Exploring Family School Records MS-0107
Scott W. Woods
Special Collections & University Archives
12/06/2007
5500 Campanile Dr. MC 8050
San Diego, CA 92182-8050
askscua@sdsu.edu
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & University Archives
Title: Exploring Family School Records
Creator:
Exploring Family School
Identifier/Call Number: MS-0107
Physical Description:
5.00 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): 1969-1983
Language of Material:
English
.
Scope and Contents
The Exploring Family School collection documents the founding, curriculum, and thirteen year operation of Exploring Family
School (EFS). It consists of board minutes, executive files, newsletters, budget reports, staff notes, and curricula pertaining
to the operation of the school. The collection also includes correspondence with other free schools and some countercultural
ephemera. The collection is organized into four series: Board and Committee Minutes, Staff Notes and Yearbooks, Publications
and Information, and Underground Radical Ephemera.
The Board and Committee Minutes series (1969-1979) documents the school's curriculum and budget. This includes correspondence
from both students and parents concerning the maintenance, faculty, and personnel in the institution. It includes an incomplete
series of EFS newsletters, ranging from volume one to five, and a file titled "one of a kind archive materials," which provides
a detailed description of school curriculum and the Summer Awareness Program. The majority of material ranges from the mid
to late 1970's. It is arranged alphabetically.
The Staff Notes and Yearbooks series (1973-1983) includes handwritten notes by faculty and EFS yearbooks from the late 70's
to early 80's. This series includes information about term planning, class schedules, strength and weakness reports, and budgetary
reports. The yearbooks contain student photos and a statement of purpose from the school administrators. Highlights of the
series show creative student work, poems, cartoons, and political commentary. Also included are fliers providing insight into
the political implications of EFS. This series is arranged chronologically.
The majority of the Publications and Information series (1970-1974) includes newsletters and articles from other alternative
schools. Most of these publications provide information about the current condition of the public school system, and alternative
approaches to education. Highlights include articles about developing an alternative curriculum, correspondence from the Free
University Movement, and alternative education ephemera.
The fourth and final series, Underground and Radical Ephemera (1974-1977), includes publications with similar ideologies to
those of EFS. This includes publications form San Diego State University, The San Francisco Express, and socialist, communist,
and antiwar organizations. Noteworthy documents include socialist fliers and literature, newsletters providing EFS's position
on the Vietnam War, implications about ending the war, and environmentalist literature.
Arrangement Note
I. Board and Committee Minutes
II. Staff Notes and Yearbooks
III. Publications and Information
IV. Underground and Radical Ephemera
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The copyright interests in some of these materials have been transferred to or belong to San Diego State University. The nature
of historical archival and manuscript collections means that copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine.
Copyright resides with the creators of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. Requests for permission to publish
must be submitted to the Head of Special Collections, San Diego State University, Library and Information Access. When granted,
permission is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply
permission of the copyright holder(s), which must also be obtained in order to publish. Materials from our collections are
made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the
materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials.
Source of Acquisition
Exploring Family School
Related Materials
Campus Lab School Records
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, folder title, box number, Exploring Family School Records, Special Collections and University Archives,
San Diego State University Library.
Historical Note
Founded by parents dissatisfied with the public school system, the Exploring Family School (EFS) was San Diego's first institution
for alternative education. EFS ran from 1969-1983 and provided a K-12 education. The school was founded under the assumption
that structure is detrimental to the learning experience. Students were not graded, and were not exposed to competition within
the classroom. Instead, teachers developed a more interactive approach with both parents and students, flexible enough to
foster the child's emotional, academic and social needs.
Courses were structured around each student's individual interests, ranging from creative writing, biology, statistics, poetry,
painting, politics, architectural design, music, photography, and Chicano studies. The diverse ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic
backgrounds of the students allowed for a flexible curriculum centered around personal experience.
Upon Exploring Family School's founding, there were thirty students ranging from age five to sixteen. The faculty consisted
of three teachers, an administrative coordinator, a curriculum coordinator, and regular educational volunteers. As the staff
grew, EFS adopted a full time coordinator, basic skills teacher, and program advisor. The school was financially supported
by tuition ($65/month), donations, and scholarship assistance. Students were not turned away if they were unable to pay the
tuition. Instead, they would develop a payment plan that would fit his or her family's financial situation.
