Paper Treasures at a Show Near You?
by Mike Day
Although no one mentioned the word, many of the presentations at the just concluded CSAA Conference focused on ephemera. Old school records; penmanship materials; children’s literature; Rewards of Merit; old arithmetic books: it’s all ephemera. I was surprised to learn in the conversations following the presentations that few people know the word, and fewer still are aware that ephemera shows are an extremely rich source of materials from or about early schools.
The word ephemera comes from the adjective ephemeral, meaning short lived, and in the world of antiques it refers to those materials that were intended to be used for a very short period of time. Much of the paper that regularly flows through society – newspapers, advertisements, letters, calendars, etc – is considered ephemera. Similar materials from the past, along with report cards, old 
school books, teacher contracts and other school-related materials are also ephemera, and there are antique dealers who specialize in this broad field. As with the more traditional antique dealers, many ephemera dealers participate in large regional shows that may be advertised either as an “Ephemera Show” or as a “Paper Show”. Such shows provide a wonderful opportunity to secure a wide range of materials to complement a restored schoolhouse or enrich an education-related collection. But you have to dig for your treasures.
Ephemera shows are the ultimate expressions of the old adage, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”. Much of what is offered for sale at these shows will leave you shaking your head and asking, “Why would anyone want that?”, but apparently there are people out there who collect decades old TV Guides, matchbook covers and advertisements. Many dealers also have thick folders of miscellaneous papers filed under a number of general headings. Under “Schools” you are apt to find business letters on school letterhead; college diplomas, penmanship exercises or catalogs of school supplies. Under “Teachers” you may well find contracts, grade books, class pictures and teaching certificates. “Rewards of Merit” are usually in a category of their own, and I’ve seen dozens of them offered for sale at from three to ten dollars each. Books may not seem to be ephemeral but books dealers are commonly included in these paper shows. Whether a book is “rare” or simply “used” is a matter of opinion, but dealers in both kinds often display books that were designed for school use. Late 19th century primers, readers, music books and arithmetic books are commonly sold for between $10 and $20 and a great variety of them is usually available. 
Early school books with wooden covers and leather bindings are also available, but at significantly higher prices. The tiny “chap books” that children once read and that teachers often gave away as gifts are another category, and these are usually available at prices ranging from $5 to $25 apiece. Photographs are ephemera and you can expect to see boxes and boxes of these, some dating back to the first years of photography. Most are of someone’s birthday party or summer vacation, but large early photographs of school buildings, class groups and the community in general are also available. Unfortunately it is often the case that these are not identified either as to time or place. There is no telling what will be available. Just about anything that has ever been printed on paper is apt to show up. The best approach is to simply ask the dealer what he has that relates to the topic and time period you are interested in. Prices seem to be arbitrarily determined and haggling is acceptable.
Here in New England, the premier ephemera show is “Papermania” - www.papermaniaplus.com which is held twice a year in Hartford (the next ones are August 22-23, 2009 and January 9-10, 2010), but there are other ephemera shows throughout the country and throughout the year. The web site of the Ephemera Society of America www.ephemerasociety.org a list of currently scheduled shows, but an antique dealer in your community may know of other shows closer to where you live. An ephemera show is a great opportunity for you to find the books, materials and miscellaneous papers needed to complete a restored one room schoolhouse.
Visit Mike Day's website:Clippership Publications-Books for a One-Room Schoolhouse
Note: Dunstable School District #1 ledger page, courtesy of Nashua Historical Society, Nashua,NH.
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