COUNTRY SCHOOL RECORDS
INFORMATION FROM THE CENTER FOR THE HISTORY OF RURAL IOWA EDUCATION AND CULTURE
UNI MUSEUMS, University of Northern Iowa
THECOLLECTION
The Center for the History of Rural Iowa Education and Culture (CHRIEC) is a resource focusing on the history of early Iowa education in rural schools and is comprised of materials dating from the 1850s to the 1960s when most of Iowa’s country schools closed their doors. The materials include approximately 10,000 official records from rural school teachers, county superintendents of schools, and local township school boards. Researchers will find CHRIEC an extraordinary resource for the study of Iowa rural history, rural education, teacher training, and women’s history.
Because of Iowa’s national reputation over the past 100 years for setting standards in education, the Center would provide local historians, educators, genealogists, museum interpreters, researchers, and archivists from across the country with an invaluable resource for studying how Iowa achieved that reputation.
DONATIONS TO THE COLLECTION
The core of the collection is primarily the official paperwork of teachers, county superintendents of schools, and township school boards. However, we are adding to the collection oral histories, teacher and student memorabilia, photographs, and any other items related to Iowa rural schools. If you wish to donate to the collection, please feel free to contact Kim Taylor. We appreciate all gifts to the archive!
USE OF THE COLLECTION
At present, CHRIEC is not open for on-site research due to lack for work space for researchers. We therefore ask that anyone interested in obtaining information from the collection contact us with details of their needs. We will advise you on what materials we have available, what work we can do for you, and what fees there will be for doing that work. Please contact Kim Taylor to put in your research requests.
FEES AND SERVICES
Digital reproductions and photocopies of materials held in the CHRIEC archive can be made, when copying will not damage materials. All digital reproductions and photocopies must be made by staff.
Requests may be made in writing, through the Museums’ website (www.uni.edu/museum/chriec) or via email (kim.taylor@uni.edu).
When costs of reproduction have been determined, a cost figure will be sent to you.
All orders must be prepaid. Once payment is received, the reproductions will be made and sent via email or mail or can be picked up at the University Museum.
Total fees will include a handling or research fee, reproduction fees, and/or postage fee.
Requests that involve simple searches for information, where specific information is provided (such as county, township, year, and teacher or student name) will incur a handling fee. Requests that involve more in-depth and sustained searching through documents will incur a research fee.
Generally, orders will be filled within 14 days after receipt of payment.
Fees:
Handling fee, simple request $5.
Handling fee, microforms $10.
Research fee $20/hour
Rush order $20.
Photocopies, 8.5×11 $.25 per copy
Photocopies, 11 x 17 $.40 per copy
Digital imaging $5 per image
CD or DVD $1 per disc
Photographic printout $2 per sheet
Mailing fee, standard $2.50 (up to 10 sheets or 1 disc)
Mailing fee, special Actual cost for express mailing or large packages
Categories of Users:
UNI Students –fees are waived for small orders
General public – fees above apply
Commercial users – additional fees will be applied for publication, broadcast, or exhibition
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Kim Taylor
Collections Manager, UNI Museums
319 273-6923
kim.taylor@uni.edu
UNI Museums
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, Iowa 50614-0199