RG04_The Harker Day School, 1959-1972
Scope and Contents
Approximately 1 linear foot including news clippings, brochures, and articles. This collection is the product of a single accession in August 2002. These records document the operation, organization, and institutional history of The Harker Day School, from 1959 – 1972.
Dates
- Majority of material found within 1959 - 1972
Administrative History
The Harker Day School was established in 1959, after Donald Nichols purchased the Miss Harker School. It was simply “The Harker School” at the time of purchase and continued to use that name for the first two years. In 1961 the name changed to The Harker Day School and added “for boys and girls” to the brochures. In addition to owning the Harker Day School, Major Nichols was the superintendent of the Palo Alto Military Academy, located across the street from Harker Day School on Greenwood Avenue in Palo Alto. There were approximately 160 students enrolled at Harker Day School at the time of the purchase. The Harker Day School offered a coeducational program for nursery school through sixth grade. In 1970, seventh grade was added, and in 1971 and 1972, there were eighth graders. The earliest brochure in the archives (ca. 1959) indicates that students as young as 3 years old were admitted to the nursery school program. At four and a half years old, children moved to kindergarten, continuing to the Lower School for grades first through sixth. Lower School students studied French, Social Studies, Math, Science, Spelling, and Art and Music Appreciation. Alice Williams was principal from 1955 through the merger with Palo Alto Military Academy, and continued her service at Harker Academy. She was influential in setting the philosophy and direction of Harker Day School, continuing the vision of Catherine and Sara Harker. After teaching math for five years at Miss Harker’s, Mrs. Williams was appointed principal in 1955 when the school was reorganized to become coeducational. When Donald Nichols purchased the school in 1959 he recognized Mrs. Williams’ contributions to the school and asked her to remain as principal. Mrs. Williams believed in each child’s ability to be successful, and saw it as the teacher’s responsibility to help develop each student. She remained with the school when it merged with Palo Alto Military Academy and moved to San Jose in 1972, serving at Harker Academy until her retirement in 1979, completing 29 years of service. Her records can be found in Record Group 2 of the Harker School Archives.
Extent
3 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Contains brochures, photocopies of news clippings and articles, awards, rosters, roll books, programs, school newspapers, and memorabilia. Harker Day School, in Palo Alto, California, represents the continuation of the Miss Harker’s School program as a day school after its purchase by Donald Nichols in 1959. Donald Nichols served as President, and Alice Williams as Director. Records of these leaders are contained in Record Groups 3 (Palo Alto Military Academy) and 2 (Miss Harker’s School), respectively.
Physical Location
Main Building, Room 7
Acquisitions Information
These records were accumulated by the Harker Day School and moved from 1050 Greenwood Avenue in Palo Alto to San Jose, in 1972. The materials were found in an electrical service room in August of 2002, and were accessioned by the Archives. There is no indication of a records management program during or since the time these records were created. This collection was processed by Susan Smith, an archivist-intern at San Jose State University and Enid Davis, Harker Library Director. The Harker History Committee was formed in August of 2001, initially at the request of the Administration, to find historical materials to help promote and market the school, research the lives and careers of the founders of the predecessor schools, and to organize and preserve aging photographs. History Committee members include Enid Davis, Library Director, Pam Dickinson, Director of Communications, Terry Walsh, Alumni Director, and Chris Darren, Yearbook and Photography coordinator. Susan Smith is an ad-hoc member. The project grew into the development of the Archives. The initial accessioning began in June of 2002 and was completed in October of 2002.
Acquisitions Update (April 2009)Former Harker employee and board of trustee’s member, Phyllis Carley kept all of the files related to the Board of Trustees and her personal items related to the schools in her home. She asked Harker employee Terry Walsh to move the items to Harker upon her death. Mrs. Carley passed away on April 25, 2009 and Terry Walsh and Harker employees Kelly Espinosa and Carol Sosnowski sorted and boxed up all items in her home, related to Harker or one of the schools in our history. The boxes with Board of Trustees related papers were moved to a secured area of the school for Diana Nichols. The rest of the boxes were moved to archives for processing. The boxes contain items that span the years and schools from the 1950’s to present time.
References
2. Harker Day School Brochure, n.d. (ca. 1959)
3. Harker Day School Brochure, 1965
4. Harker Academy Annual Report, 1986-87
- Title
- Harker Day School
- Subtitle
- Harker Day School, 1959-1972
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- These records were created by the Harker Day School.
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- 2003.03: Processed by: Susan Smith, Archivist-Intern, San Jose State University
Repository Details
Part of the The Harker School Archives Repository