Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Records of the Wakefield Alumni Association, Collection # RG 167, Arlington Public Library, Center for Local History

Acquisition Information

Gift of Conchita Mitchell, Wakefield High School class of 1966, in October of 2006.

Historical Information

Wakefield High School, one of three high schools in Arlington, Virginia, was officially dedicated on February 22, 1955, although classes started there in 1953. Affiliated with the Virginia Congress of Parents and Teachers, the Wakefield Parent-Teacher Association's (PTA) bylaws state its goal as "to develop between educators and the general public such unified efforts as will secure for every child the highest advantages in physical, mental, social, and spiritual education." To this end the group formed committees such as Curriculum and Parent Education, Fellowship Fund, Library, Speech Service, and the like. Records document concerns for the overall development of teenagers, student smoking policy, teacher salaries, state and federal legislation affecting schools, maintaining a scholarship fund for teachers, and improving the school library. Monthly general membership meetings presented programs of these topics, as well as the American Field Service, standardized educational tests, student health, and general enrollment information for parents. The Wakefield Alumni Association collected this material to preserve the history of the school.

Scope and Content

Record Group 167 houses records of the Wakefield Alumni Association. The record group measures approximately 1.5 linear feet and dates from 1921 to 2003, with the bulk dating from 1953 to 1969. Types of material include minutes, correspondence, reports, directories, handbooks, programs, a scrapbook, clippings, and photographs. Over half the record group contains the records of the Wakefield Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), 1954-1969.

The collection includes student publications and a 1967-1968 scrapbook of the Student Cooperative Association (SCA) which covers student interests (including smoking policies) and activities, such as sports, clubs, and musical and theatrical performances. Directories list student names and addresses and a few handbooks list rules and customs of the school.

Arrangement

Record Group 167 is organized into four series. Series 1 contains records of the Wakefield PTA, 1953-1969, divided into seven subseries by type of material. Series 2 contains student publications. Series 3 is the SCA scrapbook for 1967-1968. The entire scrapbook has been photocopied in its original order, and then removable photographs and printed matter have been filed separately. Series 4 contains clippings and photographs, which are from the scrapbook as well as loose photographs. Within series or subseries arrangement is generally chronological.

Related Material

RG 188, Wakefield High School Student Posters , has posters made by Wakefield students in the late 1960s to promote athletic events, social gatherings, and school polities. RG 7, Arlington Public Schools , contains information about the entire Arlington public school system. Another Arlington high school's alumni group has their records in RG 374, Yorktown High School Alumni Association .

Index Terms

Subjects:

• Arlington (Va.)
• Arlington County (Va.)
• Arlington Public Schools (Arlington, Va.)
• High schools
• Parents' and teachers' associations -- United States
• Public schools -- United States.

Adjunct Descriptive Data