Rose Shapiro papers, 1955-1969
Scope and Contents
The bulk of these papers cover the years 1963- 1969, the period of Rose Shapiro’s membership in the Board of Education. Generally, original order and folder headings have been maintained. The papers are arranged by sub-series: Committee, Bureaus, Subject Files and Decentralization. Decentralization has been separated from the Subject Files because of its size and importance.
The folders within each sub-series contain correspondence, news clippings, publications, legal documents, minutes and flyers. They remain in their original folders and are arranged chronologically.
As a member of the Board, Shapiro received material sent to other Board members. As a consequence, most of the documents are not addressed to or created by Rose Shapiro specifically. Those materials which are produced by Shapiro are mostly after 1968 when she became president, and topics and committees she was directly involved in, are described below.
The Sub-Series 1 and 2, Committees and Bureaus, contain folders that are related to subject files in Sub-Series 3 and 4. The Committee and Bureaus, Sub-Series 1 and 2, contain only those committees and bureaus that are formally part of the Board of Education and folders which were labeled correspondingly. Relationships that may not be obvious are: the records of the Committee on Business Affairs, Temporary Commission of City Finances, Committee of Federal, State, and City Programs and Bureau of Attendance, all include material related to the subject of Fiscal Independence (Sub-Series 3, folders 54 and 55). The Committee of Federal, State, and City Programs also deals with legislation and the folders labeled “Legislation” (Sub-Series 3, folders 64-74). Both the Advisory and Evaluation Committee and the Committee on Confederation of Local School Boards are related to Decentralization (sub-series 4). The Advisory and Evaluation Committee was chaired by John H. Neimeyer, president of the Bank Street College of Education: see note on related topics at Teachers College on page 9 of this inventory.)
Sub-Series 3 is composed of the Subject Files, which are the largest sub-series in this collection. The original folder headings are retained except when preceded by three newly created categories which are: Construction, Legislation, and Personnel/Employees. This was done in order to collocate folders or related materials which otherwise would have been dispersed throughout the sub-series. Under the category “Construction” materials relating to contractors, naming of schools and site selection have been brought together. The label “Legislation” has brought Constitutional Convention, New York Assembly and Senate, and State Aids together. These all pertain to the federal and state requirements for financing, pupal reports, and fiscal independence (Folders 54 and 55). “Personnel/Employees” refers to employment, training, and benefits at all levels within the Board of Education.
Sub-Series 4 refers to Decentralization. The folders on general decentralization contain a statement from the Board of Education, a proposed plan, and a news release from April 19, 1967 when decentralization was adopted. There are materials on the demonstration projects where decentralization went into effect at I.S. 201, Manhattan, Ocean Hill- Brownsville (Brooklyn), and Two Bridges (Manhattan) as well as Joan of Arc (J.H.S. 118, Manhattan), which never became a demonstration project. These folders include telegrams and flyers from the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) and others announcing meetings and demonstrations. The Ocean Hill-Brownsville (Folders 11-16) are particularly noteworthy for the papers regarding a legal dispute with Rhody McCoy, the Unit Administrator. The Two Bridges project folders (Folders 17 and 18) contain correspondence with Parents Education Action Committee on Education (PEACE).
Rose Shapiro was chair, in 1960, of the Citizen’s Committee for the Children of New York, Inc. (CCC). There are three folders (Sub-Series 3, Folders 24-26) on this committee. She continued to receive correspondence from them throughout her membership at the Board of Education and remained updated on this civic group’s opinion on various issues.
The Dentler Reports (Sub-Series 3, Folders 42 and 43) were compiled by Robert A. Dentler, Institute of Urban Folders at Teaches College. These reports contain materials related to Educational Parks (Sub-series c, Folders 44-50) and the Linear City plans (Sub-Series 3, Folders 76-82). The folders on Educational Parks contain plans for other large city developments as well as New York’s; these were arranged by Dentler. The Linear City plans developed for the Board of Education by General Electric. These are all attempts to enhance community development and desegregate the school prior to decentralization.
