Showing 7 results

Content warning: The materials include inaccurate, derogatory, and/or offensive depictions of people indigenous to the area and references to minstrel show performances.

The Annual Report began as a report submitted to the New Jersey State Legislature in 1855, and later to the New Jersey State Board of Education. The earliest issues contain essays and remarks by the school’s principals; descriptions of the Normal School and Model School curricula and courses; information about admissions standards; college finances; rules about student life and behavior; and lists of students, faculty and staff.

From 1855 to 1907, the publication was named Annual Report. Then from 1908-1933, it was named Annual Report and Catalogue (or Catalog). In 1930, separate Bulletins were issued for extension courses.Then, beginning in 1933-1934, the name of the publication changed to Bulletin and no longer contained “Annual Report” in its title. This new State Teachers College Bulletin was serialized to four issues per academic year: the first issue contained the first semester extension courses, the second was the main course catalog, the third published the second semester extension courses, and the fourth contained the summer school courses. This format was fairly consistent into the 1950s until the school published graduate bulletins later in the decade. In the 1960s, separate bulletins were published for field services and guides for applicants. In the 1970s, another issue was added for continuing education courses.

Of special note, the parameters of the academic year changed many times before settling on the current format of the school year beginning in autumn and finishing in the summer of the following year. For many issues of the Annual Report, the year began in what we would now consider the second or Spring semester. Often, the Bulletin contained the summer session in the year previous or following. During both world wars, issues had combined years likely to save paper. In more recent years, the Graduate Bulletin was issued with a different volume numbering system than the others in the series.

The content of the Annual Reports during the Normal school years contained a good deal of information about faculty updates, student life and activities, as well as photographs of buildings, classrooms, and groups of students. The Bulletins were structured more like a typical course catalog, but all graduates’ names continued to be printed until 1956.

Annual group portraits of graduating classes. Many years have graduating classes in February and June. There are a small number of group portraits of Model School classes through 1912, as well. Additionally, there are a handful of faculty group portraits.

This collection documents the ceremonies and related events of Commencement and/or graduation exercises at The College of New Jersey spanning 1858 to the present day.

The collection includes the following materials:

Commencement invitations - These are formal printed invitations that may include a student’s calling card or handwritten details during the Normal School years, as well as commercially printed invitations used to date, c. 1869-2005 (bulk c. 1869-1920, 1977-2005).

Class Day and/or week programs - These are often beautifully printed and bound with cord and tassels, which likely served as a keepsake for students of the Normal and Model Schools. They list the schedule of activities for a graduating class during a day or over the span of a week. In some cases, they also include the Commencement program (c. 1894-1924).

The Normal and Model Schools classes of 1917 did not have a Class Day, but instead participated in Red Cross activities supporting World War I. The Model School as a K-12 school ended after the class of 1917, when it became “The Training School” offering only the elementary grades. In the 1930s, official Class Day or Week activities were replaced by less formal “Senior Week” activities, which continued off and on over the decades. Search The Signal newspaper for more information https://dr.tcnj.edu/handle/2900/275

Commencement tickets - These are admission tickets to the Normal or Model School Commencement ceremonies, usually at Taylor Opera House, c.1873-1901.

Commencement programs - These are printed programs of the Commencement ceremony, often containing the names of all graduating students. During the Normal School years, some have various embossed and/or multicolor illustrations of the school, insignia, or decorative lettering. Later programs have fewer design elements. The collection is mostly complete after 1891 with the exception of 2000, c. 1883-2023.

Promotion Exercises programs - These were for the Grammar A Class of the Model School, which held a graduation-style ceremony, c. 1909-1917.

Class and school songs - These are separate printed pages of songs to be sung during Commencement and other graduation events, usually containing a unique song for the graduating class and other school anthems and/or alma mater, c. 1899-1901.

