Jo Ann Robinson/Gertrude Williams Collection ( GW)
This collection consists of material saved and acquired by Jo Ann Ooiman Robinson from the 1970s through 2004. It is organized by two general categories: boxes numbered by Arabic numerals 1 through 8 contain items generated at or in relation to Barclay Elementary-Middle School (P.S. 054); boxes numbered in Roman numerals I through V contain items related to the Baltimore City Public Schools in general. Each box is 10 inches deep, 15 inches long and 11 ½ inches wide.
Robinson, Professor of History at Morgan State University, collected the material while active as a parent volunteer at Barclay Elementary-Middle School (P.S. 054) and as an involved citizen in the public school system of Baltimore, Maryland. A major portion of the material informed oral interviews by Robinson of Gertrude Williams and Williams’ associates, resulting in Education As My Agenda: Gertrude Williams, Race and the Baltimore Public Schools (Palgrave Macmillan, 2005). The collection includes those interviews.
Gertrude Williams’ service in the Baltimore school system spanned the years 1949-1998. She began as a third grade teacher as P.S. 139, Charles Carroll of Carrollton Elementary School. In 1965, having earned a Counseling Certificate in Elementary Guidance from Loyola College in Baltimore, she assumed the position of Counselor at Mordecai Gist Elementary School – P.S. 069. In 1969 she was appointed assistant principal at Barclay. She became principal there four years later and remained at that post until her retirement, July 1, 1998.
Following the belief that staff and parents should have a hand in determining school programs and goals, Williams developed a strong collaborative model of school governance. Committed to providing the highest quality of instruction for all students, she and the Barclay community gained a reputation as outspoken advocates and fighters for quality education. They pioneered in securing one of the first Pre-Kindergarten programs in Baltimore city, the first all-day kindergarten, and the addition of grades seven and eight to Barclay School.
Williams’ crowning achievement came in 1990 when the community won a hard-fought battle to adopt a private school curriculum. She had put her career on the line, facing down officials in the school bureaucracy and city government, before they authorized Barclay’s use of the Calvert Curriculum. Once the Calvert program began (with funding guaranteed by the A.S. Abell Foundation for the first years) the performance of her students more than vindicated the Barclay principal. Visitors flocked to School 054 from across the nation and around the world to observe public school students mastering what Superintendent Richard Hunter had once derided as “a rich man’s curriculum.” Although the Barclay-Calvert partnership faltered and did not outlast Williams’ retirement, the positive changes it fostered were extraordinary. Dr. Sam Stringfield, who evaluated the program for the Abell Foundation, recalled “four shining years or so [when Barclay students] were writing at levels you rarely see in public education in America. For that matter in private education…If you wanted proof that inner city-kids can do higher-order thinking, Barclay was it.” (Quoted in Education As My Agenda, p. 179.)
In addition to documenting Williams’ career and the evolution of Barclay School, these materials include correspondence, reports and other data reflecting developments in the city school system in which Robinson and others from the Barclay School community involved themselves, for example: desegregation, efforts to institute school based management and school center budgeting, and the perennial struggle over city and state funding for education.
