Historical note:

            The Rhode Island General Assembly passed a bill mandating each town to open public schools in 1800. While most towns found this impossible, Providence did open elementary schools late that year. There were no public high schools for many years, however. The issue became a major issue in 1838; the arguments against establishing a high school were especially heated. Arguments against ranged from a belief that a high school was "was too aristocratic," and "it would educate children above working for their support," as well as opposition to building and maintaining a high school with city funds. Professor William G. Goddard submitted a series of articles to the Journal in favor of the high school, which must have persuaded the City. Those in favor of the high school won, and in the high school, ten primary schools and six grammar schools were established by a city ordnance.

            The high school was built on President Street, and dedicated on March 20, 1843. Initially a few African-Americans attended the school, but it was later decided that they should be taught separately. Girls attended the same school, but they were in a separate department and entered through a different doorway. The first four teachers at the high school were Henry Day, Albert Harkness, Esther J. Coburn, and Mary Williams. Several others joined the team including Sarah E. Doyle in 1856. Studies included arithmetic, algebra, Latin, English grammar, ancient history, medieval history, modern history, and book-keeping.

            By 1869 the high school had become too crowded. After much debate over whether girls and boys should be separated, it was finally decided that there should be one school, although there would still be separate departments and entrances. The school was built on Summer Street and the dedication held on September 3, 1878. It became Providence Classical High School in 1898.

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Scope and content:

            The collection dates from 1800 to 1980, with the bulk of the collection dating from 1870 to 1932. It represents only a random assortment of gifts over the last hundred years, and is by no means a complete archive of city school records. Researchers are advised to check with the Providence City Archives and with the printed reference collection downstairs for more information.

            Perhaps the most important item in this collection is the first minute book of the Providence town council's school committee, dating 1800 to 1828. There are also single folders on the Prospect Street Grammar School, and on the Evening Schools founded across the city.

            Most of the material, however, relates to Providence High School. There are two volumes that attempt to trace the school's alumni from 1843 to 1875. There are also two record books from the Class of 1879 women's alumnae group, and two efforts at a school newspaper from the 1850s: "The Scrap Book" from 1854, and "English Chips" from 1858.The largest body of material is from the Providence High School Debating Society including minutes, member lists, and attendance records, and a book of resolutions.

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Provenance:

            The various components of this collection arrived in many different gifts, not all of which are identified. The 1854 "Scrap Book" was donated in 1901 by Esek Arnold Jillson in memory of his son Charles. The Evening School records were probably donated by Katherine Austin in 1920. The 19 volumes of debating society material were a gift from Classical High School in 1938. The two volumes of the Class of 1879 alumni group were gifts from Avis Hawkins and Lucy Coggeshall in 1944 and 1945. In 1947, Abby Slade donated "Miscellaneous material, mostly dealing with Providence public schools", which might account for most of the remainder. The "English Chips" newspaper had been in the Printed collection for many years, and was transferred to Manuscripts in 1991. The Providence School Deaprtment donated the 1800-1828 minute book in 1986, and the contents of boxes 3 and 4 in 2000.

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Inventory:

Series 1: School Committee

School Committee minutes and records

Oversized volume:     Town Council school committee minutes, 1800-1828

Box 1, folder 11.        Printed lists of officers, 1845, 1846, 1851

Box 4, folder 1. Scrapbook, 1880-1890

Box 4, folder 2. Janitor staff list, 1911

Box 4, folder 3. Piano inventory, 1911

Box 4, folder 4. "School Costs in the City of Providence," report dated 1932

Box 4, folder 5. "A Study of Regional Senior High Schools of Providence," report circa 1935

Subcommittee records

Box 3, folder 1. Accounts minutes, 1898-1904

Box 3, folder 2. Accounts minutes, 1907-1922

Box 3, folder 3. Annual report, 1905-1919

Box 4, folder 6. Apportionment minutes, 1896-1916

Box 4, folder 7. Apportionment, miscellaneous notes, 1913-1916

Box 3, folder 4. By-laws minutes, 1895-1904

Box 3, folder 5. Drawing and penmanship minutes, 1894-1904

Box 3, folder 6. Education of the Blind, Deaf and Feeble-Minded minutes, 1896-1904

Box 3, folder 7. Equipment and Needs of Schools minutes, 1923-1924

Box 4, folder 8. Evening Schools minutes, 1867-1890

Box 3, folder 8. Evening Schools minutes, 1917-1925

Box 4, folder 9. Evening Schools, miscellaneous notes, 1922-1926

Box 3, folder 9. Executive minutes, 1875-1891

Box 3, folder 10. Finance minutes, 1886-1889

Box 3, folder 11. Free Public Lectures minutes, 1912-1913

Box 3, folder 12. High Schools minutes, 1905-1915

Box 3, folder 13. Hygiene minutes, 1894-1904

Box 3, folder 14. Military Training minutes, 1915-1924

Box 3, folder 15. Music minutes, 1869-1892

Box 3, folder 16. Music minutes, 1894-1904

Box 3, folder 17. Music, teacher schedules, 1895-1896

Box 3, folder 18. Penmanship minutes, 1898-1904

Box 3, folder 19. Penmanship minutes, 1910-1925

Box 3, folder 20. Private schools minutes, 1896, 1910, 1922 (complete)

