The School District Library by Harper & Brothers
The School District Library by Harper & Brothers
- Description (Brief)
-
From the nation’s beginning, Americans have grappled with who gets educated and who pays for education. Both public and private schools have relied on a combination of public and private funding. Disparities in wealth and political influence have affected Americans’ ability to support schools. As a result, educational philanthropy has reflected inequalities in the American economy and society. Giving through contributions of time and money have both created opportunities for students and increased inequalities among them.
-
Beyond paying taxes, communities have helped to fund schools through giving time, money, and supplies. This portable library is typical of one that hung on school walls in the 1800s. In some schools, a portable library was purchased through community donations, while in others, an individual donated one.
- Object Name
- portable library case w/ books (31)
- Object Type
- books
- date made
- mid-19th century
- maker
- Harper & Brothers
- Harper and Brothers
- Physical Description
- wood (overall material)
- metal (overall material)
- leather (overall material)
- paper (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 23 in x 6 in x 16 in; 58.42 cm x 15.24 cm x 40.64 cm
- ID Number
- CL.389117
- catalog number
- 389117
- accession number
- 182022
- collector/donor number
- 1636
- Credit Line
- Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Arthur M. Greenwood
- subject
- Education
- See more items in
- Home and Community Life: Education
- Family & Social Life
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.
If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.
Note: Comment submission is temporarily unavailable while we make improvements to the site. We apologize for the interruption. If you have a question relating to the museum's collections, please first check our Collections FAQ. If you require a personal response, please use our Contact page.