Part 1 (Micro 92, Audio 435A/1-10): Original Collection, 1964-1967
Physical Description: 15 reels of microfilm (35 mm) and 10 tape recordings 
Scope and Content Note

The Records of the Child Development Group of Mississippi have been organized into four microfilmed parts: Part I, Field Operations; Part II, Teacher Development Program; Part III, Central Office; and Part IV, Community Programs Division; plus a group of copied tape recordings.

Field Operations

This series contains documents collected from the various centers for child development all over the state. They are grouped together by areas and there are papers concerning those general areas. The materials cover the years 1965 and 1966.

In general the collection contains reports and correspondence of certain workers and staff members, information on and questionnaires filled out by the staff concerning the nature of their work and the organization of their particular centers. There are initial and final preparedness reports concerning the number of children involved and the number of staff to be engaged. Also included is information on the children, in particular the income of their families. There are also letters from the parents of the children involved at the centers. There are minutes and resolutions of the community meetings held at the center. Finally, there are letters and reports from the area offices to the centers.

Teacher Development Program

This series of documents is material from the Teacher Development Program for the years of 1965 and 1966. The program was concerned with gathering information on the children in the Head Start Program and providing personnel to teach in the various centers. The documents are grouped according to the areas as outlined by the C.D.G.M. and by subject, such as observations of students, and “involvement of white children.”

More specifically, the collection contains information on the recruiting of teachers, their background and experience with children and instructional concerning methods of teaching. There are different form sheets for the teachers to fill in concerning their observations of the child's health and attitude. The collection contains detailed lesson plans, criticism by teachers of their training program and observations on the general course of the Head Start Program from parents as well as teachers. There is also abundant material on the attempts of the centers to involve White People and the number of Whites who participated either as students or teachers.

Central Office

This series of documents is from the headquarters of the C.D.G.M. and contains materials from the office of the director. The papers are from the years 1965 and 1966.

This particular series contains similar kinds of information found in other series in the collection. There is information on teacher training, reports about the general condition and progress of the centers and proposals for new centers. But unlike the other series, there is detailed information on the budget with first, second and third drafts. There are guideline materials from the Office of Economic opportunity in Washington. The series contains detailed minutes of the central staff meetings. There are numerous press releases and newspaper articles concerning the different centers throughout the State.

Community Programs Division

The Community Programs Division of the Child Development Group of Mississippi provides professional services and trained personnel for community development. The services included are medical and dental examinations as well as written guides dealing with the formation of cooperatives and local credit unions. Through its Community Program Workers the Division helps the poor build movements toward self-community development and inter-community cooperation.

The Papers of Marvin Hoffman, Director of the Community Programs Division, include Division correspondence and memoranda, 1965-1967, correspondence dealing with groups outside of Mississippi who are concerned in some way with the progress of the Child Development Group of Mississippi, reports concerning the Division's various programs, such as Head Start, and guides used to train personnel.

In addition to the manuscript materials loaned by the Child Development Group of Mississippi for microfilming, the agency loaned many tape recordings. These were played, and many selections were made for copying. There are no introductions on the tapes, and there was little identification. “Staff Meetings” were evidently not meetings attended by various members of the staff, but the term was used to describe the period when the supervising teacher visited a center, observed the children, and then talked with the trainees and teachers. ATG (Area Teachers Group?) workshops and evaluation sessions were meetings attended by trainees, teachers, resource teachers, and instructional staff members.

Part I, Field Operations

Part II, Teacher Development Program

Part III, Central Office

Part IV, Community Programs Divisions

Tape Recordings

Interviews conducted at the day care center in Indianola by Lovar Earl Cusic, 1966 September 29
Scope and Content Note: Concerning the operation of the center and its value in the eyes of the teachers.

ACT Board; Instruction by Mrs. S.J. Kilmer, 1966 July 14

Evaluation at Mileston, preceded by class demonstation, Earl Cusic, interviewer, 1966 September 23

Evaluation at Rose Hill, Earl Cusic, 1966 September 17

Evaluation at Rose Hill (continued)

Evaluation at Mt. Moriah, Leola Downs, interviewer, 1966 September 23
Note: Following the end of the Mt. Moriah recording, the end of the meeting recorded on 435A/4 is recorded.

Meeting with PRVO [Martin Luther King present?], 1966 September 27

PRVO meeting (continued)

ATG workshop to discuss teachers' problems; songs; , 1966 September 7

Area staff meeting in Quitman, Mississippi, undated
Scope and Content Note: Discussion of organization and problems in the areas; and of the responsibilities of the community in the operation of centers.

ATG workshop, 1966 August 31

ATG workshop and community-wide meeting, teachers and citizens, 1966 September 14
Scope and Content Note: Discussion of the Headstart program, and evaluation of its worth. Discussions of case histories, and treatment of children.

ATG workshop, 1966 August 31, Relation of Area Administrator to ATG, renamed the Area Director
Scope and Content Note: Discussion of Grievance Committee and problems.

ATG Workshop meeting at Tickfor, Evaluation, 1966 September 21

Staff meeting in Area 13 with Jesse Paris and Colman Miller, 1966 September 23

Staff meeting with an 0E0 representative (Mr. Collins?), 1966 September 21

Staff meeting conducted at Utica Center by Earl Cusic, 1966 July 22

Staff meeting conducted at Jackson Park Center by Earl Cusic, 1966 July 28
Scope and Content Note: Includes conversations between Mr. Cusic and several children.

Staff meeting at Landon Center, undated
Scope and Content Note: Discussion with teachers and kitchen help concerning the children. Children can be heard in the background. Testimonials as to the worth of CDGM, by parents and teachers.

Staff meeting in Area 4, place unknown, undated, Mrs. Ayers
Scope and Content Note: Includes discussion as to contrasts between schools run by CDGM and public schools. Discussion of methods and materials at CDGM schools. Report by one teacher who was sent to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to receive further training.

Staff meeting at Philadelphia, Mississippi, Area J, Mrs. Blackstom, undated

Staff meeting at West Point, Mississippi, Area J, Mrs. Blackstom, undated
Scope and Content Note: Begins with teacher trying to teach songs to the children. Followed by discussion with teachers, led by Mrs. Blackstom.

Staff meeting at West Point (continued)
Scope and Content Note: Includes instructions and discussions on classroom methods and materials.