Edison School, Asahel Curtis Lantern Slides, circa 1920

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Curtis, Asahel, 1874-1941
Title
Edison School, Asahel Curtis Lantern Slides
Dates
circa 1920 (inclusive)
Quantity
0.25 cubic feet, (1 lantern slide box)  :  56 lantern slides in fair condition, though several slides have cracks
Collection Number
RG010-05-27
Summary
This collection comprises slides created by photographer Asahel Curtis, depicting activities at Edison School in Ellensburg, WA, circa 1920.
Repository
Central Washington University, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Central Washington University
400 E University Way
Ellensburg, WA 98926
Telephone: 509-963-1023
Fax: 509-963-3684
archive@cwu.edu
Access Restrictions

Open to the public.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Asahel Curtis (1874-1941) was a professional photographer in Seattle for forty years. The younger brother of photographer Edward S. Curtis, Asahel joined his brother in his photography studio around 1892. In 1897, he went to Alaska to photograph the Klondike gold rush. After returning from Alaska, he served as staff photographer for the Seattle Times and the Seattle Post Intelligencer for a short time. He started his own company, the Asahel Curtis Photo Company in 1920. He lived and worked in Seattle but had interests throughout Washington, including developing an apple orchard near Yakima. He served on the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, the State Tax Commission, and the Washington Irrigation Institute. He was also an avid mountain climber and served on the Rainier National Park advisory committee. Curtis died in 1941 at the age of sixty-seven.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The slides in this collection show children at the Edison School involved in various activities. Most of the images were taken indoors. though some were taken outdoors on campus. Included are pictures of children dancing, preparing food, and playing with animals. Several slides show children visiting a local bakery.

Historical BackgroundReturn to Top

A model elementary school was established at Washington State Normal School during the first year of its operation in 1891. In 1917, the school was named the Edison School after an agreement was made between the trustees of the Normal School and the Ellensburg School District for use of the training school building. After the completion of a new school building, the name was changed to the College Elementary School. Students at the Washington State Normal School put theory into practice by observing and teaching at the elementary school.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

[Name of document or photograph number]. RG010-05-27, Edison School, Asahel Curtis Lantern Slides. Archives and Special Collections, Brooks Library, Central Washington University.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged numerically by original numbers on slides. Unlabeled slides have been assigned letters and placed after numbered slides.

Related Materials

The bulk of Asahel Curtis' work is housed at the Washington State Historical Society in Tacoma. The University of Washington also holds a collection of Curtis' work.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Container(s) Description
box-item
1-1 Children and teacher at piano
1-3 Children with rhythm instruments
1-4 Children dancing
1-4x Children with rabbits
1-7 Children in animal coop. (slide cracked)
1-6 Children outside fenced yard
1-6x In the clover-field
1-6y C.E.S. early kindergarten gardening
1-8 Children with small animal cage
1-9 Children washing plant
1-12 Children playing gymnastics games
1-13 Boy swinging from a pole
1-14 Children playing game
1-15x Children dancing
1-16x Children dressed in white, holding hands in a circle
1-17 Children in front of Barge Hall
1-17x Let the leader show the way
1-18 Children playing indoors, girls with dolls. (slide cracked)
1-19 Children making cookies
1-22 Children playing indoors
1-22x Children playing with blocks
1-23 Children drawing on chalk boards
1-23x Children sitting around a table, wearing smocks
1-24 Children playing with sand
1-25 Children playing with clay (slide cracked)
1-25x Children sitting at table with clay
1-27 Children painting boxes
1-28 Children pulling dioramas on wagons
1-31 Looking at sheep in a corral
1-35 Children in front of bakery (slide is broken)
1-37 Children inside break bakery
1-38 Children in bakery with loaves of bread
1-39 Large group of children seated at tables with dishes
1-40 Children having indoor parade with drum
1-40x Children indoors. Lined up holding hands
1-42 Children sitting around a teacher
1-43 Four children playing. Boy standing on board between chairs.
1-44 Children around a maypole
1-A Girls playing with dolls
1-B Children cleaning pictures
1-C Children on wheels
1-D Children working with tools
1-E Children dancing on lawn
1-F Girls dancing on lawn
1-G Children on lawn with lamb
1-H Children at play in classroom with toy piano
1-I Children playing with wooden toys (small crack in corner)
1-J Boys playing with wooden trains
1-K Children building fort with blocks
1-L Children playing with blocks
1-M Children making cookies
1-N Children cooking
1-O Children sitting around a table having a snack
1-P Children playing ball indoors
1-Q Girls playing house
1-R Balls and blocks

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Education, Elementary--United States

Personal Names

  • Curtis, Asahel, 1874-1941 (creator)

Corporate Names

  • Edison Training School (Ellensburg, Wash.)
  • Washington State Normal School (Ellensburg, Wash.)

Geographical Names

  • Ellensburg (Wash.)

Occupations

  • Educators--United States