While EFC was considered to be a "free" school, there was a great amount of careful consideration about the student population.
The school wanted a diverse ethnic and socioeconomic population; one third of the students were the children of professors
and lawyers, one third were children of people on welfare, and one third were the children of blue collar workers.
Exploring Family School ceased operation in 1983.
Accruals
1984-002
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Organizational Records
Exploring Family School (San Diego, Calif.)--Archives
Exploring Family School (San Diego, Calif.)--History--Sources
Free schools--California--San Diego--History--20th century--Sources
San Diego (Calif.)--Intellectual life--Sources
San Diego (Calif.)--Social life and customs--Sources
box 1
Board and Committee Minutes Series 1
box 1, folder 1
Board minutes Folder 1
November 30, 1970
box 1, folder 2
Board minutes Folder 2
June 1972 - July 1973
box 1, folder 3
Board minutes Folder 3
August 1973 - November 1974
box 1, folder 4
Board minutes Folder 4
January 1975 - January 1976
box 1, folder 5
Board minutes Folder 5
February 1976 - July 1976
box 1, folder 6
Board minutes Folder 6
August 1976 - December 1976
box 1, folder 7
Board minutes Folder 7
January 1977 - December 1977
box 1, folder 8
Board minutes Folder 8
January 1978 - April 1978
box 1, folder 9
Board minutes Folder 9
May 1978 - February 1979
box 1, folder 10
Executive Committee Meetings Folder 10
1976, 1977, 1978
box 1, folder 11
Maintenance, Personnel, Finance, Fundraiser, Admissions Committee minutes Folder 11
1976, 1977, 1978
box 1, folder 12
Curriculum Committee minutes Folder 12
1976, 1977, 1978
box 1, folder 13
Board, Personnel, Finance, Executive Committee minutes Folder 13
1978
box 1, folder 14
General Information Bylaws, curriculum, student/teacher contracts, Alternative education bibliography, evaluation forms Folder 14
1974
box 1, folder 15
Miscellaneous, including volunteer program, graduation policy Folder 15
box 1, folder 16
Operating/California Department of Education, Textbook distribution Folder 16
box 1, folder 17
Private school affidavits/ Operation documents state department fo education Folder 17
1973 - 79
box 1, folder 18
Finances/ school risk accident policy Folder 18
box 1, folder 19
Agreement of use-Unitarian Church Folder 19
September 15, 1969
box 1, folder 20
Communications from parents Folder 20
1975, 1976, 1977
box 1, folder 21
Miscellaneous correspondence, including letters of resignation Folder 21
box 1, folder 22
Letters from Valerie Marino Re: Open Roads New Jobs program Folder 22
box 1, folder 23
"Communications with Dawn" Including criticism Folder 23
1975 - 76
box 1, folder 24
"Communications with students" Including criticism Folder 24
box 1, folder 25
Newsletter Volume 1, Issues 1 - Volume 5, Issue 4 (incomplete) Folder 25
box 1, folder 26
File labeled "Misc." Folder 26
Scope and Contents
Includes curriculum handbook 1973, articles on Alternative education, Alternative Education Bibliography, Budget documents,
description of school, history of school, student contract evaluations.
box 1, folder 27
Documents filed as "Misc." Folder 27
Scope and Contents
Includes brochures, miscellaneous newsletters, poetry publication.
box 1, folder 28
Documents field as "one of a kind archive materials" Folder 28
Scope and Contents
Includes 1980 - 81 fund raising handbook, various Exploring Family School publications, early reference to the free school.
