Educational Materials - 19th Century School Books & Ephemera

From Madison Historical Society

circa 1830 – 1860

An envelope addressed to Mrs. Nellie T. Scranton including a collection of various 19th-century educational books and notebooks owned by school children. The content ranges from lessons in spelling and arithmetic to moral tales and botanical studies. The collection provides a valuable insight into the educational materials and methodologies of the time period. Ephemera such as merit cards suggest motivational practices. Notable titles are 'The Picture Book; or Familiar Objects Described,' 'The Nursery for Rhymes,' and 'The History of Robinson Crusoe.' Several books bare inscriptions with student names including 'Presented to Sarah J by Oliver Doud' and 'Jonathan J. Bishop's Book, Madison.' The package contains a note attributing the books to Mrs. Frederick Coe. The contents are indicative of the education and literacy levels in New England during the specified era. Unrelated to these documents, there are negative photograph films from the 1911 dedication of the Revolutionary War plaque; a note indicates these come from CLEMA.

Keywords: educational, children's literature, ephemera, arithmetic, spelling, botanical, moral tales, custodial history

Accession/ID Number A2023.ScrantonFamily.4.004