Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434) 560 Drillfield Drive Newman Library, Virginia Tech Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 Business Number: 540-231-6308 specref@vt.edu URL: http://spec.lib.vt.edu
Laura Katz Smith
Repository
Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech
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Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to research.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder],
Lampe, Margaret S. Marston Papers, Ms1991-003, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.
Margaret S. Marston Lampe was born in Arizona in 1941, but has been a long-time resident of Arlington, Virginia. While active
in numerous civic and community organizations, she has been most involved with educational issues on the state and national
level. Her activities in the area of education have included: chair of the Virginia Congress of Parents and Teachers; chair
of the National Institute of Education Task Force on Educational Laboratories; and co-chair of the Governmental Affairs Committee
of the National Association of State Boards of Education.
Ms. Lampe was selected as a member of the National Commission on Excellence in Education when it was established on August
6, 1981, by U.S. Secretary of Education Terrel H. Bell. The purpose of the Commission was to "spearhead a major campaign to
encourage all of America's schools, colleges, and universities to enhance excellence in education. The Secretary directed
the Commission to "examine the quality of education in the United States and to make a report to the nation and to him within
18 months of its first meeting." The Commission's first meeting was October 9-10, 1981. Its final report, A Nation at Risk:
The Imperative for Education Reform, was issued on April 26, 1983. A "Nation at Risk" Third Anniversary Conference was held
on April 25-26, 1986.
In 1986, Ms. Lampe was appointed by Virginia Governor Gerald L. Baliles to Governor's Commission on Excellence in Education.
The Commission was charged with considering and recommending actions that would "place Virginia's public elementary and secondary
schools into the first rank in education in the nation." The Commission had its impetus from recommendations from the 1984
Governor's Commission on Virginia's Future. The Commission issued its final report in October 1986.
From 1979 to 1987, Ms. Lampe served on the Virginia Board of Education. While serving on the board, she was especially concerned
with the issues of textbook censorship and sex education in the schools. In 1988, she was named to the Board of Visitors of
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
The papers of Margaret S. Marston Lampe span the dates 1978-1987 and are comprised mostly of correspondence, final report
drafts, briefing material, meeting minutes, and newspaper clippings. The collection is organized into the following series:
National Commission on Excellence in Education, Elementary and Secondary Mathematics, National Institute of Education Laboratory,
Governor's Commission on Excellence in Education, and Virginia Board of Education.
The majority of this collection contains material from the National Commission on Excellence in Education, of which Ms. Lampe
was an original member of the 18 person National Committee. Included in this series are commissioned papers and statements
heard before the US House of Represenatives with the intention to raise the standards of education in the United States from
schools to colleges and universities. Also included in this inventory is material from the Virginia Board of Education, which
Ms. Lampe served on for eight years. Material includes notes and research on sex education and textbook censorship.
NATIONAL COMMISSION ON EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION 1982-83, n.d.
Contains briefing material on educational and regional work sessions. Also includes a statement heard before the before U.S.
Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources.
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY MATHEMATICS 1982-83, n.d.
Includes briefing material, notes, site visit for gifted and talented students, and final report drafts.
NATIONAL COMMISSION ON EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION 1981-83, n.d.
Contains final report designs, subcommittee meetings, hearing on teaching and teacher education, commissioned papers and fact
sheets. Also included a published copy of the final report "A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform."
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION LABORATORY 1976-86, n.d.
Contains Governor's commission on Virginia's future, US department of Education secretary's study group, and the National
Business Consortium for the gifted and talented. Also includes the 20th Century Fund Conference on Merit Pay and Master Teacher
Program.
GOVERNOR'S COMMISSION ON EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION 1986-89, n.d.
Includes corespondence, agendas, minutes, resource material, and reports. Also includes the final report of "Excellence in
Education: A Plan for Virginia's Future."
VIRGINIA BOARD OF EDUCATION 1983-86, n.d.
Contains correspondence and newspaper clippings on textbook censorship, Republican Women's Leadership Forum, Title 22 revisions,
photographs, and miscellaneous newspaper clippings and articles.
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