The Center for Early Education Archive

Welcome, time travelers!

The mission of The Center's archive is to promote greater awareness of the school's history by collecting and preserving records regarding its origins and continuing development. These records include pictorial, audio-visual, electronic, and written records, as well as materials, artifacts, and other records worthy of preservation. They will be preserved in the collection and made available for research. The archive is maintained by the Advancement Office and is open to the public by appointment.

We hope to use this page to communicate, educate, and share some fascinating finds as we trace The Center's history from its founding in 1939. We'd also like to thank Linda Badal, Stella Jeong, and Julie Klausner for all of their help with this journey. Our amazingly committed volunteers, we could never have undertaken this project without their assistance.

What Will You Find Next?

Between these sun-drenched brick and stucco walls lies a unique and fascinating history. We've uncovered a lot, but there's still much treasure hunting to be done. That's where you come in. We need your help to fully grow our archive collection. But first, a little something for you.

As we retrace our steps, we're constantly finding clues that point to the origins of The Center. Here are a few of the many interesting facts we’ve discovered so far:

• Did you know The Center’s first home (known then as The School for Nursery Years) was located in a house and garden on Rossmore Avenue in Hancock Park? Established in 1939 and known as “the backyard group,” this small family of children, teachers, and parents had one primary objective: teaching children to learn through play, because a child’s play is his or her way of understanding and interpreting life.

• In 1944, the school faced eviction from its Rossmore home. Parents rallied to find a new location and landed on Alfred Street, here in West Hollywood, in 1946.

• The Center purchased the property at 563 North Alfred Street in 1945 from an individual named Eleanor Francis, for the unbelievable sum of $10. Does anyone in our CEE community know if Eleanor Francis had an affiliation with the school? We would love to know!

 Children at play in the 1940s on The School for Nursery Years' Rossmore Avenue and later, Alfred Street, campus.

But We Can't Do It Without You!

The Center’s history is your history. And now our archive staff needs your help to build our collection of historic memorabilia, especially from the founding years through the 1970s (1939-1979). So dig deep into your closets, attics, and storage boxes to lay your hands on something to contribute. We're looking for:

• Graduation announcements and diplomas (copies okay): 1939-pres.

• Class photos

• Photos of campus, students, or teachers: 1939-1985

• Photos and memorabilia from CEE overnight and camping trips: 1939-1990

• Yearbooks: 1939-1980

• School directories: 1939-1980

• Parent committee notebooks, lists, or other information

• Newsletters and publications: 1939-1985

• Press items (newspaper, magazine articles/clippings--copies okay)

• Video, film, and slides: 1939-1985

• Physical memorabilia (logo items, carnival/fair items, invitations, programs, etc.)

• College for Developmental Studies-related items (theses, course catalogs, photos, memorabilia): 1947-1991

• Information on the psychoanalytic community in Los Angeles

… as well as any other related items from your days at The School for Nursery Years and/or The Center for Early Education.

We Want to Hear From You

In January we’ll send you a packet with easy steps on how to make your own historical contribution. If you’d like to share something in the meantime, please contact Brooks Heintzelman, Director of Communications, at HeintzelmanB@cee-school.org or (323)651-0707. We can't wait to see what you've found.

Explore The Center Through the Years