Series I. Barclay Elementary-Middle School
Box 1. Barclay-Calvert Program
Overview
Program Publicity
Proposal Drafts and Press materials
Program Evaluations
Clippings File
Envelope of Clippings on Barclay-Calvert Program
Correspondence, 1990-1991
Baltimore Teachers Union and Barclay-Calvert
Abell Foundation Reports and Correspondence re: Barclay Calvert
Calvert Curriculum and Instructional Materials
Correspondence re: Barclay-Calvert Breakup
Correspondence, testimony, reports on Barclay-Calvert controversy, 1988-1990
M
emos re: Calvert curriculum and Title I Program
Materials Presented to Kurt Schmoke by Barclay Spokesperson, June 1989
Miscellaneous Barclay Calvert Materials:
1992-1995
1995-1996
Barclay School Improvement Plan, 1993
Box 2. Research Materials - Education As My Agenda
Introduction:
Resumes of GSW
Photocopy of Baltimore 2000
A Growing Inequality
Review and Comment on National Reports
Children of Promise
Action for Excellence
Report of the Commission for Students at Risk
Report of Governor’s Commission on School Funding
Report of Governor’s Commission on School Performance
Urban Education Crisis
America’s Shame, America’s Hope
Fragile Phases, Status Report on Baltimore’s Middle Schools
Chapter I:
Materials on Germantown, PA
Materials on Orange County, VA
Census and other material on GSW’s family
Chapter II: Materials on Cheyney
Chapters III & IV: Education in Baltimore pre 1970s
Chapter V:
Materials on Roland Patterson
Clippings on Orioles Ballpark Fire
Chapter VI:
Materials on St. George’s Garden Club
Materials on Fund for Educational Excellence
Invitations for Barclay Appreciation Luncheons
Materials on Barclay-Brent Education Corporation
Memos, correspondence re: Barclay and central administrators
Miscellaneous materials on Barclay in the late 1970s and early 1980s
Barclay Priorities Meetings programs and reports
Greater Homewood Community Corporation materials
Barclay PTO Steering Committee minutes, reports, correspondence
Barclay PTO-school system Regional office communications
Barclay Reading Is Fundamental Program materials and photos
Barclay School and Barclay Recreation Center communications
Correspondence, reports re: controversy over phasing out of Senior Teachers by city school system
Box 3. Research Materials - Education As My Agenda
Chapter VII:
Memos and schedule re: Barclay After School Program
Outline and report on Barclay College Prep Program
GATE Program materials
Correspondence, testimony and other materials re: campaign to establish Barclay Middle School
Correspondence with Alice Pinderhughes re: elementary education
Policies
Materials from protest v. proposed closing of Abbottston Elementary
Materials re: Robert Poole Junior High
Correspondence, reports, other materials on Barclay Middle School
Clippings on John L. Crew
Miscellaneous items
Chapter VIII:
Notes from School Board Minutes
Materials by and about Richard Hunter
Correspondence, clippings, interview notes re: Kurt Schmoke
Materials on Afro-Centrism
Chapter IX:
Maryland School Performance Program materials
Materials on charter school and new school initiatives
Materials on Walter Amprey; GSW letter to
Clippings on Tesseract Program and Walter Amprey
Clippings on Walter Amprey
1993 Barclay Parent Petition
Correspondence, minutes, other materials on Barclay budget projections for 1997
Chapter X:
Materials on School Based Management
Johns Hopkins U. Presidential Medal citation to GSW
Program and correspondence re: GSW retirement
Correspondence from and Barclay materials published by David Clapp
Miscellaneous 1990s Correspondence
Box 4. Barclay School Miscellany
“Learning to Reach for the Stars”: Video tape on Barclay-Calvert program produced by American Federation of Teachers
GSW interview on CNN, 1996: Videotape
Barclay School reunion buttons
Photographs of Barclay students
Photographs for inclusion in Education as My Agenda
