Classbooks

Manufactured school memory books published at major houses in Chicago, New York and elsewhere circulated to individual students and schools across the country, where they were adapted to their local contexts. The memory practices inscribed in these books shaped individual and collective identity construction. Thus, these texts deserve scholarly attention as literary and cultural productions reflecting and inscribing literacy practices of twentieth-century American students.

This interactive map allows users to explore the collection of school memory books in relation to time and geographical space, with particular emphasis here on the role of individual publishing houses in the production of school memory books. For instance, you can see that C.R. Gibson (1870-present) published books such as Memories of My School Days and Graduation Memories, which are in green. Reilly & Britton (1907-1918) published The Girl Graduate, School Friendship Book, and School-Girl Days, each of which are entered in purple. Reilly & Lee (1918-1959) took over publication of The Girl Graduate and School Friendship Book, which entries are in red.

Navigate the map using the timeline (along the bottom), or by clicking on points in the map to view the individual record for each school memory book. 

This map is designed to accompany the Classbooks exhibit here. Browse the full collection of school memory books by searching "classbooks" at dh.scu.edu.