On Monday, September 17, 1787, 39 delegates to the Federal Convention in Philadelphia signed the Constitution of the United States, along with Major William Jackson, who had served as the secretary of the Convention. That same day, Jackson received instructions to leave for New York City on Tuesday and carry the document to Congress. All of these…

This article features two documents which can serve as a starting point for a lesson on public service while students debate the amount of pay that public servants should receive. These are: (1) the printed draft of the Constitution showing George Washington's handwritten corrections that eliminated state payments and included the phrase "to be…

On January 3, 1909, Emily Hamilton and Louis Overstreet wrote to President Theodore Roosevelt begging his "leave to work under your Committee for the relief of the sufferers of Italy." The two were engaged and were willing to rush their marriage plans if the president needed them. Their letter was prompted by the powerful earthquake that…

On July 23, 1787, delegates at the Constitutional Convention established a Committee of Detail to prepare a report and a printed draft of a Constitution "conformable to the proceedings of the convention." Two weeks later, the committee submitted a printed rough draft to the delegates for their consideration. In this first draft, the Preamble began…

Discussion of Andrew Carnegie era in American public library history focuses on library buildings financed and built in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The building design which Carnegie developed, surviving Carnegie libraries in Philadelphia, procedures for obtaining a library, and comparison of architectural attractiveness of Carnegie libraries with…

Three surveys deal with the architectural aspects of country schools in eastern, western and northeastern Kansas. Although country schools of the late 1800's and early 1900's often sprang up before there were pupils to attend them, the surveys reveal that many early schools were 3-month subscription schools which generally did not have their own…

The study of "Functional Planning of Elementary School Buildings" is a cooperative piece of work carried to completion by the Office of Education with very generous assistance from the National Advisory Council on School Building Problems. The Office is under deep obligation to the National Advisory Council for the time and thought which the…

From her study of traditional and open-plan British infant schools, the author shows how school buildings and playgrounds can express social and educational principles by controlling freedom of access; the destruction of defenses by open plan architecture being countered, on occasion, by creation of new defenses by teachers. (Editor/SJL)

Four major elements of airplanes had to be developed in order to achieve flight. The critical design mix of lift, propulsion, control, and structure was achieved through the work of many pioneers. (SK)

Review of academic library planning developments highlights modular design concept prevalent in 1960s. Problem areas (irregular shapes, interior or exterior courts, monumentality, too much or too little glass) and the use atria, designer lighting, monumental effects, and unusual shapes to relieve perceived monotony are discussed. Five sources are…

Reviews entrepreneurial librarian leadership in the past and describes entrepreneurial opportunities in the foreseeable future involving the transfer from bibliographically based librarianship to user-based systems. A model of a user-oriented library information system is described, including users, libraries, publishers, and authors; and…

States that in "The New Typography," Jan Tschichold explicates a functionalist and information-based theory of typographic design and demonstrates its application in numerous typographic examples of varied genres. Outlines Tschichold's typographic position; analyzes his style of visual communication; and considers subsequent developments…

Reviews the history of architectural developments in academic libraries. Highlights include natural lighting and the invention of the incandescent bulb; compact shelving; open versus closed stacks; modular construction methods; central air conditioning and controlled environments; interior arrangements; access to handicapped users and staff; and…

In the last 8 or 10 years there has been unusual progress in the establishment of kindergartens in most of the cities and States, but still the kindergarten is a phase of school work less known than the work of the grades in the elementary schools. Many school officers and school architects lack information as to the character of rooms and…

In framework of a century of formal U.S. library education, this essay synthesizes key concepts that have dominated library school curricula with special attention to idea of "core," growing conflict between library and information science, and actual methodology of teaching as described and experienced by members of profession. (57…