by institution. United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare reports filed with the Pennsylvania Department of Education relating to employees in institutions of higher education. Information furnished for each institution includes the name and signature of the administrator, date of the report, and date the report was received by the Bureau of Statistics. Reports document full-time and part-time personnel totals and are broken down by functions such as instruction, research, library, and public service. Faculty totals are further broken down by rank and area of teaching or research. Other information provided includes salaries and benefits of faculty, library staff, and administrators and statistics regarding the educational levels of faculty members. Cheyney State College, Crozier Theological Seminary, and Lincoln University are among those institutions documented by the file.
Higher Education General Information Surveys on College Financial Statistics, 1968-1972. (2 cartons) Arranged chronologically by year, thereunder by type of institution, and finally alphabetically by institution. Annual reports filed with the Pennsylvania Department of Education relating to financial statistics of institutions of higher learning. Information furnished includes name and address, signature of administrator, date of report, and the date the report was received by the Bureau of Statistics. Reports show revenue by source, expenditures by functions, physical plant assets, indebtedness on physical plant, and endowments. Reports for Cheyney State College, Crozier Theological Seminary, and Lincoln University are included within the file.
Reports of Degrees and Other Formal Awards Conferred, 1962-1965, 1968-1972. (5 cartons) The 1962-1965 reports are arranged chronologically by year, thereunder by type of degree, and finally alphabetically by institution. The 1968-1972 reports are arranged chronologically by year, thereunder by type of institution, and finally alphabetically by institution. Annual reports relating to degrees, certificates and diplomas conferred by institutions of higher education filed with the Department of Education. The reports for 1962 to 1965 are broken down into such categories as certificates and diplomas, associates’ degrees, bachelors’ degrees, and higher degrees. Information furnished includes name and location of institution, name of administrator and date of report, date received by the Bureau of Statistics, and the type and number of degrees conferred by gender for each program. The reports for 1968 to 1972 are broken down by type of institution. Reports are available for Cheyney State College, Crozier Theological Seminary, and Lincoln University.
COMMISSIONER FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
Administrative Correspondence, 1972-1978. (1 carton) Arranged alphabetically by subject or name of correspondent. Administrative correspondence of the Commissioner of Higher Education. Included in this series is "Lincoln University Special File, 1977-1978," consisting of correspondence, newspaper articles, and memoranda referring to a crisis that occurred at Lincoln University during the presidential administration of Dr. Herman R. Branson. Owing to administrative actions taken at the time, which included the dismissal of some faculty, five trustees resigned. These resignations resulted in a campaign for the removal of the president. Also included in this file are the bylaws of Lincoln University of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, Chester County, Pennsylvania, Draft, November 19, 1977; Faculty Handbook, September 1969; and a report issued by "The Boston Consulting Group" which analyzed Lincoln University’s goals, financial needs, and fundraising capabilities.
Minutes of the Board of Normal School Principals, 1920-1931. (1 carton) Arranged chronologically by date of meeting. A record of the official proceedings of the meetings of the Board of Normal School Principals. Information typically found includes the date, time, and location of the meeting, a list of those members attending the meeting; and the topics discussed. Typical subjects discussed included admission requirements, committee appointments, committee reports, courses of study, curricula, finances, length of school year, redistricting, summer school sessions, and school vacation dates. Files relating to Cheyney State College are included.
Minutes of the Board of Presidents of State Colleges, 1931-1977. (3 cartons) Arranged chronologically by date of meeting. A record of meetings of the Board of Presidents of State Colleges and Universities. Prior to 1960, the state colleges were known as State Teachers’ Colleges. Information provided varies for each of the thirteen state-owned schools. A typical entry includes the date, time and campus location of the meeting and a list of those members attending the meeting. Topics discussed frequently included athletics, committee appointments, budgeting, committee reports, curricula, enrollment, faculty, fees, finances, salaries, school year calendars, and academic standards. Files relating to Cheyney State College are included.