Staff Notes and Yearbooks Series 2
box 1, folder 29
Staff notes Folder 29
1973 - 1974; 1974 - 1975
box 1, folder 30
Staff notes/Core staff minutes Folder 30
1976
box 1, folder 31
Staff notes/Core staff minutes Folder 31
1977 - January 1979
box 1, folder 32
Term Planning Folder 32
1973 - 1974; 1974 - 1975
box 1, folder 33
Term Planning; class surveys Folder 33
1974 - 1975; 1975 - 1976
box 1, folder 34
Term Planning; class signups Folder 34
1974 - 1975; 1975 - 1976
box 1, folder 35
Term Planning Including class schedules; Staff schedules Folder 35
1973-74; 1974-75; 1975-76; 1976-1977
box 2, folder 1
Coordinator reports Folder 1
1975 - 78
box 2, folder 2
Strengths and weaknesses, suggestions for improvement Folder 2
1977 - 79
box 2, folder 3
Fall Planning year planning Folder 3
1973-74; 1974-75; 1975-76; 1976-77
box 2, folder 4
Staff notes Folder 4
1975-76; 1976-77; 1977-78; 1978-79
box 2, folder 5
Notebook Folder 5
1969 - 71
box 2, folder 6
Notebook Folder 6
January 1972 - August 1973
box 2, folder 7
Summer awareness session Folder 7
1973
box 2, folder 8
Exploring Family School Youth Enrichment Summer Folder 8
box 2, folder 9
Class schedules Folder 9
1973 - 74
box 2, folder 10
Miscellaneous Folder 10
1973 - 74
box 2, folder 11
Evaluations Folder 11
1973 - 74
box 2, folder 12
Counseling Folder 12
1973 - 74
box 2, folder 13
Notebook Folder 13
September 1973 - March 1974
box 2, folder 14
Notebook Folder 14
April 1974 - August 1974
box 2, folder 15
Overview Folder 15
1974 - 75
box 2, folder 16
Notebook Folder 16
September 1974 - March 1975
box 2, folder 17
Year Notebook Folder 17
1974-75; April 1975 - July 1975
box 2, folder 18
Year Notebook Folder 18
1975 - 76 First half
box 2, folder 19
Year Notebook Folder 19
1975 - 76 Second half
box 2, folder 20
Year Notebook Folder 20
1975 - 76
box 2, folder 21
Year Notebook Folder 21
1975 - 76
box 2, folder 22
Year Notebook Folder 22
1976 - 77
box 2, folder 23
Year Notebook Folder 23
1977 - 78; September 1977 - December 1977
box 2, folder 24
Year Notebook Folder 24
1977 - 78; January 1978 - July 1978
box 2, folder 25
Year Notebook Folder 25
1978-79; 1979-80
box 2, folder 26
Year Notebook Folder 26
1980 - 81
box 2, folder 27
Year Notebook Folder 27
1981-82 Fall, Spring, Summer
box 2, folder 28
Year Notebook Folder 28
1982 - 83
Publications and Information Series 3
box 3, folder 1
Articles by students Folder 1
box 3, folder 2
Chautauqua Learning Center Documents Folder 2
1972
box 3, folder 3
Door article "Free School" Folder 3
box 3, folder 4
"Alternatives to public schools" Folder 4
box 3, folder 5
Southern California Conference on Alternative Education Folder 5
November 7-9 1975
box 3, folder 6
Yellow Pages of Learning Resources Folder 6
1972
box 3, folder 7
John Adams High School Folder 7
box 3, folder 8
Harlem Street Academics Folder 8
box 3, folder 9
Edcentric Newsletters, incomplete Folder 9
1970 - 71
box 3, folder 10
Various Alternative schools newsletters: Minnesota leader, Prisma, Holyoke Street School, Changing Schools, Notes from Nethers,
Fort Wayne Folk School, Centerpeace, No More Teachers' Dirty Looks, The Teacher Paper.