Baccalaureate programs - These were printed as separate programs c. 1934-1964, but during the Normal School years, information about the Baccalaureate service was listed in the Class Day/Week or Commencement programs.

Programs for departmental, diploma, or other special graduation ceremonies - These are programs for Commencement events held outside of the main ceremony, often for graduate students or special groups, c. 1967; c. 2016-2023.

Original speeches - There are two handwritten speeches: “I Have Wandered in my Dreams,” is a Commencement speech from 1870 whose author is unknown. The Annual Report for that year lists Mary F. Chadwick and Rosalie A. Collins as presenters of "honorary essays," and Katie L. Wilson was valedictorian. And "The Child's Ability to Reason" was a valedictory essay written by Ira Collins, but read by O. Watson Flavelle, due to Collins’ ill health at June 1899 Commencement.

Graduation or Commencement Bulletins - These are newsletters that contain information and schedule of events around the Commencement ceremony. c. 1969-1999

Graduation Convocation program - During some years, the college held an August graduation combined with the annual Convocation ceremony. These programs document those ceremonies, c. 1960-1967.

Scrapbooks - There are two scrapbooks in this series: The older scrapbook (c. 1873-1921) contains ephemera related to Commencement such as invitations, tickets, and programs for Senior class activities and the Commencement ceremony from the era of the Normal School.

In the 1908-1932 scrapbook, many of the Commencement programs only have the page with the events of the day and do not have the cover and/or a page listing the graduate’s names. Starting in 1918, some of them have the page with graduates’ names, but they were at one time pasted into a notebook that has since been disassembled but the back pages of the brochures may not be accessible and/or readable.

This collection contains the literary and social critique publications of the college, with the exception of The Signal newspapers and fraternal and sororal organizations' newsletters. The collection is divided into 12 Series:
Series 1, So to Speak, 1938
Series 2, Sigma Phi Alpha Poetry Contest, 1938-1939
Series 3, Sophomore English Majors Publications, 1950-1956
Series 4, The Chimes/Chimes, 1957-1980, T.S.C. Poetry Review: Chimes, 1980-1983, Lion's Eye/The Lion's Eye, 1984-present
Series 5, The Trenton Review, 1966, The Trenton State College Review 1990-1996, The College of New Jersey Review, 1997-2005
Series 6, Utimme Umana: La Voz Oculta, 1972-1990
Series 7, Fire II, 1973-1987
Series 8, Gumption, 1980-1983
Series 9, Emanon Enizagam, 1986
Series 10, Siren, 1995-2007

Content warning: Some of the published music in this collection was used in minstrel shows and some song lyrics may contain racist and harmful depictions of marginalized groups, sexist or misogynistic language, and xenophobic attitudes and opinions.

The collection contains autobiographical information including a curriculum vitae-like document composed after Bray’s retirement. She also jotted down notes for a “Typical day at retirement home” that might have been for an article in the home’s newsletter or other publication.

Her teaching and grading materials include handwritten music for portions of three Richard Wagner works: “Das Rheingold,” “Walkure,” and “Siegfried,” that may have been used for her 1933-1934 class: “German Music of the Romantic Period.” Grading materials include a “Colonial Class Register" notebook from 1947-1948 containing students’ names and grades for the following classes: Chorus, Elementary Appreciation Methods, Supervision of Music, Child Voice, High School Appreciation Methods, and Student Teaching. Also included are handwritten evaluations for the following students, mostly of the class of 1951: Albert Bazzel, Glenn Welshon, Vilma Kosco, and Doris Allen. Bray retired in 1948, which indicates that these students may have been among her last at Trenton State College.

