Guide to the Campus Laboratory School Records

2008-01-15

5500 Campanile Dr. MC 8050

San Diego, CA, 92182-8050

URL: http://library.sdsu.edu/scua

Email: scref@rohan.sdsu.edu

Phone: 619-594-6791

Guide to the Campus Laboratory School Records 1899/1997

Special Collections & University Archives

Overview of the Collection

Collection Title: Campus Laboratory School Records

Dates: 1899-1997

Bulk Dates: 1950-1970

Identification: MS-0299

Creator: Campus Laboratory School

Physical Description: 5.51 linear ft

Language of Materials: English

Repository: Special Collections & University Archives

5500 Campanile Dr. MC 8050

San Diego, CA, 92182-8050

URL: http://library.sdsu.edu/scua

Email: scref@rohan.sdsu.edu

Phone: 619-594-6791

Historical Note:

Initially named the Training School, the Campus Laboratory School (or Campus Lab School) was established in 1900, and located on the State Normal School campus. The school provided instruction for elementary, middle, and high school students in small classes where they could receive more individualized instruction. Besides serving as a grammar school, the Training School allowed Normal School students the opportunity to instruct the students themselves, thus providing practice and teaching experience. When Edward Hardy began his term as president in 1910, he discontinued the high school segment of the Training School because increasing enrollment (by 1910 the Training School had over four hundred students) was causing space problems. To accommodate the growth in enrollment the school moved into a separate building.

When the college moved to Montezuma Mesa in 1931, the Training School maintained its own separate building on the new campus as part of the science complex. This new facility featured classrooms, a library, and a playground. In 1936, the school set up a Child Study Laboratory for Home Economics students to earn credit towards their degrees. In 1953, during a period of campus expansion, the Campus Lab School again relocated to a new building, and officially changed its name to the Campus Laboratory School. Several years later, because of an influx of students in the School of Education, the Campus Lab School transitioned from its original purpose as a "practice" school to an observation and research center. Although students in the teacher program were still able to student teach at the school, the majority of students observed classes and instructional techniques at the school, and received their student teaching experience at other San Diego public schools.

Despite this shift in function, the school remained extremely popular, and had a long waitlist by 1960. In addition, the school's curriculum was innovative and on the cutting-edge of educational techniques, child development, and teaching training. The school experimented with individualized curriculum, a non-graded organizational structure, team teaching, self-directed learning, creative teaching, bilingual programs, and programs for special needs and gifted students, all of which propelled the Campus Lab School and San Diego State's teaching program to national recognition. In 1970, state budget cuts forced the closure of the Campus Lab School. The old Campus Lab site was razed in 1991.

Access Terms

This collection is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.

Corporate Name:

San Diego State University. Campus Laboratory School -- Archives

San Diego State University. Campus Laboratory School -- History -- Sources

Genre/Form of Material:

Institutional Archives

Photographs

Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Use:

The copyright interests in some of these materials have been transferred to or belong to San Diego State University. The nature of historical archival and manuscript collections means that copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine. Copyright resides with the creators of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. Requests for permission to publish must be submitted to the Head of Special Collections, San Diego State University, Library and Information Access. When granted, permission is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder(s), which must also be obtained in order to publish. Materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials.

Conditions Governing Access:

This collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation:

Identification of item, folder title, box number, Campus Laboratory School Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Library and Information Access, San Diego State University.

Arrangement of Materials:

I. Administrative Files, 1899-1993

II. Library Files, 1950-1970

III. Parents Association Files, 1949-1971

IV. Campus Lab School Publications, 1955-1977

V. Photograph, Scrapbook, and Student Project Files, 1925-1970

Scope and Contents

The Campus Laboratory School Records (1899-1997) document the operation, administration, and mission of the San Diego State University Campus Lab School, and includes correspondence, reports, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, photographs, student work, and meeting minutes. The majority of materials primarily date from the 1960s and focus on the school's innovative teaching methods and experimentation. Highlights include several scrapbooks with photographs of students working on school projects, staging plays, and going on field trips. The collection is divided into five series: Administrative Files (1899-1993), Library Files (1950-1970), Parents Association Files (1949-1971), Campus Lab School Publications (1955-1977), and Photograph, Scrapbook, and Student Project Files (1925-1970).

