James Mickelborough Greenwood Papers
Scope and Contents
Personal and business correspondence; correspondence with and publications of the National Education Association and other professional and civic organizations with which Greenwood was affiliated; Greenwood's writings, research and speaking notes on various educational topics; items related to the Kansas City School System and to school administration in general; and publications on educational topics.
Dates
- 1874-1914
Creator
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Biographical Note
James Mickleborough Greenwood, son of Edmond and Jeanette (Foster) Greenwood, was born November 15, 1837 in Sangamon County, Illinois. His parents moved to Adair County, Missouri in 1852 where, after completing his public school education at age 16, he began teaching in the county rural schools. He later attended the Methodist Seminary at Canton, Missouri, then taught again in Adair County schools as well as those in Knox and Scotland Counties in Missouri and Adams County, Illinois.
In 1867, Joseph Baldwin recruited Greenwood to teach mathematics, logic and natural philosophy at the Normal School he was organizing in Kirksville. He hired Greenwood's wife, Amanda (McDaniel) Greenwood (1840-1904), as head of the model school and teacher of botany and history. Other than a six month stint at Mount Pleasant College in Huntsville, the Greenwoods remained on Baldwin's faculty until 1874 when he accepted the position of Superintendent of the Kansas City Public Schools (1874-1913).
During his years in Kansas City, Greenwood, a prolific writer and lecturer, became one of the leading figures in state and national public school education. He served one term as President of the Missouri State Teachers Association and was honored with a doctor of laws degree from the University of Missouri in 1896. He was an extremely active member of the National Education Association, serving as its Treasurer, 1890-1895, and President, 1898.
Upon his retirement in May 1913, he was appointed Advisor to the Board of Education and continued this work until his death, at his office desk, on August 1, 1914.
Extent
5 linear feet
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is organized into a single series - James Mickelborough Greenwood papers, 1874-1914.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
At the time the Greenwood Papers were "reprocessed" and the finding aid created (1997-1998), the records of how and when the collection had been acquired no longer existed. It was probably the gift of his daughter Ada (Greenwood) MacLaughlin, as all manuscript items dated after 1914 and several of the books belonged to her. It was received no later than 1942, when Dr. Pauline Knobbs, the College Archivist, transcribed Greenwood's incomplete History of Missouri manuscript.
Separated Materials
Most of the Collection's numerous books, pamphlets, and article reprints have been removed from the folders and catalogued to the "Greenwood Collection" on the library's online catalog. They are shelved next to the manuscript items so that the whole Collection remains together as a unit.
Periodicals in the collection were all single or random issues (there was no run of any title) and their condition was fragile, at best. Issues already held by Pickler Library were discarded and note of the action, with the library's location and call number for the title, were made so that issues may be "retrieved" by the researcher. In two instances, Greenwood's issues filled gaps in Pickler's run of a Missouri publication; these were added to the library's Missouriana set and appropriately noted. These notes are available upon request.
Processing Information
It appears from filing notes left in the folders that Dr. Pauline Knobbs created the organization, though it is possible she merely inserted unfiled items into a system originally created by Dr. Greenwood. Since she did not finish processing the collection, her basic organization was continued with a few changes resulting primarily from the condition of the materials.
Newspaper clippings were, for the most part, brittle beyond salvage as were a few letters and other documents. Preservation photocopies of these items were made and the originals, which could no longer be handled, were discarded.
Creator
- Title
- James Mickelborough Greenwood papers, 1874-1914
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Elaine Doak.
- Date
- 1998.
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Truman State University, Pickler Memorial Library, Special Collections Manuscripts Repository