Minutes of the Board of State College and University Directors, 1971-1975. (1 carton) Arranged chronologically by date of meeting. A record of meetings of the Board of State College and University Directors. A typical entry includes the date, time and location of the meeting and a list of those members attending the meeting. Topics discussed included budgets, capital projects, committee appointments, committee reports, faculty, fees, legislation, programs, purchasing, residency requirements, and salaries. Files relating to Cheyney State College and Lincoln University are included.
Minutes of the Board of Trustees of State Colleges and Universities, 1954-1965, 1971-1977. (9 cartons) Arranged alphabetically by name of institution and thereunder by date of meeting. A record of meetings of the Board of Trustees of State Colleges and Universities. Information provided varies for each of the thirteen state-owned schools. A typical entry includes the date, time and campus location of the meeting and frequently lists the names of the members and invited guests. Reports submitted generally include the president’s report on the budget, and reports by the athletic committee, budget and finance committee, institutional development committee, personnel committee and the public relations committee. Common topics include faculty appointments, retirements, accreditation, building development, gifts, grants, tuition fees, and student assistance. Files relating to African American institutions of higher learning include those for Cheyney State College and Lincoln University.
Specialized Correspondence, 1965-1977. (3 cartons) Arranged alphabetically by subject. This series contains specialized correspondence of the commissioner of Higher Education. Among the topics documented are the Commonwealth University System, faculty development, Servicemen’s Opportunity College, tenure, State College Missions, and student problems. One example of African American source material is correspondence regarding the admission of a African American student with health problems to Cheyney State College.
OFFICE OF EQUAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY
Records of Equal Rights Program Activities, 1965-1977. (1 carton) Arranged alphabetically by subject. Records documenting the activities of the Office of Equal Education Opportunity designed to ensure school desegregation and access by minority students to higher education. Files include memoranda, correspondence, testimonies, reports, agendas, news clippings, grant applications, press releases, minutes, service purchase contracts, general invoices, programs, and registration forms. Among the items found are the following: Afro-American Mandate, 1968; Curriculum Inclusion of Minority Group Content in the Schools of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, prepared by Dr. Neal V. Musmanno, September 19, 1968; materials relating to the participation of female students and black students in approved vocational education courses and programs for School Year 1973-74; and a 1975 State Board Report regarding School Desegregation.
OFFICE OF SCHOOL EQUITY
The Office of School Equity directs the implementation and monitoring of all basic education and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) compliance plans. It also provides curriculum assistance in equity in the areas of age, sex, national origin, and race, and coordinates and directs statewide assistance to school districts in implementing the Teacher Expectation and Student Achievement (TESA) programs.
Emergency School Aid Act Applications, 1980-1996. (5 cartons) {unprocessed} Applications for federal assistance grants under the Emergency School Aid Act of 1980-1996, also known as Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Included in this collection are documentation for workshops and conferences of the Office of School Equity which held workshops on multi-cultural education throughout the school systems in the Commonwealth.
School Desegregation Files, 1964-1996. (28 cartons) {unprocessed} Arranged alphabetically by county. Reports, letters, and memoranda for the various school districts throughout the Commonwealth documenting implementation of Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This legislation changed the previously existing policy for awarding funds to public schools and to desegregation assistance centers. The original regulations implementing Title IV provided for financial assistance to personnel operating public schools who requested assistance in eliminating discrimination on the basis of race, sex, and national origin. The regulations were amended in 1987 in such a way that "funds for national origin and race desegregation assistance may not be used to provide assistance in the development or implementation of activities, or the development of curriculum materials for the direct instruction of students, except that assistance may be provided in the development or implementation of activities or development of curriculum materials for the direct instruction of students of limited English proficiency."
