visu.elm Visual : Elm Place School Highland Park Historical Society

United States Telephone: 1.847.432.7090 Email: archives@highlandparkhistory.org http://www.highlandparkhistory.org United States Telephone: 1.847.432.7090 Email: archives(at)highlandparkhistory.org http://www.highlandparkhistory.org

2012-10-26 Generated by Access to Memory (AtoM) 2.6.0 2026-08-10 11:30 UTC English JLS I6 1 Visual : Elm Place School visu.elm 1870-1933 55 items : 4 x 5 in. [Glass negatives] Highland Park Historical Society

Elm Place School. Smith, Jesse Lowe, Superintendent of Schools, Highland Park, Illinois

Elm Place School is a grammar school established in the early Highland Park.In 2012, Elm Place School, is a public middle school in the North Shore School District 112.Elm Place School was closed in 2018.

Jesse Lowe Smith (1869-1934) was an educator and naturalist who served as Superintendent of Schools for District 107 and the principal of the Elm Place School in Highland Park, Illinois from 1902 until his death. A devoted, progressive pedagogue, Smith fostered a love and understanding of the natural world, the arts and culture in students during his tenure at Elm Place School. Smith served on the Highland Park Public Library board, as director of the North Shore Arts League, and as President of the Chicago chapter of the National Geographic Society. Additional civic activities included appointments on the Highland Park Tree and Parkway Commission, the Audubon Society of Chicago (Director) and Friends of Our Native Landscape (Director). He was an avid traveler in the United States and abroad.Jesse Lowe Smith was born in Macon Illinois on November 23, 1869. From a young age, Smith expressed an avid interest in nature and learning. Smith attended DePauw University for one year in 1891 and received his teaching certificate in 1894 at the age of 25. After teaching at several different schools in Illinois including Lexington and Park Ridge, Smith became the principal of the Elm Place School in Highland Park Illinois in 1902 as well as the Superintendent of Schools for District 107. Smith held those posts for 32 years until his death on April 21, 1934 at the age of 65. Jesse Lowe Smith devoted his life to teaching and sharing his knowledge and love of nature with students. He was a proponent of progressive education including the use of the latest technology at the time, such as the lantern slides in this collection, and also by incorporating nature and the arts into the curriculum by including field trips into nature and to museums and cultural institutions. Jesse Lowe Smith was active on the Library board, and director of the North Shore Art League, and as well as president of the Chicago chapter of the National Geographic Society for which he led an expedition to Montana.

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This collection documents early Highland Park and Elm Place School. It is a series of class photographs and teaching aids. The collection has been arranged into 5 series with a list of each item in that series. They are mostly black and white and a few have been damaged. They are all 4x5. These slides may have been taken chiefly by Jesse Lowe Smith. Brand Studio may also be responsible for some of the photography.

The series are arranged alphabetically; the items in each series have no specific order.

Elm Place School. Lantern slides--1860-1900 Highland Park (Ill.)-- History--Pictorial works.

Some items have been damaged by either splintering or by brittleness. All items should be handled with care, as should avoiding any contact with the emulsion side.

Unknown.

Processed by Konstandina D Argyropoulos, 2012.

None.

Class Photograph visu.elm-1.1 1888-1933, No Date 25 Lantern slides

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These lantern slides are all images of Elm Place School class photographs. Below is a list of all slides in this series with their respective dates.Miss Ginney's profile (Clay Cliffs), No DateAt the Erskine Farm (Miss Miller's 3rd grade), No DateMiss Miller's 3rd's Erskine Farm, No DateMiss Ponlton's Private School, No DateMrs. Green's 4th Grade, No DateMr. Kyle and Profiles, No DateSecond Grade, 1895First Grade, 1895Second Grade, 1890First Grade, 1890Highland Park Cadets, 1888Class of 1896, 1896Seventh Grade, 1895Fifth Grade, 1895Fourth Grade, 1895Third Grade, 1895Cirics Class, No DateMiss Reat's 5th Grade, 1902Class of 1899, 1899Class of 1898, 1898Class of 1897, 1897June 1933, 1933Class of June 1931, 1931Unknown Class, No DateTaking ones turn at the slide, No Date

Class photograph visu.elm-1.1-3.49 1898 1898

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Class photograph visu.elm-1.1-3.50 1897

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Fourth grade visu.elm-1.1-3.22 1895

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Seventh grade visu.elm-1.1-3.51 1895

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Miss Guiney's profile : Clay cliffs visu.elm-1.1-3.52 [1911]

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First grade 1890

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First grade visu.elm-1.1-3.46 1895

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Class photograph visu.elm-1.1-3.43 1899

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Miss Reats 5th grade visu.elm-1.1-3.42 1902

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Second grade visu.elm-1.1-3.45 1890

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Mrs. Green's Fourth grade visu.elm-1.1-3.47 n.d.

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Class photograph visu.elm-1.1-3.40 1896

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Mr. Kyle and profiles visu.elm-1.1-3.54 n.d.

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Mrs. Ponlton's Private School visu.elm-1.1-3.48 n.d.

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Highland Park Cadets visu.elm-1.1-3.39 1888

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Northwestern Military Academy (?).