Folder 10
box 3, folder 11
New Schools Exchange documents Folder 11
box 3, folder 12
Ford Foundation Report on Alternative Schools Folder 12
box 3, folder 13
Articles on Alternative Education Folder 13
box 3, folder 14
Education Exploration Centers Newsletters Folder 14
box 3, folder 15
Tamarack Learning Cooperative Folder 15
box 3, folder 16
Information on various Alternative Schools Folder 16
box 3, folder 17
Alternative Education Movement Folder 17
box 3, folder 18
Symbas-Project One, San Francisco, California Folder 18
box 3, folder 19
Pecos Street School Folder 19
box 3, folder 20
Newark Community School Folder 20
box 3, folder 21
School of living Folder 21
box 3, folder 22
New College of California at Sausalito Folder 22
box 3, folder 23
Santa Barbara Community School Folder 23
box 3, folder 24
Compost College Folder 24
box 3, folder 25
A Student Centered College Folder 25
box 3, folder 27
Evergreen College Folder 27
box 3, folder 28
Friends World College Folder 28
box 3, folder 30
International Community College Folder 30
box 3, folder 32
St. Paul Open School Folder 32
box 3, folder 33
De Sillo School Folder 33
box 3, folder 34
Draft report of Joint Committee on the Master Plan for Higher Education Folder 34
February 1973
box 3, folder 35
Learning Environments Folder 35
box 3, folder 36
Statements to Joint committee Folder 36
box 3, folder 37
Comprehensive Plan for Higher Education Folder 37
box 3, folder 38
Basic Legal issues in New York State on Teacher Certification Folder 38
box 3, folder 39
Education Vouchers: a report on financing Folder 39
box 3, folder 40
New College upper division seminar proposals Folder 40
box 3, folder 41
The Journal of the Campus Free College Folder 41
box 3, folder 42
World University Folder 42
box 3, folder 43
Association for World Education (AWCU) Folder 43
box 3, folder 44
The University in America (Clark Kerr, et.al.) Folder 44
box 3, folder 45
Structure of governance, San Diego State University Folder 45
box 3, folder 46
Workshop working papers, 22nd National Student Congress Folder 46
box 3, folder 47
Radical Student Newsletters Folder 47
box 3, folder 48
"The Free University Movement" Folder 48
box 3, folder 49
Various Pamphlets and periodicals on Free College Movement Folder 49
box 3, folder 50
Physiognomy: Volume 1, number xii Folder 50
box 3, folder 51
Schools: Volume 4, number 4; Volume 5, number 1 Folder 51
box 3, folder 52
New Schools Exchange Newsletter Issues 29-54, incomplete Folder 52
box 3, folder 53
New Schools Exchange Newsletter Excess copies. Folder 53
box 3, folder 54
The Two Week Leak Folder 54
box 4, folder 1
Summer West Coast Conference on Alternative Education Folder 1
July 17-18 1975
Scope and Contents
Includes information on Bay Area Schools
box 4, folder 2
Newspaper Clippings on Education Folder 2
box 4, folder 3
Newspaper Clippings on Education Folder 3
box 4, folder 4
Newspaper Clippings on Education Folder 4
box 4, folder 6
Disorientation: notes from the underground University of California Berkley radical education publication Folder 6
box 4, folder 7
Community Schools Folder 7
box 4, folder 8
Alternative Education Newsletters, including Changes, Prisma, EEC Journal Folder 8
box 4, folder 9
Alternative Education Ephemera Folder 9
box 4
Underground and Radical Ephemera Series 4
box 4, folder 11
The Longest Revolution Folder 11
box 4, folder 12
The Daily Aztec clippings Folder 12
box 4, folder 13
Bay Area Institute; Concerned Asian Scholars Folder 13
box 4, folder 14
Supplement to Sun Reporter Folder 14
box 4, folder 15
National Strike Center Demands Folder 15
box 4, folder 16
National Strike Information Center Folder 16
box 4, folder 17
Re: Cambodia, San Diego State University Folder 17
May 1970
box 4, folder 18
The Daily Californian Folder 18
box 4, folder 19
San Diego State University Radical Ephemera Folder 19
box 4, folder 20
Radical/Socialist Ephemera Folder 20
box 4, folder 21
Reflections - Soho Folder 21
box 4, folder 22
San Diego Radical Ephemera Folder 22
box 4, folder 25
Akwesasne Notes Folder 25
box 4, folder 26
Akwesasne Notes Folder 26
box 4, folder 27
Akwesasne Notes Folder 27
box 4, folder 28
Akwesasne Notes Folder 28
box 4, folder 30
San Francisco Express Times Folder 30
box 4, folder 37
Peace and Freedom News Folder 37
box 4, folder 38
Instant News Service Folder 38
box 4, folder 41
Inside the Beast Folder 41
