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Chalkboard with educational scroll

Object/Artifact
Square chalkboard enclosed in a wooden frame with a window on top that frames educational content on a long paper scroll. The educational content could be changed by turning the wooden pegs to roll another lesson into view. The chalkboard likely hung from two eye bolts and has a second chalkboard on the back or it once may have had an easle stand. A 1928 copyright statement on the scroll indicates the board was produced by the Richmond School Furniture company.
Front
back A view of the multiple lessons that could be displayed in the window above the chalkboard. Ad for a later product by the same company

2024.04.60

Education and schools

Winthers, Sally

1928

28 in

21 in

2 in

Sec 2E Shelf S24

Poor

scroll is in two pieces with damage along right edge

Richmond School Furniture Company was founded in 1892 in Richmond, Indiana by Quaker lawyer, manufacturer William Foulke Spencer (1833- 1920). The company manufactured school furniture such as desks, benches, chalkboards, as well as office furniture like Wooten type desks, and church furniture. Spencer also was granted 2 patents for Improvement in School Furniture: 176,701 on April 25, 1876 (CL.65.0397 in the NMAH collections) and patent 179,877 on July 18, 1876 (see CL.65.0513 in the NMAH collections). He later was issued a patent for an opera chair. By 1880, Spencer was listing his profession as a manufacturer of school furniture, having joined the firm originated by John P. Allen and George H. Grant. It became Haynes, Spencer & Company. When it was destroyed in a fire in 1892, he founded the Richmond School Furniture Company. After an 1840 fire in the Cressco manufacturing plant, Horatio Cress sold his patent rights for education boards to the Richmond School Furniture Company and they expanded their product line to include educational toys. The company remained headquartered in Muncie, Indiana until 1961 when they went out of business. Source: https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/nmah_1692999

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08/12/2024

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08/19/2024