Children and Desks

Eighteenth-century children had few forms of furniture made specifically for their needs: cradles, highchairs, and perhaps small chairs. This fall-front desk is a rarity. A well-to-do family probably had this made for their young son. Perhaps this boy -- by mimicking his father who sat at a larger version of this desk -- would carry on the family business.

The importance that nineteenth-century Americans put on the technology of education is indicated by the hundreds of patents on school furniture between 1860 and 1900. Desks designed to be in rows facing the teacher reveal the teacher-centered classrooms of the era. These cast iron and wood school desks and benches were manufactured in Buffalo, New York, in about 1900.

In 1924-25 the Ford Motor Company ran a series of sixteen dramatic advertisements in the Saturday Evening Post and Country Gentleman magazines. The effectiveness of the ads was due in large part to the specially commissioned artwork that accompanied the descriptive text. This painting appeared as two segments -- losing some of its content in the process -- when reproduced as part of the 15th ad.

Henry Ford purchased vast amounts of land around present-day Richmond Hill, Georgia, beginning in the 1920s. After acquiring the property, Ford became interested in the economic and civic improvement of the area. This photo shows the poor learning conditions faced by many students in the area. In 1940, Ford opened the new George Washington Carver School for the African-American community.

This type of desk became the standard for both public and private elementary schools after World War II. Students were responsible for supplying and organizing their school supplies, which were stored under the hinged desk top. These desks continued to be used in classrooms even after dip pens and ink bottles were replaced by cartridge pens and, eventually, ballpoint pens.

Henry Ford's original vision for his museum and "early American village" was to provide hands-on learning opportunities for students. Ford's educational philosophy was "learn to do by doing." In the experimental Edison Institute Schools he founded in 1929, students learned not only from books, but also from objects and hands-on experiences. Many attended classes in Greenfield Village's historic buildings.

Henry Ford's original vision for his museum and "early American village" was to provide hands-on learning opportunities for students. Ford's educational philosophy was "learn to do by doing." In the experimental Edison Institute Schools he founded in 1929, students learned not only from books, but also from objects and hands-on experiences. Many attended classes in Greenfield Village's historic buildings.

The Civil Rights movement, as well as the emerging woman's movement, created a whole new world for kids growing up in the 1970s. As social barriers and traditional gender stereotypes began to break down, kids were encouraged to appreciate diversity. This popular toy was one of the first playthings to include an African-American toy figure.