Barclay Year Books: 1987-88; 1988-89; 1992-93;1994-95; 1995-96; 1996-97
Barclay School publications: Barclay Bugle newsletters, 1980-1994; other miscellaneous Publications
Barclay students’ letters to Governor Harry Hughes, 1984
Barclay PTO correspondence, 1970s
Miscellaneous PTO correspondence, notices, etc. 1980s
Program, Sign-ins, other miscellany for Barclay 35 th Reunion, 1994
Clippings, notices, other miscellany re: 1982 teacher lay-offs
Letters, articles, other miscellaneous writing on education by Jo Ann Robinson
Box 5. Oral History Tapes and Transcripts
Audio Tapes of Gertrude Williams interviewed by Jo Anne Robinson
February 5, - June 17,1999:
Interview Guide
Interview Transcripts:
First Session 2/5/99 (Tapes I, II, III)
Second Session 2/12/99 (Tapes III-V)
Third Session 2/26/99 (Tapes VI & Side A & part of Side B, Tape VII)
Fourth Session 5/5/99 (Tape VIII & Side A & part of Side B, Tape IX)
Fifth Session 3/12/99 (part of Side B, Tape IX & side A, Tape X & side A, part of Side B, Tape XI)
Sixth Session 3/26/99 (Tape XI, part of Side B; Tape XII; Tape XIII- Side A & part of Side B)
Seventh Session 5/20/99 (Tape XIII-last part of Side B)
Eighth Session 5/28/99 (Tape XIV, Side A & part of Side B; Tape XV; Tape XVI- part of Side A)
Ninth Session 6/8/99 (Tape XVI- part of Side A & Side B; Tape XVII, Side A & part of side B)
Tenth Session 6/10/99 (Tape XVII, Side B; Tape XVIII; Tape XIX , part of Side A)
Eleventh Session 6/17/99 (Tape XIX, part of Side A & part of side B)
Index to Tapes I-XVIII
Barclay Civil Rights Project (Spring 1992)
Transcripts &
Audio Tapes of Barclay student interviews with:
Samuel Banks
Hattie Harrison
Sidney Hollander
Charles Johnson
Richard McKinney
Parren Mitchell
Robert Watts
Grenville Whitman
Box 6. Oral History Tapes
Summaries of :
Tape A, 2/27/2001
Tape B, Side A, 2/27, 2001
Tape B, Side B, 3/5/ 2001
Tape C, 3/5/2001, 3/20 2001
Tape D, 3/20/2001
Tape E, 3/27, 2001
Tape F, 6/14,2001, 6/15, 2001
Tape G, 6/15 2001
Tape H 6/19, 2001
Audio tapes as listed above, of Williams interviewed by Robinson, addenda to earlier interviews
Audio tapes of Williams interviewed by Robinson, reviewing chapters of manuscript for Education As My Agenda:
Review of Chapter I, 11/30/2001
Review of Chapter I, 12/3 2001
Review of Chapters I, II, III, 12/3 & 12/4 2001
Review of Chapter III, 12/4 & 12/7 2001
Review of Chapters II, IV, V, 12/7 & 12/10 2001
Index of chapter review tapes as listed above
Audio tapes of Williams interviewed by Robinson, reviewing chapters of manuscript for Education As My Agenda and adding information to previous interviews: (not indexed):
Review of Chapter VI, 12/12 & 12/14 2001
Review of Chapters VI, VII, VIII, 12/14 & 12/17 2001
12/18 & 12/19 2001
12/19 & 12/20, 2001
12/20, 2001
Audio tapes of Williams interviewed by Robinson regarding revisions of Education As My Agenda:
Revision Tape #1, 1/20/2004
Revisions Tape #2, 1/20/2004
Index of revision tapes
Box 7 . Oral History Tapes and Related Materials
Audio Taped Interviews With Barclay Alumni and Staff, Reunion 4/17/94:
Angela Carmichael
Ann Craig
Frances Crosby
Audrey Eastman
Audrey French
Joanne Giza
Carl Hall
Angela Hughes
Marilyn Hunter
Tara Krebs
Michael Lambert
Zachary Morehouse (interviewed with J. Robinson and S. Rubin)
Catrina Parker
Margaret Possidente
William David Possidente
January Pridget
Joseph Robinson (interviewed with Z. Morehouse and S. Rubin)
Stefan Rubin (interviewed with Z. Morehouse and J. Robinson)
A.F. Schildwachter
Yusef Shaw
Shawn Stokes
Sabeen Shaw [Wise]
Reunion Interview Permissions and Notes
Interview Notes: Phone Interviews & Taped Teacher Roundtable Interview
Index, Notes, Partial Transcripts from Interviews With:
David Clapp
Dick and Karen Cook
Bob Embry (index and questions only)
Mary Pat Clarke
Brandon Jones
Esther Jeffries
Merrill Hall
Peg Licht
