American Historical Ephemera & Photography

Partly printed pages with handwritten entries, approx. 198pp utilized, 8 1/2 x 13 1/2 in., leather-covered boards (heavy wear with both boards and all pages completely detached from spine, "Remarks" column slightly clipped on all pages, light soil throughout). 

Alphabetical register indicating the names of children enrolled in the Foster School for the school year 1871-1872. Columns denote biographical information for each child including the following: "Names"; "Nativity"; "Parents' Names"; "Residences"; "Age on Entering. Years & Months.";  "Date of Entering. Mo. & Day. Year."; "Date of Leaving. Mo. & Day. Year."; "Date of Second Entering. Mo. & Day. Year."; "Date of Second Leaving. Mo. & Day. Year."; and "Remarks." The Foster School was Chicago's ninth permanent public school, and was located in an area that survived the "Great Chicago Fire" of October 8-10, 1871.

Documenting the school year that coincides with the fire, the register offers a unique glimpse into families and schoolchildren that may have been displaced due to the conflagration. As per the "Explanations and Directions for the Register" which is included at the beginning of the ledger, the "Remarks" section was utilized to indicate when a pupil entering the school was found to have attended one of the other public schools of the city at any time during the same school year. Other Chicago schools identified include Brown, Walsh, Clarke, Mitchell, Third Ave., Douglas, Polk, Dove, Kinzie, Washington, Carpenter, and Scammon, and more. Additionally, the register provides a wealth of demographic information, particularly as it relates to the "Nativity" of the child. Chicago's diverse and extensive immigrant community is well-represented with the register identifying children of a multitude of nationalities including those of Scottish, German, English, Austrian, Canadian, Dutch, Bohemian, and Norwegian ancestry, alongside children from states throughout the United States.