Classes at the Chicago Academy of Sciences
Outdoor opportunities include classes like those conducted by Frank Woodruff of the Chicago Academy of Sciences (now housed at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum).
This image depicts Woodruff's bird identification class in Lincoln Park, possibly near the Chicago Academy of Sciences building at Armitage and Clark (occupied by the Academy from 1894-1994). In addition to serving as Academy director from 1896 to 1925,
Woodruff was an ornithologist and curator at the Academy and wrote
Birds of the Chicago Area in 1907. The Chicago Academy of Sciences published that book and many others, committing itself to education and scholarship. This commitment to education included programming for young students as seen here, as well as continuing education and certification for teachers in order for them to better understand and teach the natural sciences. The Academy started offering regular free lectures in 1907 and opened up a children's library in 1911.
Flower Shows at the Chicago Coliseum
Flower shows were another way of enjoying and learning about a controlled version of nature. Before the World Wars, the
Chicago Horticultural Society flower shows drew large crowds, gained national recognition and elevated horticulture to a fine arts status by coordinating with the Art Institute and providing educational programming. The Chicago Coliseum, located at 15th Street and Wabash Avenue, hosted
the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Annual Flower Shows. These shows brought attention to the need for children to experience gardens and nature. There were many initiatives during the Progressive Era to get children involved in nature and the outdoors. Landscape architects like Jens Jensen and Frederick Law Olmsted designed many urban playlots. Progressive educational programs promoted curricula integrated with nature exploration, like the Woodruff class above. Children’s Gardens as well as Victory Gardens became a focus during the Depression Era and World War II. You can read more about Progressive Era institutions in the
Amateur Hour section as well.
The Chicago Coliseum, home to the flower shows, has a storied history in Chicago as an entertainment venue. Charles Gunther originally built its facade to house a museum whose centerpiece was the Civil War Era Libby Prison, moved from Virginia and reconstructed brick by brick in 1889. The museum closed in 1898 and the facade was used to front the new Chicago Coliseum arena, which stayed open until 1971, and hosted a variety of entertainment from sports to music to exhibitions like flower shows.
Baseball on the Big Screen
By the 1930s, even more entertainment venues had opened in Chicago. Of particular popularity were movie theaters, including the ornate movie theater palaces that started opening in 1917 in Chicago.
Many of these buildings are still extant,
if in danger. The Depression Era saw a boom in movie production as it was a relatively inexpensive means of entertainment. This booklet and game card for "
Home Run: Baseball of the Screen," is one item that appears to have been available at movie theaters during the 1930s. We actually know very little about this piece, other than it has a 1936 copyright registration date and the company that patented and sold it, Garden City Novelty Manufacturing Company, was based in Chicago and sold other novelty items like coin-operated machines. If you have more information about this piece or any other pieces in this exhibit, we encourage you to
contact us.
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