KENNESAW, Ga. | Sep 18, 2025

Not too long ago, my mom found a stack of papers and books in the back of a closet that, being a genealogist, she thought I might be interested in. She almost threw them away, but I’m glad she thought of me. She came across some fantastic examples of writings from her English class in school when she was in 5th and 6th grade, as well as her graduation booklet from June 1956 when she was graduating 6th and moving to a new school for 7th.

I can only imagine my mom in elementary and middle school. She was such a good student- straight A’s all the time- and very musically inclined (she loved playing piano). She is and always has been, I’m sure, such a nurturing and caring person that she aspired to be a teacher according to her 6th grade graduation, and guess what? She did just that. Graduating from Georgia Southern College (formerly Georgia Teachers College) in 1964 and going on to become an elementary school teacher in Emanuel County, Georgia for the next 15 years.

I loved going through the papers and reading her writing samples. She had such neat handwriting and she has even better now! I guess when you teach K-5 children, you really need nice handwriting, especially when teaching grammar and cursive and things like that.

Another portion of the stack of papers my mom found in the closet is dated 1965, the year she started teaching. There are worksheets, mimeograph stencils, and copies that range from 1st grade science to language arts and social studies. It is a fascinating look back into my mom’s life when she was younger, but also a look into school days during the mid-century. Some of the items were teachers’ aids, such as books and other publications.

I was so enthralled with not only this tangible family history, but also the historical value of these exemplars of mid-century education. I brought them to work with me to the Kennesaw State University (KSU) Archives and began preserving them and cleaning everything up. I was doing it in my spare time and my co-worker saw it all sitting on the processing room table and was just as interested in them as I was. It was decided that I would donate these materials to the archives! I was then able to completely process and make a finding aid for them. The part of the collection that includes my mom’s childhood school materials can be found in our Archives Teaching Collection and her papers from her later life as a school teacher can be found here: the Patricia Ramey Scott Teaching Collection, circa 1965.

*Items from the Patricia Ramey Scott Teaching Collection were previously displayed at KSU’s Rare Book Museum during the 2023 exhibition The Books That Taught Us.