MS 13
Black, Margaret J.
Papers, 1938-1971, n.d.

Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140


Descriptive summary

creator:

Black, Margaret J. (1898- )

title:

Papers

dates:

1938-1971, n.d.

extent:

1.89 linear ft. (4 document boxes and 1 half-document box)

collection number:

MS 13

repository:

Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

 

Administrative information

access:

Open for research

publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections Department

preferred citation:

Margaret J. Black Papers, MS 13, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

 

Biographical note
 

Margaret J. Black graduated with a two-year Junior College Degree (1922) and then received her B.A. in education from the University of Northern Iowa (1926).  She received her Master of Science degree from Drake University.  Between 1922 and 1927 she taught school in College Springs, Clarinda and then Newton, Iowa.  She later taught in the Des Moines Public Schools.  In 1938 she became Assistant Professor of Education in Field Science at Drake University, where she remained until she retired in 1967.

Throughout her career she taught students to value conservation.  Her teaching was based "on the philosophy that life is of supreme importance, that plants, animals and mineral matter are closely interrelated and that man reaches his full height of development as he finds his place of responsibility in the over-all plan of life."

Black was co-editor of Conservation Source Book, Iowa State University Press, 1962, and served on the State Preserves Advisory Board.

For her contributions to conservation she has been the recipient of numerous awards.  Among these awards is the Izaak Walton League's Conservation Award in 1960 for originating, planning, directing and fostering the Children's Forest Project in Des Moines.  In 1967 she was named conservation educator of the year by the Iowa Wildlife Federation, Inc.  In 1968 she was given the Drake Alumni Distinguished Service Award and during the same year was chosen for the Iowa Conservation Hall of Fame award by the Iowa Chapter of the Wildlife Society for outstanding contributions to conservation.

 

Collection description
 

This collection (1938-1971) primarily documents Margaret Black’s career in science education and conservation.  The collection contains correspondence, lecture notes, student term papers, her master's thesis, student conservation projects and newspaper clippings on Margaret Black and conservation.

 

Organization

The collection is organized into series:
Series 1, Correspondence, 1939-1971
Series 2, Biographical Material, 1948-1971
Series 3, Course Materials, 1934-1966
Series 4, Writings, 1933-1972

 

Description of series

 

 

 

Series 1

Correspondence

1939-1971

extent:

0.3 linear feet

 

description:

Includes correspondence with the Iowa Conservation Education Council, the Iowa Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, the Soil Conservation Service.  Topics include Drake University summer radio show, Iowa State Teachers Association, Des Moines Department of Public Instruction, Elementary Science Conference, Plant Iowa Committee, Iowa Geological Survey, state preserves, the Izaak Walton League, awards, and congratulatory letters.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

1

Outgoing correspondence

1939-1966

1

2

Incoming correspondence, Iowa Conservation Education Council

1959-1970

1

3

Incoming correspondence, Nature Conservancy (Iowa Chapter)

1965-1970

1

4

Incoming correspondence, Soil Conservation service

1941-1970

1

5

Incoming correspondence (includes correspondence related to Drake University summer radio show, Iowa State Teachers Association, Des Moines Department of Public Instruction, Elementary Science Conference, Plant Iowa Committee, and Iowa Geological Survey)

1935-1969

1

6

Incoming correspondence, general (includes correspondence on State Preserves and Izaak Walton League)

1960-1969

1

7

Incoming correspondence relating to awards

1957-1968

1

8

Congratulatory letters

1942-1971

 

Description of series

 

 

 

Series 2

Biographical Material

1948-1971

extent:

0.1 linear feet

 

description:

This series contains materials about honors and awards given to Black as well as newspaper clippings.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

9

Honors and awards

1955-1968

1

10

Clippings

1948-1971, n.d.

 

Description of series

 

 

 

Series 3

Course Materials

1934-1966

extent:

0.5 linear feet

 

description:

This series contains materials related to Black's teaching activities, including teaching notes, source materials, and evaluations.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

2

1

Education 139, teaching notes, data, references, and lectures

1948-1965, n.d.

2

2

Science 107, conservation course data

1934-1966, n.d.

2

3

Outdoor Education

1950-1962, n.d.

2

4

Outdoor Education - Springbrook

1955

2

5

Outdoor Education - Children's Forest, Ewing Park, Des Moines, Iowa

1963

2

6

Outdoor Education - Lake Ahquabi Field Trip workshop, Hooper area (13 3x3 b/w photographs)

1954

2

7

Science 52 teaching materials

n.d.

3

6

Science course 51 and 52

n.d.

2

8

Maps for study purposes: outline, topographical, tactical, hand drawn

n.d.

2

9

Student source materials (conservation articles)

1949-1964

2

10

Evaluations (includes student expressions on values of outdoor education)

n.d.

3

1

Student term papers

1952-1966, n.d.

3

2

Conservation clippings

1946-1965

 

Description of series

 

 

 

Series 4

Writings

1933-1972

extent:

1 linear foot

 

description:

This series contains writings by Margaret Black, her students, and others.  The series includes Margaret Black’s Master’s thesis, curriculum materials and course materials.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

3

3

Des Moines Public Schools, General Science, Grades III to VI inclusive

1933

3

4

Des Moines Public Schools Curriculum Bulletin, General Science, Grades VII-IX (Copy 1)

1937

3

5

Des Moines Public Schols Curriculum Bulletin, General Science, Grades VII-IX (Copy 2)

1937

3

7

Criticism by Margaret Black of Survey of Science, by Powers, Neuner, Bruner (text); Conservation Source Book by Iowa Conservation Education Council

1965, n.d.

3

8

Critical review of "Ding" Darling Article

n.d.

3

9

Science curriculum changes

1936-1940

3

10

Report of work on conservation of Iowa resources as carried out by IX grade General Science class at Callanan Junior High, Des Moines

1938

4

1

Master’s Thesis, Drake University

1946

4

2

Thesis notes and rough draft

n.d.

5

1

Callanan School (Des Moines), conservation project material

n.d.

5

2

Callanan School (Des Moines), conservation project scrapbook clippings and pictures

1938-1939, n.d.

5

3

Recorded Conservation Program by IX graders

1939

5

4

Notebook I:  Report of Iowa Conservation:  Callanen Junior High Grade IX (includes Ding Darling dedication)

1938

5

5

Notebook II

1938

5

6

Correspondence concerning notebooks

1972



Iowa State University Library, Ames, IA 50011
Comments: spclref@iastate.edu
URL: http://www.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/manuscripts/MS013.html