Box 3, folder 21. Relations to City Council minutes, 1901, 1911

Box 3, folder 22. Salaries minutes, 1917-1919

Box 3, folder 23. School Houses minutes, 1897-1904

Box 3, folder 24. School Houses minutes, 1905-1916

Box 3, folder 25. Sewing and Cooking minutes, 1894-1901

Box 3, folder 26. Sewing and Cooking, miscellaneous notes, 1896-1897

Box 3, folder 27. Summer Schools minutes, 1894-1902

Box 3, folder 28. Summer Schools minutes, 1911-1923

Box 3, folder 29. Superintendency minutes, 1912-1913

Box 3, folder 30. Textbooks minutes, 1897-1904

Box 3, folder 31. Textbooks minutes, 1905-1913

Box 3, folder 32. Textbooks, miscellaneous notes, 1901-1903

Series 2: Specific schools

Asa Messer School

Box 4, folder 10. Initial report, 1973

Box 4, folder 11. Planning and construction, 1967-1980

John Howland School

Box 4, folder 12. Poems circa 1920, by students?

Prospect Street Grammar School

Box 1, folder 1. “A Few Reminiscences of the Prospect St. Grammar School. The Early Days of Mr. A.J. Manchester's Principalship”. By Harriet J. Roworth, November 1897. Describing events in the late 1850s.

Providence Evening Schools

Box 1, folder 2.

            Report and list of students, 1851

            Undated speech on “Origin of Evening Schools in Providence”.

            Abstract of school reports re Evening Schools, 1849-1868

            Three undated newspaper clippings.

Providence High School (Providence Classical High School after 1898)

Box 1, folder 3. Manuscript newspaper, "The Scrap Book", 1854.

Box 1, folder 4. Manuscript newspaper, "English Chips", 1858.

Box 1, folder 5. Alumni names and occupations, 1843-1864 and 1865-1875 (2 vol.)

Box 1, folder 6. Girls' Class of 1879, roll & records, 1879-1912

Box 1, folder 7. Girls' Class of 1879, records (book #2), 1912-1919

Box 1, folder 8. Sarah Doyle Fund donations, 1859-1892

Box 1, folder 9. List of subscribers to gymnasium fund, undated

Box 1, folder 10. Resolution to memorialize Roger Williams in favor of Canonicus, 1857

Box 4, folder 13. Quarterly grade book for female students, 1858-1885. Gives students' address, guardian and age.

Box 4, folder 14. List of female applicants and teachers, 1872-1884

Box 4, folder 15. List of female graduates, 1871-1897, compiled by Sarah Doyle

Providence High School Debating Society

Box 2, folder 1. Delphic Society minutes, constitution, October 22, 1860 - January l3, 1865

Box 2, folder 2. Critic's reports June 7, 1876 - April 10, 1878

Box 2, folder 3. Minutes, May 1, 1878 - November 19, 1879

Box 2, folder 4. Minutes, June 15, 1881 - June 26, 1883.

Box 2, folder 5. Minutes, September 5, 1883 - March 10, 1886.

Box 2, folder 6. Minutes, October 29, 1890 - March 28, 1894.

Box 2, folder 7. Minutes, April 4, 1894 - May 26, 1897.

Box 2, folder 8. Minutes, March 15, 1905 - April 24, 1907.

Box 2, folder 9. Minutes, May 1, 1907 - March 9, 1910.

Box 2, folder 10. Minutes, March 16, 1910 - September 17, 1913. 

Box 2, folder 11. Resolution book, 1901-1911

Box 2, folder 12. Constitution & membership, May 1, 1878

Box 2, folder 13. Constitution, listing of members 1885.

Box 2, folder 14. Constitution, by-laws and rules of order, lists of members 1889 edition.

Box 2, folder 15. General reports, attendance records, 1880-1885. 

Box 2, folder 16. General Reports, attendance records, May 1886-December 1892  

Box 2, folder 17. General report, membership, 1894-1900.

Box 2, folder 18. "Honorary list" of members, 1857-1917.

Box 2, folder 19. Dues book, 1901-1911.

Box 2, folder 20. Loose receipts, 1911

Providence Technical High School

Box 4, folder 16. Scrapbook of graduation programs, 1895-1915

Box 4, folder 17. Scrapbook of graduation programs, 1916-1925

Box 4, folder 18. Scrapbook of graduation programs, 1926-1931

Summit Avenue School

Box 4, folder 19. Attendance and grade book, 1923-1927

Box 4, folder 20. Attendance and grade book, 1928-1930

Box 4, folder 21. Attendance and grade book, 1930-1932

Third District School

Box 4, folder 22. List of students, April 27, 1817,

Compiled by Noah Kendell, N.W. Woodward, and H. Gladding. Gives 197 names, with no additional information.

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Subjects:

* Asa Messer School (Providence, R.I.)

Classical High School

Debates and debating

Delphic Society

* Doyle, Sarah (1830-1922)

"English Chips"

Prospect Street Grammar School

Providence Evening Schools

Providence High School

Providence, R.I. - Schools

* Providence Technical High School

Roworth, Harriet

Sarah E. Doyle Fund

Schools - Rhode Island - Providence

"The Scrap Book"

Student newspapers and periodicals - Rhode Island - Providence

* Summit Avenue School (Providence, R.I.)

Williams, Roger (1604-1683)

*added in 2000

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RIHS1822