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Title: Edna Noble White Collection: Merrill-Palmer Institute Genre: Papers, Date : 1902-1966 (Predominantly, 1920-1947) Size : 64 linear feet & 1 oversized folder ID #: 1066-b OCLC: ©Walter P. Reuther Library of Labor and Urban Affairs HEFA.01c.update |
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Scope & Contents
Edna Noble White served as first director of the Merrill-Palmer Institute from her appointment in 1920 until her retirement in 1947. Born in Fairmount, Illinois in 1880, she taught at Danville High School after graduation from the University of Illinois. In 1908 she joined the faculty of the home economics department at Ohio State University, becoming head of the department in 1913.
The Merrill-Palmer Institute was originally founded as the Merrill-Palmer School of Motherhood and Home Training to prepare young women as wives and mothers, but under Edna Noble White’s leadership, it expanded its services to include a student program of college level courses in child development, family life, parenting skills, and nursery education as well as the Merrill-Palmer Nursery School, Camps, Farm, Infant Services, and Recreational Clubs.
Edna Noble White, a pioneer in family life education, was a member and officer of numerous national professional associations, most prominently the American Association of University Women, Agricultural Missions Foundation, American Home Economics Association, and the New Education Fellowship. She participated in the activities of several Detroit youth services agencies and was instrumental in efforts to expand day care and nursery school services in Michigan during World War II. She also took part in several Works Progress Administration projects, such as the Emergency Nursery Schools project and the Emergency Education project. She died in 1954.
The papers of the Merrill-Palmer Institute: Edna Noble White Collection contain personal and professional correspondence; minutes from various national, state, and local organizations as well as Merrill-Palmer committees; literature regarding child and parental education; research studies relating to child development, family relations, and immigrant acculturation; and correspondence and literature from a number of federal agencies concerned with child and family welfare.
Agricultural Missions Foundation
American Association of University Women
Child care--Michigan
Child development--Cross-cultural studies
Child development--Law and legislation--United States
Child development--Research--United States
Child development--Testing
Child welfare
Children--Growth
Children--Nutrition--Psychological aspects
Children of immigrants--Michigan--Detroit
Day care centers--Michigan
Detroit Council for Youth Service
Education of children
Emergency Education Project (WPA)
Emergency Nursery Schools Project (WPA)
Frontier Nursing Service
Home economics--Study and teaching
Infants--Development
Michigan State Committee on Day Care of Children
New Education Fellowship
Nursery schools
Parenting--Study and teaching
Preschool teachers--Training of
United States.--Works Progress Administration
Wayne County Council of Defense Committee on Day Care of Children
Women immigrants--Michigan--Detroit
Youth--Services for--Michigan
Lawrence Kelso Frank
Grace Langdon
Esther McGuire
Margaret Mead
Marie Meloney
Mary Sweeney
Louise Stanley
Dorothy Tyler
Several photographs have been placed in the Archives Audiovisual Collection.
Merrill-Palmer Institute Collections
64 storage boxes
& 1 oversized folder
[Large Files]
Series I, Professional Affiliations, 1920-1957, Boxes 1-36, To
Index-Series I
Series II, Administrative Files, 1925-1966, Boxes 36-50, 1
oversized folder, To Index-
Series II
Series III, General Correspondence Files, 1902-1950, Boxes
51-64, To
Index-Series III