Guide to the Rhode Island Normal School. Columbian Exposition scrapbook, 1854-1893
Special Collections, James P. Adams Library.
Rhode Island College
600 Mount Pleasant Ave
Providence, RI, 02908
Tel: 401-456-9653
email:digitalcollections@ric.edu
Published in 2023
Collection Overview
| Title: | Rhode Island Normal School. Columbian Exposition scrapbook |
| Date range: | 1854-1893 |
| Creator: | Rhode Island Normal School |
| Extent: | 0.30 cubic feet |
| Abstract: | The scrapbook depicts the Normal School's history through photographs of professors, students in classrooms, and classes in session. It was created to be sent to the Columbian Exposition held in Chicago circa 1893. |
| Language of materials: | English |
| Repository: | Special Collections, James P. Adams Library. |
| Collection number: | CA-0013 |
Scope & content
The Columbian Exposition Rhode Island State Normal School scrapbook of 1893 was arranged by the Principal of the Normal School, W.E. Wilson. The scrapbook depicts the Normal School's history through photographs of professors, students in classrooms, and classes in session. Various disciplines in the curriculum are represented: art and design, and psychology are among the readily identifiable classes being taught. In the scrapbook, there are also handwritten lists, narratives, and printed items. The scrapbook contains a history of the State Normal School as well as photographs of the earlier buildings which were home to the school before it acquired its own campus beneath the shadow of the State House.Pages were removed from the original book and pasted into the current binding prior to 2010. It is assumed the original order was maintained.
Access Points
Subject Names Subject Organizations- Rhode Island State Normal School
- World's Columbian Exposition
- Rhode Island College (1960- )
- Rhode Island Normal School
Arrangement
The scrapbook is arranged in chronological order.
Biographical/Historical Note
The Rhode Island State Normal School was established in 1854 in Providence, RI, as a teachers’ college. It briefly moved to Bristol, RI, in 1857 and then closed from 1865 until 1871. Upon reopening, its name was changed to Rhode Island Normal School and it was moved back to Providence. The following were principals represented in the scrapbook: Dana P. Colburn (1854), Daniel Goodwin (1859), Joshua Kendall (1860), J.C. Greenough (1871), Thomas J. Morgan (1884), George A. Littlefield (1889), and William E. Wilson (1892).Access & Use
| Access to the collection: | The collection is open for research. |
| Use of the materials: | Researchers are advised to contact Rhode Island College Special Collections for questions regarding permissions to reproduce, distribute, or otherwise publish material from this collection. Although Rhode Island College has physical ownership of the collection, it does not necessarily hold literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them. |
| Alternate form: | The scrapbook has been digitized and is available in Rhode Island College Digital Commons. |
| Preferred citation: | Rhode Island Normal School. Columbian Exposition Scrapbook, CA-0013, Special Collections, James P. Adams Library, Rhode Island College. |
| Contact information: | Special Collections, James P. Adams Library. Rhode Island College 600 Mount Pleasant Ave Providence, RI, 02908 Tel: 401-456-9653 email:digitalcollections@ric.edu |
Administrative Information
| ABOUT THE COLLECTION | |
| Acquisition: | The collection was in the holdings of Special Collections prior to 1980. |
| Processing information: | The collection was described by Rebecca Docter, Special Collections Intern, under the supervision of Veronica Denison, Digital Archivist and Special Collections Librarian in 2024. |
| ABOUT THE FINDING AID | |
| Author: | Finding aid prepared by Rebecca Docter, Special Collections Intern. |
| Encoding: | This finding aid was encoded by Veronica L. Denison, 2023. |
| Descriptive rules: | Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) |
Additional Information
| Related material: | Rhode Island College Special Collections also holds The Normal Student (CA-0005), a newsletter created by students at the Rhode Island Normal School which documents their lives at the Normal School. |
| Location/Existence of copies: | The scrapbook has been digitized and is available in Rhode Island College Digital Commons. |