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Citizenship Book of I and II Forms

An inventory of the collection at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: MRC
Date: 5 May 2021

Biographical History

The Bennett School for Girls was founded in 1890 in Irvington, New York. It moved to Millbrook, New York in 1907. The school initially offered a six-year program (four years of high school and two of advanced study), but at some point in the early 1900s the high school years were discontinued and the name changed to Bennett College. Typical of girls' schools/women's colleges of the time, the programs of study were limited to liberal and fine arts (fashion design, music, history, child development, etc.). The college closed in 1978.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Citizenship Book of I and II Forms consist of a single composition notebook and a number of laid-in items.

The notebook is labeled on the front "First and Second Forms Citizenship 1911-12" and on the first page as "Citizenship Book of I and II Forms." Facing this page is a glued-in sheet labeled "I and II Form Pledge". Inside is the single sentence "I agree not to chew chewing-gum in the Bennett School" followed by the signatures of twenty or so students (see below). The book appears to be an ongoing record of the "good citizen" behaviors of student at the school, both individually and in groups under the rotating leadership of one another. Activities listed include such things as "Turned out lights in study hall", "Took a First Former out walking", "Stopped rumors", and "Helped lonesome girls." One item mentions a "Princeton-Yale game." The emphasis overall is on neatness, cleanliness, politeness, kindness, and helpfulness.

Laid-in items include a note to a Miss Abbott, presumably a teacher, and summary lists from each of the students regarding her citizenship activities (one is headed "Contributions to the Citizenship Cup" which suggests there may have been some sort of competition among the students). There are also two photographs: a small candid photo of several girls in a meadow, wearing costumes and waving swords, and a larger formal head-and-shoulders portrait of a young woman stamped "Mishkin NY" and labeled in pencil on the back "Potter." One of the students mentioned in the collection is a Rosamond Potter, this may be she.

Names of students appearing in the collection are as follows: Dorothy Ballantyne, Sara E. Houk[?], Laura M. Balfe, Marion D. Young, Gertrude E. Hall, Elaine E. Orr, Grace Alexis Orr, P. Seeberger, Edith Hunter, Adelaide Flint, Rosamond Potter, Roslyn Morey, Christiana Donlan, Marian Fuller, Florence Shepherd, Frances Jarecki, Nada Handley, Virginia Whitehead, Laure Stone, Charlotte Boeckler, and R. Wills.

Arrangement of the Collection

Single volume, with laid-in material in separate folder.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Related Material

The Bennett College Archives are held by the Millbrook Library, Millbrook, New York.

Subject Headings

Corporate Bodies

Bennett School.

Subjects

Girls -- Education.
Girls -- Social conditions.
Girls' schools -- United States.
Women -- Education.
Women -- Social conditions.

Places

Millbrook (N.Y.)
New York (State)

Genres and Forms

Clippings (information artifacts)
Correspondence.
Journals (accounts)
Photographs.
Student projects.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Citizenship Book of I and II Forms,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Purchase, 2021.

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Memorabilia

Inventory