Yvonne Johnson Collection (Sycamore), 1874-2015
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Brief Description: The Yvonne Johnson Collection dates from 1874 to 2015, with materials dating predominately between 1930 and 2015, and includes personal and professional materials related to Yvonne Johnson’s fifty-one year career as a science teacher. The collection provides a snapshot into American education through the eyes of an admired and successful educator. Documents include family history information, photographs, correspodence with students, certificates, educational and instructional materials, letters, cards, yearbooks, oversized displays, and newspaper articles. Digital images (37) are also archived as part of the collection.
Held at:
Northern Illinois University
Founders Memorial Library
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, IL 60115
Phone: 815-753-1779
Email: rhcua [at] niu.edu
Record Series Number: RHC/RC/337
Volume: 11.0 Linear Feet
Acquired: 07/31/2014. Additional materials were donated in 2015.
Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into nine series and follows a mostly chronological order. Series I is composed of Yvonne Johnson’s biographical information, containing photographs, cards, flyers, and announcements.

Series II contains information regarding the Johnson family, including her brother Kenneth, sister Elaine, and mother Virginia. This series holds photographs, booklets, stories, and family history information. Researchers interested further in this family history should also see the Leo B. Olson Collection (RC 338).

Series III is composed of Yvonne Johnson’s educational materials that chronicle her early education and training to become a teacher. Materials include workbooks, art work, yearbooks, diplomas, and other documents she created during the course of her education.

The bulk of the collection consists of materials related to Yvonne Johnson’s teaching and professional activities. Series IV, Teaching Materials & Professional Papers, include teaching philosophies, yearbooks, programs, and photographs of classrooms and faculty. Also included are student instructional workbooks, work sheets, and other charts. There are also a number of handmade materials and correspondence from students. Series V consists Awards and Certificates presented to Yvonne Johnson on the local, state, and national levels. Of particular are handmade awards made by her students. Series VI, Organizations, documents Yvonne Johnson’s involvement in various professional and local charitable organizations. Series VII consists of educational material, programs, and photographs related to the NASA educational workshop for elementary teachers program from 1988-1992.

Scrapbooks and Ephemera make up Series VIII. The scrapbooks consists of photographs celebrating Yvonne Johnson’s career, letters and cards by students, and various newspaper clippings related to her career. There are also a number of artifacts, including plaques, ornaments, and a Saw-Set tool that belonged to her Grandfather Andrew Nelson, who filed a patent for the invention. The final series, Series IX, is composed of Oversized Materials such as display tri-folds put together by Yvonne Johnson to celebrate her 50 years of teaching. Four of these tri-fold displays were dismantled for preservation purposes and have been integrated into the collection. Also included are larger print items related to her family history such as diplomas, newspaper articles, and family trees.

The addendum contains records related to Yvonne Johnson’s personal life as well as her education and professional career as a science teacher, including photographs, teacher’s guides, activity books, award certificates, student papers, and textiles. Family records, photographs, clippings, and local area historical publications are also contain in the addition. Family records include photographs, diaries, and clippings.

Access Restrictions: There are no restrictions to this collection.
Subject Index
DeKalb County (Ill.)-- History
Education.
Elementary school teachers.
Elementary school teaching.
Illinois Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs
Johnson, Kenneth Albert
Johnson, Yvonne A.
National Science Teachers Association
Northern Illinois State Teachers College
Northern Illinois University
Olson, Elaine V.
Olson, Leo B.
Pets
Saw sets--United States--Patents.
Science teachers.
Sycamore (Ill.)
Teachers – Training of.
United States. – National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Languages of Materials
English [eng]
Rights/Use Restrictions: Property rights in the collection belong to the Regional History Center, literary rights are dedicated to the public.
Technical Access Notes: Electronic records may be accessed on the computer in the Center’s reading room.
Acquisition Notes: Yvonne Johnson  Yvonne Johnson of Sycamore, Illinois donated her personal and professional papers to the Regional History Center on July 31, 2014.
Related Materials: Leo B. Olson Collection (RC 338)