| Repository: | Western Reserve Historical Society |
| Creator: | Martha Holden Jennings Foundation |
| Title: | Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Records |
| Dates: | 1963-1992 |
| Extent: | 4.40 linear feet (5 containers) |
| Abstract: | The Martha Holden Jennings Foundation is an education foundation promoting elementary and secondary teaching, teacher training, curriculum development and school evaluation studies, including educational TV programs and in-service conferences and seminars. The collection is of interest to researchers exploring trends and developments in education in Ohio, 1963-1992. The records document the foundation's activities in teacher training and staff development, curriculum development, materials development and equipment purchase, information sharing, conferences and retreats, enrichment programs, scholarship and awards, and evaluation and research. The material also supports research into foundation management. The collection consists of minutes of the Board and Distribution Committee meetings, studies financed by the Foundation, and publications, including annual reports; the quarterly journals, Pro Excellentia, Journal, and Bulletin; and Jennings Scholar Lecture publications. |
| MS Number | MS 4688 |
| Location: | closed stacks |
| Language: | The records are in English |
The Martha Holden Jennings Foundation (f. 1958), one of Ohio's preeminent educational foundations, was created by Martha Holden Jennings (1873-1962) with an initial bequest of $5.5 million. Mrs. Jennings was the widow of Andrew R. Jennings (d. 1931), a co founder of International Business Machines (IBM). The purpose of the foundation is "to foster the development of individual capabilities of young people to the maximum possible intent through improving the quality of teaching in non denominational primary and secondary schools and by furnishing incentives with respect thereto, and by such means as the trustees shall determine." The objective of the Jennings Foundation is to promote excellence in Ohio's primary and secondary schools by funding projects that improve the quality of teaching, teacher training, curriculum development, and school evaluation studies. It also focuses on the creation of educational TV programs and provide for in-service educational conferences and seminars. The foundation's main interests are programs that promote more effective teaching in schools and explore new frontiers in education. Surveys have concluded that the Jennings Foundation may be the only foundation in the U.S. of substantial size and scope devoted exclusively to the needs of elementary and secondary education.
Foundation programming did not begin until 1963, and has since grown substantially in terms of numbers of grants, geographic areas of grants, and annual spending. The foundation has designed its own studies, developed unique programs, and supported other pro-active ventures while operating from five primary objectives: recognizing excellence in teaching in elementary and secondary schools; supporting educational programs that advance instruction or improve educational curricula in public schools; providing opportunity and incentive to teachers and students to improve their skills; improving teacher competency with workshops and seminars for pre-service and in-service education conducted by colleges, schools and other institutions; and establishing resources that provide for special needs of students, teachers, administrators and school systems.
Periodic surveys of those served by grants indicate that educators largely agree that the Jennings Foundation has remained true to its purpose though giving patterns have shifted slightly to reflect gradual shifting of the student population from the Cleveland area to statewide. The number of grants awarded and annual dollar amounts has grown, while the average amount of each individual grant has fallen. Enrichment programs have almost consistently ranked at the top of the list of foundation priorities.
click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for Martha Holden
The Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Records, 1963-1992, consist primarily of minutes, studies, and publications.
This collection is of interest to researchers exploring trends and developments in education in Ohio from 1963-1990. The records document the foundation's activities in teacher training and staff development, curriculum development, materials development and equipment purchase, organizational development, information sharing, conferences and retreats, enrichment programs, scholarships and awards, and evaluation and research. The recipients of these programs have been colleges and universities, experimental schools/educational television, private and public schools, community and professional education organizations and Jennings programs. The collection is also of interest to those exploring foundation management.
None.
Related MaterialThe researcher should also consult MS 4772 Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Records, Series II; MS 4798 Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Records, Series III; MS 4829 Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Records, Series IV; MS 4914 Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Records, Series V; and MS 5393 Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Records, Series VI.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 4688 Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Records, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, 1993.
Processed by Paula Cohen in 1994.
Series I: Minutes of the Board of Trustees and Distribution Committee Meetings 1964-1990 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 1-2 | Minutes of Advisory Committee 1964-1965 | |||||||||
| 1 | 3-23 | Minute books 1966-1978 | |||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 2 | 24-45 | Minute books 1979-1988 | |||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 3 | 46-50 | Minute books 1988-1990 | |||||||||
Series II: Studies 1959-ca. 1989 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 3 | 51 | The Educational Research Council of America: An Evaluation 1959-1969 | |||||||||
| 3 | 52 | Report of Visitation and Sources Investigated: "Operation Yardstick", a Study of Feasibility of School Evaluation 1964 | |||||||||
| 3 | 53 | "Project Yardstick": An Evaluation of its First Seven Years 1971 | |||||||||
| 3 | 54 | A Study of Schooling in the U.S.A. 1979 | |||||||||
| 3 | 55 | Three Studies on Alternative Educational Programs 1973-1974 | |||||||||
| 3 | 56 | Master Teacher and Special Awards Program Teacher-Leader Program undated | |||||||||
| 3 | 56 | Summer Economic Workshop for 1978, Grants-To-Teachers Program 1978 | |||||||||
| 3 | 56 | Bridge Project 1973 | |||||||||
| 3 | 56 | Educational Goals for Ohio in the 1970s, conference report ca. 1969 | |||||||||
| 3 | 56 | 1986 Jennings State Conference 1986 | |||||||||
| 3 | 57 | Report to the Public, State Conference 1978 | |||||||||
| 3 | 58 | Requirements for Employability in the year 2000 and Beyond 1988 | |||||||||
| 3 | 58 | Restructuring the Education System in Ohio, 1951-1989 ca. 1989 | |||||||||
Series III: Publications 1963-1993 |
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Sub-series A: Annual Reports 1969-1992 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 3 | 59-61 | Annual reports (no 1976 report) 1969-1992 | |||||||||
Sub-series B: Quarterly Journals 1964-1993 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 3 | 62-66 | Pro Excellentia (includes special issues) 1964-1993 | |||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 4 | 67-69 | JOURNAL 1974-1989 | |||||||||
| 4 | 70-72 | Bulletin 1967-1993 | |||||||||
Sub-series C: Jennings Scholar Publications 1963-1992 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 4 | 73 | Programs, Jennings Scholar Awards Luncheon, including description of the Jennings Scholar Awards Program 1965-1970 | |||||||||
| 4 | 74-86 | Jennings Scholar Lectures 1963-1976 | |||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 5 | 87-101 | Jennings Scholar Lectures 1976-1992 | |||||||||
| 5 | 102 | The Martha Holden Jennings Foundation: An Institutional History, 1959-1984, Marc Crail 1988 | |||||||||