STATE BOARD OF CENSORS (MOTION PICTURE)
Applications for Examination, 1915-1951. (4 boxes) Arranged chronologically by date of application. This series contains applications submitted by motion picture film companies requesting the State Board of Censors to review their films. Each application lists the title of the film, manufacturer, names of leading actors and actresses, number and length of reels, style of film, and whether the film was approved without changes, approved with the elimination of some material, or condemned in total. If the film was approved contingent upon the elimination of some scenes, an elimination form is attached which lists the specific changes that needed to be made. Often there is a memorandum of changes form that indicates the nature of the requested changes, when the changes were made, and when the board approved the film. Some applications have copies of the script attached. Representative of motion pictures having content related to African Americans are: King of the Carnival, Native Son, One Stormy Night, Schulamite, Tarzan, and Zululand.
STATE LIBRARY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Glass Lantern Slides, 1890-1960. (300 cu. ft.)
Pennsylvania History, Dauphin County, Harrisburg:
• YMCA Broad Street Branch (African American YMCA): A group of slides with images of the following: Dr. George Reed’s Bible class, the hiking club, the Montakama Business Club, and the first and only football team of the "Y" organized in 1920 at the 644 Broad Street location (Corona Hotel). Also included is a slide of the branch’s second and last YMCA building on Forster Street.
United States History:
• Music-Negro Spirituals: These slides contain music scores for the following Negro spirituals: "Deep River," "Keep Me From Sinking Down," "My Lord’s Writing All the Time," Nobody Know the Trouble I Seen," "Steal Away," "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," and "Turn Back Pharaoh’s Army."
• Slave Life and the Civil War: This collection includes four lantern slides relevant to the African American in Pennsylvania: #20: "A Group of Contrabands - Negro Slaves"; #35: "First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation"; #37: "Scene of the Emancipation Proclamation"; and #56: "Emancipation Statute in Lincoln Park, Washington, D.C."
• Slave Life and Lincoln: In this section are included sixteen lantern slides depicting slave life during the administrations of Zachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore including: #4: "Slaves of the Northern Sweatshops"; #5: "A Typical Slave Family Around Cabin-Fire Place with Home Made Furniture"; #6: "Fugitive Slave Arriving at House of Levi Coffin"; #7: "Uncle Tom on the Auction Block as Various Types of Buyers Crowd Around"; and #10: "Slaves Escaping Through the Underground Railway with Bundles." A second grouping depicting scenes from the administration of Abraham Lincoln includes one labeled "Men From All Walks of Life Answer Lincoln’s Call for Volunteers," and one labeled "Emancipation."
PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL BOARDS
Though race is not indicated in these records, the author was able to recognize the names of a number of individuals of whom she has personal knowledge. Other individuals were identified because the school from which they graduated was known to be a historically Black college or university.
Dental Council
Record of Dental Licenses, 1897-1923. (11 volumes) Arranged numerically by license numbers that were assigned chronologically. Recorded copies of dental licenses designated by law to be kept in the archives of the Dental Council. The certificates, which are signed by each of the examiners who reported the candidate as having passed the dental examination, list the name of the dentist, the date and place where the examination was passed, the date issued, and the agency and officials conferring the license. African American dentists in this series include Dr. Stephen Johnson Lewis, No. 2754, who passed examination June 9-12, 1909 and was licensed on July 26, 1909, and Dr. Joseph N. Dunston, No. 5012, who passed his examination on June 1920 and was licensed on January 24, 1921.
Summary of Examinations, 1897-1971. (6 volumes) Arranged chronologically by date of examination. This series records the examination scores of applicants applying for dental and dental hygienist licenses. The date, location and type of examination are listed, as are each applicant’s name, residence, test score on the written examination, grades for practical work completed, and overall result (pass or fail). The column titled "Remarks" frequently provides the name of the college or university from which the applicant received his or her degree. Examples of African Americans who applied for and received dental licenses include Howard University Medical School graduate Dr. Joseph J. B. Mason and Meharry Medical College graduate Dr. Joseph Dunston.
