I've lived in New Jersey for more than 40 years, but I'll never be a real New Jersey girl. I grew up in Pennsylvania where there was lots of snow, one traffic light in town, and 90 kids in my grade--from kindergarten through graduation. I didn't know anything about The Shore, or baked ziti, or Chanukah until I came to Jersey. But, I've come to love all of that and much more--especially the history. I now know about the Jersey Dutch, strawberry baskets, railroad suburbs, the bridge that saved a nation, and so much more. I've learned that to tell the local stories about regular people I need to read wills, estate files, census records, pension applications, letters, tombstones, newspapers, and anything else I can find. So, that's some of what I want to share with you!

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Brooklyn Eagle Almanac

For those of you with New York City research, have you ever checked the Brooklyn Eagle Almanac?  The Bolger Heritage Center (Ridgewood Public Library) has a collection of 13 volumes from 1894-1926 (HERITAGE REF 974.723 BRO).  I used them to find all sorts of information about the New York City Public Schools, which includes all five boroughs.  Information includes qualifications (such as degrees, experience, and examinations), salary for various positions (for example, $5 per night as an evening elementary school principal and $3,500 per year for an elementary school principal with six years experience), and even provisions for retirement.  The principals (both boys and girls) and janitor (?) are listed for each public school, along with the number of students registered and the number of seats (often not enough) and the average attendance. Sometimes the number of classrooms and number of teachers are listed.  Class sizes ranged from 32 to 55!  Can you imagine teaching 55 1st graders by yourself?  These figures are interesting whether you are researching a staff member or a student. 
 

In addition, there are maps, lists of politicians and city workers, lists of organizations, unions, and churches, and lots more.  You're unlikely to find a specific name, but the context you can draw for a specific time period or in a specific neighborhood is amazing.  Some of these volumes are also available online, but sitting in the Heritage Center, using almost a complete run for these years is research heaven.

I've been negligent in my posts for two reasons. I've been involved in working with others to save the Vanderbeck House and get the Naugle house (both in Fair Lawn) preserved and protect Open Space.  I also have the good fortune to have a leave from work to write up a 15-year research project on William L. Bulkley, only tangentially related to Bergen County.  He is the first African American principal of an integrated school in Manhattan (in 1909) and a founder of the NAACP and National Urban League.  (Thus, my interest in the Brooklyn Eagle Almanac.)  I thought my life would be more balanced with control over my days.  Actually, it's been upended by my obsession with writing and my desire to at least get a first draft done by August 23 (and a few historic preservation issues).

Enjoy summer and research!
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