Guide to the Archives

RG1 Board of Trustees

Title: Record Group 1 – Board of Trustees
Call #: RG1
Dates: 1917 – 1989
Quantity: 7.4 cubic feet

Abstract: This record group of the institution was generated by the Board of Trustees beginning in 1917. In over eight decades of Bank Street College and predecessor, the Bureau of Educational Experiments, the Board evolved from one of financial oversight to that of school management, fundraising, and establishing an office of the president. Correspondence, reports, meeting minutes, and charters are large parts of the institutional record-keeping.

Language of Material: English
Location: Bank Street College Archives New York, NY
Preferred Citation: Record Group 1 – Board of Trustees, Box #, Bank Street College Archives, New York, NY

Historical Note

The first meeting of the Board of Trustees took place on April 15, 1917. Present at that meeting were Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, Albert Sprague Coolidge, Lucy Sprague Mitchell and Wesley Clair Mitchell. The Board was responsible for the financial management of the Corporation. All other activities of the Bureau were managed by the Working Council.

As the Bureau grew from its initial mission to “collect and disseminate information concerning progressive education and to promote and conduct educational experiments,” it became evident that role of the Board of Trustees needed to be expanded. In the early 1950s, the Board began to play a more active role in fundraising and management of the College. They also came to the realization that as the College’s programs expanded, a more formal organizational structure was needed. This led to the creation of the position of president.

Scope and Content Note

Contains 7.4 cubic feet of records of the Board of the Bank Street College of Education and its predecessor, the Bureau of Educational Experiments from 1917-2011. The records of the Board of Trustees are divided into two subgroups, The Bureau of Educational Experiments (BEE) and Bank Street College of Education (BSC). Within each subgroup are four series: correspondence and reports, minutes, charters and incorporations, and other records such as legal documents and bank records. Subgroup 1, the Bureau of Educational Experiments (BEE), contains the records of the Board of Trustees of the Bureau from 1917 until 1950. Subgroup 2, Bank Street College of Education (BSC), contains the records of the governing body after the New York State Board of Regents acted to recognize the professional education and training at the Bureau and approved the graduate program at the College.

Descriptions

To search and read detailed descriptions of the series and lists of folder titles within each series, click the following link to access the guide for the entire record group.

Complete Guide to Record Group 1 – Board of Trustees (pdf)

The record group consists of the following subgroups and series.

SUBGROUP 1
BEE (Bureau of Educational Experiments) (1917-1950)

SERIES A – Correspondence and Reports (1950-1999)

SERIES B – Minutes of Meetings (1917-1950)

SERIES C – Charters and Incorporations (1917-1950)

SERIES D – Other Records (1939 -1948)

SUBGROUP 2
BSC (Bank Street College of Education) (1950-2001)

SERIES A – Correspondence and Reports (1950-1999)

SERIES B – Minutes of Meetings (1951-1997)

Controlled Access Headings

  • Corporate Name(s)
    • Bank Street College of Education
    • New York (N.Y.). Bureau of Educational Experiments
  • Genre(s)
    • Administrative records
    • Correspondence
    • Notes
    • Reports
    • School records
  • Geographic Name(s)
    • New York (N.Y.)
    • United States
  • Personal Names(s)
    • Coolidge, Albert Sprague, 1894-1977
    • Coolidge, Elizabeth Sprague, 1864-1953
    • Mitchell, Lucy Sprague, 1878-1967
    • Mitchell, Wesley C. (Wesley Clair), 1874-1948
  • Subject(s)
    • Educators
    • Progressive education
    • Teachers colleges — New York (State)
    • Teachers — Training of — History
    • Teachers — Training of — New York (State) — New York