Guide to the Records of the Westmoreland County Teachers' Institute, 1858-1952 (bulk 1858-1892)
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- Records of the Westmoreland County Teachers' Institute
- Creator
- Westmoreland County Teachers' Institute
- Collection Number
- MSS#52
- Extent
- .5 cubic feet (1 boxes)
- Date
- 1858-1952
- Date
- 1858-1952
- Abstract
- The Westmoreland County Teachers' Institute was founded on March 17, 1858 to foster greater efficiency and skill among Westmoreland County teachers. Established as a separate organization, the Institute was founded some five years after the creation of the Westmoreland County Teachers' Association. These records include minutes, publications and misc. material relating to Institute and other aspects of Westmoreland County education. The bulk of these materials are the Institutes' minutes from 1858-1892.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English.
- Sponsor
- This finding aid has been encoded as a part of the Historic Pittsburgh project a joint effort of the University of Pittsburgh and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Funding for this portion of the project has been donated by the Hillman Foundation.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
Historical Sketch of the Westmoreland County Teachers' Institute
The Westmoreland County Teachers' Institute was founded on March 17, 1858 to foster greater efficiency and skill among Westmoreland County teachers. Established as a separate organization, the Institute was founded some five years after the creation of the Westmoreland County Teachers' Association. About the same time the Association was formed, a movement to create forums for the discussion of ideas on teaching spread across Pennsylvania and by 1856, almost every county had a teachers' institute of some kind. The Institute was founded in a period of academic reform in Pennsylvania, highlighted by the creation of the office of county superintendent of schools in 1854. The first superintendent for Westmoreland County was Reverend Matthew McKinstry of West Newton. Other early superintendents include James I. McCormick of North Huntington, J. R. McAfee of Latrobe, and S. S. Jack of Pleasant Unity; all of whom played an important role in the early years of the Institute.
The Conemaugh Teachers' Institute was founded in 1853 for teachers in both Westmoreland and Indiana Counties and was named for the river which separates the two counties. When the Conemaugh Teachers' Institute was dissolved in favor of separate institutes for each county, the Westmoreland County Teachers' Institute was formed. The Institute sponsored lectures, programs, essays, class drills, mock teaching, and open discussions at their annual meetings. These meetings took place over two to three days and were often held in November or December. These programs were often highlighted by a speaker from outside the Western Pennsylvania region to broaden the educational methods and knowledge of their teachers. In the Institute's early years, meetings also examined the practice of other teachers' institutes across Pennsylvania. The Institute was closely linked with the office of the county superintendent and by the early twentieth century, the superintendent also served as president of the Institute. By the late 1940s, the Westmoreland County Teachers' Institute met in conjunction with other major educational conventions held in Westmoreland County near the same time (often in November of December), which included was the Westmoreland County School Directors Association and the Bus Drivers Institute. Possibly during this period, the management of the Institute was shifted to the county superintendent.
Scope and Content Notes
These records include minutes, publications and misc. material relating to Institute and other aspects of Westmoreland County education. The bulk of these materials are the Institutes' minutes from 1858-1892. These minutes contain information on the matters under discussion, financial records, attendance and information relating to the bylaws. The minutes record the proceedings of the meetings and include the names of speakers, brief descriptions of issues discussed or the title of their lecture, but rarely offer a summary of the talk or discussion. Publications primarily include guides for the annual conventions held by the Institute alone (1916) and those held with other organizations (1948-1952). These latter publications, Star of the West, include extensive information on Westmoreland County schools including the convention's programs, news articles, listings of books for teachers, and a listing of faculty for each school in Westmoreland County. These latter books were published annually by the Office of the County Superintendent of Schools of Westmoreland County. Miscellaneous material includes bylaws, attendance (1867-1869), historical information, election returns and other sundry material.
Arrangement
The Westmoreland County Teachers' Institute Records are housed in one archival box and are arranged alphabetically by folder title with miscellaneous material arranged in the rear.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
These materials came in one accession in 1979.
Acc# 1979.114 Gift of Mrs. Ruth Doyle, (Records).
Preferred Citation
Records of the Westmoreland County Teachers' Institute, 1858-1952 (bulk 1858-1892), MSS #52, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Ruth Salisbury Reid in c1979. Papers rearranged and inventory rewritten by Stephanie Riccardi on August 25, 1993.
Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Doug MacGregor on August 8, 2001.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or publish, please contact the curator of the Archives.
Subjects
- Westmoreland County Teachers' Institute
- Jack, S. S.
- McAfee, James Ross (1822-1890)
- Westmoreland County (Pa.) -- Education
- Westmoreland County (Pa.) -- Social Life and Customs
- Education -- Pennsylvania -- Westmoreland County
- Teachers' Institutes