Medical Council
Record of Certificates Accepted in Lieu of Preliminary Examination, 1904-1911. (3 volumes) Grouped chronologically by date of certificate, and thereunder alphabetically by first letter of applicant’s surname. A registry kept by the Medical Council of Pennsylvania to provide proof that candidates for medical study had received adequate preliminary academic grounding for their chosen field. Entries generally give the name of the applicant, the high school attended, the date of graduation, the date that the certificate was issued, and the name of the examiner approving the certificate. Affidavits from school officials are frequently included. Examples of certificates issued to African Americans are: July 20, 1906, Frisby C. Battis Jr., Wilberforce University; March 5, 1908, Samuel Clyde Wilson, Lincoln University; March 23, 1908, Joseph J. B. Mason, Howard University; October 21, 1908, Ernest R. MacDonald, Lincoln University; May 25, 1909, Thomas J. Miller, Lincoln University; May 25, 1909, William Willoughby, Shaw University; January 26, 1910, Charles Anthony Lewis, Lincoln University.
Record of Medical Licenses Recommended by the State Medical Society, 1894-1911. (15 volumes) Arranged chronologically by date of license and thereunder by license number. Copies of medical licenses designated by law to be kept in the office of the Medical Council. The State Medical Society served as the examining board that recommended the issuance of these certificates. Information found includes the name of the physician, the date and place where the examination was passed, the agency conferring the license, and the date the license was issued. Many of the licenses bear signatures of officers of the Medical Council and the physician examiners. Among the African Americans in this group are: #4611, Edward Mayfield Boyle, January 25, 1906; #4624, James Edward Foster, January 25, 1906; #5919, Charles T. C. Nurse, January 6, 1909; #6491, Morris Hallowell Layton Jr., August 1, 1910.
State Board of Funeral Directors
(Under Health Department from 1935 to 1959)
Minute Books, 1895-1963. (15 volumes) Arranged chronologically by date of meeting. A record of the meetings and proceedings of the State Board of Funeral Directors. Entries list the dates, locations, and names of participants present at meetings. Typical subjects discussed or reported upon are the organization of the board, the formulation of rules for governing the profession, the establishment of fees, the holding of hearings, and matters dealing with the examination and registration of morticians. Financial reports are regularly recorded, and extensive lists of applicants requesting examinations and licenses frequently appear. Included in the minutes is information on several African American funeral directors including James F. Hill, Webster D. Jackson, and Frances B. Jones of Philadelphia; Helen M. Hunt of Chester and Pauline H. L. Gordon of Johnstown. Included also are entries regarding the Colored Funeral Directors Association of Philadelphia and Vicinity.
State Board of Medical Education and Licensure
Known as the Bureau of Medical Education and Licensure prior to 1923, on July 1, 1963, this bureau was transferred from the Department of Public Instruction to the Professional and Occupational Affairs Commission in the Department of State.
Minute Books, 1911-1962. (12 volumes) Arranged chronologically by date of meeting. This series documents the meetings and proceedings of the State Board of Medical Education and Licensure in compliance with the legislative directive that it meet at least twice annually in Harrisburg to transact business. The minutes show the date and location of the meeting and a record of attendance. Matters addressed include decisions concerning the revocation, suspension, or restoration of licenses; the licensing of applicants on the basis of endorsement or reciprocity agreements; the formulation of rules and policies regulating medical conduct; the scheduling of examinations; and the review of applications for entry into various medical training programs. Reports on inspections of medical training facilities and lists of Pennsylvania physicians certified to practice medicine in other states are also included. Information relating to African Americans includes:
• Minute Book for December 12, 1911-December 1, 1920 showing an examination list for Howard University, Washington, D.C.
• Minute Book for April 9, 1953 to December 14, 1956 containing many approved statements of acceptance of Medical Licenses for African Americans. Information found generally includes the name of the applicant, the name of the college or university attended, and the dates of attendance; an endorsement to practice medicine in Pennsylvania; and the National Board Licensing certificate number, date of issue, the name of the interviewer and the name of the doctor recommending the license. Examples of African Americans granted licenses include Howard University graduates Jane V. Williams, Osward J. Nickens, and George E. Blackman.
