A Guide to the National Council for the Social Studies Records, 1920-1976


Descriptive Summary
	Creator:	National Council for the Social Studies
	Title:	National Council for the Social Studies, Records
	Dates:	1920-1976
	Abstract:	Correspondence, meeting files, resolutions, reports, and publications comprise the National Council for the Social Studies Records, 1920-1976, documenting the organization’s administrative functions in its work promoting the social studies in education.
	Accession No.:	2007-213; 2008-270; 2011-246
	Extent:	161 ft., 6 in.
	Language:	Materials are written in English.
	Repository:	Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin

Historical Note

Founded in 1921, the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) was created to support educators by promoting social studies in education. NCSS includes geography, economics, political science, anthropology, sociology, psychology, religion, and law, from the elementary to university level, in its scope. In service of the field, NCSS publishes curricula, organizes conventions and training, supports legislation promoting social science education, and conducts research. The organization’s first president, Albert Edward McKinley (1870-1936), served as publisher and managing editor of the publication Historical Outlook, which by 1937, evolved into the NCSS official journal Social Education. Other prominent presidents have included social studies theorist and author Edgar Bruce Wesley (1891-1980). The organization launched its first annual meeting in 1935 and established official headquarters in Washington, D. C., in 1940.

Source:

National Council for the Social Studies. "About National Council for the Social Studies." National Council for the Social Studies. Accessed February 3, 2011.

Wronski, Stanley P. "Edgar Bruce Wesley (1891-1980): His Contributions to the Past, Present and Future of the Social Studies." Journal of Thought 17, 3 (1982): 55-67.

Scope and Contents

Correspondence, meeting files, resolutions, reports, and publications comprise the National Council for the Social Studies Records, 1920-1976, documenting the organization’s administrative functions in its work promoting the social studies in education. The actions of National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) leadership are chronicled in records of the Board of Directors (1927-1974), Executive Committee (1936-1974), Executive Director (1920-1974), and House of Delegates (1958-1974) as well as the Associate Executive Secretary’s correspondence (1965-1975). Committee Records (1940-1974) concern the activities of operational, advisory, and ad hoc committees such as Civic Education, Postwar Policy, and World History Bibliography. Meeting records (1921-1972) concern the planning and proceedings of annual, joint, and regional meetings of NCSS and affiliate organizations like the National Education Association. Additionally copies of the NCSS publications Yearbooks (1930-1976), Social Education (1930-1969) the How To Do It series (1951-1954), and Resource Units (1940-1954); their associated records; and special projects files discuss the organization’s research, membership, and educational outreach.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research use.

Use Restrictions

These records are stored remotely. Advance notice required for retrieval. Contact repository for retrieval.


Index Terms

	Subjects (Persons)
		McKinley, Albert E. (Albert Edward), 1870-1936
		Wesley, Edgar Bruce, 1891-1980
	Subjects (Organizations)
		National Council for the Social Studies -- Archives
		National Education Association
	Subjects
		Education -- Research -- United States
		Education -- Periodicals -- United States
		Educational change -- United States
		Social sciences -- Study and Teaching -- United States

Related Material


	See also National Council for the Social Studies Oral History Transcripts