Second grade visu.elm-1.1-3.38 1895

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Taking one's turn at the slide visu.elm-1.1-3.41

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Miss Miller's Third Grade at Erskine Farm visu.elm-1.1-3.53

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Miss Miller's Third Grade at the Erskine Farm visu.elm-1.1-3.55 n.d.

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Fifth grade visu.elm-1.1-3.36 1895

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Third grade visu.elm-1.1-3.34 1895

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Class photograph visu.elm-1.1-3.31 1933

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Class of June 1931 visu.elm-1.1-3.30 1931

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Civics class visu.elm-1.1-3.33 1910

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Class photograph visu.elm-1.1-3.35 n.d.

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General visu.elm-1.2 1870-1927, No Date 11 lantern slides

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This series is comprised of miscellaneous images ranging from people to animals, and slides of paintings. Below is a list of all slides in this series with their respective dates.Bertha Baker (Green), No DateMr and Mrs. John Mooney (damaged), No DateOld Port Clinton School (in color, and damaged), No DateDedication Program, 1870Pet monkey faced owl, 1927Mural-Mattie Alseley "The Procession" (Originally in old auditorium), 1907Glacial Drift Highland Park (Highland Park Grammar School), No DateRobin and young- Elm Place Fire Escape, No DateCrested Flycatcher- Elm Place School Grounds, No DateRobin and nest- Elm Place East Line Fence, No Date

Robin and nest : Elm Place east line fence visu.elm-1.2-3.18 1914 ; col.

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Robin and young : Elm Place fire escape visu.elm-1.2-3.24 1914 ; col.

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Dedication program visu.elm-1.2-3.25 ca. 1870

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Old Port Clinton School visu.elm-1.2-3.26 ; col.

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Mooney (Mr. and Mrs. John Mooney) visu.elm-1.2-3.28 circa 1913

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Olive Gray Great crest (Greatcrested flycatcher?) at nest with young visu.elm-1.2-3.23 [1918] ; col.

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Glacial drift visu.elm-1.2-3.20

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Highland Park Grammar School.

Pet monkey faced owl visu.elm-1.2-3.32 1927 ; col

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Mural : Mattie Alseley "The Procession" visu.elm-1.2-3.37 ca. 1907

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Originally in old auditorium.

Bertha Baker visu.elm-1.2-3.29 n.d.

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Green, Bertha Baker Homes visu.elm-1.3 No Date 14 Lantern slides

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This series is a collection of homes, used possibly as a classroom aid. Below is a list of all slides in this series with their respective dates.Frank Lloyd Wright, No DateEnglish, No DateGreek Revival, No DateGreek Revival, No DateSouthern Colonial, No DateSouthern Colonial, No DateDutch Colonial, No DateFrench, No DateCape Cod, No DateSpanish, No DateSpanish, No Date

New England Colonial visu.elm-1.3-3.12

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Spanish visu.elm-1.3-3.7

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Georgian visu.elm-1.3-3.11

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Southern Colonial visu.elm-1.3-3.15

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Greek Revival visu.elm-1.3-3.21

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Southern Colonial visu.elm-1.3-3.14

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New England Colonial visu.elm-1.3-3.13

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Spanish visu.elm-1.3-3.8

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Cape Cod visu.elm-1.3-3.9

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Frank Lloyd Wright visu.elm-1.3-3.27

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Dutch Colonial visu.elm-1.3-3.17

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Greek Revival visu.elm-1.3-3.16

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French visu.elm-1.3-3.10

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English visu.elm-1.3-3.19

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Staff visu.elm-1.4 1930-1931 2 lantern slides

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This series is a collection of images of the Elm Place School faculty. Below is a list of all slides in this series with their respective dates.Teaching Staff- Elm Place and Green Bay Road Schools, 1930-1931Staff- Elm Place and Green Bay School, 1930-1931

Elm Place and Green Bay Schools visu.elm-1.4-3.6 1930 - 1931

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Identifications from library copy: Standing from Left BackRow: Bert Greene, Harry W. Hart, Harold Schultz, Jane Phillips, Lena Nixon, Zana Kirkland, Edna Grenoble, Clara Sands, Clara White, Marjorie Lynch, Eleanore Parsons, Ethel McBroom, Alice Meyers, Irene Stark, Mamie Dorsch, Edna Engwall. GlenadineWeaver, Ethel Fallstad, Bertha Nicholson, Jesse L. Smith. Kneeling and Sitting from Left Center Row: Unknown, Unknown, lrene Jones, Doretta Grunewald, Lula Behrens, Mrs. George Taylor, Mildred Turpin. Front Row from Left: William E Cunningham, Bertha Cramer, May Hanson, Virginia Thomas, Caroline Diele, Florence Miller, Mary Baur, Helen Cook, Catherine McMunn, Adah-Louise Voss, Kay Moore, Sarah Whellock, Orva Stine, and Bert Leech.

Elm Place and Green Bay School visu.elm-1.4-3.4 1930-1931

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Theater visu.elm-1.5 No Date 4 lantern slides

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This series is comprised of images from the Elm Place School's theater group. Below is a list of all slides in this series with their respective dates.The Elves, No DateThe Fairies, No DateThe Flower Girls, No DateThre Greek Players, No Date

The Elves visu.elm-1.5-3.5

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The Fairies visu.elm-1.5-3.3

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The Flower girls visu.elm-1.5-3.2 circa 1929

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The Greek players visu.elm-1.5-3.1

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