Records of Licenses Issued on Licenses from Other States, 1912-1963. (13 volumes) Arranged chronologically by date of license and thereunder numerically by license number. A record of licenses issued by the State Board of Medical Education and Licensure on the basis of the applicant having already been accepted as a qualified physician in another state. Entries list the name of the physician, the date licensed, the examining board that licensed the applicant, and the agency and officials conferring the license. Many African American medical doctors are documented in the records but some are not easily identifiable because they attended integrated medical colleges. A large number, however, received their training at established African American institutions such as Howard University’s Medical School (Washington, D.C.), Leonard Medical College (Raleigh, N.C.), and Meharry Medical School (Nashville, Tennessee).
Records of Medical Licenses, 1912-1964. (42 volumes) Arranged chronologically by date of license and thereunder numerically by license number. Copies of medical licenses designated by law to be retained in the archives of the Department of Public Instruction. The certificates list the name of the physician, the date the license was issued, and the agency and officials conferring the license. To find a record of an African American who passed the exam for a medical license, the name of the individual licensee must be known. An example of an entry for an African American is # 24949, Morton Onque Blake, licensed on September 13, 1951, who practiced in Athens and Wilkes-Barre.
Registers of Physicians, 1870-1917. (3 volumes) Prior to 1913 entries are arranged in strict alphabetical order, but after 1913 they are only grouped alphabetically by surname of physician. A record of physicians who were registered in Pennsylvania from 1870 to 1917. Normally, the doctor’s name, license number (from 1895 onward), postal address, county where registered, and date of registration are given. Information concerning the death or change of address of the doctor is also frequently included. Some known African Americans are: Forrest Hunter Battis, Philadelphia, #5454; Frisby Battis, Harrisburg (no license number), 1911; T. Clifford Boston, Philadelphia, #1551 (no date); George William Bowles, York, #5040, 1907; Edward Mayfield Boyle, Williamsport (no license number),1908; Cornelius Lennon Carter, Harrisburg, #4613, 1905; James Edward Foster, Harrisburg, #4624, 1906; Walter H. Scudder, 910, Philadelphia, #5792, 1912; and Hiram Tobias Williams, Chester (no license number), 1902.
State Board of Nurse Examiners
Known as the State Board of Examiners for Registration of Nurses prior to 1951, effective July 1, 1953 the State Board of Nurse Examiners was transferred from the Department of Public Instruction to the Professional and Occupational Affairs Commission in the Department of State.
Licensed Practical Nurse Registration Book, 1923-1965. (1 volume) Arranged numerically by certificate number. A record of Licensed Practical Nurses registered by the Pennsylvania State Board of Examiners for Nurses from February 9, 1923 to December 23, 1965. Information provided for each nurse includes the certificate number, applicant’s name, and the date the certificate was granted. The book is arranged to indicate whether the applicant was registered by examination, waiver, or endorsement. Representative of African American practical nurses are: #2145, Eunice Smallwood, December 22, 1957; #315651, Sarajane Roebuck, May 22, 1957; #19781; and Evelyn Louise Foster of Carlisle, November 18, 1959.
Registered Nurse Certificate Books, 1917-1969. (7 volumes) Arranged numerically by certificate number. This series contains a listing of individuals certified as either licensed attendants or registered nurses. Records for 1917 through September 9, 1923 show the individual’s name and date certified, but do not list a certificate number. The records from September 10, 1923 through 1969 provide the certificate number, the individual’s name, and the date certified. Representative of an African American entry is that for a nurse who was certified #28,317, Mary Elizabeth Thompson, November 8, 1929.
State Board of Pharmacy
Known as the State Pharmaceutical Examining Board, 1887-1917, and as the Pennsylvania Board of Pharmacy, 1917-1923. Effective July 1, 1963, the Board was transferred to the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs in the Department of State.