Evelyn Wallace
Robert Umphrey (index only)
Karen Olson
Gloria Marrow
Alice Pinderhughes (index only)
Esther Bonnet
MTA Panel 9/3/97 (index only)
William Boucher 8/13/86 (index only)
Interviews: Permissions (signed by interviewees):
Clifton Ball
Sandra Brown (teacher roundtable)
David Clapp
Mary Pat Clarke
Dick Cook
Karen Cook
Robert [Bob] Embry
Merrill Hall
Truemella Horne (teacher roundtable)
Tanya Jackson (teacher roundtable)
Esther Jeffries
Brandon Jones
Jennifer Kenney
Lorraine King
Susan Lattimore (teacher roundtable)
Margaret [Peg] Licht
Myra Lunsford
Gloria Marrow
Karen Olson
Dorothea Rawlings (teacher roundtable)
Carl Stokes
Evelyn Wallace
Edmonia Yates
Audio Tapes of Interviews With:
David Clapp 6-10-02
Dick and Karen Cook 3-20-04
Bob Embry 1-29-03
Mary Pat Clarke 9-26-03
Brandon Jones 6 -24-02
Esther Jeffries 4-28-04
Merrill Hall 9-05-03
Peg Licht 3-31-03
Evelyn Wallace 2-10-04
Esther Bonnet by Jo Ann Robinson 1997
William Boucher by Terry Mobley 8-13-86
Alice Pinderhughes by Jo Ann Robinson 1983
Robert Umphrey by Jo Ann Robinison 1986
Audio Tape of Gertrude Williams, Jan French, Jo Ann Robinson Panel at Maryland State Teacher Conference, Annapolis MD 11-17-90
Box 8. Barclay School
Barclay School Reunion Scrapbooks: Beginnings -1994
Appreciation Luncheons and Special Programs
Barclay-Brent Education Corporation
Reading Is Fundamental ( RIF)
Trumpeteer (Student newsletter)
Letter from Kweisi Mfume Presenting U.S. Flag to Kindergarten Class (includes photo of class), 1988
Series II. Baltimore City Public Schools
Box I. Leadership/Management Items
School Funding and Reform Studies
Title I and Related Services and Programs
BCPS and William Donald Schaefer
BCPS and Kurt Schmoke
Richard Hunter
BCPS Personnel
BCPS Board of School Commissioners
Associated Black Charities Management Study of BCPS
BCPS Reorganization
Roland Patterson Memo on test scores, 1972
Alice Pinderhughes Speech to Greater Baltimore Committee, 1983
1921, 1941 Surveys of BCPS
Box II. Curricular and Academic Materials
BCPS 2001-2002 Curriculum Documents
BCPS Curriculum Revision of History/Social Studies
BCPS Middle Schools
English Curriculum (Committee Report on Grammar, Usage and Mechanics)
Gifted and Talented Programs
Gifted and Talented Advisory Committee
Discipline and Vandalism
Testing
Curriculum Miscellany
Curriculum in Washington, D.C. Schools
Box III. Community Advisory Groups
Task Force on Principals
Pinderhughes Advisory Committee
Board of School Commissioners Planning Committee
School Site Budgeting
School Based Management
School Site Cost Center Budget, August 1985
Richard Hunter Community Task Force Report
Casey Foundation Report, 1997
Maryland Commission on Quality Teaching Report, 1982
Box IV. Desegregation and Community Pressure Groups
Citizens School Advisory Committee
Afro-Centric Curriculum Movement
League of Women Voters
Community Schools/School Community Relations Commission
Educational Priorities Coalition
Metropolitan Education Coalition
NEA (National Education Association) Investigation, 1967
Desegregation/Racial Issues
Desegregation Plans/Recommendations
Desegregation
Desegregation Materials, 1974 (obtained from Dr. Lewis Richardson)
“Reflections on Brown” by Walter Sondheim, Jr.
Advocates for Children and Youth Report, 1994
Abell Foundation study of teacher certification, 2001
Hudson Institute report on school reform, 1993-1995
Box V. Miscellany
Individual School Histories
Citizens Planning and Housing Association “Report Card” on Elementary Schools, 1990
Baltimore Sun School Report Cards
“Educational Initiatives and School Profiles,” 1987-1988
Morgan Graduate Student Research: Desegregation of Eastern High School; Female High School Principals
City College
Roland Park Elementary Middle School
Dunbar High School
Eastern High School
School Board Minutes, hard bound, obtained from Lewis Richardson (1967-1971)