Finding aid for the UCLA Lab School records UARC.0208
Finding aid prepared by University Archives staff, 1988; revised and prepared for
online access by Katharine A. Lawrie, 2013; further revisions by Lori Dedeyan,
2019.
UCLA Library Special Collections
Online finding aid last updated 2019 November 4.
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Title: UCLA Lab School records
Creator:
UCLA Lab School
Identifier/Call Number: UARC.0208
Physical Description:
5.4 Linear Feet
(5 document boxes, 1 carton, 6 flat boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1920-1999
Abstract: Record Series 208 contains the
administrative files of the UCLA Lab School and its library, including reports, agendas and
minutes, correspondence, and materials documenting the development of the elementary
teaching program and credential. Also included are printed lesson plans and course
materials, yearbooks, and photographs and scrapbooks documenting the school and its faculty
and students.
Physical Location: Stored off-site. All requests to access
special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located on
this page.
Language of Material: Materials are in
English.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in
advance using the request button located on this page.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright to portions of this collection has been assigned to UCLA Library Special
Collections. The library can grant permission to publish for materials to which it holds the
copyright. Commercial use may require additional rights that must be determined and obtained
by the researcher. All requests for copyright permission to publish must be submitted in
writing to Library Special Collections. Credit shall be given as follows: The Regents of the
University of California on behalf of the UCLA Library Special Collections.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], UCLA Lab School records (University Archives Record Series 208).
UCLA Library Special Collections, University Archives, University of California, Los
Angeles.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Transferred from the UCLA Lab School, 1986, 2000, 2002.
Processing Information
Processed by University Archives staff, 1988; reprocessed by Lori Dedeyan, 2019.
Reprocessing included merging the contents of this record series with other records of the
UCLA Lab School, formerly contained in Record Series 596 (Administrative Files, processed in
1996), Record Series 702 (Library Administrative Files, processed in 2001), and Record
Series 728 (Scrapbooks, processed in 2002). Those record series numbers have now been
retired.
UCLA Catalog Record ID
Administrative/Biographical History
UCLA Lab School was founded in 1882, as the demonstration school of the California State
Normal School at Los Angeles. Located in downtown Los Angeles, the Normal School prepared
teachers for educating the growing city. By 1914, enrollment at the Normal School had far
exceeded capacity, and the institution, along with the children's school, moved to a
Hollywood ranch off a dirt road that later became Vermont Avenue. In 1919, the regents
approved the establishment of the "Southern Branch of the University of California," a
two-year college located at the normal school. The two-year college expanded and officially
became the University of California, Los Angeles in 1927. Two years later UCLA moved to
Westwood and the children's school began leasing property owned by Los Angeles City Schools,
on Warner Avenue.
In 1929, the children's school was called University Elementary School (UES) and the
principal was Corinne A. Seeds. In 1945, the university lost its lease on the Warner Avenue
location and was told to vacate the site by the following year. From September 1946 to June
1947, UES was without a schoolhouse, but some classes continued in private homes. Supporters
of Seeds and progressive education successfully lobbied the state legislature to provide
funds to relocate the school to the UCLA campus. Wartime restrictions prevented new
building, but supporters found unused army barracks and transferred them to the Westwood
campus to be used as a temporary school facility.
The first permanent school buildings for the elementary school were completed in 1950. They
were designed by architects Robert Alexander and Richard Neutra. The architects worked
closely with Seeds and other members of the school community to create a campus that takes
advantage of the natural landscape and promotes children's movement and exploration through
the integration of indoor and outdoor space and flexible configurations of the learning
environment.
In 1982 the school was renamed the Corinne A. Seeds University Elementary School. In 2009
the name was again changed to the UCLA Lab School, in order to better convey the school's
purpose as a laboratory for research and innovation in education.
Scope and Contents
Record Series 208 contains the administrative records of the UCLA Lab School and its
library, including reports, minutes, and correspondence; publications such as curricula,
yearbooks, and bulletins; and photographs and scrapbooks of the school, its classes and
students, and various events.