Index of Qualified Assistants, 1887-1941. (2 volumes) Grouped alphabetically by first letter of surname of assistant pharmacist. Index lists the names and registration numbers of assistant pharmacists certified to practice in Pennsylvania. The index only provides the name and registration number of the person with no other personal information. To find an African American pharmacist you must know the individual’s name. An example is Henry Edwin Parsons who appears as #5475 in Volume 1.
Registration Books for Assistant Pharmacists, 1887-1978. (3 volumes) Arranged numerically by register number and partially indexed externally, alphabetically by surname of assistant pharmacist in Index to Qualified Assistants, 1887-1941. A record of qualified assistant pharmacists registered with the Pennsylvania State Board of Pharmacy. A typical entry contains the registration number, name, address, county of residence, and age of the applicant, the amount of experience in the profession, and the date of registration. Prior to 1899, the registers have renewal dates and state whether the assistant was examined or in practice before May 24, 1887. The grades earned by the registrants are recorded from November 25, 1907 onwards and after June 30, 1922 a preliminary certificate number was assigned. From 1963 to 1978, a record of the registrant’s examination scores and the college that he or she attended appears in lieu of professional experience. To find a record of an African American, the name of the pharmacist must be known. An example of such an entry is #5475 for Henry Edwin Parsons of 814 South 18th Street, Philadelphia, registered March 23, 1906.
Registration Books for Pharmacists, 1887-1963. (5 volumes) Arranged numerically by register number and indexed externally, alphabetically by the pharmacist’s surname in Pharmacist Index, 1887-1967. A record of persons registered as pharmacists by the Commonwealth. Entries ordinarily show the registration number and date, the name and address of the pharmacist, and the county of residence. Prior to 1911 the registers list renewal dates and whether a registrant was examined or in practice prior to May 24, 1887. After June 29, 1911, the registers record the age of the individual, the college attended and the grades attained. Information such as whether a pharmacist was registered because of a reciprocal agreement with another state, or whether the registrant died or moved, is periodically indicated as well. To find a record of an African American, the name of the pharmacist must be known. An example is #9356 for H. Edwin Parsons, 1162 South Cameron Street, Harrisburg, registered June 1, 1908.
State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners
Veterinary Registration Books, 1905-1961. (5 volumes) Arranged numerically by certificate number. A record of veterinarians registered in Pennsylvania. Information recorded in these volumes varies over time. The earlier books give the registrant’s name, address, date of birth, the college of graduation and the dates attended, the certificate number (during the 1930’s), the date and county of first registration, and the dates that registration fees were paid. The more modern books do not record the birth date (after 1951), data regarding first registration (from the 1940’s on), or the dates fees were paid. The date of death is also sometimes recorded on the registration page. Book 2, page 960 contains the record for Basil George Edward Curry, an African American veterinarian who first lived in Gettysburg and later moved to Huntingdon. He graduated from Ontario Veterinary College in 1909.
State Dental Council and Examining Board
Record of Dental Licenses, 1923-1965. (21 volumes) Arranged chronologically by date of license and thereunder numerically by license number. Consists of recorded copies of dental licenses designated by law to be kept in the archives of the Dental Council. The certificates, which are signed by each of the examiners who reported the licensee as having passed the dental examination, list the name of the dentist, the date and placed where the examination was passed, the date issued, and the agency and officials who conferred the license. African American dentists are documented in the records. One is Dr. Walter Thurston Dunston, who passed the examination in June 1960 and was licensed on July 12, 1960.
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, 1874-1969
The Office of Public Instruction was established under the Constitution of 1874. It replaced the Office of Superintendent of Common Schools which had been created in 1857 to assume the duties relating to the administration of the public schools originally lodged with the secretary of the Commonwealth by the Free School Act of 1834. In 1969, the name of the Department of Public Instruction was changed to the Department of Education.