The Administrative Files (1899-1993) document the day-to-day operations of the Campus Lab School. Highlights include a Sixth Grade Camp "scrapbook," which details the founding, planning, and logistics of the sixth grade camp program. The series consists of correspondence and reports, and provides very limited documentation prior to 1955 or after 1970.

The Library Files (1950-1970) document the operation, activities, and statistics of the Campus Lab library. These files primarily consist of daily, monthly, and annual reports, which contain reference and circulation statistics, although there is some correspondence. Of particular interest is the "Unusual Questions" section of the monthly reports.

The Parents Association Files (1949-1971) document the administration and activities of the Campus Lab Parents Association. Highlights include meeting minutes, which discuss everything from a disturbance at the Christmas pageant to starting a glee club. Arranged alphabetically, these files include council minutes, committee files, reports, bulletins, and by-laws.

The Campus Lab Publication Files (1955-1977) document Campus Lab activities, research, and notable events. Arranged by publication, these files consist of Campus Lab newsletters, reports, and instructional materials for various teaching methods, technologies, and class projects. The materials primarily date from the late 1950s to 1960s.

The Photograph, Scrapbook, and Student Project Files (1925-1970) visually document Campus Lab School activities and events, such as field trips, class projects, student work, and class photographs. Of particular interest are materials relating the 1997 Campus Lab School reunion, and hand-made books students created for a class project including The Lost Swan, Sandy the Seal, and The Little House.

Detailed List of Contents

Administrative Records 1899-1970

Box 1, Folder 1

List of Deans of College of Education & Principals of Lab School 1899 - 1993

Box 1, Folder 2

Counselor - outgoing correspondence 1960 - 69

Box 1, Folder 3

Principal - incoming correspondence 1960 - 69

Box 1, Folder 4

Principal - outgoing correspondence 1960 - 70

Box 1, Folder 5

Vice Principal - outgoing correspondence 1950 - 59

Box 1, Folder 6

Policy/procedure statements 1955 - 67

Box 1, Folder 7

Miscellaneous curricular material c. 1968 - 70

Box 1, Folder 8

Present and future status 1969

Box 1, Folder 9

Policy for admission, application blank, programs report, test, health, accident, and immunization forms n.d.

Box 1, Folder 10

Facilities information miscellaneous 1969 - 70

Box 1, Folder 11

Faculty bulletins 1969 - 70

Box 1, Folder 12

Closing and Correspondence 1969 - 70, 1991

Box 1, Folder 13

Annual Report 1969 - 70

Box 1, Folder 14

State College Lab School program report CLS in the California State Colleges n.d.

Box 1, Folder 15

Campus Laboratory School revisions 1962

Box 1, Folder 16

CLS former teachers and students first Reunion 1960, Graduation of sixth grade 1959, Teacher summer session 1959

Box 1, Folder 17

Music Department - outgoing correspondence 1962

Box 1, Folder 18

Sixth Grade Camp Scrapbook 1962 - 70

Box 1, Folder 19

Summer Operation of Campus Lab School April 1966

Box 1, Folder 20

Newspaper clippings 1969 - 70

Box 1, Folder 21

Newspaper clippings 1962

Box 1, Folder 22

Newspaper clippings 1958 - 61

Box 1, Folder 23

SDSC Training School, Class List of 1941

Library Files 1950-1970

Box 1, Folder 24

Librarian - correspondence 1950 - 59, '66

Box 1, Folder 25

Floor Plan 1950

Box 1, Folder 26

Guides to the use of unknown 1969

Box 1, Folder 27

Annual reports 1961 - 68

Box 1, Folder 28