University of Missouri, Lantern Slide Collection, n.d. (C3776)

1 folder and 209 lantern slides

INTRODUCTION

This collection of late nineteenth century and early twentieth century glass lantern slides depicts buildings, people, and street scenes in China and Palestine; the culture and manufacture of silk in Japan and the U.S. by the Corticelli Silk Mills in Massachusetts; and the history of education and elementary schools.

DONOR INFORMATION

The lantern slide collection was donated to the University of Missouri by Lawrence T. Rugolo on 22 June 1965 (Accession No. 3623).

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection of late nineteenth and early twentieth century glass lantern slides comes from the University of Missouri Visual Education Series. The collection is divided into five series: China, Palestine, Silk, History of Education, and Development of Elementary Schools.

The lantern slides of China (slides 1-14) show working people and street scenes in Peking and other Chinese cities as well as views of bridges, boats, pagodas, shrines, and widows' monuments. A list of slide captions can be found in folder 1.

The lantern slides of Palestine (slides 15-46) constitute a travelogue. Each slide is accompanied by a detailed description which puts the scene into geographical, historical, cultural, architectural, and Biblical context. Most of the images were taken in or around Jerusalem, although a few are from Jaffa and Bethlehem. The slides show churches, temples, mosques, homes and other buildings, shops, bazaars, gardens, gates and city walls, cemeteries, animals, people and their clothing, and a variety of street scenes. Many of the holy places of the Christian, Jewish, and Moslem religions are depicted. A list of slide captions and descriptions can be found in folder 1.

The slides in this series demonstrate the process of Silk (slides 47-109) culture and manufacture. The slides show the growth and development of silkworms, cocoons, and silk moths. Japanese women performed the intensive labor involved in the care and feeding of silkworms and the reeling of silk from cocoons. The spinning, dyeing, and final processing of silk embroidery thread was done by women and men workers in silk mills in the U.S. The slides, dated 1895 and 1902, show different stages in industrial development, from the labor-intensive production of raw silk in Japan to the highly mechanized production of the finished silk thread in U.S. factories. A list of slide captions may be found in folder 1.

The program on the History of Education (slides 110-159) includes images of prints and paintings relating to education in Europe and England from the Middle Ages. The slides show the interiors and exteriors of school and college buildings and scenes of teachers and students in learning and athletic activities. The absence of captions or descriptions of the slides makes it difficult to determine the exact theme of the program.

The Development of Elementary Schools (slides 160-209) slide program examines elementary schools from the early sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries. The slides show classrooms, teachers, students, education of girls, textbooks, curriculum, record books, regulations, and equipment used for discipline. The program traces education of children in Germany, Holland, France, England, and Switzerland; covers early religious and charity schools and kindergartens; and discusses educational philosophers such as Hobbs, Rousseau, Pestalozzi, and Froebel. A list of slide captions and descriptions can be found in folder 1.

INDEX TERMS

These index terms are the subjects, people, places, etc. under which this collection is listed in all available indexes at the Western Historical Manuscript Collection-Columbia. If you are interested in a specific index term, please contact the reference staff.

  • Arabs--Social life and customs
  • Architecture, Chinese
  • Architecture, Medieval
  • China, Chungking
  • China, Peking
  • China--Description and travel
  • China--labor and laboring classes
  • Church architecture
  • Costume--Arabs
  • Costume--Japan
  • Education--Elementary
  • Fibers
  • German language
  • Japan--Labor & laboring classes
  • Jerusalem
  • Jews--Civilization
  • Labor & laboring classes
  • Like, Anna
  • Palestine, Description & travel
  • Religious Education
  • School buildings
  • Silk
  • Silk industry & trade
  • Silkworms
  • Textile industry
  • Women, Japan