Applications for Teaching Certificates, 1866-1922. (35 cartons) Arranged alphabetically by surname of teacher. Application forms for permanent, provisional, temporary, special, and continuation certificates submitted by teacher candidates to the superintendent of Public Instruction. The type of data varies with the forms utilized. Application forms for provisional college certification contain the name, age, address, county of residence and college of the candidate, the college courses that he or she studied, the date that the diploma was issued, and the dates that the application was received and the certificate granted. Application forms for permanent certification, on the other hand, usually only indicate the name, address, number of semesters of teaching experience, the school district of the applicant, the date that the application was received, and the date that certification was granted. Included in these records are applications from African Americans. Application # 4227 is that of Oscar N. Frey, a resident of Philadelphia and a graduate of Lincoln University, May 7, 1918.
General and Administrative Correspondence, 1936-1964. (8 cartons) Grouped chronologically by year. Incoming and outgoing correspondence of the Department of Education includes the following material pertaining to Cheyney State Teachers’ College: a report of visitation to Cheyney State College by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education Team (NCAT), February 19-22, 1961; a list of the members on NCAT Education Team; letters from the college’s President James H. Duckrey to Richard F. Shier, deputy superintendent, Department of Instruction, concerning the NCAT Education Team’s visit; a 1960-61 Catalogue of Cheyney State College which includes pictures of Bibble Hall (administration building), Portica Brown Hall (home economics building), Yarnall Hall (women’s dormitory), Waring Hall (dining hall), Burleigh Hall (men’s dormitory), Coppin Laboratory, Vaux-Hall (industrial arts building), and an architect’s sketch of the new physical education building; an Evaluator’s Handbook of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools’ Commission on Institutions of Higher Education; a 1961 master class schedule; a list of periodicals currently received; a letter to President James H. Duckrey from Nathaniel H. Evers, assistant director of the National Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education, dated January 6, 1961; Faculty Handbook: Policies and Procedures, 1960-61; miscellaneous correspondence dated from October 1950 through September 1951 concerning changing the name of the institution from Cheyney Training School for Teachers to Cheyney State Teachers’ College, including a letter dated November 29, 1950 from Henry Klonower; copies of House Bill # 850 and 851 (Session of 1951) addressing the legality of the name change of the college; correspondence (May 14 and 18, 1948) regarding the extension of the lease of the Tanglewood property for the use of State Teachers’ College at Cheyney; correspondence between James M. Brittan, attorney at law, and Ruth B. Dowling, secretary of the State Council of Education, with reference to a copy of the charter of Cheyney before it was acquired by the state (January 12 and 21, 1944); and correspondence from Cheyney President Dr. Leslie Pinckney Hill requesting approval for the college to participate in the National Defense Education Program.
General Correspondence including Miscellaneous Minutes and Reports, 1932-1933, 1935-1964. (12 cartons)
Reports of Higher Institutions of Learning, 1936-1964. Contained among these records are "Reports on Progress in Implementing Statewide Higher Education Desegregation Plans pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964." These materials provide information on African Americans as students, employees, and employers in such Pennsylvania institutions of higher learning as Cheyney State College and Lincoln University. Representative examples of the types of reports included are:
• Reports on the Progression of Students in Higher Education Programs. These reports give information on student academic progress as well as reasons for students not returning to higher education. Thirteen reasons are listed and the students are classified as either black or white (meaning not of Hispanic origin) and male or female.
• Reports on Employees of State Agencies and Governing Boards for Higher Education. These reports are broken down by gender into six racial categories: Black, American Indian, Asian, Pacific Islander, Hispanic, and White.
• Reports of the Division of Data Services provide information on staff employed by institutions of higher learning. Information generally found includes the name of the instructor or staff person, gender, the field of preparation, and the name and address of the institution.