The folders with the headings “History of Integration” (Sub-Series 3, Folders 56-60) relate to efforts made, mostly in 1966, to improve integration. Shapiro was a member on the Committee on Integration (Sub-Series 1, Folder 24). These folders include documents regarding school pairing (see Sub-Series 3, Folders 22-23) and the More Effective School Program. The folders on Racial Prejudice (Folders 107-109) include material on the Hatchett Case, which occurred in Ocean Hill- Brownsville.
Sub-Series 3, Folders 115-119 contain materials relating to Sex Education This was developed and accepted into the curriculum of the Board of Education in June of 1967 after much work by Shapiro. These folders include publications, training and materials on methods for sex education instruction and its incorporation into a new curriculum, “Family living, including sex education.” Sex education was generally accepted and Shapiro received support from various organizations including the United Parents Association (UPA), the Public Education Association (PEA), Sex Information and Education Council of the U.S. (SEICUS) (Sub-Series 3, Folder 117) and the Community Service Society of New York (Sub-Series 3, Folder 119). Education is the folder on Cyesis (pregnancy) (Sub-Series 3, Folder 41).
The reports on Decentralization include the McGeorge Bundy Report (from the Ford Foundation) prepared for the Mayors Panel on Decentralization. The Bundy Report criticized the Board of Education’s plan for decentralization and received support from the United Parents Association (UPA). The Regents Proposal (Sub-Series 4, Folders 24 and 25), from the New York State Board of Regents, another plan for decentralization, was supported by the Citizen’s Committee for the Children of New York (CCC) and not the UPA. These folders also contain Regent Max J. Rubin’s plan to abolish the Board of Education and replace it with a Commissioner of Education appointed by the Mayor. On March 22, 1968, Shapiro made a public statement in opposition to this.
The folders within each sub-series contain correspondence, news clippings, publications, legal documents, minutes and flyers. They remain in their original folders and are arranged chronologically.
As a member of the Board, Shapiro received material sent to other Board members. As a consequence, most of the documents are not addressed to or created by Rose Shapiro specifically. Those materials which are produced by Shapiro are mostly after 1968 when she became president, and topics and committees she was directly involved in, are described below.
The Sub-Series 1 and 2, Committees and Bureaus, contain folders that are related to subject files in Sub-Series 3 and 4. The Committee and Bureaus, Sub-Series 1 and 2, contain only those committees and bureaus that are formally part of the Board of Education and folders which were labeled correspondingly. Relationships that may not be obvious are: the records of the Committee on Business Affairs, Temporary Commission of City Finances, Committee of Federal, State, and City Programs and Bureau of Attendance, all include material related to the subject of Fiscal Independence (Sub-Series 3, folders 54 and 55). The Committee of Federal, State, and City Programs also deals with legislation and the folders labeled “Legislation” (Sub-Series 3, folders 64-74). Both the Advisory and Evaluation Committee and the Committee on Confederation of Local School Boards are related to Decentralization (sub-series 4). The Advisory and Evaluation Committee was chaired by John H. Neimeyer, president of the Bank Street College of Education: see note on related topics at Teachers College on page 9 of this inventory.)
Sub-Series 3 is composed of the Subject Files, which are the largest sub-series in this collection. The original folder headings are retained except when preceded by three newly created categories which are: Construction, Legislation, and Personnel/Employees. This was done in order to collocate folders or related materials which otherwise would have been dispersed throughout the sub-series. Under the category “Construction” materials relating to contractors, naming of schools and site selection have been brought together. The label “Legislation” has brought Constitutional Convention, New York Assembly and Senate, and State Aids together. These all pertain to the federal and state requirements for financing, pupal reports, and fiscal independence (Folders 54 and 55). “Personnel/Employees” refers to employment, training, and benefits at all levels within the Board of Education.