Arrangement
This collection has been arranged in the following series:
- Series 1. Administrative files
- Series 2. Publications
- Series 3. Photographs and scrapbooks
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Education -- United States -- Experimental methods
Education, elementary -- California
Elementary school libraries -- California
Study and teaching (Elementary) -- United States
UCLA Lab School -- Archives
Series 1.
Administrative files
1920-1991
Scope and Contents
This series contains the administrative records of the Lab School and its library,
including reports, correspondence, minutes, and plans relating to credentialing and
school expansion.
box 1, folder 1
Library: monthly reports
1944-1965
box 1, folder 2
Library: quarterly reports
1965-1970
box 1, folder 3-4
Library: annual and semi-annual reports
1947-1969, 1971-1991
box 1, folder 5
Library: book budget
1952-1967
box 1, folder 6
Library: external correspondence
1962-1967
box 1, folder 7
Library: internal correspondence
1957-1968
box 2, folder 1
Library: Corinne Seeds Memorial Fund
1969-1970
box 2, folder 2
Library: Statistical Report: Summary Circulation by User Category
1978
box 2, folder 3
Library: book donations
1949-1965
box 2, folder 4
Library: Capital improvements plans, proposals, and
correspondence
1945-1976
box 2, folder 5
Establishment of kindergarten-primary credential for State of
California
1920-1947
box 2, folder 6
Reports of the Training School
1920-1945
box 2, folder 7-8
Family School Alliance: agendas and minutes, bylaws, class lists
1955, 1965-1966, 1974-1975
box 2, folder 9
Minutes of the Corinne A. Seeds Archives Committee
1982-1983
Series 2.
Publications
1925-1998
Scope and Contents
This series contains Lab School publications, such as yearbooks, lesson plans and
curricula, bibliographies, and bulletins. It also includes music and curricula used by
the Lab School but published by other institutions.
box 3
Sequences of Activities
1934-1944
Scope and Contents note
Contains 10 volumes of teaching activities and lesson plans and objectives that were
used at the University Elementary School from nursery school to the seventh grade.
box 4, folder 1
Grade 2 Exercises: A Halloween Party
1925
box 4, folder 2
University Elementary School bulletins
1933, 1957, 1974-1975
box 4, folder 3
Distinguished Books for Children: A Selective List
1963, 1965
Scope and Contents note
Includes 2 volumes of Distinguished Books for Children bibliographies. These volumes
were compiled by the University Elementary School library and list picture books,
fiction, folklore and poetry. The 1965 list was compiled by Donnarae MacCann.
box 4, folder 4
A Selected Acquisitions List, University Elementary School
Library
1968
Scope and Contents note
Contains 2 volumes of bibliography. These volumes contain lists of picture books,
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, myths, folktales and biographies recommended by the
University Elementary School. Included are short summaries for fiction books and books
recommended for librarians.
box 4, folder 7-8
Music curriculum and sheet music
1975, undated
Scope and Contents
Includes materials for the teaching of music, such as curricula and lesson plans
produced by the Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District (Baytown, Texas)
and sheet music for various songs taught at the elementary school. These were not
published by the Lab School.
Series 3.
Photographs and scrapbooks
1948-1999
Scope and Contents
This series contains black-and-white and color photographs of Lab School buildings,
classes, students, and events put on by the Family School Alliance, a volunteer
organization for family members of students. It also includes scrapbooks of photographs,
clippings, bulletins, announcements, and other documents.
box 5, folder 1
Elementary School photographs
1948, circa 1964, 1984-1991
box 5, folder 2
Elementary School photographs
1965
box 5, folder 3-5
Class photographs
1988-1999
box 6, folder 1
Family School Alliance picnic photographs
1990
box 6, folder 2
Family School Alliance photographs
1991-1992
box 6, folder 3-6
Summer School photographs
1999
box 7
Photograph album
circa 1969-1975
box 8
Photograph albums
1971-1985
Scope and Contents
Two photograph albums.
box 9
Scrapbook: Family School Alliance
1958
box 10
Scrapbooks: Family School Alliance
1964-1965, 1974-1975
Scope and Contents
Two scrapbooks.
box 11
Scrapbook: Family School Alliance
1971-1972
box 12
Scrapbooks: Family School Alliance
1975-1978
Scope and Contents
Three scrapbooks.