Minute Books of the State Board of Education, 1911-1920. (2 volumes) Arranged chronologically by date of meeting. A record of meetings of the State Board of Education. A typical record includes the date, time, and location of the meeting, a list of members attending the meeting, and the official proceedings of the meeting. Topics discussed include admission requirements, committee appointments, curricula, appropriations, expenses, investigations, school room lighting, graduation requirements, conditions of school buildings, legislation, physical education, vocational education, and federal education reports and plans. On November 8, 1918, Stanley Y. Yarnell, president of Cheyney State Teachers’ College, and Leslie Pinkney Hill, a principal of Cheyney, appeared before the Board of Education in Philadelphia to comment on the legal standing of certificates and diplomas issued by Cheyney State Teachers’ College. Both individuals requested the board to investigate their concerns regarding the matter.
Record Book of State Certificates for College Graduates, 1893-1911. (1 volume) Arranged numerically by certificate numbers. A registry of college graduates who were granted certificates to teach by the State Board of Education. Data entered include the name, town and county of the teacher, the college attended, the degree received, and the date the certificate was issued. Notations concerning the subjects majored in frequently appear as well. The following are examples of African Americans who received certificates: #625, Gilbert H. Jones, Wilberforce University, AB, May 1906; #1325, J. E. Maxwell, Wilberforce University, BA, June 1900; #1480, William K. Valentine, Lincoln University, AB, May 1907; #446, Samuel D. Wingate, Lincoln University, AB July 1898
Record Books of Permanent Teaching Certificates , 1868-1908. (2 volumes) Arranged numerically by certificate number and indexed internally, alphabetically by first name of surname. A record of persons granted permanent teaching certificates by the State Board of Education. Entries for the 1868-1896 volume shows the recipient’s name, post office and county of residence, the date the certificate was issued, and the volume and page number of the Pennsylvania School Journal wherein the certification is recorded. A description of the subjects studied is also frequently given. The 1897-1908 volume shows the recipient’s name, post office and county of residence, the date the certificate was issued, and a list of subjects studied. Included in this series are entries for the following African Americans: #2469, Vernon R. James, Steelton and #1425, Helen E. Taylor, a graduate of Lincoln University.
Record of Examinations for Permanent Certificates, 1897-1919. (2 cartons) Arranged alphabetically by name of county, and thereunder chronologically by date of examination. A record of the examination results of applicants for permanent teaching certificates filed with the Department of Public Instruction. Information contained on the forms includes the names of the members of the examining committee, the number of applicants, the number of applications approved, the names and occasionally the addresses of the applicants, the number of terms each applicant taught, each applicant’s examination score, the percentage score in each of several subjects such as spelling, reading, writing, arithmetic, history, government, hygiene, algebra, geography, and pedagogy; and either the certificate number issued or the date the certificate was issued to each successful applicant. Contained in this series is a certificate for African American Alice B. Butcher (#4698), who taught in the Carlisle School District for many years.
Reports of Degree Granting Institutions to the State Council of Education, 1938. (7 cartons) Included in this series is the Report of Cheyney Training School for Teachers, 1938. This report consists of a number of sections covering faculty and other professional staff, student personnel and programs, graduation requirements, curricula, buildings and grounds, and finances.
School District Annexation and Appropriation File, 1924-1966. (18 cartons) Arranged alphabetically by school district. Records relating to proposals for, and opposition to, the creation of new school districts, new school construction projects, and the locations of new schools. Typical items found include correspondence, requisitions, court documents, agreements, financial statements, reports, petitions, and hearing minutes. A representative sample of material found in the series includes a file entitled "Cheyney Training School for Teachers, 1930-1939" that contains correspondence and other documentation relating to a transfer of property between the Home for Destitute Colored Children, Cheyney Training School for Teachers, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Included is a blueprint of the properties prepared by C. M. Broomall, Media, Pennsylvania, dated January 16, 1928. Correspondence concerning authorization of a four-year curriculum offering degrees in such subjects as elementary education, industrial arts, and home economics is also present.