Sub-Series 4 refers to Decentralization. The folders on general decentralization contain a statement from the Board of Education, a proposed plan, and a news release from April 19, 1967 when decentralization was adopted. There are materials on the demonstration projects where decentralization went into effect at I.S. 201, Manhattan, Ocean Hill- Brownsville (Brooklyn), and Two Bridges (Manhattan) as well as Joan of Arc (J.H.S. 118, Manhattan), which never became a demonstration project. These folders include telegrams and flyers from the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) and others announcing meetings and demonstrations. The Ocean Hill-Brownsville (Folders 11-16) are particularly noteworthy for the papers regarding a legal dispute with Rhody McCoy, the Unit Administrator. The Two Bridges project folders (Folders 17 and 18) contain correspondence with Parents Education Action Committee on Education (PEACE).
Rose Shapiro was chair, in 1960, of the Citizen’s Committee for the Children of New York, Inc. (CCC). There are three folders (Sub-Series 3, Folders 24-26) on this committee. She continued to receive correspondence from them throughout her membership at the Board of Education and remained updated on this civic group’s opinion on various issues.
The Dentler Reports (Sub-Series 3, Folders 42 and 43) were compiled by Robert A. Dentler, Institute of Urban Folders at Teaches College. These reports contain materials related to Educational Parks (Sub-series c, Folders 44-50) and the Linear City plans (Sub-Series 3, Folders 76-82). The folders on Educational Parks contain plans for other large city developments as well as New York’s; these were arranged by Dentler. The Linear City plans developed for the Board of Education by General Electric. These are all attempts to enhance community development and desegregate the school prior to decentralization.
The folders with the headings “History of Integration” (Sub-Series 3, Folders 56-60) relate to efforts made, mostly in 1966, to improve integration. Shapiro was a member on the Committee on Integration (Sub-Series 1, Folder 24). These folders include documents regarding school pairing (see Sub-Series 3, Folders 22-23) and the More Effective School Program. The folders on Racial Prejudice (Folders 107-109) include material on the Hatchett Case, which occurred in Ocean Hill- Brownsville.
Sub-Series 3, Folders 115-119 contain materials relating to Sex Education This was developed and accepted into the curriculum of the Board of Education in June of 1967 after much work by Shapiro. These folders include publications, training and materials on methods for sex education instruction and its incorporation into a new curriculum, “Family living, including sex education.” Sex education was generally accepted and Shapiro received support from various organizations including the United Parents Association (UPA), the Public Education Association (PEA), Sex Information and Education Council of the U.S. (SEICUS) (Sub-Series 3, Folder 117) and the Community Service Society of New York (Sub-Series 3, Folder 119). Education is the folder on Cyesis (pregnancy) (Sub-Series 3, Folder 41).
The reports on Decentralization include the McGeorge Bundy Report (from the Ford Foundation) prepared for the Mayors Panel on Decentralization. The Bundy Report criticized the Board of Education’s plan for decentralization and received support from the United Parents Association (UPA). The Regents Proposal (Sub-Series 4, Folders 24 and 25), from the New York State Board of Regents, another plan for decentralization, was supported by the Citizen’s Committee for the Children of New York (CCC) and not the UPA. These folders also contain Regent Max J. Rubin’s plan to abolish the Board of Education and replace it with a Commissioner of Education appointed by the Mayor. On March 22, 1968, Shapiro made a public statement in opposition to this.
Extent
9.5 cubic feet (19 boxes)
Dates
1955-1969
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research with the exception of a select number of series containing restricted records. More information can be found within the series-level description for those series affected. Advance notice is required for using original material. Please contact us to arrange access.
Additional Description
Abstract
The bulk of this collection covers the period in which Rose Shapiro was a member and also president of the Board of Education (1963-1969). Rose Shapiro was the second woman president of the Board. She had a pioneering role in promoting sex education in the New York public schools and was president during the implementation of decentralization. Her papers include subseries of files on her work on board committees; files of correspondence, memoranda, and reports from various bureaus in the school administration; and subject files, which emphasize issues such as sex education, integration, community control experiments, and decentralization (which constitutes a distinct subseries).
Arrangement
The series is arranged into four subseries.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Rose Shapiro Papers were accessioned by Teachers College Library in 1981 and were transferred to Municipal Archives in 2003.
Processing Information
Newspaper clippings were, for the most part, not removed or copied onto acid free paper. This should be addressed in the future. The publications which were found dispersed throughout the collection were also left in their original positions.