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Ottawa Hills Elementary PTA records

 Collection
Identifier: Collection 060

Scope and Contents

The collection documents the founding and development of the Ottawa Hills Elementary Parent Teacher Association (PTA). The PTA was involved in providing room mother service to assist teachers, raising funds for school equipment and supplies, fostering a close rapport between parents and teachers and during the 1950s were very active in establishing civil defense procedures for the school. The minutes and scrapbooks provide the names of the officers over the years as well as committee and subcommittee reports which provide an insight into the parents' concerns at various time periods.

Dates

  • 1929-1980

Biographical / Historical

The Ottawa Hills Elementary School was opened in 1925, but did not provide instruction for grades K-4. Children in these grades had to attend other schools in the school district's system. In 1929 parents from the school's neighborhood petitioned the school board to add K-4 instruction to the school. The school board agreed, so in the fall of 1929 the school also had classes for K-4. As a result, the parents who had led the petition drive met on 20 October 1929 and founded the Parent-Teacher Association. The first officers were Mrs. Hilton Adams, Mrs. Roger Verseput, Mrs. A.D. Rathbone, IV and Mrs. William H. North.

Extent

2.8 Linear Feet (Seven boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Ottawa Hills Elementary (Grand Rapids, Mich.) Parent Teacher Association (PTA) was founded in 1929. This collection consists primarily of meeting minutes from the organization's founding until 1956 and a scrapbook compilation of the organization's history from 1929 to 1970. The scrapbook contains extensive information on fund raising, school administration, the school physical plant, parent-teacher relations, civil defense procedures, room mother programs and names of the various people involved in the organization.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Ottawa Hills Elementary PTA, accession number 00-000

Title
Finding aid for the Ottawa Hills Elementary PTA records
Status
Completed
Author
Richard H. Harms
Date
January 1988/January 1990
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Grand Rapids History Center Repository

Contact:
Grand Rapids Public Library
111 Library Street NE
Grand Rapids Michigan 49503 USA
616-988-5497