Beginning in the mid-19th century, a number of histories were published about Worcester City and County. Like most histories of the time, they focus mainly on prominent people and businesses but some include vital records of ordinary citizens. Some publications include photographic images, information about the built environment, and profiles of business and industry from the region's heyday as a manufacturing center.
The publications featured here are full-text digital versions available through the Internet Archive. Some of these publications exist in print in the WSU Rare Books collection. See the collections page on this guide for more details.
In the late 19th century, Worcester State students and instructors kept class diaries and other notes related to coursework as well as their work as apprentice teachers in Worcester city schools. Included here are transcriptions of diaries from 1875-1880 as well as an Apprenticeship Diary (1903-1904) and Child Study Records (1900-1904).
Edited by Lawrence A. Averill, head of the Department of School Hygiene and Educational Psychology at Worcester State (Normal School), The American Journal of School Hygiene was published quarterly from 1917-1922. Articles include those related to children’s mental and physical health, school building sanitation, reviews of national and international physical education programs, school medical care, school infrastructure including lighting and plumbing, special problems of rural schools, books reviews, and notes from national organizations including the American School Hygiene Association. After 1922, the journal was renamed School Hygiene Review and disappears from national catalog records after 1923.
This collection includes volumes 1-5.
This 1889 volume includes an encyclopedic listing of Worcester-related topics ranging from Adams Square to the Zoological Club as well as various city maps. Be sure to view the various newspaper clippings pasted into the front and back pages.