Westland School Collection, 1949-2014

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Summary

Title:
Westland School Collection
Dates:
1949-2014
Creators:
Westland School
Abstract:
The Westland School is a private elementary school founded in 1949 by Lory Titelman, and Marie H. Briehl. The guiding philosophy of the School is based on the concepts of John Dewey and Progressive education, a pedagogical movement that began in the late nineteenth century. The Westland School Collection broadly documents a re-emergence of the progressive education movement, focusing on its development between 1949 and 2014 in Los Angeles, California. The collection consists of documents, photographs, publications, scrapbooks, and video recordings that focus on the history and daily life of administrators, staff, and students.
Extent:
11.73 linear feet
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the Citing Archival Materialsguide.

Background

Scope and content:

The Westland School Collection broadly documents a re-emergence of the progressive education movement mid-century, focusing on its development over a seventy year period in Los Angeles California. The collection includes founding documents and internal records, as well as material which focuses on the daily activities of students and staff. The collection has been divided into three series, Administrative Files and Publications (1949-2014), Student and Staff Life (1949-2010), and Official Portraits (1990-2007).

Series I, Administrative Files and Publications, documents the organization's founding and daily activities through bylaws, meeting minutes, procedural documents, forms, and correspondence. Also included are documents and photographic materials which detail school history, curriculum and program planning, marketing and public outreach, facilities development, construction, and renovation. The series is arranged alphabetically by topic.

Series II, Student and Staff Life, documents important events such as anniversaries, reunions, graduations, fairs, student work, creative play and performances, music, science and math activities, field trips, parent participation and special visitors. The series includes both records and photographic materials, and is arranged alphabetically by topic.

Series III, Official Portraits, consists of professional photographs, slides, and negatives of students and staff. The series is arranged by name and date where possible.

Biographical / historical:

The Westland School is a private elementary school founded in 1949 by progressive education advocate, Lory Titelman, and Marie H. Briehl, pioneering specialist in the psychological development of the child. The Westland School opened in October, 1949, in a B'nai B'rith building on the corner of La Cienega and Olympic Boulevards in Los Angeles. Over the next sixteen years the school moved several times, finally settling on its current and permanent location in Bel-Air in 1965. Since its inception, the School has been owned by a non-profit corporation whose voting members are administrators, parents, and teachers.

The guiding philosophy of the School is based on the concepts of John Dewey and Progressive education, a pedagogical movement that began in the late nineteenth century. Curriculum is focused on programs that emphasize experiential learning, problem solving and critical thinking, collaboration and development of social skills, and social responsibility. The School currently has about 130 students that are distributed into groups rather than grades, which may comprise of students of varying ages. The Westland School is accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS).

Processing information:

Masud Helmandi, 2018

Arrangement:

Series I: Administrative Files and Publications, 1949-2014

Series II: Student and Staff Life, 1949-2010

Series III: Official Portraits, 1990-2007

About this collection guide

Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2022-11-14 19:15:57 +0000 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research use unless otherwise noted.

Terms of access:

Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of this collection has been transferred to California State University, Northridge. Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Preferred citation:

For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the Citing Archival Materialsguide.

Location of this collection:
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330, US
Contact:
(818) 677-4594
Website