Oberlin Industrial School Records

Collection

Identifier: RG 31-006-016

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The records include annual reports, 1885-1913, written by Julia Monroe, Mary Monroe (1854-1917), and Kate Fowler (1860-1933), successive directors of the school; teachers’ class reports, ca. 1887; financial records, 1885-1916; letters from industrial schools in Washington, D.C., and Chicago, ca. 1885; names of teachers and students; lesson plans for teachers; religious lessons, undated; notes on advice to the girls and their mothers, ca. 1885-1892; samples of work done; and a book of prayers, 1885-1888 composed by teachers for use in the school.

Dates

Creation: 1885-1934, undated
Other: Date acquired: 10/22/1980

Creator

Oberlin Industrial School (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Unrestricted

Administrative History

The Oberlin Industrial School was organized in 1885 by Julia Finney Monroe (1837-1930) with the united effort of women from the various Oberlin churches. Its purpose was to teach young girls to sew and knit when their mothers were unable to do so. Classes were held for girls aged 6 to 16 in various local churches on Saturday afternoons from October to May. The girls were taught to make plain garments for themselves from materials furnished by the school and were given religious lessons at the same time. Over the course of 30 years, the school taught more than 900 students. Volunteers from each of the churches served as teachers. The school closed in 1914 when the public schools began to teach sewing.

SOURCES CONSULTED:

Roland M. Baumann, editor, Guide to the Women’s History Sources in the Oberlin College Archives (Oberlin: Oberlin College, 1990).

Note written by Archives staff.