The correspondence contains a variety of material. She received compliments for school performances she directed, as well as congratulations on her retirement. Many letters are from former students who also included updates on their lives or anecdotes about their time in Bray’s classes. There are several letters from Helen Layton Lowrey who worked in the college’s business office and who did Bray’s taxes during several years of her retirement. These letters include news about other former faculty members including Doris Perry and Lulu Haskell. There also are a few letters that Bray wrote to Trenton State College Presidents Edwin Martin and Clayton Brower that include biographical information and details about the development of the Music Department. Finally, there are letters from Effie G. Kuhn, the Head of the Speech Department from 1919-1952, and K. Elizabeth “Betty” Ingalls, an instructor of Music from 1940-1948.

There are two items of ephemera: a pamphlet from the Supervisors School of Music in Westfield, New Jersey, from 1918, and a program for the dedication of Bray Hall in 1964. Publications include a set (with multiple copies) of Bray’s Phono-Song Course, Books 1 - 4, from 1920, and a small number of issues of “Oak Leaves” newsletter from Bray’s retirement home.

Series 1 - Faculty Registers, 1856-1961
The Payroll (spelled “Pay Roll” on cover) Register contains the monthly wages of faculty and administrators of the New Jersey State Normal School from May/June 1856, through January 1873. The register lists the faculty names and amounts due with their signature arranged in order of highest to lowest salaries per month. Beginning in 1857, there was no pay during the summer months of July and August.

The Faculty Book is a combination of a register and scrapbook. It was likely begun by Principal James Green or his secretary around 1895, to record information about faculty members. It contains a handwritten index of faculty names (all of whom appear to be employed by the school by 1902) corresponding to brief handwritten biographies. It also has pasted-in recommendation letters and clippings about faculty members up to 1907, handwritten and pasted-in clippings about Normal School trustees and officers, legislation approving new residence halls in 1890, and New Jersey State Board of Education minutes. Also included in the book was a loose copy of a memo from James Green instructing all teachers to fill out information for a registry.

The Teacher’s Register is a set of 176 cards that appear to be the registry referred to in the memo from James Green in the Faculty Book. Each card records a faculty member’s education background, credentials, and publications, created from 1902-1928. Some cards have additional annotations that date up to 1961 about deaths, name changes, or date a teacher left the Normal School.

Series 2 - Student Registers, 1855-1924
The Teacher Contracts book was signed by each student upon entrance to the New Jersey State Normal School agreeing to the following statement printed on each page:

“The undersigned, having received Certificates of admission as Pupils in the New Jersey State Normal School, hereby declare, that it is their intention to engage in the employment of Teachers in the Common Schools of this state for at least two years, and that their object in resorting to this school, is the better to qualify themselves for that responsible duty. The undersigned also hereby agree to report themselves semi-annually, in writing, for the aforesaid period of two years, to the Principal of the Normal School, in case they enjoy its privileges for one term or more.”

The student’s town and county of residence also is included with their signature. The first student to sign was Emma B. Pearson in 1855. The last signature is from 1916.

The Final Grades Books are three volumes (Volume 1 - 1871-1889, Volume 2 - 1889-1901, Volume 3 - 1901-1912) which record a student’s final set of grades in each academic subject, similar to today’s transcript. Students’ names are listed alphabetically by their last name, then chronologically by graduating year. Each entry records the student’s name, date of entrance to the school, final grade average by subject, and remarks. The grading system was either the same as or similar to the numerical scale of 100 used today, or a letter scoring system: E = Excellent, VG = Very Good, G = Good, F = Fair, P = Poor/Failure.

In the second volume, there is a list of approved schools and their details. Only students from these schools would have been accepted at the Normal School. There are additional columns for student information such as age at entrance, name of preparatory school, and date of graduation from the Normal School. This volume contains more information in the remarks field such as notations about extra work performed or additional special classes attended outside of the regular curriculum. In addition, it appears that the first page of students’ names was originally glued down, likely due to an error of starting names beginning with B on the A pages resulting in the first pages seeming to be out of order.

The third volume is similar to the others except the grades change to the letter scale and there are more remarks about students’ personal situations, such as leaving to be married, leaving with discipline, or leaving due to “double failure.”

