Denver Public Schools records, 1890-2022.

Denver Public Schools, creator.

C MSS WH1990

Digital images from the Denver Public Schools records.

1890-2022.

17.75 linear ft. (19 boxes), 3 oversize boxes, 2 oversize file folder, 2 oversize folios, 12 photograph boxes, 1 oversize photograph box, 1 oversize photograph file folder

Organized into 5 series: 1. Denver Public Schools, 1892-2022 (Box1-9,16-19). 2. Scrapbooks, 1952-1980 (Box10). 3. Photographic prints, 1890-1976 (PhotoBox1-4,12, OVPhotoBox1). 4. Photographic negatives, 1890-1980 (PhotoBox5-11). 5 Oversize, 1908-2006 (OVFF1-2, OVFol1-2)

Denver's school system began on October 3, 1859, with the first school in a log cabin. Private schools opened between 1859 and 1861, and the Colorado territorial government created the Office of Superintendent of Schools on November 7, 1861. Arapahoe County appointed Owen J. Goldrick superintendent on December 2, 1861, and new districts and schools were established between 1862 and 1880. The first high school opened in 1874, and the first commencement was held in 1877. Rapid growth in the 1880s led to consolidation, which was confirmed by the Colorado Supreme Court in 1903, along with new district offices and building programs. Denver's first junior high school opened in the early 1910s, and by 1926 there were nine junior high or middle schools. Emily Griffith founded the Opportunity School in 1916, later renamed in her honor. School growth continued until the Baby Boom era ended, while aging buildings were replaced or repurposed during the 1970s and 1980s. Segregation became a major issue in the 1960s, court-ordered busing began in 1970, and the order was lifted in 1995. By 2011, Denver Public Schools included a wide range of elementary, middle, high, charter, and specialized schools.

Collection contains manuscript and photographic materials about specific school buildings and students including: administrative and departmental correspondence, news clippings, brief biographies of early community leaders, awards, ephemera, Board of Education meeting minutes, fliers, community events, photographs, architectural drawings, and media releases. Few documents are from the 1960s. Organization of the collection follows the original organization of files as received from the donor.

Denver Public Schools -- Archives.

Public schools -- Colorado -- Denver.

Public schools -- Colorado -- Denver -- Pictorial works.

Administrative records.

Photographs.

Collection includes former C371.009788 D437news, Denver Public Schools news, press and media releases.

Contact Special Collections and Archives Dept., Denver Public Library, Denver, Colo.

Gift; Tim Summers ; 2007.

Gift; Joel Bradley ; 2010.

Gift; Savannah Jameson ; 2012.

Gift; Denver Public Schools; 2012, 2013.

Gift ; Barb Montgomery ; 2014.

Gift; Nancy Prince ; 2015.

GIft; Hannah Kaftanska ; 2015.

Gift; Bob Sheets ; 2016.

Gift; Susana Cordova; 2017.

Gift; Del Kelly; 2019.

Gift; Victoria Bailey; 2019.

Gift; Karen L. Chapman; 2020.

Gift; Cecily M. Y. Davis; 2022.

Gift; Bonnie Petersen; 2022.

Gift; Deborah Staten; 2022, 2023.

Gift; Jamye L. Herron; 2022.

Gift; Rivka Weisberg; 2022.

Gift; Carrie Alexandria Caster; 2022.

Gift; Charlene Brown; 2022.

Gift; Michael Clem; 2022.

Gift; Jamie Seemiller; 2022.

Gift; Alumni Association; 2023.

Gift; Galveston County Museum; 2023.

Gift; Melissa Gurney Schultz; 2025.

Gift; David Forsyth; 2025.

Transfer; Western History collection; 2026.