New York State Department of Public Instruction Office of the Superintendent Teachers' Institute Registers of Attendance and…

1859-1870: Chronological by year, then alphabetical by county.

Separate accounts of expenses, 1867-1870: Chronological by date of payment of claim.

1880-1884: By county, then chronological by date of the institute.

Teachers' institutes during this period were usually two week sessions organized and conducted at the county level for the purpose of instructing common school teachers in subject matter and teaching methods.

Institutes began in 1843 as voluntary gatherings. The State officially established teachers' institutes in 1847, placing them under the control of local school officials who were required to report on attendance of the institutes to the Superintendent of Common Schools and, after 1854, to the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Payments to institute conductors and instructors employed by the Superintendent and to school commissioners for expenses incurred in holding institutes were authorized by the consolidated school law of 1864.

This series of unbound records consists of standardized forms providing detailed information on attendance and expenses of teachers' institutes. Although the attendance registers vary slightly in format at different periods, each generally provides: the names and addresses of attending teachers; a daily attendance record for each teacher; and the number of terms each teacher had previously taught. The attached accounts of expenses provide an itemized record of the cost of each institute and are often accompanied by enclosed receipts. For the years 1867-1870 there are also separate itemized accounts of expenses claimed by conductors and instructors of institutes. There are no records between 1870 and 1880, and very few after 1882.

A2004Series A2004, Subject Files of Correspondence Received

04340Series 04340, Incoming Correspondence

A2003Series A2003, Telegrams Received

A2000Series A2000, Outgoing Correspondence

A2006Series A2006, Outgoing Correspondence Relating to the State Teachers' Library and

A2002Series A2002, Registers of Telegrams Sent, all contain additional records relating to teachers' institutes.

A container list is available at the repository.

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