The Grade Books and Reports are four volumes (Volume 1 - June 1895-February 1902, Volume 2 - June 1902-June 1909, Volume 3 - 1910-1915, Volume 4 - February 1916-Feburary 1922) that record graduating students’ grades in teaching practice, style, and form; the school grades or subjects for which they would be qualified to teach; and comments about their performance. The lists are arranged chronologically by class graduating year, then alphabetically by name. At the time, grading was described in Time the Great Teacher by Rachel M. Jarrold and Glenn E. Fromm, “...School marking of the pupils was an elaborate process, which would lead teachers of today to rise in rebellion.”

The grading system in these volumes was made up of three different scales: a set of numbers from 1 to 5 (1 being the highest) for style and form, 1 to 100 for academic achievement, and the letter system described in the Final Grades Books (E = Excellent, VG = Very Good, G = Good, F = Fair, P = Poor/Failure) for teaching practice. The comments about a student’s performance were for both academic work and as a student teacher. These remarks ranged from “...unsympathetic, due to lack of facial expression,” and “...teaching is superficial, sometimes inaccurate…,” to “...not very intelligent, but manages fairly well….”

The first volume lists a students’ names and grades in Discipline, Originality, Intelligence, Manner, Teaching, Practice (academic work), Music, and grade level qualified to teach. The second volume adds a student’s home address and the subject areas of Kindergarten, Vocal or Instrumental Music, History, Mathematics, Nature Study, Psychology, English, Latin, German, and French. It drops “Originality” as an assessment. In June 1908, a column was added for “State Teaching Center,” which was the school where the student began their required teaching assignment. The fourth volume adds a column for the student’s age.

The Appointments Registers are two volumes (Volume 1 - June 1909-June 1916 and
Volume 2 - February 1917-June 1923) that list Normal School students' teaching appointments to schools throughout New Jersey. After graduating, students were required to teach at appointed schools in the state for at least two years. Arranged alphabetically by graduating class year, this register contains the student's name; home or permanent mailing address; school’s address; grade taught; salary; and memoranda which might include name change due to marriage, death information, number of years teaching, and other pertinent information.

Series 3 - Visitor Register, 1918-1925
The Visitors Register lists guests to the New Jersey State Normal School between March 4, 1918, and March 18, 1925. The register includes the guest's name, address, class year if an alumnus, and remarks for reason of visit. Types of visits include school administrators seeking new teachers, club reunions at the Normal School, and friendly visits to former teachers.

Content warning: Some of the yearbooks from 1911 through the 1930s contain racist illustrations of figures in blackface and minstrel characters, as well as inaccurate, derogatory, and/or offensive depictions of Asian and Indigenous people.

The first issue of The Seal was focused on the history and activities of the Class of 1911 and included sections on “class prophecies,” “statistics” of each student, a calendar of the year’s past events, poems, ditties and songs, vignettes of events in each department and hall (dorm) life, listings of the literary societies as well as social clubs (such as “the red mice” and “the clammy six”), a group portrait of the class and some of the societies and clubs, and advertising from Trenton businesses. The seniors were listed in a directory and did not have individual portraits. The next yearbook, 1912, had a similar format, but also included a list of faculty members, as well as photographs of the campus buildings. Starting in 1915, there were individual portraits of graduating seniors (1913 had individual portraits as well, but not 1914). The format remained fairly consistent afterward, however a few issues from the 1920s also have the Juniors, or class of February of the next year listed in the book with the previous May graduates. The Yearbook Club had several name variations, including: Year-Book Club, Year Book Club, or just “Yearbook” or “Seal.”

The collection is complete from 1911 until The Seal ceased publication in 2017. No issue was printed in 1944 due to World War II restrictions.

In addition, there are a few folders of ephemera, correspondence, photographs, obituaries, and other clippings taken from books formerly belonging to Vivian Rolandelli, Kenneth Weber, and Jessie Turk.